Best Language Learning Apps

Learning a second language is a key tool to have under your belt. Be it French, German, Russian, Mandarin, you may find it daunting or assume it’s too difficult or even just too late to learn another language. However, with the advent of the smartphone came some pretty useful apps, and learning a new language got that little bit easier. You’re not going to become fluent, but they’re handy to brush up on everyday words and phrases before heading off to the country in question, so you’re not immediately lost as you get off the plane.

Duolingo

Duolingo is a user-friendly app created and developed by a Guatemalan-born entrepreneur that saw how difficult and expensive it was in his home country for people to learn English. The app is fun, yet challenging, and reminds you when you haven’t been practicing hard enough. You can see that as a good thing, or see it like a bossy girlfriend.

Memrise

Another great little app at the end of your fingertips to help you master that second tongue is “Memrise.” It helps you, you’ve guessed it, memorize words. Helping you increase your vocabulary in a wide variety of languages, this app is great for beginners.

Babbel

Babbel, named after the mythical tower, is available to download and comes with a monthly fee.It has a goal system that you customize to your desired level, track your progress and set personal targets.

Anki App

For those of you brave enough to take on Japanese, this is the app for you. Anki is Japanese for “memorizing,” and that’s pretty much what it’s about. However, it’s not just for learning Japanese, as this will display a word, phrase, image or even play an array of sounds. This means you can customize it for whatever you want to memorize, be it math and science equations, different faces, places or sounds.