Free Online Foreign Language Courses
If you’re reading this, you’ve probably just recently decided to throw caution to the wind and learn a foreign language, traumatic high school Spanish finals be damned.
Or maybe you’re in the midst of learning a new language online, and your mission has been a fruitless journey of online translators and trying to navigate your Facebook timeline in Yiddish. Oy vey.
Free Online Language Courses. Word2Word is pleased to provide these links in the hope of all people developing a better understanding of others through the use of language. We have attempted to place as many online courses at your disposal as possible. These sites contain lessons to help learn one language from another. Browse Language Learning courses and specializations. In language courses and Specializations, you’ll learn to speak, write, and listen effectively in major global languages, including English, Chinese, Spanish, and more.
Either way, congratulations! You’ve just stumbled upon the most epic list of online language courses.
You no longer need to slam your face QWERTY-style out of frustration, begging the polyglot gods to give you some kind of direction for your linguistic quest. These courses will give you a roadmap to language learning success.
If you’re wondering what distinguishes an online course from the plethora of other resources online, it’s that a course contains lessons, modules, or quizzes–some kind of structure that newbies (and language learning vets!) need to help them weave other language learning tools into context.
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of web-based courses that serve different language-learning needs. Whether you’re on a shoestring budget or need a course that satiates your podcast addiction, there’s something that fits your style below.
1. Babbel ($6.95 - $12.95/month)
Babbel is perfect for fans of Duolingo who want to learn Spanish or Norwegian (Babbel currently has 14 languages as compared to Duolingo’s nine). For $12.95 a month you get a fun, game-like structure that is accessible on your smartphone, and access to a learner’s community that can help make your adventure a little more social.
2. LingQ (Free - $39/month)
LingQ is a web-based language-learning system founded by YouTube polyglot sensation, Steve Kaufmann. Like LiveMocha, there is a community aspect to the interface that rewards you for helping your peers. LingQ also has a massive database of lessons which are composed of text documents accompanied by audio.
With a Premium plan and points on this site, you’ll have access to their apps, vocabulary features, one-on-one English conversations, group conversations, writing corrections and a huge variety of learning activities and quizzes.
3. FluentU ($20 – $30 month after free trial)
FluentU’s unique platform focuses on language immersion, which is something language learners of all levels need. FluentU takes real-world videos like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks, and turns them into learning lessons. It lets you learn using fun videos and real-world context. Did you ever want to sing along to “Let It Go” in German, or watch a crash course in world geography in Japanese? FluentU makes this entertaining approach personal by integrating new words into its “learn mode,” which uses interactive games to teach vocabulary and track your progress. I bet you never knew learning could be so fun and yet feel so effective!
Just a quick look will give you an idea of the variety of content available on FluentU:
FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.
Didn’t catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.
You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentU’s “learn mode.” Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning.
And FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.
Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store.
4. Duolingo (Free)
Duolingo is perhaps one of the more well-known options on this list. Designed more like a game than a course, Duolingo is a fun way to squeeze in language learning on your lunch breaks or whenever you would otherwise be playing Candy Crush. Duolingo focuses on making language learning intuitive. Did we mention you can connect with friends and family through Facebook? You are forewarned—things can get strangely competitive with distant cousins and passive-aggressive co-workers.
5. ELanguageSchool (Free)
Another free resource with lessons in 15 languages, ELanguageSchool is also ideal for learners who like to focus on written instruction. Without a doubt the best features of ELanguageSchool are its long lists of commonly used nouns and verbs, and the site’s surprising lack of ads.
6. Fluent in 3 Months ($97)
This is polyglot super-star Benny Lewis’s brainchild. As someone who has learned seven languages and has been traveling the globe for over a decade, he has tons of tricks and resources to help you hack your way through language learning. A premium subscription to his site works best for those who want to learn how to become lifelong language learners rather than learn a specific language.
7. Foreign Services Institute (Free)
Some awesome individuals have dedicated their time to creating an online collection of public domain language courses that were created by the United States’s Foreign Service Institute. You’ll find that most of these courses are broken up into audio clips that revolve around short conversations, so it’s best for those who are looking for some on-the-go material that challenges their listening skills. It’s great for beginners!
