Start exploring the Tamil language and its scripts and sounds. You will learn how to greet people and introduce yourself, as well as how to count from one to ten. You will also be introduced to Tamil society and culture and will learn about the food and music popular in Tamil-speaking societies.

This free course is your next step to continue your journey learning Spanish, one of the most widely spoken
languages in the world. You should have some knowledge of Spanish, either because you have studied Getting started with Spanish 1 or because you have learned Spanish elsewhere.

In this free course you will work with audio and interactive activities to practise the skills you need to talk about everyday activities you do, including how to tell the time. You will also learn the present tense form of some common verbs and how to pronounce the ‘r’ sound.

This OpenLearn course is an extract from the beginning of the Open Centre for Languages and Cultures short course LGXS002: Beginners Spanish 2: ¡En
marcha! After completing this free course, you may wish to register for the full course to continue your learning.

In the free course, Getting started with Italian 2, you will learn and practise how to ask and say the time in Italian. This will include learning and practising how to ask and say the time using the 24-hour clock, which is commonly used for arrival and departure times and for the opening and closing of shops and services. The course offers interactive activities which will allow you to practise your listening and speaking skills, and there are quizzes so that you can test your learning.

Starting at a typical breakfast table in a German-speaking country, this course will build your vocabulary, teach you how to express your likes and dislikes and introduce you to grammatical concepts that will improve your ability to hold sophisticated conversations in German and understand more complex language in a variety of different scenarios.
This OpenLearn course is an extract from the beginning of the Open Centre for Languages and Cultures short course, LGXG002 Beginners German 2: mit Vergnügen! After
completing this free course, you may wish to register for the full course to continue your learning!

Business dealings with China are on the increase. As a result, more and more organisations and business people are realising the need of doing more than just adhering to the rules of Chinese etiquette (such as presenting business cards with both hands) or the ‘dos and don'ts’ (such not opening gifts in front of your hosts) to have successful business meetings. What is needed is the understanding of the much broader context of Chinese culture and values that permeate Chinese business contexts so as to engage in enduring business relationships.

Have you previously learned some basic Mandarin Chinese and now want to go a step further? This third introductory course in the Getting started with Chinese series will help you consolidate your language
skills and provide you with some essential vocabulary and expressions to improve your Mandarin Chinese in everyday situations. You will practice speaking, listening, writing and reading through a variety of online activities that will allow you to enjoy the full experience of immersing into the Chinese language and culture.
This OpenLearn course is an extract from the beginning of the Open Centre for Languages and Cultures short course, LGXC003 Beginners Chinese 3: 开始吧 kāishĭ ba! After completing this free course, you may wish to register for the full course to continue your learning!

Are you fascinated by the Italian culture and lifestyle, cuisine, historic cities, art and beautiful landscapes? Have you always loved the sound and musicality of the Italian language? Perhaps you’ve visited an Italian city and wished you could chat with local people. Or maybe you would like to be able to read a menu, talk about yourself, or talk about yours or other people’s jobs.Whatever your reasons for learning Italian, this two-week course gives you a chance to start a new exciting learning experience. You’ll start from the basics to ordering food and drinks at the bar.
This OpenLearn course is an extract from the beginning of the Open Centre for Languages and Cultures short course, LGXI001 Beginners Italian 1: primi passi. After
completing this free course, you may wish to register for the full course to continue your learning!

Have you always wanted to learn how to speak Mandarin Chinese? Are you fascinated by the sound, the script and its ancient civilisation? If so, this introduction will get you started on the essentials of reading, writing, speaking and listening in Chinese
through a variety of online activities. A perfect introduction for absolute beginners!

This OpenLearn course is an extract from the beginning of the Open Centre for Languages and Cultures short course, LGXC001 Beginners Chinese 1. After completing this free course, you may wish to register for the full course to continue your learning!

Almost 100 million people speak German as their main language. Most of them live in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, making German one of the most widely-used languages in Europe. Although now associated with economic success and advances in science and technology, German has a long-standing reputation as the language of poets and thinkers, die Sprache der Dichter und Denker.
The German speaking countries are also a popular tourist destination, offering visitors a great variety of landscapes - from the sandy beaches in the North to the majestic alps in the South, not to forget hills, lakes, rivers, vineyards and the historic and buzzing cities of Berlin, Zürich and Vienna.
In this 2-week course you will go on a journey through Germany, Austria and Switzerland and introduce you to the language skills you need to start understanding and using German.
You will start from the basics - simple greetings, introducing yourself and using numbers. Progressing towards being able to join conversations in German and to understand and use the language in a variety of scenarios.This OpenLearn course is an extract from the beginning of the Open Centre for Languages and Cultures short course, LGXG001 Beginners German 1: fang an! After completing this free course, you may wish to register for the full course to continue your learning!