Language Transfer
Language Transfer is a free audio language course series created by Mihalis Eleftheriou that teaches languages through a Socratic thinking method — prompting learners to work out the target language themselves from their existing knowledge — rather than through memorisation or grammar tables.
Language Transfer courses are structured as conversations between Mihalis and a student. Mihalis gives the learner a piece of English (or another language they know) and asks them to figure out how to say it in the target language, nudging them with hints. Mistakes are not corrected harshly — the process of thinking through the problem is the learning.
The method exploits language transfer in the linguistic sense: the overlap between languages a learner already knows and the target language. For example, English speakers learning Spanish can transfer thousands of words ending in "-tion" (nation → nación, station → estación). This makes early progress feel rapid and motivating.
All courses are free and released under Creative Commons. The flagship course "Complete Spanish" has been completed by millions of learners. Other courses cover Arabic, Swahili, Turkish, Greek, Italian, French, German, and Mandarin. The format is audio-only and highly portable — designed for commutes and walks.
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FAQ
What is Language Transfer?
A free audio course series by Mihalis Eleftheriou that teaches languages via a Socratic method — learners deduce the target language from their existing knowledge rather than memorising rules.
Who created Language Transfer?
Mihalis Eleftheriou, a teacher based in Greece, who released the courses for free under a Creative Commons licence.
Is Language Transfer really free?
Yes — all courses are completely free and released under Creative Commons. The project is supported by donations.
What languages does Language Transfer teach?
Spanish (the most popular), Arabic, Swahili, Turkish, Greek, Italian, French, German, and Mandarin, among others.