Language-learning apps can be a valuable and convenient tool when studying a foreign language at college, planning to study or travel abroad, looking to improve your existing language skills, or just eager to pick up a new language. Different apps employ different teaching methods, so when choosing an app for learning languages, it is essential to opt for one that corresponds with your learning style and goals, as this decision can significantly impact your experience. The app's quality also plays a role, so whether you want to learn Spanish, French, German, or Chinese, here are some of the best apps for learning languages on your phone, tablet, or laptop.
Babbel
Babbel is one of the most comprehensive language-learning apps you can find today. It customizes lessons based on your current proficiency level and learning goals. This tailored approach ensures that each lesson is relevant to what you want to learn. The interactive lessons are designed by linguistic experts and go beyond memorization by including various learning methods, such as fill-in-the-blank exercises and dialogues. The app excels in combining grammar explanations with practical exercises, and offers helpful tips and tricks as you learn. Babbel is an excellent choice if you want a structured and goal-oriented learning experience.
What languages can you learn with Babbel?
Babbel currently offers 13 languages, including Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Dutch, Turkish, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Indonesian.
Is Babbel free?
You can download the Babbel app for free. Babbel lets you create a free account and access one lesson per language for free so you can get a feel for the platform. If you want full access to all language courses, including all lessons, grammar instructions, podcasts, and games, you’ll need to subscribe to Babbel’s paid plans.
Babbel is available as a mobile app on iOS and Android and as a web app.
Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone replicates the way we naturally learn languages as children – through immersion. By surrounding you with the target language from the start, the app focuses on enhancing comprehension through images and graphics – trying to teach you to develop a deeper understanding of the language and to think in the new language rather than translating in your head. With a wide range of languages available, interactive exercises, video lessons, and a good speech recognition feature, Rosetta Stone is perfect for visual learners who prefer an immersive experience.
What languages can you learn with Rosetta Stone?
Rosetta Stone currently offers 21 languages, including Spanish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Filipino, and Arabic.
Is Rosetta Stone free?
Rosetta Stone offers a 3-day free trial to explore the app before committing to a subscription. In this free trial period, you can get a taste of its lessons and features and then decide if you want to purchase a subscription plan.
Rosetta Stone is available as a mobile app on iOS and Android and as a web app.
Busuu
Busuu is another interesting app with its varied learning resources and flexible course formats. The well-structured content covers various proficiency levels, making it suitable for beginners and more advanced learners. What makes this app exceptional is that it blends language learning with social interaction, creating a vibrant community of learners from around the globe. It allows you to connect with native speakers, meaning you can get feedback on your progress and engage in authentic conversations. This social element adds a unique touch to language learning, making Busuu great for those who want to gain cultural insights and exchange local language tips in real-world interactions.
What languages can you learn with Busuu?
Busuu currently offers 13 languages: Spanish, German, Dutch, French, Italian, Turkish, Polish, Arabic, Japanese, Russian, Portuguese, Korean, and Chinese.
Is Busuu free?
Yes, Busuu has a basic free version and you can access it by registering for a free account. The free version is good, but it’s also slightly limited. If you want unlock all content and features, you’ll need to purchase a Premium membership.
Busuu is available as a mobile app on iOS and Android and as a web app.
Memrise
Memrise sets itself apart by using mnemonic techniques to help you learn and memorize new words and phrases in an effective and entertaining way. One of the standout features of this app is its extensive collection of video clips featuring real conversations with native speakers. This provides an invaluable opportunity to grasp their accents, listen to authentic usage of words, and get to know the phrases they commonly use. All of this makes Memrise an excellent app for those looking to build a strong foundation in vocabulary and improve their language skills.
What languages can you learn with Memrise?
Memrise currently offers 17 languages: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Danish, Korean, Spanish, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, French, Polish, Turkish, German, Portuguese, Yoruba, and Italian.
Is Memrise free?
Memrise has a free and a paid version. The free option is very good and offers access to plenty of learning courses, content, and features. If you want to access all courses or unlock more advanced features and content, you’ll need a subscription plan.
Memrise is available as a mobile app on iOS and Android and as a web app.
Pimsleur
Pimsleur strongly emphasizes audio-based learning, so unlike the other apps we recommend here, its approach initially avoids reading and writing, focusing primarily on building your conversational skills. The app does this through conversations, pronunciation practice, and interactive listening exercises. The best thing about this app is that you can access lessons while commuting to campus, exercising in the gym, or cooking in your dorm room. All this makes Pimsleur an ideal choice if you learn best through listening and speaking or are always on the go.
What languages can you learn with Pimsleur?
Pimsleur currently offers over 50 languages, so besides the most popular ones like Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian, you can also learn many other languages, such as Croatian, Chez, Romanian, Albanian, Finnish, Vietnamese, Thai, Swahili and more.
Is Pimsleur free?
Pimsleur offers a 7-day free trial that gives you access to all available lessons in one language for Audio-Only and Premium subscriptions or all available lessons for all languages for All Access subscription. You can try the app during this free trial to see if you like it (you’ll not be charged if you cancel before the end of the trial period).
Pimsleur is available as a mobile app on iOS and Android and as a web app.
Duolingo
Duolingo has become synonymous with enjoyable language learning over recent years. With its vibrant interface and gamified structure, this easy-to-use app turns learning a new language into a playful adventure, making the process engaging and addictive. You can learn as many languages as you like and progress through levels by completing bite-sized lessons, as the app calls them. These interactive lessons cover essential language skills, including reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Duolingo is a great pick, especially if you’re a beginner or want to learn multiple languages.
What languages can you learn with Duolingo?
Duolingo currently offers over 40 languages, including Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Greek, Norwegian, Russian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and more.
Is Duolingo free?
Yes, Duolingo has a free version, which provides access to a wide range of language courses, interactive lessons, and exercises. However, it is ad-supported, meaning you will encounter ads while using the app. If you want an ad-free experience, offline access, and progress tracking, you’ll need to subscribe to its paid version, Super Duolingo (which you can try for two weeks for free). Additionally, Duolingo offers a paid subscription called Duolingo Max, which includes all the benefits of Super Duolingo plus some new AI-powered features.
Duolingo is available as a mobile app on iOS and Android and as a web app.
It’s important to note that learning-language apps are most effective when used strategically and alongside other learning methods, such as taking formal classes, reading books, watching movies and TV shows, or practicing with native speakers. And remember, learning a language and becoming fluent takes time and effort, so you must be consistent, dedicated, and motivated!
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