How to make Spanish friends in 5 steps

Being in Catalunya for some time now, I have made a few Catalan friends. It hasn’t been easy, but it is possible. If you are interested in mingling with the natives, here are some things that I have learned since I came to live here:

1.Speak in Spanish: Although many people speak English, you have to remember that you are in Barcelona, SPAIN. People here either speak Spanish or they speak Catalán. Speaking in English is ok if you need basic communication and you do not know how to express it in Spanish, but if you really want to understand and connect to the Spanish people, you need to come from a common ground and speak their language. Just a note: Speaking Catalán gives you even more plus points and makes it even more likely to give you just that little extra something to make friends because very few people speak Catalán who are not natives to Catalunya.

2. Go to where the Spanish people hang out: That is to say that the Ramblas are great but you wont find all that many real Spanish people there. You must scoop out the places that the Spanish people like to go to. Some places where I have had success has been in Luz de Gas (a discoteca) and Razzmatazz (discoteca). Do your research online before coming. Find out little corner bars and bakeries by your You Stylish Apartment. All these little tips help.

3. Do not get exceedingly embibed when out to the nightclubs. No one likes an obnoxious drunk, nor someone that you cannot have a real conversation with. And in general in the night crowd of Barcelona, they don’t go out to get wasted, they tend to go out to hang out with the friends that they have grown up with since infancy. Drink with class, and you are sure to be able to strike up a conversation with any Spanish person in the bar.

4. Learn about futbol: Mainly, the Futbol Club Barcelona, who’s slogan “Mes que un club” (more than a club) speaks for itself. I myself am a diehard fan of Barça. If you want to make Catalan friends, NEVER tell anyone you are a Madrid fan.

5. Be patient: Making friends is never easy. Making friends in a foreign country is always in part luck, chemistry, and personality. If you don’t make friends in the first couple of days, don’t be sad. Just keep trying and try to enjoy yourself.

You are in BARCELONA, one of the most beautiful cities, after all.