What language did Spanish develop from?

Spanish developed from Vulgar Latin, the spoken language of the Roman Empire. It is a Romance language, which means it evolved from the Latin language spoken by Roman soldiers and colonists in the Iberian Peninsula.

Here's a simplified breakdown:

* Latin was the official language of the Roman Empire.

* Vulgar Latin was the everyday language spoken by the common people, and it differed from the formal written Latin.

* As the Roman Empire declined, Vulgar Latin evolved in different regions, giving rise to various Romance languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, and Romanian.

So, while Spanish has its roots in Latin, it's actually a direct descendant of Vulgar Latin, the language that was spoken by the people of the Roman Empire.