Learning a language is a wonderful adventure and an enriching experience. Not only does it provide a deeper understanding of other cultures and enhance your up-and-coming travel experience, it can assist you at work, connect you to your heritage, and improve communications with friends and family.
The Arabic language is spoken in more than 20 countries, from Morocco to Egypt and throughout the Arabian peninsula.
About one-fifth of the world's population, or over one billion people speak some form of Chinese as their native language.
Croatian is a South Slavic language which is spoken primarily in Croatia, by Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and communities in neighbouring countries.
Dutch belongs to the family of Germanic languages, is related to the English language and is spoken by 23 million people.
French is a romance language spoken around the world by nearly 128 million people as their first or second language.
German is related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. German is the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union.
Greek is spoken today by over 20 million people, mainly in Greece and Cyprus but also by minority and emigrant communities in numerous other countries.
Irish ("Gaelic") is officially the first language of the Irish Republic, despite being in fact a minority language there.
Italian is a Romance language spoken by approximately 63 million people as a first language primarily in Italy.
Japanese is spoken in Japan, and essentially nowhere else. It is not known to be related to any other language.
Korean was formerly written using Hanja, borrowed Chinese characters pronounced in the Korean way.
Latin was the international language of science and scholarship in central and western Europe until the 17th century.
Māori is the foundation language of New Zealand and the ancestral language of the tangata whenua.
Today, Portuguese is one of the world’s major languages, ranked 6th according to the number of native speakers.
Russian had great political importance in the 20th century and the language is one of the official languages of the United Nations.
Today, between 322 and 400 million people speak Spanish as a native language, making it the world’s second or third more spoken language by native speakers.
Our extensive language programme offers over 13 different languages taught by experienced and qualified tutors, most of whom are native speakers.
Classes are relaxed, social, and interactive with varied activities. Each language level comprises 20 teaching hours with one two-hour session per week. Several languages, such as French, Italian and Spanish are also offered in an ‘intensive’ format at Levels 1 and 2, with either with two, two-hour sessions per week or in a weekend format.
Introductory courses in Arabic, Dutch, Hindi, Korean, Latin, Russian and Turkish are taught as 12-hour courses with a follow-on part two course available in some instances.
Please note: some of the language levels listed may not be offered in every semester.
Which level is right for you?
Level 1 or introductory courses are suitable for those who have little or no previous knowledge of the language. Through a variety of activities, students will learn to communicate in everyday situations as well as gaining a basic understanding of the culture of the chosen country.
Level 2 is designed for those who already have some basic knowledge of the language. It develops the grammar and material covered in Level I and expands vocabulary. Students will be able to communicate with more confidence in social and business situations and have a better understanding of the culture and etiquette.
Level 3 is for those who are reasonably confident in all aspects of the language you are studying and builds proficiency in the main skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Further aspects of the culture and customs will be explored.
Levels 4+ review points of grammar and cover more advanced reading, writing, listening and speaking skills, pronunciation and vocabulary extension. At Levels 5 and beyond, including conversation and discussion classes, the courses are conducted entirely in the target language.
If you can’t see what you want or would like more information please call Jo Davies on +64 9 373 7599 ext 88693, or email je.davies@auckland.ac.nz.
Library resources
Enrolment in any Continuing Education course gives you access to the vast resources of The University of Auckland library. Simply call or visit the Centre for Continuing Education office to have your library card issued.
Tutor Vacancy - Irish
We are looking for a tutor to teach a 12-hour Irish language course. If you have the qualifications and experience in designing a language course and teaching adult students, please email your CV to Jo Davies (je.davies@auckland.ac.nz).
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