Do I Need to Speak the Local Language for an Internship Abroad?

It is one of the most common questions we get from UK students planning an internship abroad: "Do I actually need to speak the language?" The answer is not a simple yes or no. It depends entirely on your destination, your industry, and what kind of experience you want to have.

The good news? There are dozens of destinations where you can complete a professional internship entirely in English. But there are also places where some local language will make your life significantly easier, and a few where it is practically essential for the workplace.

Let us break it down destination by destination so you can plan accordingly.

The Short Answer

It depends on your destination. Roughly speaking, the world of international internships falls into three categories:

• English-only destinations where the professional environment runs entirely in English and you will have no language barriers at work or in daily life
• English for work, local helps for life where the office operates in English but knowing some local phrases makes everyday tasks like shopping, transport, and socialising much smoother
• Local language strongly recommended where many companies operate in the local language and your placement options will be limited without at least conversational skills

The category your destination falls into will shape how you prepare. Let us look at each one in detail.

English-Only Destinations

These are the destinations where English is either the official business language or so widely spoken in professional settings that you will not face any barriers. If you only speak English, these are your safest bets.

English Works for Work, Local Helps for Life

These destinations have strong English-speaking professional environments, especially in international companies, tech, NGOs, and tourism. You will manage fine at work. But outside the office, the local language dominates daily life. Knowing basics will make your experience richer and more comfortable.

• Bali, Indonesia - International businesses, co-working spaces, and the tourism industry operate in English. But local markets, transport, and neighbourhood life run in Bahasa Indonesia. Learning basics like "terima kasih" (thank you) and "berapa?" (how much?) makes a real difference.
• Bangkok, Thailand - English is widely used in corporate offices, international organisations, and the expat business scene. However, street food vendors, taxi drivers, and landlords often speak limited English. A few Thai phrases will save you daily.
• Tokyo, Japan - Many international companies and startups operate in English, and Japan is increasingly English-friendly in professional settings. But everyday Tokyo still runs on Japanese. Train announcements, restaurant menus in local areas, and bureaucratic errands all require some Japanese or a good translation app.
• Seoul, South Korea - The tech and startup scene has growing English adoption. Major companies with international teams often use English in meetings. Outside work, Seoul is predominantly Korean-speaking. Learning to read Hangul (the Korean alphabet) takes just a few hours and is genuinely useful.
• Prague, Czechia - The international business community and many startups use English as their working language. Young Czechs generally speak good English. But local shops, government offices, and older residents may not. Some Czech basics are appreciated.

Local Language Strongly Recommended

In these destinations, the local language is the primary language of business for most companies. While there are some English-speaking placements available (usually at international firms or in tourism), your options will be significantly wider if you have at least conversational skills in the local language.

• Barcelona, Spain - Most companies conduct meetings, emails, and daily communication in Spanish (and often Catalan). English-only roles exist in tech and tourism, but they are the minority. Conversational Spanish (B1 or above) is strongly recommended and will open up far more placement opportunities.
• Valencia, Spain - Even more Spanish-dependent than Barcelona. Fewer international companies means fewer English-only roles. If you are considering Valencia, invest in your Spanish before you go.
• Lisbon, Portugal - Lisbon has a growing startup scene with some English-speaking companies, but the majority of businesses still operate in Portuguese. Social life and daily interactions are almost entirely in Portuguese. Basic to conversational Portuguese is highly recommended.
• São Paulo, Brazil - Brazil's business capital runs on Portuguese. English proficiency among professionals is growing but still limited outside multinational corporations. You will need functional Portuguese for most internship placements and all daily life.
• Mexico City, Mexico - Spanish is essential for most workplaces and all aspects of daily life. International companies may have some English-speaking roles, but the vast majority of placements require working Spanish. The upside: Spanish language courses in Mexico City are affordable and high quality.

How Much Do You Need?

Language requirements are not binary. There is a big difference between knowing a few greetings and being professionally fluent. Here is a practical guide to the three levels that matter for internships:

Basic greetings and survival phrases

Hello, thank you, please, how much, where is, excuse me, and numbers 1 to 10. This is enough for English-friendly destinations where you just want to show cultural respect and navigate daily life. You can learn this in a weekend.

Conversational level

You can introduce yourself, ask and answer questions, describe your work, order food, handle a phone call, and understand the general idea of a conversation. This is the minimum for destinations where local language is recommended. Plan for 3 to 6 months of regular practice before departure.

Professional level

You can write emails, participate in meetings, present ideas, and handle workplace communication in the local language. This is ideal for destinations like Barcelona or Sao Paulo where the workplace runs in the local language. It typically requires previous study or immersion experience.

Free Resources to Get Started

If you have identified your destination and want to start preparing, here are the best free tools available:

• Duolingo - the most popular language app. Best for building vocabulary and basic grammar in Spanish, Portuguese, German, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, and many more. Start with 15 minutes a day, 3 months before your internship.
• Tandem and HelloTalk - language exchange apps that connect you with native speakers who want to learn English. You teach them English, they teach you their language. Excellent for building conversational confidence and making contacts in your destination city before you arrive.
• YouTube channels - search for "learn [language] for beginners" and you will find hundreds of free courses. Channels like SpanishPod101, PortuguesePod101, and JapanesePod101 offer structured lessons from absolute beginner to advanced.
• Your university language centre - many UK universities offer free or subsidised language courses, conversation clubs, and tandem programmes. Check with your languages department or student union. These are often underused and excellent quality.