El Maestro/The Teacher
I was born and raised just outside of Mexico City, where I developed a deep appreciation for the richness and complexity of Mexican language and culture. As an adult, I moved to the center of Mexico City and served three years in the Mexican military—an experience that shaped my discipline and perspective.
Later, I moved to the United States, where I studied and worked for ten years. As an ESL student in the Bay Area, I experienced firsthand the challenges of adapting to a new language and culture, while discovering how much we share across borders.
When I returned to Mexico, I spent ten years in the hospitality industry, using my cross-cultural experience to help visitors navigate Mexico City all while starting my family here.
For nearly another decade, I have been able to follow my passion of sharing and learnings across cultures, being a Spanish teacher.
Teaching Experience
I have over 7 years of classroom experience teaching adult students and children at the Language School and Culture Spanish School and Quick Learning both based in Mexico City. My students have ranged from corporate professionals and business leaders to travelers and retirees.
In addition, I have worked as a private tutor for more than 200 students from as far as Asia, Europe, and North America. Approximately 23% of my students have reached advanced (C-level) fluency while studying with me.
As both a teacher and a former adult language student myself, I bring a well-rounded perspective to my work. My experience across different schools, curricula, and teaching methodologies has allowed me to develop a flexible, practical approach
Method: Pragmatic Learning
My approach is simple: you learn what you’ll actually use.
I build lessons around real-life situations—going to the doctor, handling immigration, having everyday conversations—so the language sticks and feels immediately useful. I don’t rely on memorization without context or vocabulary that you won’t apply in your daily life.
Every student is different, so I tailor my approach to you. I pay close attention to your pace, your goals, and your mindset, and I make sure our sessions feel engaging and pressure-free. People learn best when they’re comfortable and interested.
I specialize in helping adults progress through the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), particularly beginners starting from zero. On average, I can help a student reach an A2 level—handling simple, everyday communication—in around 20 hours.
Having learned and taught both English and Spanish as an adult, I understand where things don’t translate directly. I help bridge that gap, explaining not just the words, but the meaning behind them—so you can think more naturally in the language, not just translate.
Testimonials
John Wutzer 🇺🇸
I am a recently retired engineering manager with a 36-year career in the design and construction industry. During a week-long trip to Mexico City, I dedicated time to learning Spanish and had the opportunity to work intensively with Guillermo Salazar Reyes.
Over the course of just ten hours of instruction—two hours per day—Guillermo delivered exceptional results. He tailored each lesson precisely to my skill level and limited prior exposure to the language, ensuring that every session was both efficient and highly effective. The progress I made in such a short time was remarkable.
Based on my experience, my wife and daughter continued with Guillermo through online lessons for the past two years. Their language skills have improved significantly, which speaks directly to his consistency, teaching ability, and commitment to student success.
Guillermo is a highly skilled and adaptable instructor, and I recommend him without reservation to anyone seeking to learn or improve their Spanish.
I took private clases with teacher Guillermo and I can guarantee he pays close attention to details. We worked on revising my essays over complex subjects, which pushed me to have greater attention and expand my vocabulary. His tip to read out loud has helped me progress in my studies.
Andre Gill 🇨🇦
I cannot praise Guillermo enough. We have worked together for over three years, and in that time he has not just been a Spanish teacher, but has also opened me up to a new culture I'm proud to be part of.
Starting from zero, Guillermo has given me the confidence to approach social situations and speak at professional events, like conferences, in Spanish. He is patient and persistent, and his practical experience learning a second language as an adult allows him to understand exactly where a student is in their journey and meet them where they are.
He delivers the right balance of practical exercises, encouragement, and honesty to keep me motivated and progressing to the next level.
Guillermo Salazar Reyes is an exceptional teacher and educator. I had taken Spanish language classes with several teachers in Mexico City, and I can attest that Guillermo was the very best by far. Due to his extensive experience and knowledge in teaching languages and his experience living and working in various countries, he has the unique ability to communicate and explain in a way that the student can understand and relate. And, he focuses heavily on the grammar, explaining the English language equivalencies and the local applications of how things are said in Mexico and what is natural for a Spanish speaker.
As Guillermo is equally proficient in English and Spanish, and has lived extensively in English speaking countries, he can explain concepts to the highest standard in English and also present concepts and language as a Native speaker and native of Mexico. I give Guillermo the highest recommendation for anyone who is serious about improving their Spanish and learning the correct things in the correct way.
While working with Guillermo, I was pleasantly surprised to be taken in as an old friend and family member. I have visited Mexico City many times before, but this time I decided to stay a little longer — four months — and I was truly able to see the city from a completely different point of view.
I am eternally grateful for Guillermo's patience while teaching me the ropes of Spanish and showing me even more depth of the Mexican culture and political sphere. If you are looking for someone who is gentle, dedicated and personable, Guillermo is the teacher that you've always been looking for!
Yo estuve tomando clases con Guillermo durante tres meses. En esos meses aprendí un montón de español. De verdad, Guillermo era el mejor maestro, cambió su forma de enseñar para que se adaptaran a cada estudiante y manejó una clase que estuvo llena de estudiantes de varios niveles de Español con facilidad.
Después de dos meses ya podía tener conversaciones y manejar la vida en México, y después de tres meses, empecé a trabajar en México en un trabajo casi completamente en español. No habría podido lograr ese nivel sin la pericia de Guillermo. Guillermo tiene una verdadera pasión por enseñar y ayudar a los estudiantes, y lo recomendaría a cualquier persona que esté buscando mejorar su conocimiento de español y de la vida y cultura de México.
