6 apps all expats in Spain need on their smartphones
When you move to a new country you’ll need all the help you can get to find where things are in your new town, how to translate, and lots more. There are lots of resources online, but if you’re out and about having some useful apps downloaded on your phone will help you through some tricky situations.
We’ve put together a useful list of apps all expats living in Spain need on their smartphones…
Google Translate
One of the main apps all expats living in Spain need, and the one we’ve used the most since moving to Spain, is definitely Google Translate. As well as typing in words and phrases for quick translation, you can also use the camera to instantly translate writing on signs, menus, notices etc. This saves a lot of time as you don’t need to type all of the text in. If you’re struggling to speak Spanish to someone you can just speak into the app in English and it will speak the translated version back.
And if you have to help with homework, this app is an absolute lifesaver!
Download for Android | Download for Apple
Duolingo
If you don’t already speak fluent Spanish then once you’ve moved to Spain you’ll want to improve your language skills. The Duolingo app is great because you can spend a couple of minutes here and there doing quick tests or reading short stories. Ideal for busy parents trying to learn Spanish whenever you have a spare 5 minutes. You can also invite friends and family to join and have a little leader board for friendly competition.
Download for Android | Download for Apple
Transferwise
Moving to Spain can be expensive, you’ll find yourself spending a lot of money while you get settled in your new home. If a lot of your money in still in your UK bank account, or you still get paid in the UK, having the Transferwise app on your phone is a really quick way to move money from the UK to Spain with very low fees. Money will be in your Spanish bank account in seconds which is great if you find yourself short when you’re out shopping.
If you haven’t tried Transferwise yet, you can try it fee free with this link.
Download for Android | Download for Apple
El Tenedor
El Tenedor (the fork) app lets you search for nearby restaurants and book a table. You can also get some great discounts off the usual menu – the app is currently giving 50% off our local Chinese restaurant. It’s also ideal if you’re living in or visiting a busy city and aren’t confident in phoning up to book a table in Spanish.
Download for Android | Download on Apple
Meetup
Making new friends as an adult is hard enough as it is, but even more so in a whole new country! The Meetup app lets you search for any local groups or events in your area and request to join. For example, in our town and surrounding area it’s currently showing walking groups, photography groups, and a yoga class. You can search by keywords or by category to find something that interests you.
Download for Android | Download on Apple
You’ll want to keep in touch with family and friends back home and calls between the UK and Spain can get quite expensive. WhatsApp is the best option we’ve found for free calls, messages, and video calls. If you have children at school you’ll probably also find that there is a ‘mums’ WhatsApp group for each class which is great to ask questions when you haven’t quite understood the Spanish instructions from the teacher!
Download for Android | Download for Apple
We hope some of these apps will help you in your new life in Spain! If you think we missed any, just check out this post here!
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