The best places to take language classes in NYC

You’ll learn more than just the conjugations of etre and avoir in the French classes at Coucou Brooklyn. This language center focuses on cultural education, so you’ll also learn about the Parisian bar scene and the 35-hour workweek while working on your sentence structure. Keep the learning going after class by checking out a French film or magazine from Coucou’s extensive library.

Some estimates suggest at least 500,000 people in the United States use American Sign Language – other sources say that figure is actually closer to 2 million. Either way, ASL is one of the most widely used languages in the country. You’ll pick up signing quickly during a six-week beginner session at the Sign Language Center, plus learn more about the deaf community while you’re at it.

This language school really does have something for everyone. First, choose which of the 15-plus languages you’d like to study – instructors teach everything from Arabic to Polish. Then, you can opt for short workshops, group classes, or private instruction. Since ABC Languages’ past clients include the FBI, the College Board, and Uma Thurman (they’re responsible for her flawless Japanese dialogue in Kill Bill), you know these classes have got to be pretty good.

Lovers of fine wines, fresh pasta, and la dolce vita will want to check out the classes at Collina Italiana, the Upper East Side’s Italian language and cultural center. Morning sessions will begin with a coffee, while students in the evening classes can indulge in a glass of prosecco. Whether you enroll in the more intensive, 10-session program or the three-week “survival kit” designed to prepare you for a trip to Italy, you’ll certainly come out of the program with the ability to say more than just grazie.  

Part language school, part arts alliance, the French Institute Alliance Française offers everything from French immersion classes to kids' cooking workshops. The real gem is the 11-week French in the City course, which pairs traditional classroom methods with field trips to Parisian restaurants, galleries featuring French artists, and other cultural sites around New York. Since all 60 instructors are native French speakers, you’ll get a quality education no matter which class you choose.

Though Fluent City now has offshoots in Boston, D.C., and Philadelphia, it started as a conversational French workshop in a tiny Brooklyn apartment. This school promises to get you to speak another language faster than any other program, and thanks to its experience-based, conversational approach, it’s perfect for students who aren’t big fans of book learning. Whether you choose Hebrew, Portuguese, or one of the eight other languages offered, you’ll have an intimate learning experience – classes are capped at 10 people.

Fittingly, this Korean language education school is located right in the center of Koreatown. Students learn to speak, read and write Korean in regular lessons on Fridays and Saturdays, then take their growing conversation skills to the on-site Korean Lounge to practice with native speakers.

Since New York has the highest population of Irish Americans in the nation, it only makes sense that the city would also have its own Irish Arts Center. Reconnect with your roots in the Emerald Isle (or just channel Saoirse Ronan’s character in Brooklyn) in a Gaelic language class. Take your pick of an introductory class or a tea and conversation meeting for a bit of the craic (that’s Gaelic for witty chat).