It’s summer — and I am reminded once again of how I missed those days of no school, just bumming around the house, or hanging out with friends. It was fun but doing the same things every day does get boring after a while.
One of the most productive summers I’ve ever had was when I decided to study Japanese. It was a fun language to learn and eventually, it became a hobby. What started out as a simple hobby soon opened up a lot of opportunities for growth, personal development and career advancement. In fact, I landed my very first job because I knew Japanese. And even outside the workplace, I have lots of opportunities to earn from my language skill — I taught basic Japanese (Nihongo Center Foundation, Manila) and was also a freelance translator.
If you are a student thinking of taking language lessons while on summer vacation, congratulations! It will be one of the best life-enriching decisions you will ever make. I can vouch for myself 🙂
What language to study?
Well, find out what interests you most: anime, music, travel, food, history, anything. If you have lots of interests, narrow down your list until you find the one language that you are most interested in. You can, of course, learn two if you think you can do both at the same time 🙂 But that’s hardly advisable, especially if you are starting from scratch for both languages. It will just mess up your learning curve and you’ll end up not learning anything at all.
Where to study?
Lucky for you, there are more language learning centers now than there were back in the early 2000s. More schools, more resources, more online courses, more apps. (I will write about resources and apps on future posts. Today I will just concentrate on brick-and-mortar schools).
Obviously, there are other things to consider like budget and distance from home to school and you need to factor these in your decision.
Here is a short directory of major language schools in the Philippines. This is by no means complete and I will add to the list as soon as I have sufficient info on particular schools.
LUZON
1. Nihongo Center Foundation – Japanese
Manila school:
825 R. Papa Street, Sampaloc, Manila
Tel.: +63-2-7353179 / +63-2-7352920
Email: manila@nihongocenter.com
Makati school:
3F Dominion Bldg., 833 Arnaiz Avenue (Formerly Pasay Road), Makati City
Tel.: +63-2-8924916 to 19
Email: makati@nihongocenter.com
Website: www.nihongocenter.com
2. Alliance Francaise de Manille – French
209 Nicanor Garcia Street, Bel-Air II, Makati City
Tel.: +63-2-895 7585 / +63-2-895 7441
Email: info@alliance.ph
Website: www.alliance.ph
3. Goethe Institut – German
G/4-5/F Adamson Centre
121 Leviste St., Salcedo Village
1227 Makati City
Tel.:+63-2-8405723 / +63-2-8405724 / +63-2-8170978
Website: www.goethe.de/manila
4. Instituto Cervantes – Spanish
855 T.M. Kalaw St., Ermita, Manila
Tel.: +63-2-5261482
Email: cenmni@cervantes.es
Website: manila.cervantes.es
5. Societa Dante Alighieri-Manila – Italian
Unit 45/4th floor, Zeta Building, 191 Salcedo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City
Tel: +63-2-7592016
Email: dantemanila@yahoo.com, dantemanila@dantemanila.com
Website: dantemanila.com
6. Korean Cultural Center – Korean
2F Mancor Corporate Center, 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Tel: +63-2-5551711
Website: phil.korean-culture.org
7. Berlitz Philippines – multiple languages
Berlitz Makati
2F Peninsula Court Building, Paseo de Roxas, Makati City
Tel: +63-2-8132231 / +63-2-8179319
Mobile: +63-917-6305489
Email: cco-mk@berlitzph.com
Berlitz Connecticut, Greenhills
Designmix Center, 2F Unit 7, #59 Connecticut St., Greenhills, San Juan
Tel: +63-2-2175777 / +63-2-7231304
Mobile: +63-917-5805980
Email: cco-gh@berlitzph.com
Berlitz @ Educate Shangri-La
5th floor, Shangrila-La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
Tel: +63-2-6389116
Email: cco-sh@berlitzph.com
Website: www.berlitzph.com
8. Bridge Language Center – multiple languages
17N Burgundy Corporate Tower, Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Makati City
Tel.: +63-2-8563585
Mobile: +63-917-6BRIDGE (274343)
Email: corp@bridgelanguagecenter.com
Website: www.bridgelanguagecenter.com
www.bridgeph.com
9. TESDA Language Center – English, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish
TESDA Complex Taguig, Gate 2, TESDA Complex, East Service Road, South Superhighway, Taguig City
Tel: +63-2-8178933
Website: www.tesda.gov.ph
10. Asian Center for Foreign Languages – multiple languages
2502-B West Tower, Philippine Stock Exchange Centre (Tektite Tower), Exchange Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City
Tel: +63-2-6877342 / +63-2-6330722
Email: acflphil@pldtdsl.net, acflqueries@pldtdsl.net
Website: www.acfl-foreignlanguages.com
11. Languages Internationale – multiple languages
926 A. Arnaiz Avenue, Makati City
Tel: +63-2-8107765
Email: registration@languagesinternationale.net
Website: http://www.languagesinternationale.net/
12. International Language Academy Manila – English
2/F Makati Creekside Mall Bldg. Amorsolo Cor. VA Rufino St.
