Language lessons in Canberra

If you’ve ever visited Canberra, you know it’s one of the most unique capitals around the globe. Located in the southeastern part of the country, this multicultural city was designed by the American architect Walter Burley Griffin and it stands out as one of the most impressive planned cities in Australia. As the country’s biggest inland city, it attracts people from all over the globe. In fact, many foreigners choose to make this incredible city their home. According to the 2016 census, 30% of Canberrans were born abroad, and at least 20% of them speak a language other than English at home. Among this wide range of languages, the most commonly used are Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, Italian, Greek and Cantonese. 

As you might realize, being able to speak more than one language in such a multilingual city has many advantages. For once, it will allow you to connect to a wider part of your local community and expand your social circle. It will also benefit your professional life, as many opportunities in the area are exclusive for those who speak two or more languages. What’s more, learning a new language will change your worldview and open the door to new exciting cultures. 

Where to study foreign languages in Canberra

If you have finally decided to start a language course, there are many excellent universities and institutions in Canberra where you can study. One of the best known is the Australian National University, which offers courses in more than ten languages including Spanish, German, Arabic, Korean, Mandarin and the local Aboriginal language Gamilaraay at all levels. This is an excellent choice, especially if you're looking to get a certification at one of the country’s top universities.

However, if enrolling in a university course is not in your plans, you can check the ACT library in the city, located at Civic Square, which has books, DVDs, CDs, magazines and newspapers in 23 languages other than English. In addition to that, there are many digital resources in the library like the Mango Languages app, where you can learn more than 70 languages. 

Language exchange groups in Canberra

Are you looking for a place in the city to test your language skills and make new friends? Then you should attend one of the meetings held by Language Exchange Canberra. This language group organizes weekly meetings every Tuesday at PJs in the city, a bar located at 52 Alinga St. These events are open to all and completely free, all you have to do is get to the bar, look for the table that has flag stickers and take two: one that indicates your native language and another for your target language. After that, just find a language partner and start practising!

For those interested in learning Spanish, there’s a big community of Spanish language enthusiasts called The Canberra Spanish Language Meetup who meet every Tuesday at 6.30 pm at King O’Malley’s Irish Pub, located at 131 City Walk. This event is completely free and it’s open to speakers of all levels who want to chat and make new amigos in the area. 

Cultural institutions and events in Canberra

If you want to be transported around the globe by beautiful music, you can’t miss the Canberra International Musical Festival. Over ten days, you’ll get the chance to experience an exciting musical adventure from pole to pole, as you enjoy the impressive line-up of Australian and International artists that will be performing this year. This true intercontinental explosion of music takes place in 2022 from 29 Apr to 8 May at the Ainslie Arts Centre, located at 30 Elouera St, and offers the perfect chance to broaden your musical taste as you get exposed to all kinds of artists and music styles.

Another great chance to immerse yourself in other cultures is to attend a great event that celebrates international crafts and foods called International Sundays at Old Bus Depot Markets. Every first Sunday of the month, you’ll be able to try on fabulous clothes and accessories from all over the world and taste mouth-watering dishes from Ethiopia, Laos, Italy and many other countries while you listen to festive music.

Language jobs in Canberra

Learning a new language can be one of the best decisions you can make to get a new job in Canberra. This is especially true if you’re looking for a job in international companies in the area like Accenture, KPMG or IBM, which are constantly looking for bilingual speakers of different languages for positions like International Strategy Analyst, Business Analyst and Management Consultant. What’s more, due to the growing globalization, most companies look for applicants who can help them build business relationships with other countries, so being able to communicate in other languages will definitely give you an advantage over other candidates in any job interview. 

Get started now!!!

Although there are many great places to study languages in Canberra, the best option is definitely Listen & Learn! In addition to offering interactive, flexible face-to-face and online lessons, our teachers stand out because they make personalised lessons for all our students according to their needs, language goals and interests. So what are you waiting for? Start by taking one of our free level tests so you know exactly what your skill level is and then send us a quick enquiry so someone from our team can get in contact with you as soon as possible!