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More about Level 1

Taught in English. Level 1 is for those who want to start at the very beginning with French or for those who took a little bit of French in high school…but let’s be honest, you were passing notes. If you can struggle through saying things like: I am American, I study French, I like football, and I have a dog, then you should check the Level 2 descriptions to be sure a Level 2 class isn't more appropriate for you.

Part of the time in most of our Level 1 classes is spent on how to learn a language in general. If you are "good at languages" or took a college-level French class before (even if it was a while ago) you might want to consider going straight into a Level 2 class. If you choose to skip Level 1 and have not previously studied the language, we highly recommend 2 to 4 hours of private lessons and a Bridge to Level 2 Workshop to get caught up and be ready to dive in (even if you have another romance language under your belt).

If you are more advanced than some of the absolute beginners in your Level 1 class, but not ready for Level 2 yet, please be aware that our Level 1 classes start at the very beginning. While you can take advantage of brushing up on some of the fundamental concepts and still benefit from the class overall, please be patient while the others are learning the language from the absolute beginning for the first time.

More about Level 2

Level 2 is for those who have studied French before, even if they aren't confident with what they learned because it's been a while. Either way, you should sign up for a Level 2 class even if you need to review the extreme basics as the first session or two does just that.

Level 2 is right for you if you feel even a little bit comfortable saying a few things about yourself in French, even if only at a very basic level in the present tense with a very limited vocabulary. If you can struggle through saying some of these phrases, then Level 2 is right for you:

I live in Brooklyn.
My friend (or brother/sister) does not live in Brooklyn.
I am American.
I study French.

and could struggle through asking someone else:
Do you have a dog? (or, if you don't know the word for dog, how about "car" or "apartment"?)

Some questions to help determine if Level 2 (vs Level 1) is right for you are:

Are you somewhat familiar with the idea of conjugation? As in how to turn parler, which means "to talk", into Je parle, tu parles, il parle (I speak, you speak, he speaks...) by simply removing the "-er" from the infinitive and adding back an "e" for je, an "es" for tu, and an "e" for il?

Are you somewhat familiar with the idea of nouns having a gender and having to choose between un, une, and des for "a" vs le, la, and les for "the"?

Are you familiar with the idea of regular vs. irregular verbs? Do you get that parler is conjugated above in exactly the same way that lots of other verbs are, such as marcher, rester, and trouver, but that verbs like être (to be) are conjugated completely irregularly (je suis, tu es, il est...)?

"Familiarity" here refers to having been introduced to the main idea before, even if you need a quick review/reminder of how it all works.

If you answered yes to at least two of those three questions (what is this, an informercial?) and you can struggle through more than half of the phrases/questions above, then Level 2 is right for you. If you are feeling pretty confident about all of this, be sure to check the Level 3 description to be sure that Level 2 isn't, in fact, not advanced ENOUGH for you.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone (or once you start class), we'll work with you to make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students place themselves accurately without our help.

More about Level 3

Level 3 is for those who can confidently say a few sentences in the present tense and are a little bit familiar with how the main past tense works (j'ai mangé, tu as pris, etc.) and are ready to be introduced for the first time to more verb tenses such as the conditional (je voudrais, il travaillerait, etc.), the futur simple (tu mangeras vs. tu vas manger) and how these verb tenses are used in everyday conversation.

You should sign up for a Level 3 class even if you need to review the basics of the present tense and the main past tense as the first class or two does just that.

Here are some questions to help figure out if Level 3 is right for you:

Can you use many of the most basic verbs (to eat, to talk, to walk, to be, to have, etc.) in present tense sentences fairly confidently? Can you say things like:

I speak French
My friend does not speak French
I walk to my friend's house every day

or ask someone else: Do you have an apartment in Brooklyn?

without too much hesitation?

Do you understand the fundamental structure of the main past tense (passé composé)? Do you get how you use être or avoir in the present tense plus a past participle, as in j'ai mangé for "I ate" and tu as dit for "You said"? 

If the answer to both of these questions is yes, you belong in Level 3.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Level 4

Level 4 students are starting to understand how the major verb tenses work, are adding to their growing vocabulary, and are ready to gain confidence when speaking and using several different verb tenses...

In Level 4, you will start to understand some of the more complex relationships between verb tenses (If I was/were rich, I would buy a yacht, etc.) and to tackle the harder verb tenses like the subjunctive ("il faut que je fasse", for example) and the past conditional (j'aurais appelé) as well as relative pronouns like "ce que" and "dont".

