Language challenge

How well can you learn a language in just 60 days? Have you ever wondered? Now you have a chance to find out: Join our Challenge to learn Hindi and/or Esperanto in just 60 days before the Polyglot Gathering 2019! Why learn these languages? Hindi, with more than half a billion speakers, is one of the most spoken languages in the world; it is a gateway to the rich and diverse culture of India and a lingua franca in Northern India. Esperanto is one of the most popular languages among the Gathering participants (plus it was constructed with the aim of being easy to learn, so you are likely to come quite far in those 60 days). Are you ready for the Challenge? Here’s how it works:

  1. Apply to participate in the challenge
    • the challenge starts on 1 April 2019
    • you apply simply by filling in the application form
    • who can take part: anyone who is a complete beginner in Hindi/Esperanto
  2. Learn Hindi/Esperanto from scratch in 60 days
    • it’s up to you how you want to learn, but we can recommend some free online resources to get you started:
      • duolingo.com – if you want a gamified learning experience, this platform might be something to try out. Both Hindi and Esperanto courses are available.
      • lernu.net – a truly multilingual platform offering a rich selection of Esperanto materials and courses, as well as a great grammar overview and dictionary.
      • learn.esperanto.com – this 12 lesson course promises to teach you Esperanto in not 60, but just 12 days.
      • learning-hindi.com – a website with Hindi lessons for beginners and intermediate learners.
    • join the Challenge Facebook group (for Esperanto, for Hindi) to get updates, share tips, and practice the language
  3. Prove that you’re the best and win awesome prizes
    • the challenge ends during the Polyglot Gathering in Bratislava, where all contestants will have a chance to prove their skill in an oral exam (don’t worry, it’s more like an informal conversation!)
    • the oral exam consists of a short presentation (1-2 minutes) and a conversation with our jury
    • the criteria you will be tested on are: fluency, interaction, grammatical accuracy, and vocabulary
    • we have some great polyglot prizes ready for you!

Remark: Please note that we already (April 26) have 22 participants for the Hindi challenge, so from now on if you want to sign up you will be in a waiting list, you can come and depending on how many participants really show up, we will tell you on the spot if there is time for new participants. Thank you for your understanding. For the Esperanto challenge we have 11 participants, so for now there are still some places.

Good luck! शुभ कामनाएँ! Bonŝancon!