Learning Languages - Delhi/NCR Institutes
French | Alliance Francaise de Delhi offers a variety of French courses, including everything from Beginners, Intensive, kids and teens, to French for business, translation, conversation classes, Tourism and Hotel Industry french, and classes to hone your writing ability. They also offer the option of learning via French TV, songs, literature, civilization and the French Fine Arts. If your basics are down pat, and you don’t want to start from scratch, Alliance will give you the option of sitting for an exam, through which they assess your language know-how and place you in a level best suited for you. Beginners, don’t expect any hand holding; they restrict usage of English to a minimum, thereby really forcing you to try and understand the language; expect a lot of miming!
Where: 72 K K Birla Lane, Lodhi Estate {011 43500200} and S – 24/8, DLF Phase III, Gurgaon {0124 4061032}
German | The Alliance equivalent for German, there’s no school more authentic and thorough than the Goethe Institut {Max Mueller Bhavan}. In addition to general language courses available across levels for both teens and adults, they also offer a wide range of special courses as well as company courses, all of which are supplemented with an extensive examination program. They also offer a teachers’ training institute that conducts workshops and seminars on teaching German as a foreign language. Goethe also has the ability to hook you up with studying German at one of their institutes in Germany {if you’re really invested in the language}; their Delhi course office will be able to assist you.
Where: 3 Kasturba Gandhi Marg; Contact: 011 23471100
Korean | The Korean Cultural Center offers courses across levels and for all age groups, each of which lasts 11 weeks {starting July}. They have three classes for beginners, one of which is an intensive weekend course, suitable for working folk. As a next step, they have intermediate classes and also offer conversation classes, both of which entail an interview prior to admission. You have to register before the 23rd of July, and can do so only at the Cultural Center itself.
Where: 25 A Ring Road, Lajpat Nagar IV; Contact: 11 43345000
For a full academic calendar, class timings and more information, click here and follow them on Facebook for updates on events and activities, here.
Japanese | For the Gurgaon-ers, learn to speak basic Japanese and the three Japanese writing methods – Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji – over the course of 4 months; perfect for those who can’t fit it in during the week {classes are held on the weekends}. For those in the city, The Nihongo Center runs two academic sessions in a year, with the second one scheduled to start in July. They have courses designed for every level, starting with absolute beginners {reading and writing of 3 kinds of Japanese script; around 50 Kanji/Chinese characters and 400 words will be introduced}, followed by intermediate, pre-advance and advance. Every other level requires an admission test or a Beginners Course Certificate, before you can start with the Japanese Language Proficiency Tests levels.
Where: Sector 31, Plot 122, Gurgaon {011 42418903} and the Nihongo Center is at G-13 Hauz Khas, Second Floor {011 26562841, 011 65655408}
Price: For Gurgaon, twice weekly classes over 4 months will cost you INR 18,000. Hurry to register – the new class begins on 7th June.
Italian | The Italian Cultural Institute makes learning Italian that much easier, with access to a variety of courses from beginners to advanced, a pool of highly qualified teachers, library facilities, and a wide range of DVD’s and Italian publications. Also, there’s Italian food in the cafeteria! For beginners, classes are held over the weekend; for the more advanced levels, courses commence 4th June, so hustle. They also give you the option of learning the language online, and are hooked up with institutions in Italy, incase you’re looking for a more authentic learning environment.
Where: Instituto Italiano di Cultura, 50-E Chandragupta Marg, Chanankyapuri; Contact: 011 26871901/03
Price: INR 8,000 for one person, and if you bring a friend you get an INR 1,000 discount.
Hungarian | For beginners, the session starts in October, and carries on till May {registration opens in September}. Their classes take place twice a week in the evening, making it easier for all you working folk. After you register, they call you in for an orientation class, which will be followed by a screening test.
Where: Hungarian Embassy, 2150-M, Niti Marg, Chanakyapuri; Contact: 011 23014992
Price: Free of charge
Spanish | You have two options here, both equally good, but different in terms of class size. While the Institute of Spanish Studies itself is located in Delhi, private one-on-one classes are held all over NCR, and tutors regularly find themselves traipsing to and from Gurgaon. The teaching staff is either native Spanish citizens who happen to find themselves in our capital city, or highly qualified individuals holding a M.A., M.Phil. or Ph.D. from JNU in Spanish. There’s also the El Instituto Cervantes, with 17 classrooms and a library, and courses ranging from beginners to advanced.