Here are some questions to help figure out if Level 4 is right for you:

Can you use some of the most basic verbs (to eat, to talk, to walk, to be, to have, etc.) in both the present tense, the two main past tenses (the passé composé and the imparfait), the conditional, and the future tenses? Can you say things like:

I ate at McDonalds yesterday
You took the train to work today
He was 18 when he went to college

and be able to struggle through asking someone: Would you like to go to Paris with me this summer?

without too much hesitation?

Are you familiar with the y in J'y suis allé as being there as in "I went there" and that for "I'm talking to him" it's je lui parle, not je le parle?

If the answer to both of these questions is yes, you belong in Level 4.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Level 5

Level 5 is meant to give you time to practice and solidify everything that you were introduced to in Level 4:

More about Level 1

Taught in English. Level 1 is for those who want to start at the very beginning with Spanish or for those who took a little bit of Spanish in high school…but let’s be honest, you were passing notes. If you can struggle through saying things like: I am American, I study Spanish, I like football, and I have a dog, then you should check the Level 2 descriptions to be sure a Level 2 class isn't more appropriate for you.

Part of the time in most of our Level 1 classes is spent on how to learn a language in general. If you are "good at languages" or took a college-level Spanish class before (even if it was a while ago) you might want to consider going straight into a Level 2 class. If you choose to skip Level 1 and have not previously studied the language, we highly recommend 2 to 4 hours of private lessons and a Bridge to Level 2 Workshop to get caught up and be ready to dive in (even if you have another romance language under your belt). 

If you are more advanced than some of the absolute beginners in your Level 1 class, but not ready for Level 2 yet, please be aware that our Level 1 classes start at the very beginning. While you can take advantage of brushing up on some of the fundamental concepts and still benefit from the class overall, please be patient while the others are learning the language from the absolute beginning for the first time.

More about Level 2

Level 2 is for those who have studied Spanish before, even if they aren't confident with what they learned because it's been a while. Either way, you should sign up for a Level 2 class even if you need to review the extreme basics as the first session or two do just that.

Level 2 is right for you if you feel even a little bit comfortable saying a few things about yourself in Spanish, even if only at a very basic level in the present tense with a very limited vocabulary. If you can struggle through saying some of these phrases, then Level 2 is right for you:

I study Spanish.
My friend (or brother/sister) does not speak Spanish.
I am American.
I live in Brooklyn.

and could struggle through asking someone else:
Do you have a dog? (or, if you don't know the word for dog, how about "car" or "apartment"?)

Some questions to help determine if Level 2 (vs Level 1) is right for you are:

Are you somewhat familiar with the idea of conjugation? As in how to turn hablar, which means "to talk", into Yo hablo, tú hablas, él habla (I speak, you speak, he speaks...) by simply removing the "-ar" from the infinitive and adding back an "o" for yo, an "as" for tú, and an "e" for él?

Are you somewhat familiar with the idea of nouns having a gender and having to choose between un, una, unos and unas for "a" vs el, la, los, and las for "the"?

Are you familiar with the idea of regular vs. irregular verbs? Do you get that hablar is conjugated above in exactly the same way that lots of other verbs are, such as cantar, bailar, and buscar, but that verbs like ser (to be) are conjugated completely irregularly (soy, eres, es...)?

"Familiarity" here refers to having been introduced to the main idea before, even if you need a quick review/reminder of how it all works.

If you answered yes to at least two of those three questions (what is this, an informercial?) and you can struggle through more than half of the phrases/questions above, then Level 2 is right for you. If you are feeling pretty confident about all of this, be sure to check the Level 3 description to be sure that Level 2 isn't, in fact, not advanced ENOUGH for you.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone (or once you start class), we'll work with you to make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students place themselves accurately.

More about Level 3

Level 3 is for those who can confidently say a few sentences in the present tense and are a little bit familiar with how the main past tense works (Yo comí, él bailó, etc.) and are ready to be introduced for the first time to more verb tenses such as the conditional (Yo comería, Tú querrías, etc.), the subjunctive (Quiero que tú hablEs vs hablAs, etc.) and how these verb tenses are used in everyday conversation.

You should sign up for a Level 3 class even if you need to review the basics of the present tense and the main past tense as the first class or two does just that.

Here are some questions to help figure out if Level 3 is right for you:

Can you use many of the most basic verbs (to eat, to talk, to walk, to be, to have, etc.) in present tense sentences fairly confidently? Can you say things like:

I speak Spanish
My friend does not speak Spanish
I walk to my friend's house every day

or ask someone else: Do you have an apartment in Brooklyn?

without too much hesitation?

