Video courses
Video courses
Video Courses
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Cantonese, Catalan, Dutch, English, Esperanto, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Khoekhoe, Korean, Kurdish, Latin, Mandarin, Maori, Pashto, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Vietnamese, Welsh
Cantonese
No. of episodes: 30
Length of each episode: 5-7 mins
- Funny skits putting specific Cantonese language patterns into practice. Uses English and Cantonese subtitles. Probably best for learners who have some knowledge of the language.
粤语会话三月通 Only available in Mandarin
No. of episodes: 26
Length of each episode: Varies, from 2 to 6 mins
- A teacher explains grammar & introduces vocab and skits reinforce the language in context.
Catalan
No. of episodes: 60
Length of each episode: 14-17 mins
- Great video course teaching entirely in Catalan with funny skits and narrated comics. Key expressions are repeated with text on-screen.
Dutch
No. of episodes: 24
Length of each episode: 25 mins
Technical issues: Free registration required (but very quick)
- Taught entirely in Dutch with funny sketches which the host then quizzes the students on. Teaches basic Dutch but you will need some knowledge before starting to follow the show. Interactive exercises & material also available.
No. of episodes: 22
Length of each episode: 25 mins
- Nice for intermediate learners, it is taught entirely in Dutch with one host and three students. The host guides the students through various exercises & tests them. Extra material is available if you register for free.
English
No. of episodes: 50
Length of each episode: 15 mins
Technical issues: Free registration required.
- Follows the story of one woman on a journey across America. Features English that is subtly slowed down and simplified, and uses repetition and paraphrasing to teach language that students can use straight away. For levels from high beginning to high intermediate.
No. of episodes: 150+
Length of each episode: 15 mins
- Bubbly host teaches American slang and idioms in Mandarin Chinese. Example sentences are given and the English and Mandarin translation are show on screen.
Esperanto
No. of episodes: 15
Length of each episode: 30 mins
- Immersion style course that follows a single family and their adventures. Presented in a theatrical style entirely in Esperanto, the language is repeated & slowed down so even beginners can understand.
No. of episodes: 18
Length of each episode: 9-10 mins
- Cartoon video course for children, teaches entirely in Esperanto and follows a fairytale storyline. Mixed reviews.
Finnish
No. of episodes: 12
Length of each episode: 24 mins
- Videos teaching entirely in Finnish with educational documentary sections, interviews and useful phrases explained. Supplementary materials include grammar notes, numerous exercises, dialogue transcripts and dictionaries in English, French, German, Russian, Swedish, Somali and Estonian.
French
No. of episodes: 52
Length of each episode: 30 mins
Technical issues: Free registration required. Only available in USA and Canada. See this topic for more info.
- Fun series that gets you speaking French through everyday scenes and classroom scenes. Key vocab is repeated several times and explanations are given only in French but it's easy to understand if you have a basic knowledge of French. PDF with transcript and exercises available to download here.
Walk, Talk and Learn French (Youtube videos)
No. of episodes: 8
Length of each episode: 6-10 mins
- Enthusiastic presenter walks around Paris and explains parts of French grammar using signs and posters around him. For beginning to intermediate French learners.
German
No. of episodes: 36
Length of each episode: 15 mins
- Mini-dramas, interviews and documentary footage teach German from basic to more advanced level. Uses authentic, natural language as well as slower language that is easier for a learner to understand. NOTE: LINK BROKEN - You may have some luck downloading the series as a torrent.
Italian
No. of episodes: 20
Length of each episode: 6 mins
- Sitcom following the life of a family, with transcripts and exercises. Seems to be more suited to intermediate learners, as all the material is in Italian only.
No. of chapters: 60
No. of minutes in total: 2400
- 3 series with 60 chapters each. Each chapter has several videos, one following a drama and others are documentaries about Italy. There are also accompanying transcripts and exercises. More suitable for intermediate or advanced Italian learners, as all the material is in Italian only.
