Learn a language
the Coffee Break way.
Online courses, video lessons, podcasts and books – all created by real teachers and native speakers who love languages as much as you do.
Five ways to learn with Coffee Break Languages
Lessons made by experienced teachers and native speakers, ready whenever you are. Choose the format that fits your life.
Learn at your own pace, wherever you are and whatever your learning style.
Hello, I’m Mark.
I’m the founder of Coffee Break, and I’ve had the pleasure of working with an amazing team of teachers and native speakers for the past 20 years since we launched Coffee Break Spanish in 2006.
Free language tips by email
Join the Coffee Break mailing list and we’ll send you help with your language learning every week.
Find the right course for your level
Each course takes you through one level. In every lesson there are audio, notes and video. Once you buy a course, it's yours for life.
FreeCoffee Break French: First StepsTry your first few lessons for free
Coffee Break French Level 140 lessons for absolute beginners, with video lessons, notes and exercises
Coffee Break French Level 2Move beyond the basics and learn the grammar you need to go further
Coffee Break French Level 3Follow a 40-lesson story set in Nice and broaden what you can understand and say
Coffee Break French Level 4Follow a story set in Paris through 40 lessons of more advanced French
La Vérité éclate toujoursChallenge yourself with a crime novel for advanced learners, with all the support you need
FreeCoffee Break Spanish: First StepsTry your first few lessons for free
Coffee Break Spanish Level 140 lessons for absolute beginners, with video lessons, notes and exercises
Coffee Break Spanish Level 2Move beyond the basics and learn the grammar you need to go further
Coffee Break Spanish Level 3Take your Spanish further with 40 lessons of conversation and grammar
Coffee Break Spanish Level 4Follow María and Rory through a summer in Mallorca, in 40 lessons
La penúltima voluntadChallenge yourself with a story written for advanced learners
FreeCoffee Break Italian: First StepsTry your first few lessons for free
Coffee Break Italian Level 140 lessons for absolute beginners, with video lessons, notes and exercises
Coffee Break Italian Level 2Move beyond the basics and learn the grammar you need to go further
Coffee Break Italian Level 3Develop your Italian with 40 lessons, ending with a story
FreeCoffee Break German: First StepsTry your first few lessons for free
Coffee Break German Level 140 lessons for absolute beginners, with video lessons, notes and exercises
Coffee Break German Level 2Move beyond the basics and learn the grammar you need to go further
Coffee Break German Level 3Develop your German with 40 lessons, ending with a story
Coffee Break English Level 1Start with slow, clear lessons and vocabulary lists
Coffee Break English Level 2Build on Level 1 and make your English more accurate
FreeCoffee Break Swedish: First StepsTry your first few lessons for free
Coffee Break Swedish Level 140 lessons for absolute beginners, with video lessons, notes and exercises
FreeCoffee Break Portuguese: First StepsTry your first few lessons for free
Coffee Break Portuguese Level 140 lessons for absolute beginners, with video lessons, notes and exercises
FreeCoffee Break Chinese: First StepsTry your first few lessons for free
Coffee Break Chinese Level 140 lessons of Mandarin Chinese for absolute beginners, with video lessons, notes and exercises
Coffee Break TV, an on-demand video library
Coffee Break TV has hundreds of video lessons for intermediate learners of French, German, Spanish and Italian, from five-minute practice to live translation challenges. You can watch them on your phone, computer, tablet or TV.
From $24.99 a month
Find out moreOn Coffee Break TV this week
“Until I found Coffee Break French, I was stuck at a low intermediate level. Season 3 has really helped me move on. I'm more confident with longer phrases and all the bloomin' little words that are so tricky to get right. Plus my accent has improved. Merci!”
“It's easy to fit into your life, and I find the relaxed format works better for me than more conventional methods of learning a language. But still manages to sneak in the grammar!”
The people behind the lessons
Every language has a team of experienced teachers and native speakers who write and present the podcasts, the video lessons and the notes that go with them. You’ll hear their love of the language and its culture in everything they make.
Free ways to learn
Access our free video and audio lessons on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
On TrackTwo teams race across Europe, with language challenges at every stop.
Language AdventuresA series where Mark investigates languages on location.
For your coffee breakWe pick a free lesson from one of our language channels on YouTube, and it changes every time you visit.
The language podcastsThis is where Coffee Break started, with free audio lessons from your very first words.
Latest videos from YouTube
Everything on YouTube
English False Friends Quiz: 5 Adjectives That Don't Mean What You Think
What Language Do They Actually Speak in Mallorca?
What Does 'Fare' Mean in Italian? 7 Uses That Aren't 'To Do' or 'To Make'
What Does 'Stehen' Mean in German? It's Not Just 'To Stand'
7 French Idioms That Make No Sense Literally (And What They Really Mean)
10 Spanish Phrases That Use a Different Verb From English (Stop Translating Word for Word)
“I have just started listening to the Coffee Break Spanish podcast and it's really improved my confidence in speaking Spanish!”
“I discovered your podcast last year and hands down, it is the best language-learning course I've ever experienced; I especially love the grammar and cultural gurus, as it adds such a rich flavour to improving my German.”
Coffee Break books
Each book has 50 short activities that fit around your day, 5, 10 or 15 minutes at a time. They’re available in paperback and ebook, for learners at A2 to B1 level.
New book
50 Portuguese Coffee Breaks is here
It’s the ninth book in the 50 Coffee Breaks series, and the first in Portuguese. Sofia has written 50 short activities for A2 to B1 learners, each one ready to dip into in 5, 10 or 15 minutes. It’s out now in paperback and ebook.
Buy on AmazonLearn Portuguese with usCoffee Break Stories
Twenty years of Coffee Break, in your words
The first Coffee Break lesson was published on 18th October 2006. Learners in 34 countries have told us how Coffee Break fits into their lives. Read their stories, or download them all as a free ebook.
Read the storiesNew books
50 Coffee Breaks is now available in Scottish Gaelic and Chinese.
These activity books are made for dipping into over a coffee, a few minutes at a time.
See the books
Free language tips by email
Join the Coffee Break mailing list and we’ll send you help with your language learning every week.
- Ideas to help you learn, every week
- Tips from Mark and the Coffee Break team
- Be the first to hear about new series