Do you understand the fundamental structure of the main past tense? Do you get how yo como is the present tense for "I eat" and yo comí is the past tense for "I ate"?

If the answer to both of these questions is yes, you belong in Level 3.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Level 4

Level 4 students are starting to understand how the major verb tenses work, are adding to their growing vocabulary, and are ready to gain confidence when speaking and using several different verb tenses...

In Level 4, you will start to understand some of the more complex relationships between verb tenses (If I was/were rich, I would buy a yacht, etc.) and to dig deeper into the usage of more difficult verb tenses like the subjunctive and the conditional past.

Here are some questions to help figure out if Level 4 is right for you:

Can you use some of the most basic verbs (to eat, to talk, to walk, to be, to have, etc.) in both the present tense, the two main past tenses (the pretérito simple and the imperfecto), the conditional, and the future tenses? Can you say things like:

I ate at McDonalds yesterday
You took the train to work today
He was 18 when he went to college

and be able to struggle through asking someone: Would you like to go to Paris with me this summer?

without too much hesitation?

If the answer is yes, you belong in Level 4.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Level 1

Taught in English. Level 1 is for those who want to start at the very beginning with Italian or for those who took a little bit of Italian in high school…but let’s be honest, you were passing notes. If you can struggle through saying things like: I am American, I study Italian, I like football, and I have a dog, then you should check the Level 2 descriptions to be sure a Level 2 class isn't more appropriate for you.

Part of the time in most of our Level 1 classes is spent on how to learn a language in general. If you are "good at languages" or took a college-level Spanish class before (even if it was a while ago) you might want to consider going straight into a Level 2 class. If you choose to skip Level 1 and have not previously studied the language, we highly recommend 2 to 4 hours of private lessons and a Bridge to Level 2 Workshop to get caught up and be ready to dive in (even if you have another romance language under your belt).

If you are more advanced than some of the absolute beginners in your Level 1 class, but not ready for Level 2 yet, please be aware that our Level 1 classes start at the very beginning. While you can take advantage of brushing up on some of the fundamental concepts and still benefit from the class overall, please be patient while the others are learning the language from the absolute beginning for the first time.

More about Level 2

Level 2 is for those who have studied Italian before, even if they aren't confident with what they know because it's been a while. Either way, you should sign up for a Level 2 class even if you need to review the extreme basics as the first class or two does just that.

Level 2 is right for you if you feel even a little bit comfortable saying a few things about yourself in Italian, even if only at a very basic level in the present tense with a very limited vocabulary. If you can struggle through saying some of these phrases, then Level 2 is right for you:

I live in Brooklyn.
My friend (or brother/sister) does not live in Brooklyn.
I am American.
I study Italian.

and could struggle through asking someone else:
Do you have a dog? (or, if you don't know the word for dog, how about car or apartment?)

The main questions to help determine if Level 2 (vs Level 1) is right for you are:

Are you somewhat familiar with the idea of conjugation? As in how to turn parlare, which means "to talk", into Io parlo, tu parli, lui parla (I speak, you speak, he speaks...) by simply removing the "-are" from the infinitive and adding back an "o" for io, an "i" for tu, and an "a" for lui?

Are you somewhat familiar with the idea of nouns having a gender and having to choose between un and una vs il and la "a" vs "the"?

Are you familiar with the idea of regular vs. irregular verbs? Do you get that parlare is conjugated above in exactly the same way that lots of other verbs such as pensare, fermare, and comprare are, but that verbs like essere (to be) are conjugated completely irregularly (sono, sei, è...)?

"Familiarity" here refers to having been introduced to the main idea before, even if you need a quick review/reminder of how it all works.

If you answered yes to at least two of those three questions (what is this, an informercial?) and you can struggle through more than half of the phrases/questions above, then Level 2 is right for you. If you are feeling pretty confident about all of this, be sure to check the Level 3 description to be sure that Level 2 isn't, in fact, not advanced enough for you.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Level 3

Level 3 is for those who can confidently say a few sentences in the present tense and are a little bit familiar with how the main past tenses work (ho mangiato/ha parlato vs. io mangiavo/tu parlavi, etc.) and are ready to be introduced for the first time to more verb tenses such as the conditional (io vorrei etc.), the subjunctive (Non credo che tu SIA felice, etc.) and how these verb tenses are used in everyday conversation.

You should sign up for a Level 3 class even if you need to review the basics of the present tense and the main past tenses as the first class or two does just that.

