The bridge table is one of the best places you can go to improve your language learning abilities. Bridge gets played in many different languages other than English: That’s why BBO Prime posts can be translated for international readers with a button at the bottom of the page!

If you are learning a new language (or just want to learn bridge), there are many books about bridge in Dutch, German, French, Italian, and more!

I was excited to track down a German-language copy of Bridge for Dummies: It’s one of my favourite Kantar texts, and reading it again allowed me to go over my knowledge of German at the same time.

Here’s a closer look at 8 great non-English contract bridge books for the multilingual bridge player.

Dutch

1. Van Short Whist Tot Contract Bridge: De geschiedenis van Contract Bridge en zijn voorgangers

by Hans Secelle

Short Whist to Contract Bridge covers more than just bridge techniques and plays: It’s an excellent book for bridge readers on the history of trick-takers. If you want to know more about how we got to bridge through games like whist, add Sechelle’s book to your reading list. History buffs, enjoy!

2. Tirion sportBridge van start tot finish: cursusboek voor beginners

by Ton Schipperheyn & Cees Sint

The title translates to a “coursebook for beginners”, and aims to tell the Dutch-speaking bridge beginner everything they should know about playing the game. All the most essential, crucial, basic details about bridge gets covered here.

German

3.  Einfach reizen lernen!: Bridge für Anfänger

by Thomas Alraun

From writer Thomas Alraun, Bridge für Anfänger covers everything newcomers to the table might need to know. If you don’t speak German just yet, you’ll find some great lessons about German vocabulary in the same book – because, well, the whole book is in German. Chapters are presented with enough detail, though without excessive “filler” text: I liked how it got to the point.

4. Culbertson’s Bridge-Fibel: Das Internationale Kontraktbridge

by Ely Culbertson and Brockdorff

Ely Culbertson is a classic bridge writer whose bidding-based Blue Book practically set his rules in stone for bridge players of the future. Here’s a German translation of one of his most popular books. Language learners should also keep in mind that Culbertson’s work has been translated into many (and that’s many!) others, too.

French

5. Le Bridge

by Christophe Charles

Le Bridge is a book that will work well for complete bridge beginners, but will also work just as well for intermediate players who want to learn more or refresh their knowledge of the game. Haven’t played in a while? Learning bridge for the first time? Want to challenge yourself by learning both bridge and French? Start with this one.

6. Bridge: Les Exceptions aux Règles: Enchères et Jeu de la carte-Niveau perfectionnement et recyclage

Here’s a bridge book for intermediate and advanced players. It’s heavier in theory than many bridge-related counterparts – but for some, that’s exactly what they want. The good news is that this one is free for Kindle Unlimited members.

Italian

7. Giocare a Bridge

by Giampaolo Rinaldi

Need a thorough introduction to Italian and contract bridge at the same time? Giocare a Bridge teaches practical bridge playing through a familiar lesson-by-lesson format that covers the very most important concepts of the game like different contracts and plays.

8. Le Figure nel Bridge

by Antonio Bargelloni

Le Figure nel Bridge is the Italian bridge book that you never knew you wanted to read – until now. For intermediate players who already have a basic grasp of what things like trumps are, Bargelloni’s book is geared towards stepping up specific techniques.