Do I need to learn Spanish to learn flamenco?

The short answer is, No. You do not need to learn Spanish to learn flamenco.

But… (you knew that was coming, right?) flamenco IS a Spanish art and the terms we use to talk about flamenco are in Spanish.

If you’re learning flamenco dance, guitar or singing, you’re going to hear some of this vocabulary.

So the real question is….

How much Spanish will I learn by learning flamenco?

There’s a high chance that your flamenco teacher will use Spanish terms in class.

Some flamenco terminology just doesn’t translate well — there’s no comparable English word.

But don’t worry, this is the perfect way to learn. The vocabulary you’re exposed to will be used in context, which makes it easier to remember.

Let’s take a look at what vocab are you likely to hear first. (No, it’s not Olé!)

Numbers

Counting to 12 in Spanish is THE most useful language skill you can have for flamenco!

As you become more familiar with the different palos (styles of flamenco) you’ll be tapping out the rhythms with your teaspoon while you wait for the kettle to boil. Great news! It means you’ve internalised the compás (rhythm).

But in the beginning it’s useful to count the beat, and many teachers will do that in Spanish.

Counting in Spanish is the one thing I recommend learning to make flamenco easier. Once you have the numbers you can free up your brain to concentrate on the flamenco itself.

Different palos are counted in different ways but the most counts you’ll ever hear is 12, used for palos like Alegrías, Soleá and Bulerías.

Tips:

• It’s typical in flamenco to count the 11 and 12 as 1 and 2 (it’s a lot easier to say!) so a 12 count compás will be made up of 1-10 with a repetition of 1 and 2:

  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 1, 2

  So you only really need to know how to count to 10 in Spanish. Easy!

• The Andalusian accent usually drops the ’s’ at the end of words. So while 2 is written as ‘dos’ it’s pronounced ‘doh’.

Flamenco terminology

Just by talking about how to count the beat in flamenco above, we’ve already run into two Spanish words: compás and palos.

Words like these are just better left in Spanish and are rarely translated into English.

A general Spanish course will NOT teach you any of these terms because they’re so specific to flamenco.

Palmas, for example, refers to the percussive hand-clapping that is integral to flamenco. In all my years of leaning flamenco I have NEVER heard anyone say “Let’s practise hand-clapping”. It’s palmas.

Contra is another term that is almost never translated. You might call it off-beat, counter time or syncopation. But in flamenco we call it contra. So much easier!

As you go deeper on your flamenco journey you will find more Spanish terms like these making their way into your vocabulary.

Don’t worry about studying these words before you need them. My experience is that you learn what you need to know as you go.

When Spanish makes flamenco easier

If you want to learn flamenco from a Spanish teacher or even go to Spain to study flamenco then having at least some basic Spanish will definitely help.

The moment I started to take Spanish seriously is when I realised that visiting flamenco maestros don’t run their workshops in English. Why would they?!

I did a number of workshops in Australia with maestros from Spain and was always reliant on someone in the class translating.

I finally applied myself when I moved to Spain and needed Spanish for daily survival..

Learning Spanish didn’t just give me a deeper appreciation of flamenco. It enabled me to talk to teachers, ask questions and connect with other students. And order coffee, of course!

What about you?
Have you learnt Spanish as part of your flamenco journey?
Or are you planning to start?

Let me know in the comments below!