Get your offer

Learning Foreign Languages

Language learning combines structured study, digital tools and human interaction. According to the European Commission, around two-thirds of EU citizens consider speaking at least one foreign language to be useful for their career. Apps are typically used alongside guided instruction to help form a daily habit.

Founded in 1983, SPRACHCAFFE runs accredited language schools in Malta, the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Cuba and Canada. These schools are aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference and are open to learners aged 12 and over, with separate programme tracks for juniors (aged 12–17), adults (aged 18+) and gap-year participants.

Global Reach

Languages bridge the gap between different continents and cultures.

Career Value

Multilingualism improves professional mobility and opens doors to international roles.

Cultural Access

Fluency provides deeper insights into global media, history, and social traditions.

Cognitive Growth

Studying a new language strengthens memory, focus, and mental flexibility.

Effective learning happens abroad

24/7 Supervised
Ages 12-21

All-in-One Camps for Young Learners
Ages 18 and up

Individual Language Experiences with Real Effect

A 2018 study by Hartshorne, Tenenbaum, and Pinker - researchers at MIT, Harvard, and Boston College - published in Cognition analysed data from nearly 670,000 English learners and concluded that the ability to acquire a second language's grammar to a high level remains strong until around age 17 or 18, with a sharper decline thereafter. Native-like proficiency, however, generally requires starting before age 10.

Source: Hartshorne, J. K., Tenenbaum, J. B., & Pinker, S. (2018)

Certificates are key!

Recognised language certificates provide international proof of proficiency. The most accepted certificates are:

TOEFL and IELTS for English, Cambridge (B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency), DELF and DALF for French, DELE for Spanish, Goethe-Zertifikat for German, CILS for Italian and HSK for Chinese.

Language skills also carry measurable economic value. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) found that 9 out of 10 employers rely on employees with language skills other than English. A Wharton/Lehman College study estimated a wage premium of 2% per additional language for bilingual workers.  At a European level, the European Commission's 'Languages Mean Business' report revealed that 11% of surveyed SMEs had missed export contracts due to a lack of language skills.

SPRACHCAFFE prepares students for these certifications through dedicated exam preparation courses.

Global Languages and their value

Global languages shape professional and academic opportunity. English is the working language of international business, science, and aviation. Spanish connects Europe with most of Latin America. French remains an official language at the United Nations, the European Union, and the African Union. German is the largest first language in the European Union by number of native speakers. Mandarin Chinese is central to trade and manufacturing across the Asia-Pacific. Arabic is spoken across 22 countries of the Arab League. The right choice depends on individual goals - career, study, travel, or relocation.

Language ▲▼ Speakers ▲▼ Value ▲▼
English~1.5BGlobal business, science, aviation, tech.
Mandarin Chinese~1.1BTrade, supply chains, Asia-Pacific.
Hindi~600MIndia markets, services, tech growth.
Spanish~560MAmericas, tourism, trade, diplomacy.
Arabic~420MEnergy, finance, MENA trade.
French~320MDiplomacy, Africa, EU institutions.
Portuguese~260MBrazil, Lusophone Africa, business.
Bengali~270MSouth Asia, regional business.
Russian~255MEastern Europe, Central Asia, energy.
Urdu~230MSouth Asia, community + media.
German~135MEngineering, EU economy, research.
Japanese~125MInnovation, tech, corporate world.
Swahili~200MEast Africa trade, regional access.
Turkish~90MBridge markets, logistics, tourism.
Korean~80MGlobal brands, tech, pop culture.
Italian~85MDesign, fashion, tourism, culture.
Vietnamese~95MSE Asia growth, manufacturing.
Persian (Farsi)~110MRegional culture, business links.
Indonesian~200MTourism, SE Asia commerce.
Dutch~25MLogistics, trade, EU business.

Speaker estimates compiled from Ethnologue (2024 edition) and include both native and second-language speakers. Economic-value tags reflect the dominant industries and regions in which each language is used commercially.

Across the European Union, English is spoken by 47% of Europeans as a foreign language (up 5 percentage points since 2012), followed by French (11%), German (10%), and Spanish (7%). English is also seen by 85% of parents as the most important foreign language for their children's future, followed by Spanish, German, French, and Chinese.

Source: European Commission

Learning Pathways: From Tools to Fluency

Most successful learners use different tools. Language apps like Duolingo, Babbel, and Anki help establish daily habits and improve vocabulary recall. Audio tools like Spotify podcasts assist with pronunciation. Platforms such as iTalki and LingQ provide direct interaction with tutors and real content. Online courses on Coursera offer structure.

