Finding Spanish classes in San Mateo that are both effective and affordable can be tricky. Classes are typically in groups, meaning you have limited opportunities to speak. On top of this, you’ll often find certain students dominate the conversation, or ask the teacher endless questions!
LanguaTalk offers a more convenient and effective alternative: 1-on-1 online Spanish classes with experienced native tutors. You won’t find these tutors available for face-to-face Spanish lessons in San Mateo. LanguaTalk finds the best tutors from around the world. They offer conversational Spanish classes at cheaper rates because they don’t have to travel to you and they often live in countries with a lower cost of living.
Probably you’re thinking: but are online classes really as effective as face-to-face? You can book a no obligation 30-minute trial session (for free with most tutors) and see for yourself. Classes take place via video call, allowing you to communicate with your tutor and share learning materials, as if you were in the same room. And you can book classes for whenever it suits you.
Below, you can filter to tutors who have availability that fits with your San Mateo time zone. Then watch videos, check reviews, and book a trial session.
If you have questions, you can click the 'Help' button in the bottom right. There, you’ll find answers to every question imaginable, and the option of contacting our support team.
Gloria M
Gloria M
My name is Gloria. I was born in Barcelona. I am bilingual in Spanish and Catalan and I also speak English and French.
Before I tell you anything else about myself, let me give you some advice about what's so trendy these days: AI.
If you want a natural, meaningful conversation, don’t just rely on AI, talk to a human being.
Unlike AI, I can give you the meanings of the same word or phrase by changing the tone or placing it in different contexts. I can also warn you about expressions you should avoid but need to recognize, which is something only a human teacher with real-life experience can do. Additionally, I’ll help you refine your pronunciation, focusing on the subtleties that make communication sound natural. Besides, I can tell you about experiences and personal stories I've lived—something only a human can truly explain and I can better understand to situations you might have experienced.
Now, let’s get back to talking about me:
I’ve been teaching Spanish as a second language online since January 2015, and I have about 15 years of experience teaching private classes on various topics to teenagers. Before my teaching career, I worked in roles related to my Higher Technical Certificate in Administration.
Learning a language is a challenge—I know this firsthand. I earned certificates in two languages: the First Certificate in English from the Polytechnic of Central London and a Certificat de la Langue Française from the Alliance Française de Paris.
So, what can you expect from my lessons? If you book lessons with me, we won’t just focus on grammar; we’ll speak! I design lessons tailored to your needs, level, and goals. During our sessions, I’ll correct your mistakes and help you improve your pronunciation, vocabulary, expressions, and grammar—all based on real conversations.
Speaking is the hardest skill to master, but we’ll work together step by step until you can speak naturally and confidently, without any pressure.
If you have time for self-study, I’ll assign homework after each class to reinforce what we’ve covered. And before committing, you can book a trial lesson to see if I’m the right fit to help you learn Spanish.
See Reviews From StudentsMarlene A
Marlene A
¡Hola,soy Marlene! 😃I live in Puebla City, one of the main cities in Mexico. I studied architecture and music. As a Spanish tutor, I have taught over three years to people from all over the world.
Have you ever had or overheard a conversation where you couldn't understand anything because it's not what you've learned in books? Don't worry, in our classes we will learn how we really speak in everyday situations 😉.
I consider myself a very patient and dynamic person, so the classes with you will be personalized according to your needs and interests. I will help you with grammar, pronunciation, Mexican slang, or just have a very pleasant conversation. Conversation is the most important activity when learning a language; that's why from the very first class, we will be speaking Spanish.
I will very happy to meet you!😀
See Reviews From StudentsMetzly C
Metzly C
Can you order a coffee? Ask for help? Hold a real convo? You will!
¡Hola! I’m Metzly. I’ll help you speak Spanish with more confidence, going from “uhh…” to “¡sí, claro!” while we focus on how people actually talk.
We’ll practice useful vocabulary, clear pronunciation, and real situations so you get comfortable thinking and speaking in Spanish.
✨ Perfect if you want to:
After each class, I’ll send you key vocab + notes so you keep improving. These lessons are great for low-intermediate level students.
✨ Let’s make Spanish feel easier and more fun! ✨
See Reviews From StudentsNatalí N
Natalí N
Hello! Welcome. I'm Natalí, from Buenos Aires (Argentina). I'm a Spanish teacher and I'm also studying to become a Music and Singing teacher. Languages, music, and teaching are my favorite things to do. I believe education is the fundamental solution to improving the world, which is why I love being a teacher.
