Are you looking for language learning apps, but you don’t know which one might suit you best? You have come to the right place: here are a few tips that we hope will help you make up your mind.

Thanks to technology it is very easy to access any information with a simple search that takes no more than a few seconds. There are also all sorts of applications for our smartphones, ranging from social media, photography, games, to apps for learning a musical instrument or how to be more productive, and the list goes on. If we can learn almost anything with just a few clicks, why not a new language? We live in a very globalised world and the knowledge of languages has become practically indispensable.

Although some of these applications cost money, many others are free. Here are some of the most downloaded and used language learning apps:

DUOLINGO

Languages currently available on the application for English speakers are Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, Russian, Portuguese, Arabic, Turkish, Dutch, Swedish, Hindi, Greek, Irish, Polish, Norwegian, High Valyrian, Hebrew, Vietnamese, Hawaiian, Danish, Romanian, Czech, Welsh, Indonesian, Swahili, Ukrainian, Esperanto, Finnish, Hungarian, Klingon, Navajo and Scottish Gaelic. This app uses a learning method based on getting points for each correct answer, for working against the clock and for passing levels. Each time a level is completed it reveals the next, turning learning into a playful process. It contains grammar and vocabulary exercises, as well as listening and pronunciation tasks. Users can also turn on notifications on their smartphones and receive daily reminders to continue their learning.

BABBEL

The languages that Babbel offers are English, German, Italian, French, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish, Dutch, Polish, Indonesian, Norwegian, Danish, Russian and Spanish. The first course is free, but you need a paid subscription to access any others. The courses are divided into all kinds of exercises, with a large topic range. Each lesson concentrates particularly on practical, everyday dialogue, which can be extremely useful. It has a simple design that makes learning easier and you can download it on your tablet or smartphone or access courses on the internet.

BUSUU

The name comes from a near-extinct language originating from Cameroon. This app offers languages such as English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Turkish, Russian and Arabic. Busuu is the biggest social media in the world for language learning. There is a free version as well as a paid one that has more features (offline mode, official language certificates from McGraw-Hill Education, etc.) The levels start from beginners (A1) and go up to intermediate (B2). Courses are divided into comprehension, written expression and oral expression and are combined with practice with native speakers, which creates very effective learning. It offers the possibility of sending your written exercises to native speakers to correct your mistakes easily. According to a study, 22 hours of learning with Busuu Premium is the equivalent to a university semester of language classes.

LINGUALIA

This app only allows you to learn English or Spanish for free. It includes more than 200 lessons, 8,000 different audio files, grammar cards and practical exercises for real-life use. It also has a new, revolutionary way of language learning thanks to artificial intelligence: Lingu is a tailor-made teacher, making the course personalised according to the level, availability, and motivation of each student. Lingu will analyse your strengths and weaknesses and personalise lessons accordingly, it will accompany you throughout the course and provide comprehensive evaluation reports.

MEMRISE

This free application, created in 2010, offers a very fun and efficient way of learning. It offers courses in English, Spanish, German, Italian, Korean, French, Russian, Portuguese and Japanese (with transliteration). Its courses are based on useful language and provide videos of native speakers to help improve pronunciation and understanding of different accents. It also offers courses focused on different categories such as art and literature, entertainment, nature or memory skills amongst others.

Anyone ready to embark on a new linguistic adventure? Go for it!

 

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