The 3 best Apps to learn Foreign Languages
Learning another language allows students and professionals several advantages as it gives them tools to be able to interact with people, increase their social and professional network, learn about other cultures and also stimulates different parts of the brain that increase creativity.
We all know that nowadays not everyone has time to take in-person language classes and that online learning is on the rise. With my experience in learning 5 different languages, I think that learning both in-person, online and traveling to the specific country and immersing yourself in the language are the crucial steps in order for you to succeed.
There are hundreds of language apps out there but here are the 5 most well-known that are available for iOS and Android:
Duolingo
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Duolingo is one of the best-rated apps when it comes to learning another language. This is because it teaches through repetition, speaking and conversation. The lessons are made to increase in difficulty as the student progresses. It works very similar to ta video game where each player receives "experience points" (xp) for every correct answer. The currency they use in this app is called Lingots and can be used for items in their virtual store.
Although this app is great it is not grammar intensive as it only focuses on 10 of the most commonly used verb tenses in order to allow beginner users to learn the language as fast as possible.
This app is amazingly free to use but of course, you can always pay to get a Duolingo Certificate which costs 49 US$, and is graded within 48 hours on a scale of 0-10.
Babbel
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Similar to Duolingo, Babbel uses the same system of repetition and completion of phrases. Users can choose from 13 languages and download them individually to learn each one in it's entirety. Babbel also uses a gamification feature similar to Duolingo allowing for students to set goals as they learn a new language and monitor their progress well.
This app, like Duolingo, is free to download but has the option of a monthly subscription cost beginning at $11.
Memrise
Memrise is a highly effective app for learning 10 different languages, including both Spanish from Spain or Mexico. This app teaches users how to speak a specific language by having them memorize different words and uses flashcards and repetition to boost the speed and ease of learning.
The interesting part about this app is its online community that creates its courses. These courses are mainly utilized to teach languages but also have other academic and non-academic subject.
Like the others, this app is also free to download and has a premium option for $10/month but also offers a 50% off option on yearly memberships.
Using an app will provide you with daily exercises where you can listen, repeat and write new words and phrases. But always remember to have a complete strategy it is very important to use the app, go to the country, take in person classes while you're there and speak as much as you can with the locals. Some good examples of this worldwide are Kaplan International in San Francisco, Language Plus in Brazil, Gogo Nihon in Japan and la Universidad de Granada in Spain.