I've been teaching for over 5 years. I mainly focus on the following cases:
- You're a beginner. You want to learn Spanish from scratch, or perhaps you learned a little in the past but you don't remember some things.
- You're about to visit a Spanish-speaking country and need to learn how to move around and socialize with native speakers.
- You have a partner or family who speaks Spanish and you want to communicate with them.
- You're an intermediate student.
- You want to move to Argentina and you need to learn about my country's culture and our specific Spanish.
- You're interested in Argentine culture, the voseo and our distinctive accent.
- DELE exam: I can help you preparing for the DELE A1 or DELE A2 exam.
- You want to improve your conversation skills.
How my lessons are?
1) I tailor classes to your personal needs and goals.
2) I prepare and provide all your study materials and practical exercises (PPT presentations, audio and video files, articles and news, books, homework).
3) I combine reading and comprehension, listening, and speaking practices to learn and practice the four skills: reading, speaking, listening, and writing.
4) I like to include cultural content (about my country and Latin America).
I invite you to schedule your trial class with me so you can tell me about your motivations, goals and needs.
Eunice R
Eunice R
My training as a Spanish instructor is based on studies of Spanish grammar and using the communicative approach methodology that is based on practical and simple activities that help develop skills such as oral expression, listening comprehension, writing with dictation and reading as well. Of course phonetics is included. Each class focuses on the specific needs of each student.
In each class I emphasize oral practice to help students feel confident to express themselves naturally in specific situations.
In some cases, the grammatical structure is included in a simplified and dynamic way, and the grammatical concepts may or may not be used in our class, depending on the interests or preferences of each student.
Also, I like to share the history and culture of my country and Latin America through the practice of Spanish as a natural practice for intermediate and advanced Spanish.
I invite you to book a trial class to learn about my teaching system and methodology.
See Reviews From StudentsLuis V
Luis V
¡Hola! Me llamo Luis y soy de Cáceres, España. I live in Spain, close to Portugal, and I've also lived in Japan and Portugal. I am up to date with the newest learning theories, I use "Language Transfer" and "Comprehensible Input", so the materials are adapted to these methods, focusing on learning in context. I also love culture and history (film, music, literature, geography) ¡Nos vemos en clase!
See Reviews From StudentsJennifer G
Jennifer G
My passion is helping professionals master conversational fluency quickly. I focus on real-world scenarios, so you can start applying the language immediately in travel and business. We can learn from the talk and in real contexts, colloquial situations and related to your goals, we will have a fun and very laughable class, practicing all the skills. I am able to teach Spanish from basic to advanced levels, I have experience preparing for the DELE exam. I usually use many tools that allow for student comfort, as well as a variety of activities that stimulate the progress and development of all skills, oral, auditory, written and reading.
See Reviews From StudentsVanessa P
Vanessa P
Hi! My name is Vanessa, I am from Peru and I currently live in Washington State, in the US. Besides being fluent in Spanish and English, I speak Portuguese (C1) and French(B1).
I have been teaching online since 2018. Being a language learner myself, I know what the most common challenges are when learning a language and the most successful ways to overcome them.
In my opinion, the easiest and most memorable way of learning is having fun during the process. That is why I aim to provide you with a supportive, engaging and thought-provoking environment in which your oral production will take the lead role. Having said that, I am very flexible, and I will adjust my methods according to your specific needs and requirements. On every session, corrections made will be provided on a customized Google doc, so that you can always refer to it whenever you want to study and keep track of our lessons.
It will be my pleasure to help you to build up your confidence and fluency in Spanish. See you soon!
See Reviews From StudentsÍñigo J
Íñigo J
Graduated in Hispanic Philology and Masters in Applied French, I have always kept up with my teaching training and have also completed a CELTA course for English teachers. This further training has provided me with the familiarity to different teaching methodologies, which have proven to be extremely useful in my classes.
I have worked as a Spanish teacher for 13 years, both in-person and online. My job duties typically include designing and delivering Spanish courses for all levels. Also a 13 year-experienced translator. I have recently worked on a project which involved developping Spanish lessons and units to be delivered online, so I am used to creating content of my own.
My teaching method is mostly conversational and based on a combination of skills. I use plenty of audiovisuals and various activities to get students to speak. My constant interest in professional training has allowed me to become familiar with techniques and tools that are essential in today´s second language learning.
My lessons are all similarly structured: a grammar point, a few exercises to get started, then controlled practice, and finally an audio or a video related to the topic.
