There are so many psychological benefits to learning a language, and we recommend everyone tries it.
People around the world have different reasons for learning a language. For some, it’s a hobby, whilst for others, it’s for career prospects. Or maybe you’re vacating to a foreign part of the world. No matter your reason, it’s a great thing to learn. Once you’ve chosen which language you’d like to learn, you can narrow down the best language apps to suit you. Everyone has different ways of learning, which is why the best language apps provide a variety of options. No two people are the same, so how they learn shouldn’t be either.
But, what if you don’t want to take one to one/face to face lessons? What are your other options? Well, thankfully, there are some amazing apps and programs available to people around the world. In this article, we’re uncovering the best language apps to invest your time in.
The Best Language Apps with a Variety of Learning Options
Before searching for the right app for you, there are a few factors to consider. Firstly, how much time do you have spare a day? If you only have 10 minutes, there are still apps for you. However, if you’re serious about this learning curve, then you may wish to invest more time a day. Secondly, consider your most effective ways to learn. Do you prefer audio? Drawing? Reading? Whatever works best for you is that path you should follow. Finally, consider what you need to learn and the level you’re currently at. For example, if you’ve never learnt a language in your life, you may wish to start with a beginner’s program. Learn conversational words first so you can develop real-talk with people in your chosen language.
Once you’ve carefully considered the above questions, take a look at our list of the best language apps (many of which are free).
1. Babbel
Babbel is one of the best language apps for numerous reasons. Through their expert knowledge and tutorials, you can learn a variety of languages. These include: German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, Polish, Danish, Turkish and many more. With so many languages you can indulge in, it’s a great way to get involved in a new hobby and expand your learning and memory skills. Also, if you love travelling, you’ll appreciate the importance of learning the language of the country you’re heading to. Babbel is ideal if you’re looking for short and snappy lessons to learn a new language. If you don’t have a lot of time, or prefer to learn in short bites, you’ll appreciate how their program is structured.
Backed with years of research and a mass of experts constantly developing new ways to help you learn, Babbel is one of the best language apps. Currently, there are more than one million users who utilize this app, and they offer a spectrum of 14 different languages to learn. You don’t learn irrelevant words you’ll never use in everyday life. On the other hand, Babbel is an online language program which helps you to speak and listen to real-life conversations. With regular learning and practicing, you’ll be able to speak in a new language much quicker than you anticipated.
Specially, there lessons are divided into 10-15 minute sessions. With thorough research, they found that this time is most effective at helping you retain new information. As a result, you can easily fit learning a new language into your busy schedule. We love that these courses are developed with a team of experts who are committed to helping you learn. They also take your native language into account for efficient learning.
2. Tandem
Another of the best language apps is Tandem. This program teams you with real people to develop your conversational skills. No matter where you are in the world, or your current experience, everyone can practice listening and improve their pronunciation to speak a foreign language. By having a dedicated learning partner, you’re given the upmost confidence to learn your new language comfortably. Simply log into the app and find someone who speaks the language you’re hoping to learn. Sign into Skype and arrange a time and day to chat with your fellow teacher.
At the moment, there are over 3 million members using this service to learn languages from all across the globe. There’s always someone who wants to help you learn their language, and with such a convenient way to learn, Tandem is one of the best language apps available to date. The language choice is more limited compared to Babbel. However, the one-to-one experience makes it more personal and easier to learn proper enunciation. Their list of current languages to learn includes: English, German, Spanish, Italian, French, Russian, Japanese, Portuguese and Chinese.
The app is efficiently designed to enable everyone the equal opportunity to practice languages. You don’t need a subscription, and it’s free to join. Learn new languages via audio, video chat and text. As a result, this makes it easier and more effective to learn in the comfort of your own home. Not only does this app help to expand your language skills, but it’s a great chance to talk to native speakers and learn about their culture. As a result, you get to appreciate the pace of their speech and more. You’ll also be able to develop proper pronunciation and more.
3. Memrise
Another app to add to your learning agenda is Memrise. This expert app takes a fun, joyful and non-intimidating spin on learning a new language. You don’t need any prior training, experience or knowledge to be a part of this amazing community. Also, you can begin your learning adventure from anywhere in the world and unlock a whelm of new vocabulary. The content is useful and focuses on real-life conversations, so you’ll utilize everything you learn with Memrise. Currently, they offer 20,000 native speaker videos to help you understand and appreciate accents and proper enunciation. Another reason why they’re one of the best language apps is because they also focus on conversation and grammar skills. This unique program means that you get as much knowledge from them as possible.