Japanese
No. of episodes: 26
Length of each episode: 30 mins
- Follows the adventures of a man called Yan who has just moved to Japan. It teaches basic Japanese through the use of funny sketches to practise vocabulary and grammar. Mostly uses romaji.
No. of episodes: 26
Length of each episode: 26 mins
- The story of Yan continues but becomes much darker and interesting. It teaches more intermediate Japanese through scenes from Yan's life & funny sketches. Mostly uses romaji.
No. of episodes: 28/40
Length of each episode: 30 mins
- Follows the experiences of a young man who has just moved to Japan, introducing grammar points each episode, with examples in real life context, skits and various exercises. With natural-speed Japanese and cultural explanations in English. Uses romaji. NOTE: VIDEOS NO LONGER AVAILABLE
No. of episodes: 73
Length of each episode: 30 mins
Technical issues: Videos are streaming only so can be quite slow to load
- Great for complete beginners, entertaining material and the teacher is talented & engaging. However, pace may be slow for anyone other than a complete beginner.
No. of episodes: 63
Length of each episode: 30 mins
Technical issues: Videos are streaming only so can be quite slow
- Lower-intermediate to intermediate level videos, entertaining material and the teacher is talented & engaging. However, pace is rather slow.
No. of episodes: 138
Length of each episode: Varies, normally less than 5 mins
- Intermediate to superior level videos to improve your Japanese listening skills. Mostly news items or monologues, be warned, this is fairly advanced material!
Khoekhoe
No. of episodes: 11
Length of each episode: most are 1-3 mins long
- Short videos explaining the sounds, common phrases and vocabulary of this unusual 'click' language of Africa.
Korean
Let's Speak Korean Season 1 (download1, download2)
No. of episodes: 60
Length of each episode: 20 mins
Technical issues: Each episode split into two, search to find the episode you are looking for
- Fairly old now, but still useful. The 2 teachers teach basic expressions using cartoon and skits. Hangul used throughout and also has a detailed analysis of Hangul.
Let's Speak Korean Season 2 ep 1-25, 1-260, 2-47, 181-183
No. of episodes: 260
Length of each episode: 10 mins
Technical issues: The YouTube videos aren't in order so search to find the episode you want
- A daytime talkshow format with 2 teachers and 2 students, that is designed to compliment your Korean study. This season moves quite fast so if you are a complete beginner I would recommend Season 3 instead. You will need to know hangul before you start.
Let's Speak Korean Season 3 (download)
No. of episodes: 130
Length of each episode: 10 mins
- Entertaining show with 2 teachers and 1 student, that teaches basic Korean and Korean culture. The hosts teach Korean expressions through cartoons, interviews, sketches, tests and more. New words are written in Hangul.
Let's Speak Korean Season 4 ep 1, 2-12, 16, 31-65,
No. of episodes: 85
Length of each episode: 10 mins
- Teaches Korean through an entertaining sitcom with two presenters who explain phrases and grammar from each episode. New words are written in Hangul. The language taught is a bit more advanced than previous seasons.
Traveler's Korean Season 1 Available in En, Jp, Zh (Mandarin) & Sp
No. of episodes: 25
Length of each episode: 10 mins
- Teaches basic expressions useful for people travelling to Korea, and also gives tips on Korean culture & customs. Good for beginners as it gives tips on pronunciation. Expressions are given in hangul & romanization.
Traveler's Korean Season 2 Available in En, Jp, Zh (Mandarin) & Sp
No. of episodes: 25
Length of each episode: 10 mins
Technical issues: Free registration required
- Teaches basic expressions useful for people travelling to Korea, and also gives tips on Korean culture & customs. Good for beginners as it gives tips on pronunciation. Expressions are given in hangul & romanization.
No. of episodes: 180
Length of each episode: 10 mins
- A good intermediate series, with one host speaking English and the other only Korean. Uses some skits but mostly just introduces expressions and gives explanations. NOTE: DEAD LINK
No. of episodes: 82
Length of each episode: 5-30 mins
Technical issues: May not be available in some viewer locations
- Traditional teaching style with a teacher in front of a blackboard. There are 6 different video courses teaching Korean reading (hangul), Grammar+Basic Phrases, Conversation A, Conversation B, Expressions A and Expressions B. There is also an iPhone app where you can view all the videos. Although there don't appear to be any exercises it seems like a great substitute for learners who can't attend classes.