Here are some questions to help figure out if Level 3 is right for you:

Can you use many of the most basic verbs (to eat, to talk, to walk, to be, to have, etc.) in present tense sentences fairly confidently? Can you say things like:

I speak Italian
My friend does not speak Spanish
I walk to my friend's house every day

or ask someone else: Do you have an apartment in Brooklyn?

without too much hesitation?

Do you understand the fundamental structure of the main past tense (passato prossimo)? Do you get how you use essere or avere in the present tense plus a past participle, as in ho mangiato for "I ate" and hai detto for "you said"?

If the answer to both of these questions is yes, you belong in Level 3.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Level 4

Level 4 students are starting to understand how the major verb tenses work, are adding to their growing vocabulary, and are ready to gain confidence when speaking and using several different verb tenses...

In Level 4, you will start to understand some of the more complex relationships between verb tenses (If I was rich, I would buy a yacht, etc.) and to dig deeper into the usage of more difficult verb tenses like the subjunctive and the conditional past.

Here are some questions to help figure out if Level 4 is right for you:

Can you use some of the most basic verbs (to eat, to talk, to walk, to be, to have, etc.) in both the present tense, the two main past tenses (the passato prossimo and the imperfetto), the conditional, and the future tenses? Can you say things like:

I ate at McDonalds yesterday
You took the train to work today
He was 18 when he went to college

and be able to struggle through asking someone: Would you like to go to Paris with me this summer?

without too much hesitation?

If the answer is yes, you belong in Level 4.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Level 1

Taught in English. Level 1 is for students who don’t have a clue about German and for those who maybe took a little bit of German in high school...but let’s be honest, you were passing notes. If you can struggle through saying things like: I am American, I study French, I like football, and I have a dog, then you should check the Level 2 descriptions to be sure a Level 2 class isn't more appropriate for you.

Part of the time in most of our Level 1 classes is spent on how to learn a language in general. If you are "good at languages" or took a college-level Spanish class before (even if it was a while ago) you might want to consider going straight into a Level 2 class. If you choose to skip Level 1 and have not previously studied the language, we highly recommend 2 to 4 hours of private lessons and a Bridge to Level 2 Workshop to get caught up and be ready to dive in (even if you have another romance language under your belt).

If you are more advanced than some of the absolute beginners in your Level 1 class, but not ready for Level 2 yet, please be aware that our Level 1 classes start at the very beginning. While you can take advantage of brushing up on some of the fundamental concepts and still benefit from the class overall, please be patient while the others are learning the language from the absolute beginning for the first time.

More about Level 2

Level 2 is for those who have had some German before, even though they still might need a review of the basics. They feel a little bit comfortable saying a few things about themselves in German, even if only at a very basic level in the present tense with a very limited vocabulary. That means, they can pretty much say "Hello, my name is ___, I live in Brooklyn. I have a cat, but I do not have a dog. My brother is a doctor…" but would really struggle through more complex sentences like "I want to eat at McDonald's tonight, but I forgot that you aren't available."

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone (or once you start class), we'll work with you to make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students place themselves accurately.

More about Level 3

Level 3 is for those who are fairly comfortable speaking in the present tense, are starting to get more comfortable with the past tense, present perfect and past perfect (Ich kaufte, Ich habe gekauft, Ich hatte gekauft) and are ready to be introduced to the future tense (ich werde kaufen) and the future perfect tense (ich werde gekauft haben). You should also be familiar with the concept of cases and somewhat comfortable using the Nominative, Accustive and Dative case. Level 3 German will solidify your understanding of the three aforementioned cases as well as the Genitive case.

If you are not an absolute beginner, determining what level you are can be really difficult. However, our professors can usually gauge it very quickly after speaking on the phone with you – even if just for a minute or two.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a class. We do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If you need to be placed into a different level, we can discuss that when we call for the placement test. We prefer to do this placement call after you sign up online because about 60-70% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Level 1

Taught in English. Level 1 is for students who don’t have a clue about Arabic and for those who maybe took a little bit before but want or need to restart at the very beginning. Level 1 coursework involves a comprehensive overview of the Arabic alphabet and the sounds they represent that is reinforced through exercises in vocabulary and basic grammar. At the end of Level 1, students are able to read and sound out any written word as well as deliver a basic self presentation.

More about Level 2

Level 2 is for those who are relatively comfortable with the Arabic alphabet and sounds as well as have very limited vocabulary. In Level 2, the professor reviews everything from Level 1 and then starts to work students through more complex sentence structures and build vocabulary.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone (or once you start class), we'll work with you to make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students place themselves accurately.

