Learn languages on the go

Here are a few apps you can use to learn a new language

Gone are the days when one had to enroll in a class and sit through hours of lessons to learn a new language. With learning apps, users can now learn a new language (or two) through multiple methods and formats, all condensed into bite-sized daily lessons.

DUOLINGO

The most popular one, Duolingo uses a variety of word games as its primary method of learning. After completing lessons, users can check their daily progress on a leader board. However, this app focuses more on grammar than pronunciation. Available on iOS, Android, and Windows Phones, the app offers both free and premium versions; premium subscribers can access unlimited lessons in a day. Fun fact: Duolingo also offers lessons in the auxiliary language Esperanto, as well as High Valyrian and Klingon.

DROPS: LANGUAGE LEARNING

One of the more off-beat apps on the list, Drops encourages users to completely forgo typing, focusing instead on mental gymnastics. Games include unscrambling words in your target language, matching pictures to translations, etc. Available on iOS and Android, it offers 33 languages including Maori, Samoan, and Taglog. However, the free version only offers a 5-minute lesson each day. Fun fact: Drops allows users to learn scripts through ‘finger-painting.’ Users can learn alphabets in Cyrillic, Hangul, and even the American Sign Language.

BUSUU

Focusing on conversations and commonly-used phrases, Busuu’s objective is to help users ‘speak like a local.’ Available on iOS and Android, it offers 12 languages and a pen-pal system of learning. Fun fact: Students learning French can be graded by Francophones, while they grade another user’s answers in their native language.

MONDLY

Perhaps the only language app that does not resort to ‘gamification’, Mondly approaches learning in an almost classroom-like fashion. Unlike apps that award users with points, Mondly provides chances to unlock quizzes and bonus lessons. The app offers 32 languages, including Persian and Afrikaans. Available on iOS and Android,
this is another ‘freemium’ app, with unlimited access for those with premium subscriptions. Fun fact: Lessons can go up to two hours of instruction on various topics, depending on the user’s proficiency.