Quick answer
A business Spanish course has no single length: it depends on your level and the task. From A2, our one-to-one blocks teach small talk, e-mails and calls in 10 hours and negotiation in 20 to 30, but negotiating with confidence takes B2, about 240 general class hours beyond A2. Complete beginners first need about 160 class hours to reach A2.
In this article
How many hours is a “business Spanish course”, really?
“Business Spanish course” sounds like one fixed product with one fixed length. It is not. On our Business Spanish page in Málaga, a business Spanish course is a stack of one-to-one hours, from 10 to 50, that you add on top of whatever general Spanish you already have. The honest answer to “how many hours” depends on two things: your starting CEFR level, and which task you actually need Spanish for at work.
We start business lessons at A2, the level where you can already handle everyday conversations. If you are a complete beginner, you start with general private one-to-one classes and move into the business curriculum once you reach A2. There is no way to skip straight to negotiating a contract in Spanish with no Spanish at all.
The business curriculum itself is 50 one-to-one lessons split into 5 blocks of 10 hours: first impressions (introductions, small talk, e-mails, calls), presenting and negotiating, your own sector, working in Spain, and leading meetings and writing reports. Each block ends with a checkpoint, a real task from your job, recorded and reviewed with your teacher. Your pack decides how many blocks you take, and your teacher will tell you honestly how far each one takes you: a pack builds skills you can use at work, a full CEFR level still takes longer.
What level do you need for small talk, e-mails, meetings and negotiation?
Different business tasks need very different amounts of Spanish, and the gap between them is bigger than most people expect. Small talk and a simple e-mail need far less Spanish than leading a meeting or closing a negotiation. Here is how our curriculum maps business tasks to CEFR levels, which business hours teach each task once you are at A2 (where the business course starts), and the general class hours to reach that level from zero. The level column is our teachers’ guide, built on the CEFR and the Instituto Cervantes curriculum (PCIC): a planning aid, not an official statistic.
| Business task | Level for the task | Business hours that teach it | Class hours from zero (Intensive) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small talk and introductions | A2+ | 10 hours (block 1) | 160 to A2 (8 weeks) |
| E-mails: simple to clear and formal | A2+ to B1 | 10 to 20 hours (blocks 1 to 2) | 160 to 280 (8 to 14 weeks) |
| Phone and video calls | A2+ | 10 hours (block 1) | 160 to A2 (8 weeks) |
| Presentations with questions | B1 to B2 | 20 to 30 hours (blocks 1 to 3) | 280 to 400 (14 to 20 weeks) |
| Meetings: following, then leading | B1 to C1 | 20 to 50 hours (blocks 1 to 5) | 280 to 520 (14 to 26 weeks) |
| Negotiation: offers, concessions, objections | B2 | 20 to 30 hours (blocks 1 to 3) | 400 to B2 (20 weeks) |
Two things in that table are worth saying plainly. First, the business hours column assumes you already arrive at A2 or above: it is one-to-one time that teaches the task at your level, not a way to acquire the language from nothing. To do the task at the level in the second column you still need the general hours to get there: from the end of A2, B1 is about 120 class hours away and B2 about 240. Second, the class hours from zero column is class time only, at Intensive pace (20 hours a week); our course plan pairs roughly one hour of independent study with every two hours of class, so a realistic total is noticeably higher. Progress always varies with how much Spanish you practise outside class, so treat these as planning numbers, not a guarantee.
How many hours to reach A2, B1 or B2 in the first place?
Our general Intensive course plan is what the class hours from zero column above is built on. The full journey from A1 to C2 is 640 hours of class (plus 340 hours of independent study) over 32 weeks at 20 hours a week. Broken down by level: A1 and A2 each take 80 class hours, and B1, B2, C1 and C2 each take 120. Cumulatively, that is 160 hours to finish A2, 280 to finish B1, 400 to finish B2 and 520 to finish C1.