Seemile 韩国语 Only available in Mandarin Chinese
No. of episodes: 5
Length of each episode: About 5 mins
Technical issues: May not be available in some viewer locations. Only 韩语发音 is available to view
- Traditional teaching style with a teacher in front of a blackboard. There is 1 video courses available teaching Korean hangul & pronunciation (韩语发音), the rest of the videos are private only. There is also an iPhone app where you can view all the videos. Although there don't appear to be any exercises it seems like a great substitute for learners who can't attend classes.
Seemile 韓国語 Only available in Japanese
No. of episodes: 65
Length of each episode: 2-25 mins
Technical issues: May not be available in some viewer locations. Some videos are private only.
- Traditional teaching style with a teacher in front of a blackboard. There are 4 different video courses teaching Korean pronunciation & hangul (文字と発音編), Beginner's Korean (美しい韓国語（初級）), Basic Expressions (基本表現編) and Beginner's Conversation (基礎韓国語会話). There is also an iPhone app where you can view all the videos. Although there don't appear to be any exercises it seems like a great substitute for learners who can't attend classes.
Seemile Tiếng Hàn Only available in Vietnamese
No. of episodes: 27
Length of each episode: 5-28 mins
Technical issues: May not be available in some viewer locations.
- Traditional teaching style with a teacher in front of a blackboard. There are 2 different video courses teaching Beginners Korean (TIẾNG HÀN NHẬP MÔN) and Beginners Conversational Korean (Vui học hội thoại tiếng Hàn). There is also an iPhone app where you can view all the videos. Although there don't appear to be any exercises it seems like a great substitute for learners who can't attend classes.
Kurdish
No. of episodes: 60
Length of each episode: 12-15 mins
- Teaches entirely in Kurmanji Kurdish, originally designed for young Kurds who haven't received education in Kurdish. The lessons take place in one room with 3 native speakers talking to each other; probably best for learners who have some knowledge of Kurdish already.
Latin
Latin Course - Cursus Linguae Latinae
No. of episodes: 335 (episodes added regularly, over 3000 planned)
Length of each episode: varies, 3-12 mins
- A progressive, conversational Latin course teaching entirely in Latin, illustrating grammar through a variety of different props. Suitable for beginners or advanced students unused to spoken Latin.
No. of episodes: 19
Length of each episode: varies widely, 7-45 mins
- One presenter teaching grammar useful for conversation, based around an out-of-copyright textbook. Useful tips and comments about learning Latin in the introductory videos. Suitable for beginners.
Mandarin
No. of episodes: 262
Length of each episode: 1 to 7 mins
Technical issues: Videos beginning with 'EXP' are audio only
- Short, enthusiastic videos explaining Mandarin grammar, useful phrases and vocabulary. Benny either explains the language point himself, sometimes with interviews or real-life scenes, or just uses text and audio with pinyin and Chinese characters.
Growing up with Chinese from CNTV (Youtube playlist)
No. of episodes: 100
Length of each episode: 15 mins
- A beginners courses that aims to teach 300 of the most commonly spoken Chinese phrases, using skits revolving around a Chinese teenager and an American exchange student. A host explains vocabulary, grammar and cultural issues from the skits. PDFs with pinyin & character transcripts are available to download.
No. of episodes: 19
Length of each episode: 4-7 mins
Technical issues: May not be available in some viewer locations
- Traditional teaching style with a teacher in front of a blackboard. There are 2 different video courses teaching Pronunciation and Conversation. There is also an iPhone app where you can view all the videos. Although there don't appear to be any exercises it seems like a great substitute for learners who can't attend classes.
