Quick answer
A 4-week Intensive course in Málaga is 80 hours of class, enough for a complete beginner to finish the whole of level A1 in our course plan, one unit a week. If you already speak some Spanish, four weeks covers a full A2 level, or two of the three two-week sections of B1, B2 or C1, which is two thirds of a level, not a complete one.
In this article
How does a 4-week Intensive course divide into weeks and levels?
In our Intensive course, every level of the CEFR is built from sections, and the length of a section depends on the level. At A1 and A2, each section is one week of class (20 hours), and a level is 4 sections, so 4 weeks is exactly one complete level. From B1 upwards, each section is two weeks (40 hours), and a level is 3 sections, so 4 weeks covers 2 of the 3 sections: two thirds of a level, with one two-week section left to finish it.
That single fact decides what your month actually looks like. A complete beginner who books 4 weeks finishes the whole of A1. Someone who places into A2 finishes the whole of A2. Someone who places into B1, B2 or C1 finishes two of three sections and would need 2 more weeks to close out the level. None of this is a guess: it comes straight from the hours table on our course plan, 640 hours of class and 340 of independent study across the full A1 to C2 path.
Week by week: a complete beginner’s first month
If you start with no Spanish at all, here is what the 4 weeks cover, unit by unit, exactly as our course plan sets it out.
| Week | Unit | What you study |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Who am I? | Greetings, personal details, ser, estar and tener |
| 2 | When? | Shopping, ordering in a restaurant, comparing things, and plans with ir a + infinitive |
| 3 | What do you like? | Daily routines, the verb gustar, and asking for directions |
| 4 | What are you doing? | The present continuous and talking about the recent past |
By the end of week 4 you have completed all of A1 (80 hours of class), and our course plan’s own description of that point is a fair, honest summary: you can introduce yourself and describe where you live and the people you know, use the present and the near future, and take part in simple conversations as long as the other person helps you along. That is a real, useful level of Spanish for a trip, a move or a relationship, and it is also clearly a beginner level, not fluency.
What if you already speak some Spanish?
The same 4 weeks look different depending on where the placement test puts you on day one.
Starting at A2 (false beginner) follows the same one-week-per-unit pattern and finishes the whole level in 4 weeks:
| Week | Unit | What you study |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | My biography | Past tenses and talking about causes |
| 2 | Connecting with the past | The imperfect tense and describing habits |
| 3 | What happened to you? | Contrasting past tenses, talking about accidents |
| 4 | I had never seen anything like this | The pluperfect and narrative connectors |
Starting at B1, B2 or C1 moves in two-week sections, so 4 weeks covers the first two of three:
| Weeks | Section (example: B1) | What you study |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Section 1: I told you so | Reported speech and emphasis |
| 3 to 4 | Section 2: What will be, will be | The future, conditionals, expressing doubt |
| (5 to 6, not included in 4 weeks) | Section 3: Listen to me | The imperative, orders and advice |
If your placement test puts you at B1, B2 or C1, four weeks is honestly two thirds of that level, not all of it. The third section, another two weeks, is what finishes it. We would rather tell you that before you book than have you expect a finished level on week four.
What does the weekly activity programme look like?
Every week of your stay includes the same free weekly activities programme, run Monday to Friday after class, listed on our prices page:
- Monday: a tuk-tuk ride around the city (small fee)
- Tuesday: a workshop (free)
- Wednesday: an old town tour (free)
- Thursday: an introduction to flamenco (free)
- Friday: tapas (you pay for your own)
Over 4 weeks the cycle runs four times. Our group classes are taught mainly in Spanish to students from many different countries, and new students can join on any Monday, so the afternoons give you a regular chance to use your Spanish with other learners outside the classroom. Only two items cost anything: the small fee for the tuk-tuk ride and your own tapas on Friday.
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What actually changes from week 1 to week 4?
Four weeks is long enough for every checkpoint in our course plan to apply to you, from day one to the end of a level.
