Although the Shanghai dialect is widely believed to be declining, expatriates in the city are learning it in hopes of improving their communication with local people and better understanding local culture.

Tongji University, one of the city's top universities, started a course on the dialect course four years ago in its International School, which caters to overseas students.

This year, the course has attracted 36 students from seven countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Japan and Kazakhstan. The students plan to stay in the city and are interested in the dialect.

They mainly learn basic sentences, useful expressions and some knowledge about local culture. Some of them have even learned about renowned local writers such as Cheng Naishan and Chen Danyan.

A student from the US, whose Chinese name is Sima Zhe, told Eastday.com that he learned the Shanghai dialect to communicate better with his Shanghainese colleagues.

"The Shanghai dialect is very different from Mandarin," he said. "We still have a lot to learn."