Expert Spanish Tutor with over 5 years experience teaching at Leaving and Junior cycle level, top graduate of Spanish & French from leading Irish University in teaching.

Find out more about Zoë

• Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  I started learning Spanish in Primary school and with origins from Barcelona, I've always had a love for the language.

• Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  I think a big person was Miguel de Cervantes and he has a huge part in the culture for Spanish people with his novel Don Quixote, it helped establish modern Spanish and it influenced how Spanish was communicated around the world. It's also one of the most translated pieces around the world.

• Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or behavior in the language that you particularly like?

  I think my favorite tradition that the Spanish people have is that of "La Tomatina". I like it as I think it's funny that they have a festival in which they throw tomatoes at one another.

• Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  I think to speak any foreign language is very important as it opens many doors and opportunities. You can travel and be able to communicate with people from all over the world.

• What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  I think a very hard thing to learn can be pronunciation, and also the grammar. I think watching different tv shows can really help with learning and also education videos can help to. Being able to practice is the most helpful way.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  When I was learning Spanish, I had to share a story in class about a trip I'd taken. I started off great, but I mixed up *"ser"* and *"estar"*, using the wrong form of "was". Instead of saying something like "I was excited", my sentence didn't quite make sense. My teacher kindly corrected me, explaining that in Spanish, *"ser"* is for permanent descriptions, while *"estar"* is used for temporary feelings.
  
  That small correction stayed with me because it wasn't just about grammar. It made me realize how important these nuances are in expressing yourself properly and connecting with others. It taught me that learning a language is more than memorizing rules-it's about understanding the culture and the subtleties that help you communicate more naturally.

• How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  I try to travel to Spain at least once a year as I love the city of Barcelona but also because I have friends and family over there. I feel that immersing yourself in a language by being in a country makes you really challenge yourself into speaking the language

• What makes you a Superprof in language?

  I am a fun, energetic person with a real love for languages. I think it is so important for students to be able to have fun with a language and not just have to memorize things. You must make things enjoyable and interesting and relatable and I think that's what makes me a Superprof.