In recent years, Romania has become for many non-EU citizens not just a place to work, but a place to build a new chapter of their lives. For companies, this means increasingly diverse teams, made up of people from very different cultures, languages and educational backgrounds.
At the same time, interest in Romanian language courses for foreigners has grown considerably. Companies are increasingly looking for Romanian courses in Cluj, or online programmes that help their international employees learn the language and settle in more easily. Many organisations want to help their colleagues communicate with less effort, adapt faster and feel part of the team.
At Linguastar, we offer Romanian courses for foreigners, both in Cluj and online, for companies, expats and anyone who wants to learn Romanian in a practical and effective way.
We have been teaching Romanian as a foreign language for many years. Throughout that time, we’ve had the chance to work with adults and children, with employees and with their family members — people with specific interests and learning needs.
Every group has taught us something new, and every group has confirmed the same thing: when people begin to understand the language of the country they live in, the change goes well beyond vocabulary.
The first lesson doesn’t start with the alphabet
There’s a familiar picture of what a language course looks like — a teacher writing on the board, going through grammar rules, handing out word lists to memorise. Romanian courses for adults look nothing like that.
The first questions we hear are almost always the same:
„How do I greet a colleague?”
„How do I say I didn’t understand?”
„How do I ask for help?”
„How do I tell my manager I’ve finished?”
These simple exchanges are exactly what give learners confidence from the very first days. Grammar matters, of course, and we don’t set it aside — but communication is what makes the difference when you’re starting a life in a new country.
No two learners are alike
Another important thing we’ve learned is that there is no such thing as a standard Romanian course for foreigners.
We’ve worked with people from very different countries, with different professions and different goals. Some needed to talk to their colleagues on the factory floor. Others worked in hotels or restaurants. Some were pursuing university studies, while others simply wanted to chat with their neighbours or go to the doctor on their own.
They were all learning the same language, but they didn’t all need the same lessons. Whether they attend a Romanian course for professional integration or for everyday life, each learner has different goals. That’s why we always try to start from the people in front of us and from the real situations in which they’ll use Romanian.
The best lessons are the ones that look like real life
A successful lesson isn’t the one where the teacher talks the most. It’s the one where the learners start talking to each other.
We simulate conversations from the workplace, dialogues in shops, situations you’d meet on public transport or at the doctor’s office. We use images, role-play and examples drawn from our learners’ everyday experiences.
Because the goal isn’t for a learner to know the definition of a verb tense — it’s for them to say what they need with confidence.
Flexibility is not a bonus. It’s a necessity.
When you work with people who have jobs, the course schedule must adapt to the work schedule. Sometimes, the lessons take place in the morning, before the workday begins. Other times after hours, in person or online, when participants work in different locations.
We’ve had both small groups and large ones. One-to-one courses and courses for entire teams. Lessons held entirely online and programmes organised right at the company’s premises. There is no one-size-fits-all formula. We provide Romanian courses in Cluj, at the company’s offices, online or in a hybrid format, so that every participant can learn at the pace that suits them. There is only the option that works for the people taking the course.
Romanian means more than communication
Over time, we’ve noticed that progress isn’t measured only by the number of words learned.
We see it when a learner first speaks up during the coffee break. When they make their first Romanian friend. When they go shopping alone, phone left in their pocket. When they handle the pharmacy or the doctor on their own. Or when they send an email in English and get a kind reply asking for the next one in Romanian😊.
How do companies choose a Romanian course?
Lately, many employers have contacted us in order to arrange courses for their teams. In our experience, there are a few things worth looking at when choosing a provider:
- experience in teaching Romanian as a foreign language;
- teachers who specialise in working with adults from different cultural backgrounds;
- the option of running courses online, at the company’s premises or in a hybrid format;
- content tailored to the participants’ field of work;
- flexibility in scheduling the groups.
What we’ve learned over the years
If we had to sum up our experience in a single idea, it would be a simple one: people don’t learn a language because they have to — they learn it when they discover that it helps them communicate, manage on their own and feel part of the community they live in.
That’s why every course we run begins with the same question:
„In what situations will you need to speak Romanian?”
The answer to that question helps us build a programme designed around people, not just a lesson plan.
For us, this is what a Romanian-as-a-foreign-language course is really about: giving each participant the confidence to say their first words, then their first sentences, and finally to feel that Romania is starting to feel like home.
