With the most popular resolutions made every year being to learn a new language, it is no wonder that language learning apps have catapulted into popularity in the past couple of years. No more waiting to join an in person class that will cost a good chunk of your bank balance. These apps allow you to learn in your own time, for free, with a huge range of languages to learn. So with the world of language apps at your fingertips, why not give them a try?
Duolingo
The language app that mostly everyone will have heard about. This app is all over the internet, you’ve probably seen an advert for it. They quote themselves as being “the world's best way to learn a language”. Duolingo is an easy to use app that guides you through your chosen language, and there are over 30 to pick from. You are given reminders to complete your daily lessons in order to keep your language skills at the top of its game. I have previously used this app to help me learn japanese and korean. Duolingo makes it so easy to learn and it gives you audio help and lets you retake the lesson if you need additional help. Definitely worth considering if you want to dust off your language skills.
Babbel
Where duolingo lets you learn the basics and vocabulary, Babbel allows you to form sentences and conversations in your chosen language. Babbel allows you to immerse in the local culture and gives you a bit of an insight into the country of the language you are learning, so you can be a little more knowledgeable if you ever want to travel there. Babbel however is a paid for app though you can get a 3 month free trial to try out the app and see if it is something you enjoy and want to stick with after the free trial.
Hellotalk
This is an app I have only discovered recently, and honestly I think it will give duolingo a run for its money. Hellotalk gives users a chance to talk with native speakers of their chosen language, this can be through text messages or even phone calls. This allows for better pronunciation techniques and helps to build confidence in speaking the language rather than it being written. I find this way of learning really helpful for those who are audio learners as they can hear the language from those who speak the language. This app is completely free and you can practice whenever you like, there are no set tasks to do, so you can learn at your own pace.
By: Holly Proctor
Comments