10 Apps to Teach You Another Language
With high school Spanish classes long behind us, sometimes we have to take learning a new language into our own hands. Literally. These days, there’s an app for everything, from fertility tracking and to-do list organization to fitness routines and personal travel guides. Now there are apps for learning (or perhaps brushing up on) a foreign language. Check out these 10 language apps and you’ll be impressing your friends in no time with your new vocabulary. Get ready to finally book that dream trip around the world, language master!
1. Duolingo: Learning should be fun, and this app lives by that motto. You earn points for correct answers and get notified of how many days you do (or don’t) log on. This game-inspired approach totally has our attention. (Free on iOS and Android)
2. Marlee Signs: Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin wanted to create a simple, visual representation of American Sign Language vocab. Taught through short videos showing Matlin signing each letter or phrase, this app makes it super easy to become a signing pro. (Free on iOS)
3. Memrise: They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But in the case of Memrise, it’s worth one (foreign) word. This app displays pictures (called mems) with the words you are trying to learn. It also features a handy audio pronunciation guide for each word. (Free on iOS and Android)
4. AnkiApp: This app grades you on easy-to-use flashcards so you know how well you’re doing as you pick up those new language skills. ($4-5 on iOS and Android)
5. French by Living Language: The app is free to download, but the advanced courses will cost you. Feeling ambitious? Buy the entire lot so you can “oui oui” like nobody’s business. (Free on iOS)
6. Busuu: Choose from 12 different languages… oh, the possibilities! This app allows you to practice and connect with other native speakers. Nothin’ like learning from the pros. (Free on iOS and Android)
7. Learn Spanish by Brainscape: If you’re going to learn a language, you might as well do it with a fancy technique called Intelligent Cumulative Exposure. This method introduces concepts to you in increments and then gradually increases the difficulty. When you’re done, it’ll be like you took two years of Spanish class. ($20 on iOS)
8. Innovative Language 101: Try it free for a week, and if you like what you see, you can buy monthly subscriptions to fuel your learning love. This app seems to have it all: customized learning plans, synced systems between your phone and their website, vocab lists with audio and PDF notes you can download. (Free on iOS and Android)
9. Learn & Play: The name says it all. You’ll be so busy trying to win their games that you won’t even realize you’re learning a new language. Access to must-know phrases and words is free, but if you want the whole shebang, like tracking your progress, taking quizzes and hearing audio from native speaker, you’ll have to pay. (Free on iOS)
10. PimTrack: Calling all little ones (and their parents). This app is meant to teach kiddos a new language. They’ll love the videos and you’ll love tracking your child’s progress. Win! (Free on iOS)
Who’s ready to learn another language? Tell us which language you’ve been wanting to learn (and which app will help) in the comments below.