Where: El Instituto Cervantes is at 48 Hanuman Road; Contact: 011 43681900/011 43681999; Visit this to find yourself a private tutor, or contact them at 88262 36699 /98683 30995
Price: For El Instituto Cervantes, it’s INR 10, 500 a module; for more information click here. Private classes are charged by the hour, at INR 800 per class. They estimate that it takes 30 classes to complete a Basic level of training. The cost includes course materials.
Chinese, Portuguese, Arabic and Russian | The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Jawaharlal Nehru Academy of Languages is one of the oldest institutions offering intensive foreign language courses. As part of this, they offer beginner courses in Chinese, Portuguese, Arabic and Russian. The Chinese course runs for 3 years, divided into 6 semesters of 5 months each. The Russian, Portuguese and Arabic courses run for 1 year over 2 semesters, all of which you can apply for online. They also offer advanced English and creative writing courses, incase you just want to top up your English.
Where: Kasturba Gandhi Marg; Contact: 011 23382005/23389942 F
Urdu and Pashto | Zabaan Language Institute doesn’t let a heavily trafficked MG Road get in the way of learning. Based in GK-II, Zabaan conducts online one-on-one classes on Skype, so NCR residents can sign up to learn spoken and written Urdu or Pashto. With an easy system of scanning written material in, and having corrected material scanned back, there’s no escaping the homework. There’s also classes in GK-II that help Hindi readers/writers transition to Urdu reading and writing.
Where: Online
Hindi | Hindi Guru has steadily found favour with a much-relieved expatriate and non-Hindi speaking Indian audience because of its basic to advance level Hindi classes. The most popular course is the 50 Hour Spoken Hindi class, which may not have you reading the classics, but will make you feel better placed to converse and negotiate in a hectic market, and even enjoy a Hindi movie or two sans subtitles.
Where: Sushant Lok-I, Gurgaon
Price: Class packages range from 20 hours to 600 hours, depending on how much you want to learn. The 50 hour class package, for example, is priced at INR 15,000, and includes course material such as AVs and animations, developed by Hindi Guru for easy learning.
For more information, call 9810107674 /9416447634 more
Where: 72 K K Birla Lane, Lodhi Estate {011 43500200} and S – 24/8, DLF Phase III, Gurgaon {0124 4061032}
German | The Alliance equivalent for German, there’s no school more authentic and thorough than the Goethe Institut {Max Mueller Bhavan}. In addition to general language courses available across levels for both teens and adults, they also offer a wide range of special courses as well as company courses, all of which are supplemented with an extensive examination program. They also offer a teachers’ training institute that conducts workshops and seminars on teaching German as a foreign language. Goethe also has the ability to hook you up with studying German at one of their institutes in Germany {if you’re really invested in the language}; their Delhi course office will be able to assist you.
Where: 3 Kasturba Gandhi Marg; Contact: 011 23471100
Korean | The Korean Cultural Center offers courses across levels and for all age groups, each of which lasts 11 weeks {starting July}. They have three classes for beginners, one of which is an intensive weekend course, suitable for working folk. As a next step, they have intermediate classes and also offer conversation classes, both of which entail an interview prior to admission. You have to register before the 23rd of July, and can do so only at the Cultural Center itself.
Where: 25 A Ring Road, Lajpat Nagar IV; Contact: 11 43345000
For a full academic calendar, class timings and more information, click here and follow them on Facebook for updates on events and activities, here.
Japanese | For the Gurgaon-ers, learn to speak basic Japanese and the three Japanese writing methods – Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji – over the course of 4 months; perfect for those who can’t fit it in during the week {classes are held on the weekends}. For those in the city, The Nihongo Center runs two academic sessions in a year, with the second one scheduled to start in July. They have courses designed for every level, starting with absolute beginners {reading and writing of 3 kinds of Japanese script; around 50 Kanji/Chinese characters and 400 words will be introduced}, followed by intermediate, pre-advance and advance. Every other level requires an admission test or a Beginners Course Certificate, before you can start with the Japanese Language Proficiency Tests levels.