More about Level 1

Nivel 1 es una introducción rápida a los conceptos básicos del inglés.  Este nivel apunta a estudiantes que saben un poco de inglés pero que tienen poca experiencia y están dispuestos a trabajar duro.  Sean todos invitados.

Niveau 1 consiste en une courte présentation des concepts basiques de l'anglais. Ce niveau est pour les élèves qui ont un peu d'expérience avec la langue, les débutants enthousiastes sont également les bienvenus.

More about Level 2

Nivel 2 es para estudiantes que saben los conceptos básicos del inglés o que tomaron una clase de inglés básico.  Los estudiantes deben poder comunicarse y distinguir los dos pasados simples.  También deben poder tener una conversación básica.  La clase introducirá los tiempos de los verbos más comunes.

Niveau 2 est pour ceux qui ont déjà eu de l'expérience avec l'anglais ou qui ont déjà suivi un cours d'introduction. Les élèves devraient être capables de s'exprimer de manière simple au présent et au passé ainsi que tenir une conversation basique. Ce cours traitera de la plupart des temps majeurs.

More about Level 1

Taught in English. Level 1 is for those who want to start at the very beginning with Portuguese or for those who took a little bit of Portuguese in high school…but let’s be honest, you were passing notes. If you can struggle through saying things like: I am American, I study Portuguese, I like football, and I have a dog, then you should check the Level 2 descriptions to be sure a Level 2 class isn't more appropriate for you.

Part of the time in most of our Level 1 classes is spent on how to learn a language in general. If you are "good at languages" or took a college-level Spanish class before (even if it was a while ago) you might want to consider going straight into a Level 2 class. If you choose to skip Level 1 and have not previously studied the language, we highly recommend 2 to 4 hours of private lessons and a Bridge to Level 2 Workshop to get caught up and be ready to dive in (even if you have another romance language under your belt).

If you are more advanced than some of the absolute beginners in your Level 1 class, but not ready for Level 2 yet, please be aware that our Level 1 classes start at the very beginning. While you can take advantage of brushing up on some of the fundamental concepts and still benefit from the class overall, please be patient while the others are learning the language from the absolute beginning for the first time.

More about Level 2

Level 2 is for those who have studied Portuguese before, even if they aren't confident with what they know because it's been a while. Either way, you should sign up for a Level 2 class even if you need to review the extreme basics as the first class or two does just that.

Level 2 is right for you if you feel even a little bit comfortable saying a few things about yourself in Portuguese, even if only at a very basic level in the present tense with a very limited vocabulary. If you can struggle through saying some of these phrases, then Level 2 is right for you:

I study Portuguese.
My friend (or brother/sister) does not speak Portuguese.
I am American.
I live in Brooklyn.

and could struggle through asking someone else:
Do you have a dog? (or, if you don't know the word for dog, how about car or apartment?)

The main questions to help determine if Level 2 (vs Level 1) is right for you are:

Are you somewhat familiar with the idea of conjugation? As in how to turn falar, which means "to talk", into Eu falo, você fala, ele fala (I speak, you speak, he speaks...) by simply removing the "-ar" from the infinitive and adding back an "o" for eu, an "a" for você, and an "a" again for ele?

Are you somewhat familiar with the idea of nouns having a gender and having to choose between um, uma, uns and umas vs o, a, os, and as for "a" vs "the"?

Are you familiar with the idea of regular vs. irregular verbs? Do you get that falar is conjugated above in exactly the same way that lots of other verbs such as achar, encontrar, and botar are, but that verbs like ser (to be) are conjugated completely irregularly (sou, é, é...)?

"Familiarity" here refers to having been introduced to the main idea before, even if you need a quick review/reminder of how it all works.

If you answered yes to at least two of those three questions (what is this, an informercial?) and you can struggle through more than half of the phrases/questions above, then Level 2 is right for you. If you are feeling pretty confident about all of this, be sure to check the Level 3 description to be sure that Level 2 isn't, in fact, not advanced enough for you.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Level 1

Taught in English. Level 1 is for students who don’t have a clue about Mandarin and for those who maybe took a little bit before but want or need to restart at the very beginning. Level 1 coursework involves an overview of characters and sounds reinforced through exercises in vocabulary and basic grammar. At the end of Level 1, students are able to read and sound out any written word as well as deliver a basic self presentation.

More about Level 3

Level 3 is for those who are comfortable with the basic ideas of a present tense sentence in Arabic, even though they may need a review of them. In Level 3, the professor reviews core concepts from Level 2 and then starts to work students through more complex present tense sentences and an introduction to verbs in the past tenses.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone (or once you start class), we'll work with you to make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students place themselves accurately.

