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Language lessons in San Francisco

San Francisco, located on a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, is a melting pot of cultures. It comes as no surprise, then, that according to the 2019 census, 34% of its 881,549 residents were born outside the U.S. Although there are communities from all over the world, the biggest groups come from Mexico, the Philippines, and China. As you might imagine, this diversity among city residents also translates to the number of languages spoken in the city, more than 112. The most common foreign languages spoken at home other than English are Chinese, with 147,371 estimated speakers, followed by Spanish, with 87,224 speakers, and Tagalog, with 17,977 speakers.

Speaking more than one language would improve your experience in the city dramatically. Not only will it help you connect with members of the immigrant communities, but it will also expand your job opportunities in the area and change the way you think about other cultures forever. 

Where to study foreign languages in San Francisco

If you want to learn languages in San Francisco, you’re in luck, as the city has many universities and institutions where you can do it. If you want to get a certification, one of the most reputable places you can go to is The University of San Francisco, which offers great courses in 13 languages at all levels. Among the languages you can study are Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Filipino, French, Japanese and Portuguese. What’s more, if you enroll in any of these courses, you’ll get access to the university’s Language and Culture Center, where you’ll find many resources, assistance from teachers, and also the chance to engage with the cultural and social issues of the countries where your target language is spoken.

However, if attending a university course is not in your plans, you should check out the San Francisco Public Library. With more than 30 branches across the city, the library offers great language resources that will help you boost your skills, like books, magazines, newspapers, and digital material. In addition to that, in the Main Library, located at 100 Larkin St, you can find a collection of international language learning books and translation dictionaries covering a broad range of languages, as well as books on linguistics. 

Language exchange groups in San Francisco

Do you want to improve your skills while at the same time expanding your social circle? Then you should attend some of the language exchange events held in the city. SF Language Exchange Meetup is a group of more than 4000 language enthusiasts that organizes weekly meetings where you can practice many languages like German, Chinese, and Japanese and meet people from all over the world. Events are held on weekends in local bars and online. If you want the exact location, you have to become a member of their online community.

If you are a Spanish or French learner, a great language exchange you should check out is the one organized by SpanFran: Spanish and/or French Language Practice. They meet every week at 6:00 pm in Bond Bar, located at 307916th St. This event is completely free, all you have to do is go to the bar and you’ll be given name tags where you can write your name, the languages you speak, and your level. After that, speakers split into two groups, one for Spanish and one for French. If you can speak both, don’t worry! You can hop between them freely.

Cultural institutions and events in San Francisco

Every year, San Francisco’s diverse festivals and events offer you the unique chance to learn about other cultures and celebrate their traditions. If you’re learning Mandarin or Cantonese, you can’t miss the Chinese New Year celebration, which takes place in February in the city’s Chinatown. In addition to being able to enjoy the best Chinese traditional music and performers, you’ll have the opportunity to witness one of the most impressive parades in the world. As the largest Chinese New Year festival and parade outside of Asia, it has something for everyone, including a Miss Chinatown USA Pageant, a 10k run across the city, street fairs, and special exhibitions.

If you’re learning Japanese and want to learn more about their culture, then the Cherry Blossom Festival is just for you. Held in April in San Francisco’s Japantown neighborhood, when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, the festival showcases Japanese rich culture. Not only will you be able to enjoy some of the most captivating Japanese traditional music and dance performances, but you will also get to explore the oldest of the three remaining Japantowns in the U.S. Here you’ll find food bazaars filled with delicious traditional food, shops where you can buy unique local crafts, and special exhibits that will amaze you. 

Language jobs in San Francisco

If you want to advance your career in San Francisco, learning a new language is one of the smartest things you can do. As the sixth-largest economy in the U.S. San Francisco is an important hub in the global economy. As the world becomes more globalized, top companies in the area like Lyft, Amazon, and Meta are constantly looking for bilingual applicants for well-paid job positions like Localization Program Manager, Software Engineer, and Program Manager.

Are you a business owner in San Francisco? If so, learning a new language can provide you with opportunities to build professional relationships with some of the local immigrant communities and connect with foreign businesses in need of employees or partners, which will help you grow your business and expand it beyond the city limits. 

Get started now!!!

Now that you’ve finally made up your mind to start learning languages in the city, the best place to do so is Listen & Learn! No other institution in San Francisco offers personalized language courses as we do! To start learning with us, take one of our free level tests in your target language on our website, and after that send us a quick inquiry so one of our team members can pair you up with a tutor in your area. What are you waiting for? Get one step closer to being multilingual today! 

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