8. Headstart2 from Defense Language Institute (Free)
Designed for military personnel before deployment, Headstart2 is another good resource for beginners. Every language has two units made up of ten modules each, which you can access online or on your iPod. It’s worth noting that the second unit focuses on “mission-specific tasks,” which could be great for those who want to watch war films in their target language.
9. Hello-Hello World (Free – $29.99/year)
This is an iPad app for learners on the go. Known for its crowd-sourced information, Hello-Hello World always has a professional on staff to make comments and corrections to your sentences. It’s a great option for those who want to review words and phrases on a tight deadline before a business trip or big test.
10. Internet Polyglot (Free)
An indispensable resource for language learners, Internet Polyglot also contains a feature that most other online courses don’t: the ability to translate lessons to and from any language they have available. Do you want to learn French through Spanish? No problemo, mon ami.
11. italki (Price varies)
Want to mix your target language and social media? italki is the Facebook of language learning. Explained as a language teaching marketplace by co-founder Kevin Chen, this incredible 2.0 website has a massive listing of language tutors from all over the world. There are also plenty of free services, and you can connect with users who may want to engage in a free language exchange via Skype. There is no set pedagogical standard for italki, but you can find the teacher, learning style and lessons that work for you and your wallet.
12. Language Pod 101 ($549/2-year subscription)
The Pod Series is a network of websites with names like Spanishpod101.com, etc. You’ll find programs for the following languages:
- …and more!
They have free and paid subscription models with tons of material available, ranging from different types of lessons (generally revolving around themes), podcasts, and a fun flashcard feature that uses vocabulary words from the media present on their sites.
13. Language Trainers Online ($28 – $38/hour)
This is the right option for you if you like having a tutor but also want to be able to review your lesson later, because all courses are recorded. These courses are customized to the student, and their instructors are known to be highly qualified professionals.
14. LearnaLanguage.com (Free)
LearnaLanguage.com is another website filled with free language courses, but with a twist: Some of the lessons are delightfully weird. Learning Spanish? Why not play around with the “Burrito Builder,” or brush up on your Japanese love phrases?
15. Livemocha (Free – $29/month)
Livemocha is a massive language learning community that gives you instruction in 38 different languages. Many liken its structure to that of Rosetta Stone, but instead of relying on a program to assess you, be prepared for native speakers and other language enthusiasts to rate your linguistic chops.
16. Living Language ($150/year)
Known for its comprehensive fusion of online learning, mobile apps and web conference style e-tutoring sessions, Living Language is well worth its steep access fee. Be prepared for very knowledgeable and professional teachers instructing you in small groups.
17. Mango Languages ($20/month for individuals)
Mango is known for its game-like design and its ability to have you speaking phrases within a few weeks. It’s much like Babbel and Duolingo, but it also has an added cultural component if you’re interested, and can be used for organizations and classrooms. The monthly subscription includes access to all 63 language courses.
18. Memrise (Free)
Memrise may not be a course in the traditional sense, but instead is a collection of user-generated courses in dozens of languages (including sign languages). Based on the spaced repetition technique, Memrise functions best as a resource for vocabulary retention. You can even create your own course to help you remember those specific terms that trip you up.
19. MIT OpenCourseWare (Free)
Would you like an MIT education? Wouldn’t we all? Thanks to MIT OpenCourseWare, you can download the syllabus and course material in the language class of your choice. Interested in a literature or culture class? No prob. Check out this guy’s TedX talk about giving himself an MIT education through this program.
20. My Language Exchange (Free)
Do you ever get bored or lonely trying to learn a lesson by yourself? My Language Exchange is a great option for you social butterflies out there. On this site you complete lessons with language learning buddies from all over the world. Did we mention there are over a million members who speak upwards of 115 languages?
21. MyLanguages.org (Free)
MyLanguages.org has lessons in 95 languages and all for free! Here you can learn vocab, grammar and quick phrases, and even quiz yourself on your knowledge. The courses on this site are mostly written (though they do collect some audio and video material), making them perfect for intermediate learners who need to review and refine their grammatical skills.
22. Niuolahiki Online Hawaiian Language Courses ($30/module)
Did you ever think you could learn a Hawaiian language online? Modules are $30 each, and all you need is Mozilla Firefox, a Flash Player and an interest in Hawaiian languages. ‘A‘ole pilikia.