More about Level 2

Level 2 is for those who are beginning to gain some understanding of the tones, sounds and structure of Mandarin as well as the initial vocabulary needed for basic conversation. In Level 2, the professor focuses on expanding expression to build on the core concepts of Level 1. In Level 2, students will focus on developing more complex sentence structures and building vocabulary needed to cover a range of topics related to basic aspects of travel and daily life.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone (or once you start class), we'll work with you to make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students place themselves accurately.

More about Level 3

Level 3 is for those who can confidently say a few sentences in the present tense and are a little bit familiar with how the main past tense works (Eu escutei, você comeu, etc.) and are ready to be introduced for the first time to more verb tenses such as the conditional (Eu limparia, você subiria, etc.) and how these verb tenses are used in everyday conversation.

You should sign up for a Level 3 class even if you need to review the basics of the present tense and the main past tense as the first class or two does just that.

Here are some questions to help figure out if Level 3 is right for you:

Can you use many of the most basic verbs (to eat, to talk, to walk, to be, to have, etc.) in present tense sentences fairly confidently? Can you say things like:

I speak Portuguese
My friend does not speak Portuguese
I walk to my friend's house every day

or ask someone else: Do you have an apartment in Brooklyn?

without too much hesitation?

Do you understand the fundamental structure of the main past tense? Do you get how you Eu como is the present tense for "I eat" and Eu comi is the past tense for "I ate"?

If the answer to both of these questions is yes, you belong in Level 3.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do a informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Level 3

Level 3 is for those who are beginning to gain some confidence in basic Mandarin as well as the initial vocabulary needed for conversation on a limited range of topics. In Level 3, the professor focuses on application of the core concepts of earlier levels, accuracy in pronunciation and conversational ability.  Class will focus on developing more complex sentence structures and building the vocabulary needed to cover a range of topics related to travel and daily life.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone (or once you start class), we'll work with you to make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students place themselves accurately.

More about Level 1

Taught in English. Level 1 is for students who don’t have a clue about Japanese and for those who maybe studied it a little bit before but want or need to restart at the very beginning. Level 1 coursework involves an overview of characters and sounds reinforced through exercises in vocabulary and basic grammar. At the end of Level, students are able to read and sound out written Japanese as well as deliver a basic self presentation.

More about Level 1

Taught in English. Level 1 is for those who have no experience with the Russian language, or perhaps gathered extremely limited vocabulary through family and friends but never formally studied the language. In Level 1, students are introduced to the sounds and characters of the Russian alphabet, basic rules of pronunciation and spelling and vocabulary consisting of two or three syllable easy-to-pronounce words. If you can struggle through saying “Hello! My name is...I am American, I live in New York and work in an office” in Russian, you may want to check out Level 2 description to be sure it isn’t a more appropriate level for you.

More about Level 2

Level 2 is for those who are relatively comfortable with the characters and sounds in the Russian alphabet, present tense conjugation (I live/you live/he lives, I work/you work/he works, etc.) and have very limited vocabulary. Students should feel comfortable struggling through introducing themselves, talking about what language(s) they speak, where they live and work, as well as briefly describing qualities of objects (colors, size). In Level 2, the professor reviews everything from Level 1 and then starts to walk students through more complex sentence structures by introducing them to all six cases of Russian nouns, as well as concepts such as: counting objects of different genders, using ordinal numbers (3rd, 4th, etc.) to express dates and time. If you can struggle through sentences such as "Hello! My name is...I am American. I live in New York. I study Russian. I love to read and to watch TV. I have a black cat. His name is Raven." and could ask someone "What is it? Where is this/that? What color is it? Whose is this?," then Level 2 is for you.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Level 1

Taught in English. Level 1 is for students who don’t have a clue about Hebrew and for those who maybe studied it a little bit before but want or need to restart at the very beginning. Level 1 coursework involves a comprehensive overview of the Hebrew alphabet and the sounds they represent that is reinforced through exercises in vocabulary and basic grammar. At the end of Level 1, students are able to read and sound out any written word as well as deliver a basic self presentation.

More about Level 2

Level 2 is for those who are relatively comfortable with the Hebrew alphabet and sounds as well as have very limited vocabulary. In Level 2, the professor reviews everything from Level 1and then starts to work students through more complex sentence structures and build vocabulary.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Level 2

Level 2 is for those who are relatively comfortable with Japanese characters and sounds as well as have very limited vocabulary. In Level 2, the professor reviews the core concepts of Level 1 and then starts to work students through more complex sentence structures and build vocabulary.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Intermediate French

Intermediate students might need a quick grammar refresher here and there, but are comfortable having a simple and basic conversation in French. They can speak with some fluidity, even if they are still making a lot of mistakes. Increasing listening comprehension is a major component of an Intermediate class with the goal in mind of moving towards being able to listen to the radio and watch television or full-length movies with no subtitles. 