Day one: placement. Before a new set of classes starts, our academic director checks the level of each new student with a written test and an oral interview. That decides which unit your week 1 is, so you do not spend a week revising what you already know.
Every Friday: a short test. Classes close each Friday with a short test on that week’s content. Over 4 weeks that is four checkpoints, and they are how the school makes sure you only move on to the next level when you are ready.
Outside class: independent work. Our course plan pairs each 20-hour week with about 10 hours of independent work, set and guided by your teacher. Over 4 weeks that is about 40 hours on top of the 80 hours of class, exactly the self-study our hours table sets aside for A1 and for A2. If you want more or less homework, tell your teacher: the amount can be adjusted.
Week 4: the end of a level, if you started at A1 or A2. Each level in our plan closes with an integrated assessment of all five skills, marked against standardised rubrics, and the certificate needs at least 85% attendance. A month is the shortest stay in which a beginner or an A2 student reaches that point. If you started at B1 or above, week 4 closes section 2, and the level assessment comes after section 3.
What does not change is the format: groups of 3 to 5 students on average (never more than 7), the same 9:30 to 13:30 mornings, and an academic director who plans and oversees all group classes and follows each student’s progress with the teachers.
Plan your exact weeks: Course total calculator · Take the free level test · Book 4 weeks
What does 4 weeks of Intensive cost, with somewhere to stay?
The course itself is €740 for 4 weeks (€185 a week), with no enrolment fee and no materials fee. Here is the complete cost with accommodation and an airport transfer (€65), from our prices page:
| Plan | Course | Accommodation (4 weeks) | Transfer | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intensive + student residence, shared room | €740 | €880 | €65 | €1,685 |
| Intensive + student residence, private room | €740 | €1,140 | €65 | €1,945 |
| Intensive + homestay, shared room | €740 | €956 | €65 | €1,761 |
| Intensive + homestay, private room | €740 | €1,160 | €65 | €1,965 |
| Intensive + one-bedroom apartment | €740 | €1,600 | €65 | €2,405 |
Flights and daily spending are extra. Homestays run from the Sunday before your course to the Saturday after it, and we ask you to book them at least two weeks ahead. If you book longer than 4 weeks, the course price per week keeps dropping: €170 a week at 8 weeks, €160 a week at 12 weeks, down to €155 a week at 24 weeks, all shown on the Málaga prices page.
What if a public holiday falls during your 4 weeks?
One closed day in a week does not cost you hours: the school moves the class time to the other days and the price stays the same. A week with two closed days is shorter: Intensive is 15 hours that week instead of 20, priced at €160 at the 1-week rate, and the booking screen shows the exact total for your dates. The short weeks on the Málaga course calendar are 7 to 11 December 2026, 22 to 26 March 2027, 16 to 20 August 2027 and 6 to 10 December 2027. If your dates are flexible, four weeks without one of those weeks gives you the full 80 hours. Closed Mondays, such as 2 November 2026 and 1 March 2027, are never offered as start dates.
Is four weeks enough, or should you stay longer? The honest limits
For a complete beginner, a month is the first stay that ends with a finished level: four weeks ago you had no Spanish, and now you can introduce yourself, shop, order food and talk about your plans without switching to English. That is a real result, and it is still a beginner level.
Our course plan is specific about what comes next. Telling your own story in the past, describing past habits and contrasting past tenses are what the A2 units cover, and A2 is the next 4 weeks. Following radio and TV at a clear pace is a B1 objective, 6 weeks after that. If you placed into B1, B2 or C1 instead, the honest limit is different: you finish two of three sections, and the section that closes the level is still ahead of you. That is the imperative and advice at B1, hypotheticals with the imperfect subjunctive at B2, and complex argumentation with advanced reported speech at C1. If a finished level at B1 or above is your goal, plan 6 weeks and run them through the course total calculator.
