New animation aims to help people learn Spanish

A new animation series Lince and Panda, was launched on Sep 8 on multiple Chinese social media platforms.

Aimed at helping viewers learn about Spanish culture and language, the short animation series was introduced by the Miguel de Cervantes Library of Shanghai and stars the lynx, a protected animal of Spain, and the panda, an iconic Chinese creature.

In the show, the two animals can be seen embarking on different adventures and learning about the Spanish vocabulary, Latin cuisine, and upcoming events at the library.

Each episode lasts no more than a minute. New episodes will be released every week on social media platforms including Xiaohongshu and Douyin.

Spanish has gradually become the second most-used foreign language following English in China because it opens doors to many employment opportunities, said Inma Gonzalez Puy, director of the Cervantes Library, the cultural branch of the Spanish consulate in Shanghai.

Puy said that the new animation will help viewers "easily pick up some Spanish, a language used by more than 500 million people around the world, whether you are on the subway, at lunch break or simply waiting in a long line."