More about Level 4

Level 4 students are starting to understand how the major verb tenses work, are adding to their growing vocabulary, and are ready to gain confidence when speaking and using several different verb tenses.

In Level, 4 we will focus on solidifying all tenses previously studied and take on a new topic: the subjunctive.

Here are some questions to help figure out if Level 4 is right for you:

Can you use some of the most basic verbs (to eat, to talk, to walk, to be, to have, etc.) in both the present tense, the two main past tenses (the pretérito perfeito and the imperfeito), the conditional, and the future tenses? Can you say things like:

I ate at McDonalds yesterday
.

You took the train to work today.


He was 18 when he went to college.

and be able to struggle through asking someone: Would you like to go to Paris with me this summer?

without too much hesitation?

If the answer is yes, you belong in Level 4.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Intermediate Spanish

Intermediate students might need a quick grammar refresher here and there, but are comfortable having a simple and basic conversation in Spanish. They can speak with some fluidity, even if they are still making a lot of mistakes. Increasing listening comprehension is a major component of an Intermediate class with the goal in mind of moving towards being able to listen to the radio and watch television or full-length movies with no subtitles. 

This class is extremely focused on conversation skills with quick grammar reviews and lessons built in based on the level of each member of the class. In terms of conversation practice, a lot of time will be devoted to increasing your ability to give and defend your opinion and respond to current events in Spanish.

Because the teacher isn't tied down to a rigid curriculum, this 20-hour class is meant to be taken many times. Unlike Levels 1-5 that "build" on each other (and usually don't require repeating), this class is designed as to allow a student to take a 20-hour Intermediate Spanish class up to 10 times, for a total of 200 hours!

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Advanced French

Advanced French students are AWESOME, but maybe not as awesome as they hope to be. Your speaking is very fluid and you are "extremely conversational", but your vocabulary could be a little better and let’s face it, sometimes you still aren't using the subjunctive correctly. But, not being a native speaker doesn’t mean you can’t sound like one soon! This class is intended for advanced and near-fluent students to keep their French alive while improving their vocabulary and solidifying listening comprehension.

More about Advanced Spanish

Advanced Spanish students are AWESOME, but maybe not as awesome as they hope to be. Your speaking is very fluid and you are "extremely conversational", but your vocabulary could be a little better and let’s face it, sometimes you still aren't using the subjunctive correctly. But, not being a native speaker doesn’t mean you can’t sound like one soon! This class is intended for advanced and near-fluent students to keep their Spanish alive while improving their vocabulary and solidifying listening comprehension.

Because the teacher isn't tied down to a rigid curriculum, this 20-hour class is meant to be taken many times. Unlike Levels 1-5 that "build" on each other (and usually don't require repeating), this class is designed as to allow a student to take a 20-hour Advanced Spanish class up to 20 times, for a total of 400 hours!

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Intermediate Italian

Intermediate students might need a quick grammar refresher here and there, but are comfortable having a simple and basic conversation in Italian. They can speak with some fluidity, even if they are still making a lot of mistakes. Increasing listening comprehension is a major component of an Intermediate class with the goal in mind of moving towards being able to listen to the radio and watch television or full-length movies with no subtitles. 

This class is extremely focused on conversation skills with quick grammar reviews and lessons built in based on the level of each member of the class. In terms of conversation practice, a lot of time will be devoted to increasing your ability to give and defend your opinion and respond to current events in Italian.

Because the teacher isn't tied down to a rigid curriculum, this 20-hour class is meant to be taken many times. Unlike Levels 1-5 that "build" on each other (and usually don't require repeating), this class is designed as to allow a student to take a 20-hour Intermediate Italian class up to 10 times, for a total of 200 hours!

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Level 4

Level 4 is for those who are beginning to gain some confidence in basic Mandarin as well as have the vocabulary needed for conversation on a limited range of topics, such as weather, family and ordering food in a restaurant. Students who have completed Level 1-3 are comfortable expressing things like basic comparisons: For example, Mr. Li runs (much faster than/ not as fast as) Mr. Wang. They are able to use the 了 structure to express the the (past action/ completed action) aspect, forming sentences such as "Mr. Li bought a book, but forgot to call his wife." Students are getting comfortable using a range of (direction/ location) words to give directions or express clearly where an object is located. An expanding range of prepositions have begun to allow expression of more complex actions, such as sending flowers to a loved one or making dinner for friends. In Level 4, the professor focuses more on application of the core concepts of earlier levels, accuracy in pronunciation and confident conversation. Class will focus on more complex sentence structures and building the vocabulary needed to cover a wider range of topics.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone (or once you start class), we'll work with you to make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students place themselves accurately.

