Our Top 5 Language Learning Apps

Command of foreign languages is one of the most valuable skills in today’s workforce, but that does not mean that we have to spend money on costly courses to learn a new language. Modern technology and smartphones are conducive to learning languages and now living in the golden age of apps there are so many language learning apps to choose from! So, which one should you choose? Well, there is no winner as we all have a different system and individual approach to learning.

Here are our top 5 language learning apps which were chosen according to low price (or free), availability, easy-use, social friendly and unique feature.

Duolingo – LET’S LEARN 2 LANGUAGES AT THE SAME TIME

Duolingo is probably the most popular language learning mobile app, which works on both Android and iOS systems. What makes it so unique? The application is well-design and user-friendly. Lessons are divided into chapters and we can start our adventure with Doulingo from zero, as well as from a more advanced level. In the section “practice” we can compete with other Duolingo users to get the highest level. Thanks to the funny icons, the app resembles a computer game, which encourages learning even more and the e-mail reminders ensure we can stay systematic.

Attention! The app is completely free! So, how does Duolingo earn money from their activities? It’s simple. More advanced users have the opportunity to practice foreign language skills by translating websites and for those translations Duolingo earns money! Clever, right? We get to learn a language for free, and in return, we translate content for other internet users.

MEMRISE – LET’S IMPROVE VOCABULARY

Memrise stands out from other language applications. Why? Memrise offers plenty of courses in many languages and these courses are created by community members. That’s right, users are authors of the lessons!

The main idea behind Memrise is to embed language deeply into your brain. It uses mnemonics, providing thousands of categories called “mems” which users can pick, practice and compare according to their own preferences. Thanks to flashcards and memory tricks, we can more effectively remember words.  Also, we can compete with other users. The application has a system of scoring and ranking, what is a great motivator for learning.

We do not need to worry about access to the Internet – Memrise works offline. Even if we are in the mountains, in the countryside or in the middle of nowhere, we can improve our linguistic skills. Memrise offers more than just language and vocabulary learning. It touches on areas of history, geography, music, pop culture, and above all crowdsourcing.

Best of all, Memrise is free and available on Android and iOS.

HelloTALK – LET’S TALK WITH THE WORLD

If you do not like to memorize vocabulary and learn alone – this application is definitely for you. HelloTALK is the next social language learning app.

It has long been known that the best way to learn languages is through conversation and this is exactly the app’s fundamental assumption. Within the community HalloTALK we can talk to people from all over the world and improve our skills through direct contact with native speakers. Thanks to the automatic translation service we can communicate in a foreign language and practice conversations on various topics. The best way is to select our level and find someone stronger to enforce our progress. If we do not know how to say the word, the doodle function will come to our aid. The exchange of text messages helps us learn new colloquial phrases and idioms used in everyday language.

HelloTalk offers a huge list of languages and is the next free application that can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play. The only thing we need is internet connection to make free calls, meet and chat with people from around the world and learn another language.

BUSUU – LET’S BE PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

What distinguishes Busuu from other applications is the buzzing community, which currently has more than 60 million users!  For sure interactivity is the best thing about Busuu as users can converse with each other through the video-chat application and peer-to-peer messaging function. Here everyone can be both a student and a teacher at the same time.

Interactive lessons and quizzes help to stay motivated with regular feedback. Busuu has a friendly and functional interface and the lessons cover a wide range of vocabulary – over 3,000 words and phrases in 12 of the most popular languages. One of the most interesting tasks is “writing”, which requires a written statement about the given topic. Our work is then sent to native speakers who review it. Unfortunately, the app is not totally free and you have to pay for more advanced lessons. In any case, the free version contains up to 20 lessons and is available on Android and iOS.

ANKI – LET’S CREATE OWN VISUAL FLASHCARD

If you’re a visual learner, this app is for you. Anki is flashcard program focused on memorization. In the enormous database, we can find plenty of electronic flashcard sets that can be downloaded. Of course, we can even make our own flashcards, and share them with others to enjoy. It is up to us how flashcards look – we can add a single word, phrase, image or even sound – whatever we want and what works best for us.

Anki is a free app available across many platforms  including Android, iOS and Windows.

If you are wondering whether the program offers something more than electronic flashcards, then the answer is yes. Anka is also equipped with a wide range of statistics. We can verify how well we know the vocabulary included in our sets , how well we memorize them – generally all that is needed to observe our progress. It’s also useful for studying diagrams, mathematical formulas, facts or names. Anki is a great tool for easy memorization of all kinds of materials, not just foreign languages.

Did you find your perfect app?