At the moment, Memrise offers over 200 courses. All of which are carefully created and developed by expert linguists. Filled with a plethora of content and updated terms, this means you learn from the best. There’s a free and a paid version, which is great to suit your budget and your needs. Perhaps you want to take learning a new language seriously. On the other hand, you may wish to engage in this new project simply for a new hobby. The free version offers 200 language combinations. Utilize the video and listening modes. Also, with regular speed reviews, a professional will regularly check in that you’re learning to the best of your ability.
The paid version costs $4.90 per month. With this, you receive more critical feedback, more courses and a wider range of vocabulary. This is ideal for people aspiring to take their new adventure more serious. With the option to constantly review your progress, you’ll also be heading forward.
4. Duolingo
Duolingo is a free language app which makes learning fun and addictive. Each time you answer a correct question, you earn points. Also, by racing against the clock and levelling up as initiatives to help you learn, it makes the education process exciting. The lessons are divided into bite-size chunks to make learning a new language more possible. It’s also a suitable language app to use if you’re a teacher, as you can easily bring the learning platform into a classroom environment. Currently, teachers around the world are already using it to bring students together and develop their learning.
Developed in an easy-to-use way, you can log in via the app or desktop version to begin your learning journey. With auto marking, you instantly see what answers are correct/incorrect. If you make a mistake, they’ll quickly rectify it to help you understand and improve where you went wrong. There’s a variety of content with each lesson. This includes speaking, translating and listening. Also, the program sets challenges to offer multiple ways of learning. The hours you choose to learn are flexible, so it suits a range of time zones and lifestyles. It’s also one of the best language apps as the experts behind the design and creation constantly test and update the speeds. As a result, this makes it highly suitable to use on a variety of devices.
Finally, there are no hidden costs with this app or premium content. Instead, the designers appreciate that education can be experience. Therefore, this is why they developed a cost-free app to help you learn to the best of your ability.
5. 24/7 Tutor
24/7 Tutor sends people the most common words and phrased. Through organization of topics and categories, they send audio recordings by a native speaker. As a result, you can the most precise pronunciation possible. We love that this learning system measures progress and tracks quiz scores. Also, the mechanism included enables you to optimize your progress by focusing on the areas which need additional attention. Though there’s only a limited number of languages to learn – Spanish, German, French and Italian – 24/7 Tutor make up for with their expert knowledge and learning programs.
Once you’ve registered to use this program, you’ll be presented with a screen displaying a list of categories. Then, you select a topic you’d love to uncover more. Simply select it and you’ll be taken to the next screen. You can track your progress easily, which helps you to determine what areas you need to work harder at. You then have the choice of how the questions are presented to you: Multiple Choice, Write-In and Puzzle. Consequently, learning is made fun and interactive. You’ll typically begin the learning process by learning a new set of words or phrases. With the tap of a button, you can listen to the audio of a native speaker. Simply repeat the audio playing to get to understand the enunciation properly. You can then review a list, before beginning the testing process.
We love that the app automatically saves your learning process. Therefore, you’re always ready to pick up from where you left. Finally, you’ll be challenged throughout this quiz. This is especially during the spelling test section. For example, you’ll be sent a series of words purposely spelt incorrectly. Then, you’ll have to revise and send them back spelt correctly and in the right format.
6. Beelinguapp
Beelinguapp is well-suited for people who already have knowledge of a new language. This is one of the best language apps to help you get comfortable with reading in a foreign language. By sending the words on a screen, you can to understand and appreciate different spellings. Also, your native language is accompanied on the same screen to help present the differences. As you navigate through the text, highlight the words. By doing so, it’ll highlight the same passage in your native language to show a visual comparison.
You can listen to a native language speaker as you read the content to help you understand the language. Also, you can keep listening to the audio when your phone is offline or when your phone is locked. You can follow the original audio of the native speaker to hear the proper pronunciation of each word.
Beelinguapp is suitable if you’re looking to learn a new language. However, it’s also great if you want to just add to your current knowledge. By helping you to properly practice pronunciation, you’ll improve your language skills from the get go. Also, you can follow the text using the app’s unique Karaoke Reading feature. By presenting this information in interesting and fun formats, learning becomes fun and relaxing. You’ll simply feel like you’re reading an interesting chapter, rather than in education.
Finally, we love the amount of content that this app shares for free. Despite such a great deal, they don’t scrape on quality. It’s also available on both Android and iOS which makes it ideal for a variety of people. Should you wish to access their full level of content, you can unlock extra features for a small fee. As soon as you feel like you’re mastered certain levels, move on and keep progressing.