More about Level 4

Level 4 are starting to understand how the major verb tenses work, are adding to their growing vocabulary, and are ready to gain confidence when speaking and using several different verb tenses. The course covers verbs in all tenses (particularly both past tenses), active and passive voice, and indicative, imperative, and subjunctive mood; all cases of nouns, pronouns, and articles (nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive); adjective endings and comparative and superlative forms; and word order in statements, questions, and dependent clauses. This course will emphasize using all four skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing) to practice those grammar elements and expand vocabulary in context, primarily through conversational activities in class and reading more complex texts, as well as completing a range of task-based activities (e.g., planning travel, finding an apartment, etc.).

If you are not an absolute beginner, determining what level you are can be really difficult. However, our professors can usually gauge it very quickly after speaking on the phone with you – even if just for a minute or two.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a class. We do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If you need to be placed into a different level, we can discuss that when we call for the placement test. We prefer to do this placement call after you sign up online because about 60-70% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Level 3

Level 3 is for those who are comfortable with converting the ends of nouns depending on whether they are an object of an action, a subject in a sentence, or a mean by which the action is performed (i.e. changing the end of the word library for "I work in a library/I am walking toward a library/I live near a library"). Level 3 students are also comfortable with present and past tense conjugation in Russian, though they may need a review of both concepts. In Level 3, the professor reviews core concepts from Level 2 and students practice building sentences utilizing all cases of Russian nouns in class discussions. The concepts of future tense, superlative adjectives, and usage of verbs of motion (to go, to drive, to run etc) with prefixes are also introduced. If you are able to easily say things like “My name is John and I have a big family. I live in New York and I am a lawyer. I think about my family in California often” and can answer questions such as “What is your profession? How old are you? What season is it now? What day is it? What date is it? What time is it? and make a small sentence reflexive verbs, i.e. Every morning I wash (myself) and dress (myself) and go to work., then Level 3 is the right level for you.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Intermediate Portuguese

Intermediate students might need a quick grammar refresher here and there, but are comfortable having a simple and basic conversation in Portuguese. They can speak with some fluidity, even if they are still making a lot of mistakes. Increasing listening comprehension is a major component of an Intermediate class with the goal in mind of moving towards being able to listen to the radio and watch television or full-length movies with no subtitles. 

More about Level 3

Level 3 is for those are relatively comfortable talking about their daily lives in the present and simple past tense, as well as able to give simple commands. Coming into Level 3, students should be able to recognize hiragana and katakana. Level 3 focuses on present active verbs/"teiru" ("I am running", "I have been running for 3 years now"), potential verbs (“I can run”) as well as polite vs. informal speech. Level 3 will also focus on how to express humility and honor using specific noun and verb forms and introduces kanji, the writing system borrowed from Chinese, in addition to continuing to build on existing vocabulary and introducing new words and phrases.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.

More about Level 3

Level 3 is for those who can comfortably speak/write in the present tense (I'm traveling to Israel), as well as in third person (He's going home). Students should feel comfortable conjugating to plurals in Hebrew (They're flying to Greece/We're walking from here) and also have a clear understanding of the past tense, simple tense (I did that) and also the future tense (I will be going far away). Students should have some experience with Hebrew vocabulary and be able to introduce themselves, speak about hobbies and answer basic questions (My name is_______, How are you? Where are you from?). Level 3 further refines the Hebrew skill set of said conjugations and allows students to form more complex sentences by combining one or more tenses in the same sentence (I'll be going home as I've already finished my work for the day). There will also be exercises to help read Hebrew without vowels in order to increase retention of Hebrew vocabulary.

For students who think they may be Level 2 or higher, choose the level that sounds most appropriate for you based on these descriptions and go ahead and sign up for a specific class. We try to do an informal placement phone call with all new incoming Level 2 and above students for both you and us to be sure that the level you choose isn’t either too advanced or not advanced enough. If your level choice doesn't make sense when we talk with you on the phone, we'll make a game plan to transfer you into a different class at that time. We prefer to make this placement call after you sign up online because about 70-80% of students do place themselves accurately.