If you hang around language learning circles, you’ll find that Routledge’s Colloquial series elicit near-universal praise. For us polyglots, these conversational courses are like our bread and butter – they’re amongst the most popular and trusted coursebooks out there, and cover a dizzyingly broad spectrum of world languages.
So what is it that makes the Colloquial series such a cherished tool for building fluency? Let me count the ways in this post celebrating our favourite series!
First published back in the 1960s, the Colloquials were the brainchild of British linguist Henry Widdowson. He wanted to create books that allowed adult learners to quickly gain communicative fluency through everyday dialogues and interactions. The books covered common situations like introducing yourself, eating out, shopping, and getting around town. The dialogues, grammar pointers, and exercises let you immediately apply what you learned in real-world contexts. It was language instruction grounded in actual usage.
The Colloquial Masterstroke
Now, Widdowson knew the importance of grammar and didn’t skimp on the explanations. But the Colloquials cleverly combined grammar guidance with conversational skills training. You got the fundamentals and the functional fluency practice all in one. The handy pocket size also made them great books to toss in your bag for practice on the go! You can still pick up those handy paperbacks for a couple of pounds second-hand today – like this vintage edition of Colloquial French – and they’re as useful as they ever were.
While staying true to these core methods, Routledge has kept the series fresh over the decades by expanding languages and modernising content. These days, it’s no longer cassettes or even CDs, but free online audio. The team seems committed to taking those ever-popular titles into the future with pleasingly regular updates; Colloquial Irish, for example, saw a brand new edition only last year, while Colloquial Persian sees a refresh this October. The reworked dialogues and cultural notes now reflect contemporary language usage more than ever. Yet that signature blend of communicative building blocks remains.
Nearly 60 years later, the Colloquial series is just as beloved by we polyglots and linguists. No flashy extras or bells and whistles – just timeless techniques that work. When you want authentic conversational competence, you can always trust the tried-and-true Colloquials.