Which languages do you offer?
We currently offer 41 languages and can offer others on demand. Our current list includes: Amharic, Arabic, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Dutch (Flemish), English, Estonian, Finnish, French, Georgian, German, German (Swiss), Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Malay, Mandarin, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Sinhalese, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Tagalog, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Wolof.

Can a teacher come to my home / office?
No, we provide service purely by telephone and internet.

Is Language Direct "e-learning"?
No, Language Direct is not e-learning. We offer completely normal one-to-one language lessons with the only difference being that your teacher isn't sitting opposite you, but is sitting on the other end of the telephone.

How do I book my lesson?
Lessons can be booked 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, simply by visiting our site, www.languagedirect.net. Most languages are available around the clock; due to demand reasons, we may only have one Swahili teacher at any given time, so lessons in Swahili, for example, may be a little more restricted.

Can I cancel my lessons?
Yes, lesson cancellations are free of charge up to 6 hours before your lesson is due to commence. Lesson cancellations received after this point are fully chargeable. You can cancel a lesson at any time by visiting our site at www.languagedirect.net.

Are lessons available at all levels?
Lessons are tailor-made to each student's needs and yes, they are available at all levels. For further information, speak to your teacher during your introductory lesson.

How do you assess my level?
Our qualified, native-speaking teacher will make an assessment of your level during your first lesson with us and recommend a course approach in line with your exact needs and requirements.

Do you offer Certificate Courses?
Yes, we offer Language Direct CEFR Level Certificates and can also offer training to other internationally recognized standards (for example, the Cambridge Examinations in English).

How many lessons will I need?
This depends completely on your current level, what you want to achieve, your natural abilities and the amount of effort you put in. For an approximate idea, please see our Progress and Grading page. For a more comprehensive assessment, please speak directly to your Language Direct teacher who will have a much better idea of your individual situation.

How long are the lessons?
It depends on the lesson duration you select when signing up: they can be either 30 or 60 minutes.

How many lessons a month do I get?
It depends on the lesson duration you have selected and of course the subscription plan. If you select a 3 month subscription with 4 hours per month, you will have either 4 lessons a month at 60 minutes each, or 8 lessons a month 30 minutes each.

If I use all of my lesson credits in a month, is it possible to take more lessons?
Yes, you can do so by buying Top-up lessons. Top-up lessons are priced at the standard per lesson price for your package.

Can I sign up for more than one language?
Yes. You do, however, have to sign up separately for each language, and manage each subscription independently from the other(s).

How do I speak to my teacher?
Your teacher will call you at the assigned lesson time, either via normal landline telephone connection or through the Language Direct Internet Phone. You will be given a download link for the Language Direct Internet Phone once you have created your account. Either way, all communication costs are included. If you need any support, you can call the Language Direct support line on +41 61 511 1100 where someone will be happy to help.

Where can you call me?
We can call you on any fixed telephone line on the globe - at your home, in your office, in a hotel room as you are travelling, wherever you may be. You can change your phone number from lesson to lesson, so our teacher can follow you as you travel.

Do I have to pay for the call?
No, calls to landlines and our internet phone are free of charge.

Can you call my mobile / cell / GSM phone?
Yes, however, calls to mobile phones are not free of charge.

How much does a lesson on a mobile cost?
You will see the price when making your booking. You will be asked to accept the charge before confirming the booking.

Can you call me on Skype?
No, Language Direct is not currently available on Skype due to incompatibility with some of our more advanced VoIP features. For internet communication we use our own Language Direct Internet Phone which allows such features as headset usage, crystal clear lines and lesson recording features.

What qualifications do Language Direct teachers have?
All Language Direct teachers are native-speaking language professionals. All teachers have a university degree in either a language or translation related field and all have a minimum of 2 years of general teaching experience. All of our teachers are multilingual and many work as translators during their spare time. We will always endeavour to find you a teacher who can communicate at a high standard in your native language, especially if your course is at beginner level.

