diff --git a/langid/__init__.py b/langid/__init__.py
index 2c0a7a5c..0a09e897 100644
--- a/langid/__init__.py
+++ b/langid/__init__.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-from .langid import classify, rank, set_languages
+from .langid import classify, rank, set_languages, classify_with_language
diff --git a/langid/langid.py b/langid/langid.py
index 5c44aab7..6eb4b5b5 100755
--- a/langid/langid.py
+++ b/langid/langid.py
@@ -106,6 +106,24 @@ def classify(instance):
 
   return identifier.classify(instance)
 
+
+def classify_with_language(instance, langs):
+    """
+    Convenience method using a global identifier instance with the default
+    model included in langid.py. Identifies the language that a string is
+    written in.
+
+    @param instance a text string. Unicode strings will automatically be utf8-encoded
+    param langs. Increase the characteristics of the specified language during the run
+    @returns a tuple of the most likely language and the confidence score
+    """
+    global identifier
+    if identifier is None:
+        load_model()
+
+    return identifier.classify_with_language(instance, langs)
+
+
 def rank(instance):
   """
   Convenience method using a global identifier instance with the default
@@ -288,6 +306,11 @@ def nb_classprobs(self, fv):
     pd = pdc + self.nb_pc
     return pd
 
+  def classify_with_language(self, text, langs):
+      self.set_languages(langs=langs)
+
+      return self.classify(text)
+
   def classify(self, text):
     """
     Classify an instance.