Language lessons in London

London is one of the most varied, multicultural cities in the world and it has been since its beginnings as a Roman city. It has thousands of years of immigration (with almost 40% of the UK’s immigrants living in the city!), so it’s only natural for London to be as linguistically and culturally diverse as it is today.

A 2019 report by the London School of Economics shows that over 25% of households in London have at least one member who does not speak English as their first language. This means you have a very high chance of hearing different languages and experiencing a great variety of cultures as you stroll around the beautiful city of London. For instance, you can go around London’s giant Chinatown, which offers a great variety of shops, supermarkets and restaurants with products of Chinese origin. You can also visit “Little India” or “Little Portugal” or take part in the many cultural events that take place all year round, such as the Holi Festival or the Eid Festival of Light. And if you’d like to take these experiences to a whole new level and connect with these cultures in a deeper way, why not start learning a foreign language in London today?

Where to study foreign languages in London

The presence of foreign languages in London is undeniable. According to the Greater London Authority, the most-spoken languages other than English are Bengali, Polish, Turkish, Urdu, French, Tamil, Portuguese and Arabic, though there are over 200 other languages spoken by minority groups all around the city. In more practical terms, here we present you with different opportunities to put your foreign language skills to use without leaving London.

Language exchange groups in London

Learning languages – just using apps - without practising in real-life environments can be difficult, especially when it comes to achieving fluency when speaking. The good news is that London offers countless opportunities to talk to native and non-native speakers of almost any foreign language! One example is to join groups like Mundo Lingo London, which has thousands of members who organise meetings every month. In those meetings, they get a flag to display on their clothes that represents the languages they speak and want to practise. In this way, people with similar interests can get together and speak in their target language for as long as they want. If you are looking for specific groups of your target language, you’ll also find many. From the London Arabic Language Meetup to the BCS Chinese Society, you can join dozens of groups entirely for free, where you’ll take part in cultural and sports events and activities to meet new people and have some fun while learning languages!

Cultural institutions and events in London

Many institutions strive to bring speakers of English and other languages around London. For instance, you can find the Arab British Centre at Gough Square, founded in 1977 with the intention of encouraging friendship and collaboration between the Arab community and the UK. For this, they organise events that go from formal dinners to free history courses for anyone who wants to learn more about their fascinating culture. London is also home to many yearly celebrations, such as the Carnaval del Pueblo, where you can enjoy parades, dances and delicious street food, or the Oktoberfest, which celebrates the German culture with traditional food and beer. No matter the language you have decided to study, you’ll find cultural events related to it in London for sure!

Language jobs in London

Being bilingual or, even better, multilingual opens up new professional opportunities almost anywhere in the world, but even more so in London, where you can find dozens of multinational companies that need employees and contractors who speak multiple languages. For instance, companies like Digital Streamers, Tableau or Arab Investments Ltd are always looking for talent who speak fluent Arabic, while French companies like French Connection and Hiscox are located in London and actively recruit employees who can master the French language.  

Also, London shares long-standing business relationships with major European capitals like Berlin, with German companies like Siemens, Hello Fresh or Adidas creating over 5,000 new jobs in 2020 alone. Certainly, learning German in London is an asset that will give your CV the competitive edge it needs!

And if you are looking to expand or establish your business abroad, knowledge of the local language is invaluable. In London, you’ll be able to contact different Chamber of Commerce, such as the Chinese Chamber of Commerce on Firth Street or the Spanish Chamber of Commerce on Wigmore Street, to obtain essential information and contacts and to participate in networking events to connect with important businesspeople (and impress them with your foreign language skills!).

Get started now!!!

Are you ready to start studying languages in London? If so, we are here to help you! At Listen & Learn, we have options for you to study almost every language, from the most common ones such as Spanish, German or French to exotic languages like Swahili with native-speaking, professional tutors. You can opt for face-to-face courses and have the teacher come to your home or office or sign up for online language lessons and take your class from anywhere. The choice is yours!

Contact us today and we will start preparing the best type of course just for you. The first step will be to assess your current language ability with one of our FREE level tests and then you’ll be paired up with a native tutor with years of experience who will design a completely personalised programme.

Start your journey towards bilingualism today and make the most out of the marvellous city of London! Being bilingual, you’ll access new opportunities you had not considered before. Send us a quick enquiry and one of our team members will respond to you within 24 business hours to answer all your questions about our language courses!