Can I choose my teacher?
Yes, for the majority of requested languages there is a selection of teachers available for each booking. Naturally, for some lower volume languages (for example, Wolof), we may only have one teacher. However, if our current teacher does not suit your needs in such a case, we will always be willing to help find another.

Can I have the same teacher for each lesson?
Yes, you may of course book the same teacher for the duration of your course if you wish. Naturally, teachers take holidays too, so we will not be able to guarantee 365 day availability. However, if you do not wish to miss a week or two we can always suggest a good replacement for while your teacher is away.

What if I don't like my teacher?
Simple - change them! Teaching styles do vary and some teachers will naturally suit your needs better than others. Generally, you will have 3 teachers to choose from on any given day - if you are unhappy with your current selection you can simply choose a different teacher next time. If you have any serious complaints about your teacher, however, we naturally ask you to also get in contact with us.

How much is a supbscription?
For current pricing please see our registration page. Prices here include everything - your teacher, the phone call, customer support and all taxes.

Are telephone charges included?
Yes, all telephone charges are included in the price you pay.

Is VAT included? What is your VAT number?
Language Direct lessons are not subject to VAT. Language Direct does not have a VAT number as we are registered in Switzerland, which is not part of the European Union.

How can I pay?
You can pay via credit card on our site, or, for corporate clients, via electronic invoice and bank transfer (please speak to our Corporate Sales Department for further details). Please note that all subscriptions will automatically rebill until cancelled.

Can I change my subscription plan at any time?
Yes, by visiting the student section of our website. Changes to your plan will take effect starting on the next rebilling date.

What if I get too busy to take lessons / go on holidays / have an emergency?
No problem! Simply pause your subscription at any time for a period of up to three months, and resume your lessons again when it is convenient for you. Pauses are free of charge and are easily set on our website.

How do I cancel my subscription?
You can cancel your subscription at any time by visiting the student section our website.

I'm signing up under an airline partner promotion. Can you tell me when my miles will be credited?
All miles are automatically uploaded on to our frequent flyer partners every Monday. It may, however, take the airline a little longer to process your miles.

Can I pay for my lessons with miles?
It depends on the airline and the promotion in place. Please check with your airline and their promotion - further links available on our Airline Partners page.

Can I get miles with every type of subscription?
No, You can only get miles with 3 and 6 month subscriptions with a minimum of 4 lessons a month.

Do you give refunds?
Language Direct has a strict no refund policy. All unused subscription credits are non-transferrable and non-refundable. However, in cases of technical difficulty with a lesson caused at our end, we will provide a replacement lesson free of charge.

Can you issue an invoice?
Yes, we can issue invoices on request. Let us know what information you may need printed on the invoice after you sign up, and we will gladly reissue it (including Purchase Order number, company address, department, etc.)

How do I sign up?
Please click here.

Do I need to have an internet connection?
No, an internet connection is not necessary to complete lessons, although it is recommended. Our teacher can call you on any landline anywhere in the world free of charge for a voice only or voice and textbook based lesson.

What software do I need?
None, if you take purely telephone lessons; for internet supported lessons you need an internet connected computer with a browser capable of supporting Java (Internet Explorer, Firefox and Opera all work perfectly). The Language Direct Internet Phone is optional.

Is the Language Direct software secure?
Of course. As a matter of fact, Language Direct software is used in many sensitive environments, including from within banks, insurance companies and government agencies worldwide.

Is it necessary to use the Language Direct Internet Phone?
No, we can also call you on your home phone, your office phone, your hotel phone - in fact, anywhere you have a landline phone available.

Is the Language Direct Internet Phone available also for Mac?
Yes, an Internet Phone version is also available for Mac OSX (and Linux).

Where do I find the lesson minutes / when are they sent?
The system will send the minutes to your email account within 24 hours of the completion of your lesson. Lesson minutes are also available directly on the website; just click on “My Progress -> Archive and Reports”.

Where do I find my MP3?
Your Mp3 is sent to your email account immediately after the lesson. MP3s are also available directly on the website; just click on “My Progress ?> Archive and Reports”.