The best language-learning apps for 2024

2 weeks ago 4

Do you need help to learn a new language? You’ll wish you’d known about these apps sooner. Learning a foreign tongue can be a real headache. But these top language-learning apps make it easy and fun with bite-sized lessons, quizzes, speech recognition, and more.

From gamified vocabulary builders like Memrise to apps that use TV shows to teach you a new language, there’s something for every learning style and goal. Whether you want to master Spanish verb conjugations, read French novels easily, or learn some travel phrases, these apps have you covered. They are available for Android-based devices like the Pixel 9 Pro XL and Apple devices like the iPhone 16.

Duolingo

Duolingo is one of the most popular language-learning apps for several reasons: it’s free, well-designed, and easy to use. Lessons are broken down into bite-sized sections, making it feel like a game.

The app categorizes languages into various topics, such as clothing or business, as well as grammatical subjects like adverbs and pronouns. Users must interpret both text and audio, with the option to slow down the audio if needed. Duolingo’s answering structure includes a variety of activities, allowing you to switch between typing answers, speaking them aloud, and selecting from multiple-choice options.

While Duolingo is a great introduction to learning a language, it can sometimes feel like you’re studying a random mix of information through repetitive exercises. The more you practice, the stronger your vocabulary will become, but it can feel a little bit strange at times. It’s effective for improving comprehension, but it may not be the best at developing conversational skills.

Duolingo Super removes some of the limitations of the free version, like limited lives, and provides extra tools and perks to help you learn more effectively. Whether it’s worth the cost depends on your individual learning style, budget, and how serious you are about language learning.

Android iOS

Babbel

This app is divided into lessons that last 10 to 15 minutes each. Packages of lessons cover different abilities, including those tailored to beginners and advanced learners. The app teaches a range of words and phrases and challenges you to spell them out, speak them aloud, and fit them into sentences.

A nice thing about Babbel is that it focuses on conversational learning and explains grammar rules as you progress. Filling in the gaps in mock conversations is fun, and the lessons progress logically, traditionally, starting with basic conversational phrases you’ll want to master. You can also download lessons to work through while you’re offline.

The app design is a little rough around the edges, and the software’s voice recognition doesn’t always work as intended. Also, though you get one lesson for free with Babbel, you have to pay if you want full access to the learning materials for a single language. These prices differ depending on your location and the duration of your subscription.

Android iOS

LingoPie

LingoPie is an innovative language-learning app that uses TV shows and movies to immerse you in a new language, making learning engaging and enjoyable. With a diverse library of content, including comedies, dramas, documentaries, and reality shows, users can learn languages like Spanish, French, German, and more. The app features interactive subtitles, allowing learners to watch authentic content while accessing instant translations and definitions with a click. This approach is designed to reinforce vocabulary and comprehension through real-world context.

In addition to video content, LingoPie offers tools like flashcards for vocabulary review, adjustable playback speed for more precise understanding, and quizzes to track progress. Catering to all levels, LingoPie allows you to learn at your own pace. By integrating cultural insights, the app teaches the language and provides a deeper understanding of the associated cultures, making the learning experience both practical and enriching. It starts for as little as $5 per month.

Android iOS

Memrise

If you want to practice and expand your vocabulary, then Memrise is a fun way to do it. The app is set up like a game, one in which you travel to a foreign planet as a spy and you score points for correct answers. It’s a unique way to frame language lessons, and the bulk of the courses consist of memorizing specific words and phrases using mems, which are strange sentences or images.

You can also listen to audio recordings of various words and phrases, and occasionally see video footage of native speakers saying them. The general idea is to learn words and then review them at predetermined intervals, which grow longer as you memorize the words. There’s some science behind the algorithm, but it ultimately amounts to a sophisticated flashcard system. Still, it seems to be very effective for some people.

Memrise primarily functions as a vocabulary builder, so you’ll want to combine it with conversation and grammar lessons, if possible. Some of the mems are odd, but bizarre associations and images can be a very effective way to memorize things. You can sign up for the app via email, or use your Google or Facebook account, which grants you access to the wealth of community-created content.

The app’s basic functionality is free, but a subscription (as little as $8 a month) will grant you access to additional games and an offline mode.

Android iOS

Pimsleur

The Pimsleur app is an audio-based language learning tool designed to enhance conversational skills by focusing on practical vocabulary and phrases for real-world communication. Users engage with 30-minute core audio lessons that gradually build speaking and listening abilities, along with supplementary reading lessons.

A notable feature is the AI voice coach, which provides personalized pronunciation feedback, helping learners refine their accent. The app also includes digital flashcards, interactive games, and quizzes to reinforce learning, making the experience engaging and diverse.

While Pimsleur is effective for developing spoken fluency and offers offline access, some users may find the lessons repetitive and may miss visual learning components. Overall, it’s an excellent option for those prioritizing speaking and listening skills, but individuals should consider their own learning styles to ensure it aligns with their goals. A Pimsleur subscription starts for as little as $16 per month when purchased through the Pimsleur website.

Android iOS

Busuu

Busuu a well-designed app that offers about a thousand complete lesson packages, all of which are created by linguistic experts and span an impressive amount of content. The app provides you with essential flashcards, along with grammar, writing, dialogue, and pronunciation exercises. The quizzes and vocabulary games are also quite fun for testing your knowledge, and they keep you easily engaged while you learn.

Busuu also offers a set of handy travel courses that provide the basics for a particular language, allowing you to better prepare for your next trip and interact with the locals. You can even chat with native speakers — and have them correct your text — or earn points by correcting other learners. There’s an offline mode, too, so you can download lessons and study without an internet connection — perfect for on-the-go learning.

Busuu gives you writing exercises and essential flashcards, but to get the full experience of courses and bonus tools, you need to subscribe. A subscription costs as little as $7 monthly. One outstanding feature of Busuu is the robust community of both native speakers and fellow language learners. It’s simple to find your fit regardless of your chosen language, whether it’s Russian, Arabic, or expanding your Spanish skills. You get control over how you study your new language, whether you prefer learning on a desktop or laptop, or even on the Busuu mobile app on the go.

Android iOS

Beelinguapp

We know this can seem impossible, but reading is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in a foreign language. Reading goes beyond just teaching you words and grammar by keeping you involved and prompting comprehension skills to kick in. Beelinguapp delivers on this front. The app features a fun reading style to help users learn a foreign language.

After installing the app, you can choose between nearly a dozen languages commonly spoken worldwide. You can also customize your skill level by selecting either beginner, intermediate, or advanced—label whether you prefer fiction or nonfiction readings. Finally, the app will compile your preferences and provide several messages, text, and song lyrics in your native language and the language you’re attempting to learn.

If you want, you can have the books and text read aloud by a native speaker in your desired language. This feature helps clear up confusion about pronunciation and improve your listening skills. Overall, the app sharpens your reading, listening, and speaking skills simultaneously – the only thing missing is writing skills.

Beelinguapp is free to try for seven days. Thereafter, you can purchase a monthly subscription for as little as $4.

Android iOS

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