23. Omniglot (Price varies)
This is another curated list of courses in a number of languages, some free some not. Omniglot also contains mini-lessons on over 600 languages, detailing some of the histories and origins of archaic scripts like Ladino or Old Norse. Omniglot is also useful for lesser known languages like Xhosa, Igbo, and Ojibwe.
24. Open Culture (Free)
The self-proclaimed source of the “best free cultural & educational media on the web,” Open Culture is another awesome website that collects free courses and resources for its users. Equipped with an engaging blog and links to over 1000 free courses, this resource is perfect for the culture snob in all of us. It’s not exclusively dedicated to language courses, yet you can still find resources in over 40 languages.
25. Oregon State eCampus ($271/Credit)
Looking for college credit? Oregon State has a very well-known and accredited online campus that’s worth looking into. If you want travel around and be a cool expat while earning class credit, this is the virtual campus you’ve been looking for. You can even get a bachelor’s degree in German, completely online! No pants? No problem.
26. Rocket Languages ($49.95 – $149.85)
Rocket Languages has a number of different account types that may appeal to you depending on your budget. Though it’s on the pricier end of the courses on this list, Rocket Languages is known for its incredibly vast amount of downloadable content. It’s also very well-structured, which is great for those of us who have no clue how or where to begin!
You’ll be able to take courses for the following languages:
- …and more!
27. Rosetta Stone version 4 TOTAL ($249)
You may still have Rosetta Stone stuck in your mind as that yellow box in the airport, but it has come a long way in recent years to integrate online language learning. Rosetta Stone includes online classes, games and mobile apps, hopping on board with a lot of recent language-learning trends. Recommended for long-term learners rather than quick phrase-building. It’s available for many languages, including:
- …and more!
28. Verbalplanet.net ($22/Lesson)
Do you need a teacher to help you through your lessons? Verbalplanet.net has a large staff of native tutors to help you through the trials of learning a language online, and their useful analytic tools help you track your progress.
29. Word2Word (Free)
Word2Word is a massive online database of free courses in 119 languages. What’s unique about this site is that it also points you in the direction of language learning forums and more general polyglot guides and resources. Most importantly, Word2Word contains links to tools and resources from all over the web in less common languages like Frisian and Malay.
30. World Wide Learn (Price Varies)
World Wide Learn is another comprehensive list of accredited language courses online. There are courses in 18 different languages, as well as in translation, ESL, and TESL. There’s also a “live chat” feature if you need help figuring out which course is best for you. World Wide Learn is especially good for those who want to travel as they go to school, or have busy work schedules that don’t allow them to attend brick-and-mortar campuses.
So there you have it, the online language course list to end all lists. It may come as no surprise that native material (video, podcasts, books, etc. in your target language) can far surpass any course when used effectively.
But several of us benefit more when we balance or supplement those authentic materials with a course, so now you know where to look. Choose a course (or several) that appeals to you, and get started today!
Carlo Aaron is a writer, artist and language-learning enthusiast who lives on the internet. She’s been featured on xoJane, Skirt Collective and Feministing. Follow her on Twitter.
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So you want to improve your English and you’re looking for English language lessons online? Good call!
By number of speakers (either native or as a second language), English is by far the most widely spoken language in the world.
That’s why the English language is so popular with language learners. Speaking English opens up a world of opportunities in travel, study and work. No matter how you look at it, English is essential to most international communication. This includes business, education and tourism.
With that in mind, I’ve searched far and wide to find high-quality free English language lessons online. These include:
- Audio and video English lessons to help with your listening comprehension
- English speaking courses to improve your pronunciation
- Reading and writing lessons since written English is often very different from spoken
Let’s take a look at the different ways you can study the English language for free online. Here are my top 10 free English courses, plus a few bonus courses!
Free English Language Lessons Online: My Top Choices
Here are my favourite websites for helping you learn English. They’re really useful because they help strengthen your English skills in the four main areas of language learning: speaking, listening, reading and writing.
Innovative Language: EnglishClass101
It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Innovative Language’s approach to teaching languages. Right from lesson one, no matter which language you’re learning, you get to hear native speakers use natural speech that’s relevant to everyday life.
EnglishClass101 has lessons for all skill levels, including lessons for beginners. Not all of the episodes are free, but all are excellent, and there are several free lessons at each level. They include a combination of video and audio lessons with energetic teachers who are experienced in developing English curriculum for adults.
