It seems that the level of English in Spain has improved, but is that really the case? Let the data and the figures answer the question.

Globalisation and growing international mobility have brought the importance of language learning into sharp focus. In Spain, command of foreign languages, particularly English, has been the subject of numerous studies analysing how it has developed over the decades. We may have the impression that the level of English has improved in recent decades and, over the long term, that is indeed the case. In the last few years, however, the picture changes.

How the level of English in Spain has developed

According to the Education First (EF) English Proficiency Index, Spain has shown moderate improvement over the past decade. In 2023 Spain ranked 35th out of 113 countries, with a score of 535, which corresponds to a moderate level. Since 2015, however, the average level of English has stagnated, with no significant progress. The decline in English proficiency among young people aged 18 to 20 is a cause for concern: their level has fallen from 571 points in 2015 to 514 in 2023. This setback is attributed in part to shortcomings in the education system.

Differences in English proficiency between Spain’s autonomous communities

There are significant variations in the level of English between the autonomous communities. Asturias, Galicia and Madrid stand out with the best levels, while Andalusia, La Rioja and Castilla-La Mancha have the lowest. At city level, Vigo has been recognised as the city with the best level of English in Spain, with a score of 585. Galicia leads the autonomous communities for English proficiency overall.

And how does that compare with previous decades?

In recent decades Spain has had far greater exposure to English thanks to tourism, immigration and the consumption of English-language media. That exposure, however, has not always translated into effective proficiency. Although there have been improvements compared with the 1980s and 1990s, progress has been slower than in other European countries. Learning English is far easier today than it once was: formal teaching in schools, access to language academies, books and screen content in the original version, the internationalisation of work, cheaper and more accessible travel, academic exchanges and so on. Even so, the trend appears to be stalling and, while other countries continue to move forward and build English into their daily lives, here progress has slowed.

Education levels and language learning

The Spanish education system has introduced bilingual programmes and increased the number of hours devoted to language learning. Studies point out, however, that teacher training and the methodology used may not be the most appropriate for achieving effective proficiency. Enrolment on modern language degrees such as English, French and German has also been falling, while enrolment in Classical Philology has risen..

More English than before, but tread carefully

Although Spain has made progress in foreign language learning over recent decades, we still face major challenges. The stagnation in the level of English, particularly among young people, and the regional disparities point to the need to review and strengthen education policy on language teaching. More practical training, better teacher training and greater exposure to English-speaking environments could be key to improving foreign language proficiency in the country. It would also be advisable to align academic criteria across the regions through a national education plan that removed those differences and, above all, did not change every few years.