29 Resources to Learn Bengali for Free
Photo by Dibakar Roy on Unsplash
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University of Chicago
"A basic course in spoken Bengali."
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Learn Bengali Speaking Through English
A Youtube course (79 videos).
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Ukindia
Learn to read Bengali.
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Omniglot
Bengali writing system.
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Lexilogos - Bengali
A dictionary.
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Language Survival Kit - Bengali
Useful phrases, e.g. "Don't shoot!"
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Bengali Instructional Materials
Free textbooks.
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Wazu
Downloadable Bengali fonts.
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TED - Bengali
TED Talks in Bengali.
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Talking Bees
A Youtube channel for Bengali learners.
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Samsad
A dictionary.
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r/bengalilanguage
A Reddit community.
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Ovidhan.org
A dictionary.
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Omnicronlab
Downloadable Bengali fonts.
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myLanguages - Bengali
A course for beginners.
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Learning Bengali: From Bangla beginner to advanced learner
A thorough guide for Bengali learners with links to useful resources.
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Forvo - Bengali
Thousands of words pronounced by native speakers.
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English-Bangla
A dictionary.
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DW - Bengali
News and radio in Bengali.
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Bengali-Dictionary
A dictionary.
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Bengali podcasts
Podcasts.
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Bengali Lesson
Learn the Bengali writing system.
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BBC - Bengali
News and radio in Bengali.
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Banglaradio
Radio.
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Bangla bolo
A blog about the Bengali language, culture and history.
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AL dictionary
A dictionary.
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ABYZ News Links - Bengali
A list of links to Bengali news sites.
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Abasar
News.
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101 Languages - Bengali
"This Bengali course was developed by the U.S. Peace Corps for its volunteers going to Bangladesh. It can be useful as a primer for learning the basics of the Bengali language. You can listen and follow along to each lesson or download the whole course directly."
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About the Bengali Language
The Bengali language, also known as Bangla, is a captivating language spoken primarily in Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal. It is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and holds significant cultural and historical importance in the region.
Bengali is spoken by approximately 230 million people, making it the seventh most spoken language globally. It serves as the official language of Bangladesh and is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India.
The origins of Bengali can be traced back to the Magadhi Prakrit, an ancient language spoken in the eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It evolved over centuries, influenced by various languages and cultural interactions, and eventually developed as a distinct language in the medieval period.
Bengali is predominantly spoken in Bangladesh, where it is the primary language of the Bengali people. It is also spoken in the Indian state of West Bengal, as well as in the Indian states of Tripura and Assam, where significant Bengali-speaking populations exist.
One interesting aspect of Bengali is its rich literary tradition. It boasts a remarkable body of literature, including the works of renowned poets and writers like Rabindranath Tagore, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Bengali literature spans various genres, including poetry, novels, plays, and songs.
Bengali is known for its beautiful script, which is derived from the ancient Brahmi script. It is written from left to right and is known for its graceful curves and intricate letterforms.
Exploring Bengali offers insights into the vibrant cultural heritage, traditions, and history of Bangladesh and West Bengal. It provides a deeper understanding of the linguistic diversity and the important role that Bengali plays in the cultural fabric of the region and its people.