As a full time languages teacher, I like to think I know a thing or two about learning languages. I was not brought up bilingual, despite the fact that my mum is German/ Polish (it’s a long story). I had to learn languages in school, just like everyone else. We didn’t have the best apps for learning a language back in the day.
Back when I was at school (it wasn’t even that long ago) studying for my GCSEs and A Levels, there weren’t such things as Apps. If there were, you had to have a really snazzy phone to be able to download them. All of my revision was based from my notes, my faithful CGP revision guide and of course, BBC Bitesize.
Thankfully things have since evolved since then. My lovely students have access to a whole host of revision materials; in print, online or downloadable to their phones. Maybe you are thinking “I’m not one of your students Victoria. I don’t need to revise, I want to learn“. The good news is that the same apps I recommend to my students are perfect for people looking to pick up new languages. I even use them myself to keep on top of things. So here are my picks – the best apps for learning a language.
Best Apps for Learning a Language
Duolingo
Duolingo is probably the most popular language learning app out there. It is available on iOS, Android and online. It’s not a stand alone language course but it will certainly set you up with the basics. Even if there are a few strange sentences along the way.
The app is completely free. If you find the adds annoying you can pay extra to have them removed. None of the content is behind a paywall fortunately. Duolingo is great because it currently offers 35 language courses targeted at native English speakers, but also offers a platform for non-English speakers to learn English or study other languages.
The thing I love about Duolingo is that the language learning is almost turned into a game. You earn virtual money as you progress through the game and you can even customise your own Duolingo avatar. If you’re looking for a fun way of practising your language skills, Duolingo is one of the best apps to begin with.
Memrise
Memrise is another classic, which focuses more on the repetition of specific words or phrases in chunks. Every time you practice and repeat the words, you build up a flower to symbol the word or phrase becoming planted in your memory. Once you have a full flower, you have learnt the word.
Memrise is also free, although there is an extended subscription (£8.99/ month) which unlocks an offline mode. It also unlocks a chat system to connect you with native speakers, and other extras.
So if you’re happy to focus on set phrases, and not too fussed on learning how to build up sentences yourself, Memrise could be for you.
Rosetta Stone
I’m sure you’ve heard of Rosetta Stone before. Back when it was launched in 1992 it was considered the go-to must-have language learning software. Businessmen across the world then used it in attempt to bring their language knowledge up to scratch before a trip abroad or important business meeting.
I’ll start with the negative side of Rosetta Stone, and that is that it’s pretty pricey. Unlike the apps above, a year’s subscription to the online course (which you can also access on your smartphone) comes in at £240. That is a lot when there are plenty of free alternatives. But is it worth the money?
I actually bought the Portuguese course when I was at University. I discovered that the language learning approach was quite different to that of other apps. Rosetta Stone uses an immersive approach and aims to teach you to speak the language like a native. There is no reference back to your own language which can often cause interference. As well as the course itself, you also have access to online tutor services, a variety of games and community access to help you learn.
Personally, I found the course very useful. However, if you want to try before you buy, you could always try out the free demo.
Babbel
If you are looking for something more traditional then Babbel could be the best language learning app for you. It doesn’t have quite the same choice as Duolingo, but with 14 languages on offer it’s not half bad!
Courses are structured into beginner and intermediate sections, and divided into topics (family, home, food etc). They are then split again by skill (listening, reading, writing and speaking). The course is very comprehensive and offers rather more cultural insights in comparison to other apps. Whilst the interface is perhaps not as visual, and with a lack of ‘games’, the app is rather more basic than some of it’s competition.
Drops
I have only recently come across Drops, but thinks its a great app to use to for learning vocabulary. Each new word is a ‘drop’ which you can either choose to learn or skip and learn at a later date. After learning a word, it moves to a pool and then comes up regularly to practice.
Drop offers a variety of games. You can match a word to its translation or picture, spelling or looking for the word in a mini wordsearch. The more words you learn, the more difficult it gets.
Competing with Duolingo, Drop offers 34 languages and also offers the choice of British or American English for those non-English speakers. The downside if that if you plan to spend more than 5 minutes a day practising your vocab then you would need to upgrade to the paid version. You will need another app if you’re dedicated to learning the grammar of a new language.
Tandem
If you liked the sound of the chat options that Memrise and Rosetta Stone offer, but don’t want to fork out lots of money, Tandem could be for you.
The app essentially works as a language learning chat room. It connects you with native speakers from around the world and you then communicate with either through text or voice message. I think this app is probably for people who have already reached a certain level and are looking to work on communication. I would not say it is for building up vocabulary knowledge. There is also the option of booking sessions in with certified language tutors, which comes at an extra cost.
This app is definitely for older users and not one that I would recommend to my students. This is despite its strict behaviour guidelines. Also if you are a tutor yourself it could a be a great platform to advertise your services. This is especially if you are looking to teach English online.
Flash Academy
A bit like Duolingo, Flash Academy has gamified the language learning process to help motivate its users towards their goals. It offers exercises, mini-games and high-tech scanner technology which uses your phone’s camera to scan objects in the world for an immediate translation. Very nifty .. but not to be used for saving time on homework!
TripLingo
Last but not least on my list is TripLingo, which technically isn’t focused around language learning per se but is instead meant to give its users the knowledge they need to travel abroad – perfect for all the holiday linguists out there!
The app is great for travellers as you can select the country you’re travelling to, and are then given access to common phrases, clang and colloquial terms, as well as a really useful culture guide to inform you of local traditions, customs and things like dress codes and safety tips.
TripLingo also offers a currency converter, an image and voice translator, and a tip calculator to name just a few features. We’ve found TripLingo such a helpful app during our trips interrailing around Europe and also whilst in Thailand and I would definitely recommend it – however frequent travellers might want to consider the upgrade.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed the post! If you have any questions or have any suggestions to add to the list above please do get in touch in the comments below. Similarly if you have experiencing using any of the apps I’ve mentioned, I’d love to hear about it!
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Love Victoria X