For a longer view of the whole A1 to C2 path and how many hours each level actually takes, read How long does it take to learn Spanish? If you are deciding between a shorter stay first, Can you learn Spanish in 2 weeks? walks through exactly half of this same month.
Can you add private hours to your 4 weeks?
Some students want more than the 20 group hours a week. Two honest options exist, and neither one moves you through the course plan faster than the table above: the private hours add personal attention on top of the same group units, they do not replace them.
**Super Intensive** adds 5 private, one-to-one hours a week to the same Intensive mornings, for €99 more a week; over 4 weeks that is €1,136 instead of €740. It suits you if you can already name what you would use those hours for: an exam, a job, or extra speaking practice. We compare the two in detail in Intensive or Super Intensive: is €99 more a week worth it?
**A standalone private pack** lets you add a one-off block instead of private hours every week, from €35 for a single hour down to €24 an hour for a 50-hour pack. For example, 4 weeks of Intensive plus a 10-hour pack (€300) for exam practice in your final week comes to €1,040, against €1,136 for 4 weeks of Super Intensive with 20 private hours: fewer private hours, but only in the week you want them.
Frequently asked questions
How many class hours is a 4-week Spanish course in Málaga?
80 hours of group class, 20 hours a week, Monday to Friday from 9:30 to 13:30. Our course plan pairs that with about 40 hours of independent study over the month.
Can I finish a whole level of Spanish in 4 weeks?
If you start as a complete beginner or at A2, yes: both levels are 80 hours of class split into four one-week units, so 4 weeks is exactly one level. If you start at B1, B2 or C1, 4 weeks covers two of the three two-week sections of that level, which is two thirds, not all of it.
What do you study in the first week compared with the last week?
For a complete beginner, week 1 covers greetings, personal details and the verbs ser, estar and tener. Week 4 covers the present continuous and the recent past. Each week builds directly on the one before it, following the units in our course plan.
How much does a 4-week Spanish course cost in Málaga?
€740 for Intensive (80 hours), with no enrolment fee and no materials fee. With accommodation and an airport transfer, complete 4-week plans start at €1,685.
Is 4 weeks of Spanish enough to become fluent?
No. Four weeks from zero gets a complete beginner through all of A1: simple conversations, shopping and plans, as long as the other person helps you along. In our course plan, following radio and TV at a clear pace is a B1 objective, and the full A1 to C2 path is 32 weeks at Intensive pace.
What is included in the weekly activities?
A tuk-tuk ride on Monday (small fee), a workshop on Tuesday, an old town tour on Wednesday, an introduction to flamenco on Thursday, and tapas on Friday (you pay for your own). The same cycle repeats each week of your stay.
Can a complete beginner join a 4-week Intensive course?
Yes. Groups run at every level from A1 to C2, classes start every Monday, and the free level test places you in the right unit from day one.
Do you get a certificate after 4 weeks?
Yes, with at least 85% attendance: a certificate of attendance showing your level, your dates and the hours you completed. It is the school’s own certificate, not an official diploma; for that you need the DELE or SIELE exam.
Can I add private lessons to my 4 weeks?
Yes, either as Super Intensive (5 private hours a week added to the group course, €99 more a week) or as a standalone private pack for a shorter block of hours. Neither moves you through the group course plan faster; both add personal attention on top of it.
Ready to plan your month?
Take the free level test so we know which unit you start in, then run your own dates through the course total calculator. Prefer to talk first? Call +34 951 120 697 or e-mail malagacourses@vamospanish.com.
Related reading - Can you learn Spanish in 2 weeks? What 2 weeks in Málaga really gets you - Intensive or Super Intensive: is €99 more a week worth it? - How long does it take to learn Spanish?
Sources: prices, timetables, course plan, holidays and weekly activities from our own pages, checked on 28 October 2026: Málaga prices, Intensive course plan, Super Intensive course, private 1-on-1 lessons, course calendar 2026-27, homestay in Málaga.
Updated 28 October 2026.