However, true fluency usually develops when learning moves into real-life settings. Studying abroad integrates the language into your daily life. A dedicated language school provides the professional guidance and structured environment needed to turn classroom knowledge into confident, real-world communication.

Consistency, Speaking, and Frameworks

Regular exposure matters more than intensity. Frequent, short interactions with a language build confidence over time. A speaking-first approach promotes early use, reducing the fear of mistakes. Clear frameworks, such as the CEFR, help learners understand their level and set realistic goals. Instead of chasing perfection, learners progress by using language in meaningful ways.

Cognitive and Academic Benefits

Learning a second language produces measurable cognitive benefits. A 2010 meta-analysis by Adesope, Lavin, Thompson, and Ungerleider, published in the Review of Educational Research, examined 63 studies and found that bilingual individuals consistently outperform monolingual peers on measures of attentional control, working memory, abstract reasoning, and metalinguistic awareness.

Research led by Professor Ellen Bialystok at York University in Toronto has shown that lifelong bilingualism is associated with a delay of approximately 4 to 5 years in the onset of dementia symptoms, independent of education level. The University of Edinburgh's Bilingualism Matters centre, founded in 2008 by Professor Antonella Sorace, has documented similar executive-function advantages in children raised bilingually.

These cognitive benefits accumulate with use, not credentials. Regular speaking practice - whether in a classroom, with a tutor, or through immersion abroad - is the mechanism through which the brain develops and maintains the underlying skills.

Discover all the languages

Smiling girl posing by a red phone booth in London with Big Ben visible in the background.
Juniors & Adults
Learn English

Explore the world and master your English — check how to improve it abroad
Juniors & Adults
Learn French

Explore the world and master your French— check how to improve it abroad
Juniors & Adults
Learn Spanish

Explore the world and master your Spanish— check how to improve it abroad
Juniors & Adults
Learn German

Explore the world and master your German — check how to improve it abroad
Adults
Learn Arabic

Explore the world and master your Arabic— check how to improve it abroad

Find out more

English is the most popular language for global communication, education, and work. It is often the first step toward global mobility. Other languages add value based on your goals. Spanish connects people in Europe and the Americas. French is important in diplomacy and education. German, Chinese, and Arabic relate to specific industries and regions. The best language for you matches your goals - whether for work, study, travel, or moving.

Language difficulty varies based on your background and experience. Languages like Chinese and Arabic typically require more time for reading and writing. While grammar and pronunciation vary, consistent practice and a clear learning structure make even the most complex languages manageable.

Not necessarily. Immersion accelerates fluency by forcing constant exposure and real-world practice, but it's not a strict requirement. Many people achieve fluency through consistent, structured study - daily practice, quality input (reading, listening), speaking with native speakers online, and thinking in the language. What matters most is total hours of meaningful exposure, not geography. A motivated learner with good resources can replicate much of immersion's benefit from home. That said, immersion does compress the timeline significantly and exposes you to natural speech patterns, slang, and cultural nuance that textbooks often miss.

The U.S. Foreign Service Institute (FSI) estimates that an English speaker needs approximately 600-750 classroom hours to reach professional working proficiency (broadly equivalent to CEFR B2-C1) in a Category I language such as Spanish, French, or Italian; 900 hours for German; and 2,200 hours for Category IV languages such as Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. Intensive immersion abroad - typically 20 to 30 lessons per week combined with daily real-world use - compresses these timelines significantly compared with one or two weekly lessons at home.

These levels are part of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), an internationally recognised standard for describing language proficiency. The framework is divided into six levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2.

  • A1 & A2 (Beginner/Elementary): You can understand basic expressions and handle simple, everyday interactions.

  • B1 & B2 (Intermediate): You can express opinions, understand main ideas in complex texts, and speak with enough fluency to interact naturally with native speakers.

  • C1 & C2 (Advanced/Proficient): You can understand demanding texts and express yourself spontaneously and precisely in professional or academic settings.

SPRACHCAFFE Languages Plus offers group and one-to-one language courses in 8 languages (English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, and German as a foreign language) across schools in Malta, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Cuba, and Canada, plus online courses. Course lengths run from 1 to 52 weeks.

Standard group courses include 20 lessons per week of 45 minutes each, with an average class size of around 10 students. All learners take a CEFR-aligned placement test on arrival and are grouped by proficiency level (A1 to C2). Accommodation options include host families, shared student apartments, and on-campus residences, depending on destination.

SPRACHCAFFE has operated since 1983 and holds accreditations including EAQUALS, ALTO, FELTOM (Malta), the British Council and English UK (United Kingdom), and Instituto Cervantes (Spain), depending on the school. Junior programmes for ages 12-17 include 24/7 supervision; adult programmes are open from age 18.