Free Language Courses

Welcome, Karibu, Bonjour, Bienvenidos, Willkamen, Haere Mai, Sawasdee, Bem-vindo, Dober dan….

In Sumatra, several years back when I was young and naïve and still glowing from fulfilling a childhood dream of mine (of seeing orangutans in the wild), I was handed a small box to take care of. Let me explain…My friend and I were taking an overnight bus from Bukittinggi to Dumai, which ended up being a van with just the two of us. At the beginning of the trip, the driver stopped at a house, went in for a few minutes, and then came back out and handed us each a box that was all taped up. We asked the driver what was in the box and he just shook his head at us with a perplexed look on his face. This immediately made me suspicious of its contents. We at this point overreacted and decided we didn’t feel comfortable holding a box for the overnight ride ahead, especially if we didn’t know what was inside. When we started to open the box the driver shook his head at us. Thus, we proceeded to jump out of the van and run like Forest Gump back to town. We decided to forfeit the $1.00 or so we spent on the 10-hour ride and booked with another company. We found out later the box contained breakfast for us. Wow, did I ever feel stupid and embarrassed! If only I had some grasp of the local language that I could have determined the generosity of the bus company before getting myself all worked up and jumping out of the van. I guess we live and learn….

With that said, I always think its useful to learn a few key words and phrases before travelling. It’s a great way to interact with the locals and enhance the travel experience. I find the locals really appreciate it when you try to speak their language, even if it’s barely comprehensible. After all, it’s the thought that counts…

There are several ways to learn a language. One is buy purchasing a pocket size phrasebook (the lonely planet books are hours of entertainment with random funny phrases), However, if you are like me the phrase book is not the most practical. It increases my vocabulary, but it doesn’t teach me how to say the words properly. I would win a spelling bee, but would most likely pronounce the words wrong so no one would have the faintest idea what I was saying.

That’s why I like utilizing the free courses online. Many have audio features so you can listen to the words and learn how to pronounce them properly. Some sites I recommend are:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/ - has approx. 10 languages such as French, Spanish, Gaelic. Japanese etc. I find this the most comprehensive of all. It has crosswords, beginner courses, refresher courses, videos, etc. You can also sign up and track your progress.

http://www.babbel.com/ - This website is a combination of learning a new language and social networking. You can connect with people from all over the world and find an online study partner.

http://www.internetpolyglot.com - This site is not as good for beginners but acts more as a refresher for those who want to maintain and practice their vocabulary, There are plenty of games to play to test your vocabulary.

http://www.livemocha.com/ - This website is an online “learning language community” . It has interactive lessons that help you build your reading, listening, speaking and writing skills in your own time. You can also track you progress.

Happy Learning,
Meghan