(Photo: via FluentBrooklyn)

Bonjour, Hola, Buongiorno, Guten tag, Olá.  Ok, so maybe you can brag about knowing how to say “hello” in another language.  But aside from your native tongue, can you also brag about being fluent in multiple languages? French, Spanish and even Mandarin are just some of the languages you can learn to speak at FluentBrooklyn.  And we don't mean endless hours of listening to someone on tape requesting you to repeat bon-jour all day long. We’re talking bona-fide live classes in a fun, casual learning environment taught by energetic professors.

After falling in love with the French language, owner Sam Maher created FluentBrooklyn in 2008 (originally called SamTeachesFrench).  Three years later, FluentBrooklyn has evolved into a company with locations in Manhattan and Williamsburg, Brooklyn with twenty-eight professors teaching classes and workshops in French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, Arabic, Mandarin and English.  Forget about your high school days where you may have been taught Spanish or French in a boring environment by a greying and stoic professor.  FluentBrooklyn’s classes are taught by young, outgoing and passionate professors. 

FluentBrooklyn offers classes in varying levels.  So, whether you are totally clueless about a second language, know the basics or can carry a conversation, there’s a class for you.  Classes  at their Williamsburg studio cost $285 generally meet once a week for 2 hours for 10 weeks.  FluentBrooklyn realizes you are a busy New Yorker and that’s why they design their classes allowing you to begin mastering a language right away in a productive, efficient, but yet fun environment. All classes are focused on getting it “off the page”, so you begin speaking the language even in Level 1 classes, which are taught in English.  Level 2 and above classes are taught in the target language.  Are you the shy type? No worries, because FluentBrooklyn also offers private lessons ranging from $65/hour in-studio and $90/hour at your home or office.

Learning at FluentBrooklyn is definitely fun because you can also take workshops allowing you to learn Slang and Pronunciation ($35) in most of the languages taught.  And get this, if you’re not quite ready to transition from one level to the next you can take a “Bridge” workshop ($40), which preps you for the next level.  Make it a family thing by placing your child in a course too! Classes are offered for ages 9 months to 13 years ($230).

Once you learn the language basics, are comfortable carrying a conversation or have mastered the language (or not), we’re sure you will be ready to immerse yourself in a foreign culture.   Lucky for you, FluentBrooklyn offers French and Spanish "Language Immersion" trips.   You don’t have to be a student to travel, and it’s also a perfect excuse to travel solo or with friends. 

We can take a wild guess as to why you may want to learn another language: maybe you want to whisper sweet nothings to your lover in French; or maybe you want to show off around your new Italian friends; or maybe you want to eavesdrop on conversations your German co-workers have; or you simply want to master another language.  So why should you spend your hard-earned dollars at FluentBrooklyn you ask? If we haven’t convinced you with all the great reasons presented above, we'll give you another one: What makes them unique is their beginner classes are purposely taught by non-native speakers.  They’ve figured out that it works so much better having someone who also learned the same foreign language explain the beginner concepts.  Level 2 classes and above have native speakers teaching the language. 

Now that we convinced you where to enhance your multilingual skills, we suggest you sign up for a class right away and heck, sign up with a friend too!  The Holidays are upon us and maybe you know someone who’s been dying to learn a second language.  FluentBrooklyn also offers gift certificates, so whether you want to treat yourself or a friend, sign up for a class or buy a gift certificate today!

FluentBrooklyn is located in Williamsburg two blocks from the L train at Graham Avenue at 143 Skillman Avenue b/w Graham and Manhattan Avenue. (347) 889-7377