7. HelloTalk
Another of the best language apps available is HelloTalk. Currently, there are millions of members using this free app to develop and learn new foreign languages. It’s one of the best language apps to practice over 100 new languages. Find a language partner, and they’ll help you to learn a new language. Chat with them via text, video and voice calls, voice recordings, text and whatever other communication you prefer. With this diverse versatility available, you can make this learning app your own and customize it to your liking. Also, HelloTalk offers a variety of learning tools to help your conversations run as smoothly as possible. For example, these aids include translation tools, transliteration and even automatic corrections. As a result, you’re constantly learning and ready to take the next step.
With a solid community of other learners, you’ll never feel out of the picture. Make public posts with people in the same boat. Alternatively, you can adjust the settings to receive posts from native speakers too. This is a great way to spark a conversation, share updates and ask questions. With this feature, you’ll never feel alone or unsupported – which is one of our favourite benefits to this app.
Also, when you search for a native speaker to team up with, you have a say in who that is. Choose by city, distance from you, experience and more. You’ll find suitable partners from around the world to have a conversation with. By giving you a say in who you work with, you’ll benefit from the learning a lot more. Finally, the format of this app is similar to Twitter in that you can share updates about language, cultures or anything else. Consequently, it’s ideal for social-media-lovers.
8. Busuu
The developers behind Busuu understand that you don’t have hours spare a day to learn a new language. As a result, they developed a concept which features numerous language courses built by educational experts. They appreciate that it’s not just the content, but the method and process in which you learn which makes it stick in your memory. In total, they offer 12 different languages across four areas: reading, writing, speaking and listening. No matter your skills, anyone can participate in this learning development. Also, you can practice with native speakers around the world and they’ll provide a recommended product to help you achieve this.
This is one of the biggest and best language apps to improve your skills and future. There are currently 80 million people in the community which enables you to access native speakers across the globe. You should also take advantage of the advice your speaker gives you too. For example, you can send them writing exercises to help you learn even further. Developing strong and trusting relationships with others like you and educators is a huge part of this app. You can receive feedback from learners too and get to know others from all areas of the world.
We love that you can receive credit for the hard work you put into learning a new language. For example, you can get internationally recognized from McGraw-Hill Education each time you finish a level in the German course. Not only is this a great way to brag to others, but it may also impress employers to help with your job searches. Finally, learning something completely new is a challenging task. That’s why you’ll receive plenty of motivational advice to keep you going and improving.
9. Drops
Another important name to add to this list is Drops. This app is convenient if you don’t have much spare time a day to learn a new language. However, this doesn’t mean the content isn’t made of the highest quality you can image. Just give yourself five minutes a day and you’ll be amazed at what you can learn. This app promises to offer support and programs for over 19 languages – including Korean and Arabic. Even some of the best language apps available right now don’t offer these languages. Through fun processes, you’ll feel like you’re having a great time, rather than learning a new skill. There’s no typing or reading involved which makes it ideal for people who have little patience or a short attention span. Instead, you develop your vocabulary through fun games with quirky images.
We love that Drops makes learning fun and possible for people from all walks of life. You won’t feel like you’re being forced into anything, and there’s no pressure to have someone examining your progress or watching/listening to you. As a result, this is at least an ideal first step into learning a new language. Reduce the pressure and ease yourself into a new area of life.
Also, by focusing on visual learning, it helps to improve your memory and for new words to stick with you. Everyone can create five minutes spare a day. Awaken your senses, expand your knowledge and more importantly, have fun along the way. From an outside point of view, it’s a fun and interactive program to help you learn. However, it took years to develop and master this app with a lot of thought and knowledge gone into each element.
10. Mondly
Mondly is a life-changing language app, and one that we’re extremely fond of. One of the best features of this app is that you can learn fast. When you first log into the app, you’ll be skeptical that you can effectively learn from an app which makes education so entertaining. However, with special technologies and hard work gone into the development process, you’ll be talking new languages quicker than you could imagine. At the moment, there are 25 million users making the most of this program, and each one is making the most of their 33 languages on offer.
We have to praise that this app has a children’s version, as well as school and organization programs. As a result, this makes it highly suitable for an array of people and many from different lifestyles and educational programs. You don’t need any money, experience or pre-requirements to begin. There’s no pressure or perception to fill to get started. It’s one of the best language apps if you’re limited to a deadline or planning to go on vacation soon. Learn the most useful and basic terms to help your experience in a foreign country.