Where: Sector 31, Plot 122, Gurgaon {011 42418903} and the Nihongo Center is at G-13 Hauz Khas, Second Floor {011 26562841, 011 65655408}
Price: For Gurgaon, twice weekly classes over 4 months will cost you INR 18,000. Hurry to register – the new class begins on 7th June.
Italian | The Italian Cultural Institute makes learning Italian that much easier, with access to a variety of courses from beginners to advanced, a pool of highly qualified teachers, library facilities, and a wide range of DVD’s and Italian publications. Also, there’s Italian food in the cafeteria! For beginners, classes are held over the weekend; for the more advanced levels, courses commence 4th June, so hustle. They also give you the option of learning the language online, and are hooked up with institutions in Italy, incase you’re looking for a more authentic learning environment.
Where: Instituto Italiano di Cultura, 50-E Chandragupta Marg, Chanankyapuri; Contact: 011 26871901/03
Price: INR 8,000 for one person, and if you bring a friend you get an INR 1,000 discount.
Hungarian | For beginners, the session starts in October, and carries on till May {registration opens in September}. Their classes take place twice a week in the evening, making it easier for all you working folk. After you register, they call you in for an orientation class, which will be followed by a screening test.
Where: Hungarian Embassy, 2150-M, Niti Marg, Chanakyapuri; Contact: 011 23014992
Price: Free of charge
Spanish | You have two options here, both equally good, but different in terms of class size. While the Institute of Spanish Studies itself is located in Delhi, private one-on-one classes are held all over NCR, and tutors regularly find themselves traipsing to and from Gurgaon. The teaching staff is either native Spanish citizens who happen to find themselves in our capital city, or highly qualified individuals holding a M.A., M.Phil. or Ph.D. from JNU in Spanish. There’s also the El Instituto Cervantes, with 17 classrooms and a library, and courses ranging from beginners to advanced.
Where: El Instituto Cervantes is at 48 Hanuman Road; Contact: 011 43681900/011 43681999; Visit this to find yourself a private tutor, or contact them at 88262 36699 /98683 30995
Price: For El Instituto Cervantes, it’s INR 10, 500 a module; for more information click here. Private classes are charged by the hour, at INR 800 per class. They estimate that it takes 30 classes to complete a Basic level of training. The cost includes course materials.
Chinese, Portuguese, Arabic and Russian | The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Jawaharlal Nehru Academy of Languages is one of the oldest institutions offering intensive foreign language courses. As part of this, they offer beginner courses in Chinese, Portuguese, Arabic and Russian. The Chinese course runs for 3 years, divided into 6 semesters of 5 months each. The Russian, Portuguese and Arabic courses run for 1 year over 2 semesters, all of which you can apply for online. They also offer advanced English and creative writing courses, incase you just want to top up your English.
Where: Kasturba Gandhi Marg; Contact: 011 23382005/23389942 F
Urdu and Pashto | Zabaan Language Institute doesn’t let a heavily trafficked MG Road get in the way of learning. Based in GK-II, Zabaan conducts online one-on-one classes on Skype, so NCR residents can sign up to learn spoken and written Urdu or Pashto. With an easy system of scanning written material in, and having corrected material scanned back, there’s no escaping the homework. There’s also classes in GK-II that help Hindi readers/writers transition to Urdu reading and writing.
Where: Online
Hindi | Hindi Guru has steadily found favour with a much-relieved expatriate and non-Hindi speaking Indian audience because of its basic to advance level Hindi classes. The most popular course is the 50 Hour Spoken Hindi class, which may not have you reading the classics, but will make you feel better placed to converse and negotiate in a hectic market, and even enjoy a Hindi movie or two sans subtitles.
Where: Sushant Lok-I, Gurgaon
Price: Class packages range from 20 hours to 600 hours, depending on how much you want to learn. The 50 hour class package, for example, is priced at INR 15,000, and includes course material such as AVs and animations, developed by Hindi Guru for easy learning.
For more information, call 9810107674 /9416447634 more
Viewed by 65