This is why we are blunt about the limits of any “learn business Spanish fast” course, including ours. If you are starting from zero and your goal is to negotiate confidently (B2), the honest estimate is roughly 400 class hours of general Spanish, which is 20 weeks at Intensive pace, plus 20 to 30 one-to-one business hours on top. If you want work Spanish from the first week, Super Intensive adds 5 private hours a week to the same group course, and “Spanish for work” is one of the paths you can choose for them. It does not shorten the level plan: the private hours are extra and do not replace group hours.
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What exactly is in the 10 to 50-hour business packs?
The one-to-one packs are priced so the per-hour rate drops as you book more. Every pack is taught at our school in La Malagueta, the price is final (no enrolment fee, materials included), and it comes with a free level test, a checkpoint every 10 hours and a certificate at the end. Pack prices apply Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 18:00, in sessions of 1 to 3 hours; evenings and Saturday mornings are at the evening and weekend rate.
| Pack | Hours | Price | Per hour | Blocks covered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | 10 | €300 | €30 | Block 1: first impressions |
| Core | 20 | €580 | €29 | Blocks 1 to 2: meetings, pitch, negotiation |
| Sector | 30 | €840 | €28 | Blocks 1 to 3: adds your own sector |
| Work in Spain | 40 | €1,080 | €27 | Blocks 1 to 4: adds interviews, contracts, offices |
| Professional | 50 | €1,300 | €26 | All 5 blocks: leading meetings, reports, exam practice |
The content is specific, not generic “business vocabulary”. Block 1 covers introductions, small talk about Málaga and the weekend, when to use usted or tú, e-mail openers and closings, scheduling, phone and video calls, describing your company, numbers and prices, and a first checkpoint: a mock client meeting plus the follow-up e-mail.
Block 2 moves into presenting results, structuring a short presentation, handling questions, opening a negotiation, making offers and counteroffers, conceding, saying no, and closing, checkpointed with a recorded 15-minute mock negotiation. From block 3 you choose a track (tourism and hospitality, real estate, tech, or your own field with your real documents), and blocks 4 and 5 add working in Spain (interviews, contracts, the nómina, office culture) and leading meetings, writing reports and proposals, with DELE or Chamber of Commerce exam tasks for B2 and C1 students who want that route.
Plan your exact hours with the course total calculator · Book the Intensive + Business week · Take the free level test
Is the Intensive + Business week a shortcut?
It is the fastest way to combine general progress with work-ready Spanish, because it uses two different kinds of hours at once. Mornings are 20 hours of our regular Intensive group course, which moves you through the general course plan with other students. Afternoons are 10 one-to-one business hours, applying that same week’s Spanish to your job: a mock phone call, the e-mail you dread writing, your sector’s vocabulary. The programme also includes visits to local businesses.
One week is €350, two weeks €650. That is worth it if you have exactly a week or two before a trip, a posting or a Bildungsurlaub break and want both the language foundation and the work-specific hours at once, rather than one before the other. German employees can use the same group plus one-to-one week as their Bildungsurlaub in Málaga: 30 lessons a week, recognised in 14 German states (all except Bavaria and Saxony), from €350; check your own state in the table on that page. If you only have a narrow goal (one negotiation, one presentation) and no time for the morning group, the 10-hour Focus pack (€300) is cheaper and more focused.
Can you start online, or does your team need it at the office?
Both are available, for different situations. If you want to make a start before you fly, Trato Hecho online is 20 hours of live one-to-one class covering the same core curriculum, for €376. You take it from home, then continue in Málaga with the sector and “working in Spain” blocks, so the hours build on each other instead of repeating.
For a whole team, we invoice the company directly rather than each employee, and classes for two or more colleagues run at €20 an hour per person, a clear saving against the individual packs above. For classes at your office in Málaga, or to use your company’s training budget, write to us with the address and the times you need and we will tell you what we can arrange.
Do you need a business Spanish certificate too?
Usually not, unless a specific employer or job asks for one. Every pack ends with a Vamos Academy certificate recording your hours and your progress against the CEFR descriptors; whether that is enough depends on your employer, so ask HR before you choose. If you need something official, you can prepare one-to-one (€35 an hour) through our DELE and SIELE exam preparation in Málaga for the DELE (B2, C1) or the Madrid Chamber of Commerce business Spanish certificates (B2, C1, C2), then sit the exam at an official centre. We will cover which of those two routes employers actually notice in a later post; for now, treat the certificate question as separate from the hours question in this one.
