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Outstanding Language Resource Localized in 20 Languages

Bab.la offers free dictionaries, vocabulary sets, flash cards, quizzes, games, conjugation tables, phrases, travel survival guides, a forum and, yes, even more.

The website is localized in Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Danish, Dutch, English, Esperanto (!), French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish and Turkish. Wow!

What does "localized" mean?

"Localized" (localised in British English) means that Bab.la's interface is available in all these languages, so speakers can surf the site in their native tongue. This can be useful for intermediate and advanced learners who want the challenge of surfing in their target language.

Learning Resources for 20 Languages

All the above languages also have learning resources available!

Of special note on Bab.la are the free Survival Guides, downloadable PDFs for quick access to phrases and language essential for travel conversation, complaints and computers. Chatting, computing and complaining has never been so simple!

The phrasebooks available are also of special note, as they cover quite a lot of ground that is often not covered in traditional phrasebooks. These are separated into four main categories: Application, Academic, Business and Personal, and are available for all the languages above - quite a boon to anyone needing quick access to phrases used commonly in application processes and academic, business and personal settings.

To give a quick example of this, you can quickly find useful common phrases for email communication, invoicing, reference letters, announcements and invitations, reservations and more.

Dictionaries, Vocabulary Sets, Quizzes, Games and Conjugation Tables

The dictionary area of Bab.la offers quick and easy translation between all the languages above.

The vocabulary section offers vocab sets for job, school & university, travel, self-study, fun & hobbies and official exams.

The quizzes and games are fun for children and can even help keep teens and adults entertained while learning.

The conjugation tables are quite useful for the appropriate languages, which currently include Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Polish and Portuguese. Some of these are also offered in sets, such as Polish <> German or French <> Italian, for the polyglots out there who like learning another language via a foreign language they already know :)

Tools: Broswser Plugins, Webmaster Widgets, Mobile Apps

All in all, Bab.la offers an amazing amount of material for free! There's even more that hasn't been covered here which is included in their Tools section. This includes dictionary toolbars and plugins for common browsers, dictionary widgets for websites and mobile dictionary apps (the apps are not free).

Essential French Phrasebook

A collection of the most useful phrases in French for travelers by BBC Languages Quick Fix.

Not to be considered an French course, these simple phrases cover the most essential core necessities and "niceties" travelers ought to know ("Hello", "Goodbye", "Thank you", etc) to show cultural appreciation by speaking French!

Includes an online player to view the phrases as they are written in French and listen as a native speaker says them.

You can also download them to your MP3 player or print out a sheet and take it with you on your trip!

From Website

Summary

Welcome to Free Language's whirlwind tour about learning French online for free. This is the third video screencast about learning languages for free. See all of them here.

This video will take you through some top essential resources for learning French for free online. View the links below the video to access the resources highlighted in this video.

Here we cover places to find general resources, where to get learning materials, finding plenty of content online to expose yourself to the language and recommend Babbel French and the FrenchPod podcast for audio on-the-go as well as community atmosphere.

French exercises, kid's games, interactive tools, news sources, radio stations, Web TV... it's all here. Enjoy!

Screencast Video

Helpful Links for this Screencast

General Resources

http://freelanguage.org/french
http://www.uni.edu/becker/french31.html
http://www.mindzeit.com/learnspeakfrenchlanguageonline.php
http://www.laits.utexas.edu/tex/index.html
http://www.laits.utexas.edu/fi/index.html
http://frenchpod.com

Radio and News

http://sites.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/accueil
http://www.rfi.fr
http://www.listenlive.eu/france.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/tv
http://www.france24.com/fr

Kids, Activities and Games

http://lexiquefle.free.fr
http://www.hello-world.com/resource/free.php

Summary

At last, a study abroad school reservation website that just plain rocks hands down: eurolanguages. Not only is it quick and simple to find French language schools all over France, it's also free to use! Naturally the courses aren't free, but you are not charged a euro cent extra than what you'd pay directly to the school. Plus you get to use their slick, user-friendly and eye-candy-rich Web reservation interface that allows you to compare instantly and make the best choice for your particular needs.

