Everything You Need To Learn Burmese
Burmese, or မြန်မာ (pronounced: mranma) as it’s known in Burmese, is a branch of the Tibeto-Burman family and is closely related to Tibetan. Spoken by over 40 million people, it plays an important role in the cultural life of Myanmar, in which it is both the main language and lingua franca.
For the most part, Burmese seems to be an important enough language to warrant its teaching, at least in book form, as there are plenty of Burmese course books available to help learners get a footing in the language.
Other types of content is still limited, however, but this is slowly changing, thanks to the Internet.
Burmese Language Learning Books
The most typical Burmese course book, like those for other languages, will focus on all the essentials you need to gain a strong foundation in the language: the alphabet; pronunciation; basic phrases; grammar and sentence structure.
Even if speaking is your primary focus, and you don’t want to get bogged down with too much grammar at the outset, it’s still good to keep a book that covers those topics close by. You’ll need to refer to it as you advance in your Burmese studies.
Burmese is written using the Burmese script/alphabet, which means you’ll need a Burmese workbook that teaches you how to read and write it, otherwise you won’t be able to progress.
A good, concise Burmese dictionary with additional romanized text will also be an invaluable asset in your Burmese arsenal.
Burmese Children’s Books
Reading Burmese children’s books is a great way to gain some comfort with the language in general, and an excellent way for beginners to put their limited skills into practice.
The wonderful thing about Burmese books written for young children is that they’re designed to be easy, fun reads, with a simple vocabulary and style, making them perfect for newbies.
What’s more, many of the Burmese kids’ books on this list are bilingual English-Burmese, meaning that you can check your comprehension as you read.
Burmese Digital Courses
Learning Burmese with an e-course is an excellent choice for people who like to work at their own pace, or those who learn best via audio.
Sadly, Burmese digital courses aren’t in abundance, so your choices are limited.
Udemy does currently offer a popular Burmese course, which is affordable, varied in its teaching materials, and can be accessed from any device. You also get lifetime access to future updates, and a community of learners with whom you can interact to stay motivated.
BURMESE UDEMY COURSES