It’s worth giving it a try and – and if it’s a good fit for your learning style – investing in the paid version.
In addition, each lesson comes with written notes about what you’ll learn, to help with your English reading comprehension. There’s also a community forum where you can practise reading and writing by communicating with other EnglishClass101 learners.
A premium membership lets you access the full power of the website. This includes SRS flashcards, quizzes on each lesson, and a feature that lets you record yourself saying lines of dialogue and comparing your pronunciation to a native speaker’s.
USA Learns
USA Learns is a popular, comprehensive, free English course for adults. It has a combination of reading, listening, writing and speaking lessons. It also includes quizzes so you can check your progress.
The course was created with funding from the United States government, which is why it’s available free of charge. It’s also why some of the course content feels geared toward newcomers to the United States. For example, one lesson covers vocabulary related to paying taxes in the US. However, even this vocabulary will be relevant to many English learners, not just those in the US. Every lesson teaches a valuable grammar point as well.
The lessons go from lower beginner to intermediate. If you’re an advanced speaker, USA Learns will still be useful to you, but more as a tool for review.
Free English Language Lessons Online: Speaking Lessons
If you’re at all familiar with Fluent in 3 Months(Fi3M), you’ll know that I believe the best way to learn a language is to speak it. Here’s where you can get started speaking English.
Speak in a Week
Speak in a Week is a free email course from Fi3M that gets you speaking in a new language in just seven days.
If you’ve been learning English for a while and can read it to intermediate level (or with the help of Google Translate), I recommend that you check it out. Next week, you’ll be speaking in English!
Find out more about Speak in a Week here.
italki
If you’re serious about improving your English speaking skills, then you’ll need to have real conversations with native English speakers.
How can you find native English speakers to talk with? Find English speakers who want to learn your language, then offer a language exchange.
My favourite website for finding a language exchange partner is italki.
Creating an italki account and finding language partners is completely free. All you have to do is create your profile and select English as your target language. Then you can search for English speakers whose target language is your native language.
Once you find some people, contact them to arrange a Skype language exchange at a time that works for both of you. During your language exchange, you’ll take turns talking for a little while in English so that you can practise, and then a little while in your native language so your partner can practise.
Not interested in spending half of your time teaching another person about your native language? You can also search for fellow English learners on italki. This way, you can spend your entire conversation speaking in English. The drawback here, though, is that you won’t know for sure whether you’re speaking correctly unless your conversation partner is an advanced speaker.
You can also find professional English teachers on italki to give you spoken English lessons. These lessons do cost money, but prices are often very reasonable, and are well worth the investment.
Free English Language Lessons Online: Video Lessons
When you use English in real life situations, you will of course be face-to-face with other English speakers. And that’s a good thing as an English learner. Speaking face-to-face with real people like this will give you a lot of visual clues (from their body language) about what they’re saying, even if you don’t understand every single word.
Watching English videos is a perfect way to have a similar experience – but from the comfort of your own computer or smartphone. You can listen to the people talking on the video, while also watching their body language and their surroundings for a better understanding of what they’re saying.
Learn English with Let’s Talk
Let’s Talk is an amazing in-depth collection of bite-sized English video lessons, all available for free on YouTube.
There are hundreds of videos about every aspect of the English language. For example, you’ll find videos about phrasal verbs, words for expressing boredom, words you might hear on the radio, and all sorts of idiomatic expressions.
Each Let’s Talk video is about ten minutes long – perfect to watch during your morning coffee break. They aim to teach a neutral, international English, though some lessons focus on specific dialects.
English Lessons by EngVid
Sometimes it’s difficult to find English video lessons that you really enjoy. It’s not because the material is bad, it’s that you just don’t “click” with the teacher. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could try out several teachers of an English course to find the one that you like most?
Enter EngVid. Eleven English teachers have made a series of over a thousand video lessons for English learners of every level. The lessons are sorted by proficiency level, topic, and (of course) by teacher. There’s bound to be at least one teacher on here that you connect with.
Watch a few lessons by each teacher to find the one that you enjoy learning from the most. Then settle in and have fun improving your English skills.
Sesame Street
Long before the Internet, countless kids (and adults!) learned English by watching Sesame Street.