Seemile 중국어 Only available in Korean
No. of episodes: 45
Length of each episode: 4-18 mins
Technical issues: May not be available in some viewer locations
- Traditional teaching style with a teacher in front of a blackboard. There are 2 different video courses teaching Pronunciation (발음편 ), Conversation (회화편 ) and Basic Chinese (야금야금 기초 중국어 ). There is also an iPhone app where you can view all the videos. Although there don't appear to be any exercises it seems like a great substitute for learners who can't attend classes.
Real Chinese from the BBC
No. of episodes: 7/10
Length of each episode: 15 mins
- A nice introductory series for learners completely new to Chinese. It teaches lots of cultural information and easy vocabulary and phrases for different situations, as well as short interviews of native speakers. Each episode focuses on a different topic like education, history, family etc. There is a supporting BBC website with exercises and supplementary cultural and grammar explanations etc. Good for getting a general overview of the language and culture of China.
Maori
No. of episodes: 13
Length of each episode: 24 mins
- Designed for beginners and intermediate students, the series follows a Maori family and with hosts explaining grammar and vocabulary points that come up. There are also cultural explanations and written exercises with each episode. Ideally, learners who already have some knowledge of Maori will gain the most from the series, rather than complete beginners. There are also accompanying language materials which can be bought.
No. of episodes: 13
Length of each episode: 27 mins
- This series is designed to improve listening skills of intermediate to advanced students and focuses on modern colloquial Maori. It follows a drama set around a restaurant and also has sections on Maori culture. Each episode is entirely in Maori. There are also accompanying written exercises and learning materials available to buy.
Pashto
How to Read and Write in Pashto by PashtoStudent
No. of episodes: 17
Length of each episode: 5 to 10 mins
- Introduces the Pashto alphabet, showing how to write each letter, with example sentences deconstructed and short stories to practise reading. Nicely taught.
Beginning Pashto Grammar by PashtoStudent
No. of episodes: 33
Length of each episode: 6 to 10 mins
Technical issues: View the video in high quality to make it easier to read the text
- The host leads the viewer through the Pashto textbook by Tegey & Robertson, deconstructing and reading out loud the Pashto text.
Portuguese
Conversa Brasileira from the University of Texas
No. of episodes: 15
- Unscripted conversations between native speakers on a variety of topics, with pop-up audio commentaries appearing at various points in the video. Also includes subtitles in English & Portuguese and pdf notes. Great for getting used to natural Brazilian Portuguese.
Russian
Goodbye Summer 1-15 and exercises, 1-15
No. of episodes: 15
Length of each episode: 9 mins
Technical issues: The videos from the 1st link can only be viewed in tiny dimensions, the 2nd link has resized them but slightly fuzzy
- Old series (from the 70s) which follows the story of Olga & Victor and introduces basic Russian expressions along the way.
No. of episodes: 20
Length of each episode: 5-13 mins
Technical issues: May not be available in some viewer locations
-Traditional teaching style with a teacher in front of a blackboard. There are 2 different video courses teaching Beginner's Russian and Survival Russian for Travellers. There is also an iPhone app where you can view all the videos. Although there don't appear to be any exercises it seems like a great substitute for learners who can't attend classes.
Spanish
No. of episodes: 52
Length of each episode: 30 mins
Technical issues: Free registration required.
- A soap opera that teaches Spanish from basic to more advanced level. Uses natural, colloquial language as well as slower language that is easier for a learner to understand.
Swahili
No. of episodes: 5
Length of each episode: 7-10 mins
Technical issues: Search 'Swahili' in the uploads to find the videos.
- Videos giving a basic introduction to Swahili, thoroughly drills the pronunciation and teaches survival phrases and vocabulary, presented by a humorous speaker.
Vietnamese
No. of episodes: 25 videos, 17 distinct lessons
Length of each episode: varies, 2-10 mins
- 25 videos teaching the Vietnamese alphabet, pronunciation, tones, basic grammar and vocabulary. Nice resource.
Welsh
No. of units:16
- Interesting course with videos showing Welsh in daily life, videos explaining the language and supplementary materials like notes, vocabulary, mp3 audio & exercises. Great indepth course for beginners, teaches Northern & Southern Welsh.