How do you find out your own number of hours?
Every number above starts from “once you are at A2” or “once you are at B2”, and most people do not know exactly where they stand. The free online level test takes about 6 minutes, and your teacher confirms it in your first class, which is also how we decide whether you start with general private lessons or go straight into the business blocks. From there, tell your teacher the actual task (a negotiation on a specific date, weekly calls with a supplier, an interview) and your pack gets built around it rather than around a generic syllabus.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours does it take to learn business Spanish?
It depends on your starting level and the task. From A2, our one-to-one business hours teach small talk, e-mails and calls in about 10 hours, presenting and negotiating in 20 to 30, and leading meetings and writing reports by hour 50. Doing those tasks with confidence also needs the right general level (B2 for negotiation, about 240 class hours beyond A2), and complete beginners first need about 160 class hours to reach A2.
What Spanish level do I need to negotiate in a meeting?
In our curriculum, which follows the CEFR, negotiating is a B2 skill. We teach offers, counteroffers, concessions and handling objections in block 2 of the one-to-one packs (hours 11 to 20), once you already communicate at A2 to B1. Below B2 you can usually follow a negotiation and contribute simple points, but leading one in Spanish is a stretch.
Can a complete beginner start a business Spanish course?
Not directly. Complete beginners start with general private one-to-one classes and move into the business curriculum once they reach A2, the level where you can handle everyday conversations. From A2 you join the business blocks straight away; there is no minimum of B2, which some other schools in Málaga require.
Is the Intensive + Business week worth it?
It is the fastest way to combine general progress with work Spanish. You get 20 hours of group class in the morning, which moves you through the general course plan, and 10 one-to-one business hours in the afternoon, which apply it to your job. One week costs €350, two weeks €650.
Can I learn business Spanish online before I arrive?
Yes. Trato Hecho online is 20 hours of live one-to-one class covering the same core curriculum, for €376. You take it from home, then continue in Málaga with the sector-specific and “working in Spain” blocks.
How much does a business Spanish course cost in Málaga?
Our one-to-one packs run from €300 for 10 hours to €1,300 for 50 hours, which works out at €26 to €30 an hour depending on the pack. The Intensive + Business week is €350 for one week or €650 for two, and company Teams classes are €20 an hour per person.
Can my company pay for the classes, or get classes at the office?
Yes. We invoice the company directly, and teams of two or more colleagues can learn together at €20 an hour per person. For classes at your Málaga office, write to us with the address and the times you need.
Do I need the DELE or a Chamber of Commerce certificate for work?
Not usually, unless your employer or a specific job asks for it. Everyone finishing a pack gets a Vamos Academy certificate recording their hours and progress against the CEFR; for an official qualification you sit the DELE (B2, C1) or the Madrid Chamber of Commerce business exams (B2, C1, C2) separately. A later post compares the two in detail.
How is a business Spanish course different from the Intensive group course?
The Intensive course is a general group class, 20 hours a week from A1 to C2, that builds the language itself. The business course is one-to-one and starts at A2; it does not replace the general levels, it applies the Spanish you already have to meetings, e-mails, negotiation and your own sector.
How do I know which level I am starting from?
Take the free online level test, about 6 minutes, then your teacher confirms your level in your first class. That is also how we decide whether you start with general private lessons or go straight into the business blocks.
Related reading - Can You Learn Spanish in 2 Weeks? - Working in Spain as an International Student - Which Spanish Course Should You Choose?
Sources: hours, prices and curriculum from our own pages, checked on 28 October 2026: Business Spanish in Málaga, Intensive course plan, Super Intensive Spanish course, Private one-to-one Spanish lessons, Málaga prices, Trato Hecho online. Exams: DELE, Instituto Cervantes, Certificado de Español de los Negocios B2, C1 and C2, Cámara de Comercio de Madrid.
Updated 28 October 2026.