See Reviews From StudentsHelí C
Helí C
As a teacher, I use a communicative method that aims to learn a second language through real-life examples to be able to communicate in everyday situations. My classes are fun and effective. With me, you will learn grammar, vocabulary, culture, and we will focus on conversation. If you are a beginner, we can create a plan with the basic topics of Spanish so that you can start learning this wonderful language.
I hope to see you soon!
See Reviews From StudentsMany students initially have reservations about participating in online Spanish classes, thinking the experience will be vastly different from in-person classes. However, they often discover that online classes can be just as engaging and effective. In an online Spanish class, you’ll interact with your teacher and classmates as if you were all in the same room. The teacher may share resources (like articles or videos) and will collaborate with you in real-time using tools like Google Docs or Dropbox Paper, ensuring an interactive learning environment. The biggest benefit is convenience: there is no need to travel, and you can book lessons for when it suits you.
If you prefer in-person learning over online classes, LanguaTalk might not be the best fit for your needs. For local classes, you can search through community boards or local service listing websites. However, we encourage you to explore the convenience and effectiveness of online classes. You can start with a free trial session to experience the benefits first-hand, such as access to a broader range of experienced teachers and potentially lower costs.
Whilst not always the case, Spanish classes in San Mateo are typically more expensive than online learning options. This is due to the costs associated with using a classroom, as well as travel time and expenses for teachers. Online classes, on the other hand, eliminate these overheads. Additionally, online instructors often live in countries with lower living costs, which can further reduce the price of online classes.
While some teachers on LanguaTalk may offer in-person conversational classes in their local area, the majority specialize in online teaching. This approach is more convenient for them, allowing flexibility and the comfort of working from home. Most teachers are not based in San Mateo and are spread across the globe, so if you're looking for a class with LanguaTalk, you should anticipate an online learning experience.
On LanguaTalk, you can find exceptional tutors for 1-on-1 Spanish lessons tailored to your goals and learning preferences. Here’s how to try it for yourself:
1 - Find your ideal tutor by browsing videos, reviews, pricing and availability.
2 - Book a trial. Many tutors offer a 30-minute trial for free; others charge a discounted price.
3 - Take personalised lessons with your new tutor via video call. Or try someone else.
No card is required to book a free trial session. Please only book if you're considering taking lessons. Pricing varies by tutor and you can use the filter to find someone who fits your budget. You can pay one lesson at a time, or buy in bulk for a discount (open a tutor's profile to see their pricing options).
We’re confident you’ll love learning via LanguaTalk. We're trusted by students all over the world because we're transparent. We ask students to rate each lesson, and we display reviews on tutors’ profiles.
99.8% of lesson ratings are 5 stars. Why? Because unlike other platforms, we accept only the top 10% of tutor applications.
To see our full FAQs or get help from our friendly team, click the 'Help' button in the bottom-right. You can also watch students talking about their experiences learning via LanguaTalk below.
New to LanguaTalk? We'll give you a credit for a free trial session. Many, but not all, tutor offer these for free. If they do not, the price will be just 30 percent of their full lesson price, so you can still try a session at minimal cost.
Trial sessions last 30 minutes. They allow you to assess whether the tutor is a good fit for you, and get a feel for learning online. The tutor will assess your level and aim to understand your needs and interests so that they can customise any lessons you decide to take. You'll be encouraged to speak in Spanish as much as possible, but of course you can speak in English too!
If, after your trial session, you don't feel that the tutor is quite right for you, you can book a trial with another tutor for just 30 percent of their full lesson price.
The vast majority of students take 55-minute lessons. But some tutors also provide the option of 30-minute lessons. If they do, you’ll see this noted on their profile (below their pricing and above the ‘Buy Lessons’ button).
55-minute lessons are recommended for most students. In general, we only suggest considering 30-minute lessons if they’re for your child, or you have an intermediate level and only want conversation practice.
The beauty of taking lessons online is that you can learn anytime, anywhere. When you choose a tutor, just check their calendar to make sure that they have available times that fit your schedule. Some tutor have limited availability as they already have a lot of students.
Lessons are taught 1-on-1 so that you receive your tutor’s full attention and can make fast progress. Communicating via video call, you’ll be able to talk to your tutor and share learning materials as if you were in the same room.
The tutors vary in terms of their teaching methods, resources, experiences, and personalities. So we suggest you look at several profiles to choose the best tutor for you. Whichever Spanish tutor you pick, they'll aim to tailor the lessons to your individual needs.