Since their beginning, Mondly have worked hard to consistently update their app and add more information for their users. However, they also only hire people who are passionate about this field. They’re not an app which is out to make money. Instead, they want to make a difference to people’s lives and change the world together. Mondly also embrace their community of learners sharing advice and recommendations to improve their app. This means that no two days are ever the same and you can progress and grow with this program.
11. Engvarta
Engvarta is a great app choice if you’re hesitant of learning a new language a lack confidence. Contrary to some of the other best language apps earlier, this has a huge emphasis on learning the English language. When we’re in school, we learn how to communicate in English, but as we get older, we quickly develop poor habits which impacts our English. However, this app is a great way to erase those bad habits and clean up on your speaking, writing and listening skills. Most of us spend so much time looking at a screen through our laptop and phone that we don’t want to spend our spare time doing the exact same. However, this app takes that into consideration and you don’t have to type of look at the screen – simply use the voice option.
This app wants to make learning a new language easy and possible for everyone. As a result, you’ll go right back to the basics of learning grammar to help improve your writing and reading skills. Not only is this hugely beneficial to your daily life, but to your career prospects too. The English language is one of the most difficult languages in the world to learn. Therefore, it’s likely we’ll all make mistakes – even if it is your native language. However, don’t let that spark fear within you. Engvarta gives you all the confidence and support you need to begin this journey.
There are so many other benefits to using this app. For example, you will work 1 on 1 with a professional to improve your spoken English. Also, you can connect with an expert on the phone to plan your 15-minute learning session at a time and day which suits you. There’s no need to leave your house either.
12. MindSnacks
MindSnacks is another of the best language apps available to anyone. Rather than bombarding you with content and intimidating material, MindSnacks share games to help you learn a new language like no other language app can. As a result, it makes learning fun so that you feel like you’re relaxing rather than learning. However, let’s not dismiss that knowledge and expert material has gone into developing these games. They teach you context, grammar, vocabulary and more areas of learning a new language. Each user receives a personalized experience of MindSnacks. This means that you can track your process each time you log in. As a result, you can see your progress and what areas you’re excelling/lacking in.
Also, their team of experts designed a multitude of words and phrases, plus 50 real-world lessons and games to help you learn as much as you can. But, that doesn’t mean you’re bombarded with material. Instead, it’s displayed and given to you in refreshing ways. This app is designed for all ages – that means kids and adults can join in. The way the material is presented to you makes it possible for the entire family to bond and learn at the same time.
There’s an endearing attitude and personality to this app that makes learning possible and fun. Also, MindSnacks has a huge emphasis on sharing engaging games and boosting your conversational skills if you’ve had little success with other learning apps in the past. In total, there’s 40 hours of content to master, 50 levels to complete and over 1000 words to learn. So, no matter your experience or learning process, everyone can get on board this life-changing app.
13. Clozemaster
Another of the best language apps we’d like to share with you is Clozemaster. This app has a huge emphasis with learning on the go. Unlike some of the other best language apps, you’re in competition with other users. This gives you an incentive to work harder, revise more and learn quicker. For example, you score points and work your way to the top of a leaderboard. However, there isn’t a sense of rush or forced learning with this app. Instead, you can track your progress easily and efficiently. In fact, each word is analyzed and dissected to help you be the best learner you can be.
Also, it’s free to sign up and play. However, you can make use of the paid version for more benefits if you’re serious about learning your new language. But, we suggest downloading the free version first to pace yourself. We love that Clozemaster takes language learning right down to the basics. You don’t have to guess or presumably know something. Instead, you learn new words – including the proper pronunciation and meaning. At the end of the program, you’ll be amazed at how much you learnt in such a short amount of time. Clozemaster doesn’t believe in single-word flashcards. Instead, users fill in the missing word for thousands of sentences. Through practice, you build your understanding and vocabulary.
There’s no confusion with this app which makes it great for everyone – even if you’re at the first stages of learning your language. Also, you can make use of the text-to-speed options to help expand your knowledge even more. Simply download the software on your desktop to hear a word correctly said aloud. Not only does this give you a thorough understanding of how the voice sounds, but it gives you the opportunity to practice too.
Have You Used Any of The Above Language Apps?
If you’re planning to learn a new language, it can be intimidating. However, we hope that you don’t allow fear to win. Instead, take the plunge and you won’t regret it. We’ve researched and scoured the Internet for the best language apps for a variety of experience levels.
If you’ve used any of the above apps, we’d love to hear your experience. Share your thoughts in the comments, or share any recommendations you may have.
Related Article: How to Learn a Language and Start Communicating Fluently Right Now