This timeless TV show is still going strong, and you can watch hours of clips for free on YouTube’s official Sesame Street channel.
Sesame Street strives to appeal to viewers of all ages. Many episodes feature celebrities that adults will recognize, while the content remains appropriate for the show’s younger audience.
Free English Language Lessons Online: Audio Lessons
For English audio lessons that you can listen to anywhere, anytime, podcasts are the perfect choice.
You can listen to podcasts on your computer or mobile device, and many episodes are only a few minutes long. This is perfect for when you’re driving to work, walking your dog, or when your bus pulls away exactly one minute before you arrive at the bus stop. Moments like these are the perfect time to squeeze in some studying to help you reach fluency faster.
Here is a small sample of some of the better podcasts for teaching English as a foreign language.
Innovative Language: EnglishClass101
I’ve already mentioned Innovative Language’s EnglishClass101 podcast as one of my favourite English classes online – and that’s why I’m giving it a second mention.
Whatever your current level of English, you’ll find fun and effective lessons to improve your English skills. With over 1000 lessons you can access from your smartphone or computer, and new lessons added all the time, you’ll never run out of material to learn.
There are plenty of free episodes to get you started, and if you like what you hear, I recommend signing up for the paid version that includes flashcards, quizzes, and access to all the lessons.
ESL Pod
With over 1200 episodes, ESL Pod is one of the biggest English learning podcasts out there. The lessons cover a mind-boggling variety of real-life situations. The speaking speed is nice and slow, yet the vocabulary and grammar range from beginner to advanced.
Because of the slow, steady speaking pace, this podcast is good for students who want to expand their knowledge of English but whose listening comprehension skills aren’t yet at an advanced level.
Go Natural English Podcast
Do you like to mix things up? The Go Natural English Podcast from my friend Gabby (we made a video together here) includes lessons on vocabulary and grammar, as well as super useful language study tips. Whether you’re looking for idiomatic expressions, interviews with successful English learners, or info on what NOT to do when memorising English vocabulary, this podcast has something for you.
There are at least three new episodes released per week. So even if you blast through all 100+ episodes in one crazy binge-session, the fun isn’t over yet. Keep checking back every week for new episodes.
Free English Language Lessons Online: Reading and Writing Lessons
The Internet is bursting with written English, from Wikipedia to news websites, to countless blogs around the world. These are great for intermediate and advanced learners, but not so helpful for beginners.
English reading and writing lessons offer a structured approach. That way, you can learn the basics of English reading and writing, before moving onto the more complex rules of written English.
Foreign Language Classes Near Me
So instead of drowning in the sea of English websites filling the Internet, try the following resources geared specifically to English learners.
Best Online Language Lessons
Duolingo
Currently, Duolingo has English courses for speakers of the following languages:
- Arabic
- Chinese
- Czech
- Dutch
- French
- German
- Greek
- Hindi
- Hungarian
- Indonesian
- Italian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Polish
- Portuguese
- Romanian
- Spanish
- Turkish
- Ukrainian
- Vietnamese
If you speak any of these languages at at least an intermediate level, you can use Duolingo to learn English grammar and vocabulary through reading, writing and some speaking exercises. If you don’t speak any of those languages, don’t worry. Duolingo has many more courses in the works for speakers of other languages who want to learn English, so check their website often for release dates.
ReadTheory
ReadTheory is a reading comprehension website for upper beginners and higher. You need to register, but once you’ve done that it’s completely free. With ReadTheory you practise reading passages of English text, then take quizzes about them to see how well you understood.
English For Everyone Writing Practice Worksheets
If you want to practise writing in English but aren’t sure what to write about, take a look at English for Everyone.
Free Online Foreign Language Courses
Here you’ll find dozens of English writing worksheets for all skill levels. Each worksheet begins with a prompt to guide you about what to write. Some of them begin with part of a story, and it’s up to you to complete the story yourself. Others focus on real-life experiences such as sending a letter to a friend or coworker. There are even a few worksheets that will help you write persuasively.
There is no functionality to grade you on your writing ability on this website. To get feedback, I recommend you read what you’ve written to a native speaker during your next English lesson or language exchange.
What are your favourite free English language lessons online? Let me know about them in the comments.
And finally... One of the best ways to learn a new language is with podcasts. Read more about how to use podcasts to learn a language.