Legazpi Village, Makati City
Tel: +63-2-5199502 / +63-917-5374474
Website: http://www.ilam.ph
VISAYAS
1. Alliance Francaise de Cebu – French
371 Gorordo Ave, Cebu City 6000
Tel: +63-32-2321311
Email: school@alliancefr.ph
Website: http://www.alliancefr.ph/en/
MINDANAO
1. German Language Services – German
214 Quezon Blvd., 2nd floor ISeC Bldg.
8000 Davao City
Tel: +63-82-271 9020 /+63-939-9054651
Email: germanlanguagedavao@gmail.com
Website: http://www.germanlanguagedavao.com
Last updated: 17 November 2014
Hi! I’m Rey, and I was seriously convinced that Japanese Language is an advantage. However, I’m an independent person so I don’t have enough money for the tuition so I would like to ask if you can advise me an institution where I can learn Japanese for free or for a minimum amount. Thank you and You have an awesome blog btw. 🙂
Hello Rey! Thanks for the message. UP offers extramural courses for Japanese. Please see here: https://www.facebook.com/UPLinguistics/
You can also check out self-study courses. There are so many good resources — Pimsleur, Michel Thomas, Genki, Glossika, Assimil. You can even find a tutor through italki.com. It is cheaper than getting a private tutor locally. You just have to find those resources that work for you.
For other languages (not Nihongo), I regularly use Assimil and Glossika 🙂 Good luck on your Japanese journey! I hope you can keep me updated with your progress 🙂
Hi! Just want to ask if paano sakayan papunta sa International Language Academy Manila? From Sm Bicutan.
Hi Pamela! You can take any jeep going to Makati. Get off at Magallanes, and take a jeep near the corner of EDSA-Magallanes. I think the jeepney goes to Pasay Road/SM Makati. Get off at the corner of Pasay Road (near Walter Mart). From there, you can walk to ILAM Creekside.
hi to everybody , i am native arabic teacher and translator any one want to study arabic or translate some documents fell free to contact me 09186104475 shukran
My friend is thinking of taking a japanese language lesson..
Could you send me some details about the tuition and the class schedule..and how long it be..pls msg me in my email add.thank you ..
For those located in Laguna, Cavite and Batangas, you can also check 5M Star Training Center for their Japanese/ Nihongo Language Training. You can contact at (049)530-1496 or 09326175514 for more info. Their instructors are the same as those used by the Japan Foundation for their classes.
Hi
to all want to learn Arabic Language for working abroad can I teach you one on one or group. just call or email me 09161399388/abdulmananalharid@yahoo.com
Ilang bwan po inaabot sa arabic language and magkano po?
Hello Einjeru Fei. Please contact TESDA directly. They can answer all your questions. Good luck!
Where did you study japanese initially? I wish to learn japanese also, but i’m a graduate already and so I only need a few months or so, because I have to find a job. Anyway what language school did you go to? and is there anywhere near qc? thank you so much.
Hi Anna. I studied at Nihongo Center Foundation in Sampaloc, Manila. I took LRT 2 from my QC house to Legarda Station. Good luck!
i have a friend who wants to work here in philippines, he is from pakistani, an arabic teacher, can he work or teach arabic here in philippines with these schools that are listed above who offers a multiple language?..
Hi Edzelle. Please get in touch with TESDA if they are hiring Arabic teachers. Good luck to your friend!