Currently for the French language, you can find study abroad programs and language schools in France. Regions include Savoie/Savoy, Rhône-Alpes, "The Alps", "The Mediterranean", northern and southern France, Provence, Côte d'Azur (French Riviera) and Normandy. Cities include Annecy, Chambéry, Nice, Rouen and Vichy.

Depending on the language school you choose, different options for facilities and extra-curricular activities exist. These include such goodies as audio learning labs, computer access, free wifi (wireless internet), eating/dining area, tea/coffee, television room, wheelchair/handicap accessiblity (elevator), cultural trips, pub trips, snack machines, printing and fax services, bookshop/bookstore, study area and library. It is surprisingly quick and easy to see which of these features a given school offers, providing you with a snapshot of what the school has going for it.

Of course, you'll need a place to stay while studying abroad, and eurolanguages makes that quite simple as well. You can either choose to find your own accommodation or select between several options including homestays with half or full board.

Eurolanguages encourages transparency by allowing users to rate and review language schools right on their site. These reviews are accessible while viewing information about a school, and can provide additional insight into what individual learning experiences have been. Currently you can rate on teaching, location, features and fun.

All in all, eurolanguages is providing an amazing service to anyone interested in studying French in Europe - with no extra fees! They are definitely worth checking out. Thanks to the whole team for this much-needed free Web service.

Eurolanguages is also available for English, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish, including programs that combine surfing with Spanish instruction and skiing with Italian lessons! Let the fun begin :)

From Website

Finding and confirming a place on an international language course is difficult, and searching online isn’t always helpful. There are 1,000’s of results for every destination, without any indication as to which one is best. So how can anyone decide on which city? which school? and at what price? And who do you contact?, and who can you trust?

You can trust us. We offer you more choice than ever before, with up to date information on all available schools and courses, and the insight and tools to compare them. We even offer fellow student reviews and ratings for reassurance. It’s like asking a friend for advice, except with eurolanguages, you can read the advice of 1,000’s of fellow students just like you. And when you’ve found your favourite, just pay a 20% deposit online to confirm your place.

Even though we think the schools we work with are great, we know you don’t necessarily care what we think. That’s why we don’t give you our opinions on the school; we let other students tell you theirs. And when you’ve finished your course we’ll ask you yours. Simple really.

On top of that, we’ve made it simple to actually book your place. We’ve taken care of the contractual side of things between you and the school so you don’t have to deal with endless paperwork in a language you are trying to learn. We’ve also given schools a management tool, so that when you buy a course with us, it’s guaranteed.

Over the last few decades the majority of language students have chosen to stay with a host family during their time at an international language school. For many, this is a great opportunity to practice the language, experience the culture, and above all an economical way to stay. To book a bed with a local host, which will be organised and confirmed by your school, simply select the available options on the booking screen.

Visit www.eurolanguages.com

Summary

french.about.com is packed full of information for beginner to intermediate French learners as well as teachers of those levels. In fact, there is so much content there that listing it here would take too much time! Instead, this article will highlight some of the things you can find on the site, and leave the rest for you to find on the site.

Of special note are the start learning section, practice materials, teacher resources, audio lab, grammar section, vocabulary section, proficiency tests, verb conjugator and the quizzes and tests area.

There is a lot more there, and it's all accessible for free. :)

From Website

Learning French is an ongoing and involved process. You can't learn French overnight, and you probably can't learn on your own, no matter how many books and tapes you buy.

What you can do is use this free website to supplement your learning: to get another explanation of something you didn't understand, to get extra practice between classes, and to brush up on what you once learned but have now all but forgotten.

Learn French at About offers hundreds of lessons and thousands of sound files to help you learn French.

Visit french.about.com