# Learning Bengali

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-bengali/709699>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 13, 2015, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-bengali/709699 "2015-01-13T10:36:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![butterfiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b3f665/32.png) [@butterfiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butterfiles)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-bengali/709699/1 "2015-01-13T10:36:57Z")

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I want to learn conversational Bengali but cannot find much online (no Rosetta for Bengali). I don’t have any interest in knowing the alphabet to read or write. I want to be able to understand speech and converse in everyday situations. Other than taking out foreign movies from the library, do any of you have any ideas for immersion? I used to study French and Italian by reading newspapers, but that is not an option for the Bengali language. So far, I’ve been watching Bengali cartoons on youtube!

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**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-bengali/709699/2 "2015-01-13T16:30:21Z")

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> [@butterfiles](#):
>
> I want to learn conversational Bengali but cannot find much online (no Rosetta for Bengali).

[Here’s a competing langauge-learning product that offers a Bengali course](http://store.instantimmersion.com/learn-bengali/). There are others. Unfortunately, I cannot personally vouch for any of them.

Something that would help you a lot, too, would be to find one or more native speakers and have a little conversation practice. That may or may not be feaible, but it will make a difference if you can have regular live conversation.

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**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-bengali/709699/3 "2015-01-13T17:44:17Z")

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> [@butterfiles](#):
>
> I don’t have any interest in knowing the alphabet to read or write.

Why not? Learning to write is hard, but learning to read is pretty useful, especially if you’re trying to learn a language. The writings system is difficult, compared to English, but easy compared to Chinese, and something that would be well worth your time.

Have you looked at Omniglot’s resources? [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/bengali.htm](http://www.omniglot.com/writing/bengali.htm) Some of links at the bottom are what you’re asking for.