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Speak in tongues

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Want to learn a new language? There are plenty of chances in the capital to transform you into a polyglot

How many languages can you speak? According to the British Council, nearly two thirds of English speakers can only speak their own language, while nearly three quarters of the world can’t speak any English.

Abu Dhabi is a multicultural city and while it might not seem essential while living here, learning a new language opens up a world of possibilities, from travelling abroad to impressing your boss with your Arabic.

 

Back to the books

The Eton Institute offers courses for over 100 different languages, including sign language, which can be taken privately, in groups or as a software package.

Available for kids and adults, you can find programmes from AED 1,200 for the online course or AED 4,500 for 20 hours of private lessons.

Twofour54, next to Park Rotana. Contact: 02 449 9649 www.etoninstitute.com/ae   

 

Berlitz offers total immersion programmes, private group lessons, corporate training and classes for kids and teenagers in over a dozen languages – including Mandarin. It has three locations in Al Khalidiya, Al Muroor and Khalifa City. Prices vary according to the language and package chosen, but 42 hours of lessons in a group with four to eight students costs AED 4,200.

Contact: 02 448 6667 www.berlitz.ae 

 

The British Council has a teaching centre in Abu Dhabi, and an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) preparation course of 36 hours for AED 2,500.

Higher Colleges of Technology, Muroor Road. Contact: 600 529 995 www.britishcouncil.ae 

Laura Volpi 

 

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Handy Apps 

Babbel offers 14 languages – including Indonesian, Swedish and Turkish. You can learn at your own pace, save completed lessons for later and use the speech recognition software to ace your accent. The app is free to download but you have to pay a subscription fee of AED 25 for one year for full access. Visit: www.babbel.com 

 

Duolingo is a free app – which features nine languages including Irish (Gaelic) – that uses the concept of gaming to make learning a new language more fun. You can take part in bite-sized challenges, race against the clock and earn points to move up a level. The app also keeps track of how many days in a row you have been learning a new language to help motivate you. Visit: www.duolingo.com 

 

Rosetta Stone has been offering online courses for over 20 years but it also has useful apps for Apple and Android devices as well as Kindle. Choose from over 20 languages including Mandarin, Tagalog, Persian and Hindi with the Rosetta Course app, download the free travel app before jetting off on holiday or get your little ones the Kids Lingo Letter Sounds app for children under five. Visit: www.rosettastone.co.uk/mobile-apps 

 

 

 

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