Duolingo: Learn a New Language in 2015

Let’s be honest: Learning a new language as an adult is hard. Rewarding? Of course. Practical? Definitely! But easy? No way. Thankfully, there are tons of apps out there to help you polish up rusty language skills or learn a new one. One of those apps is Duolingo, and if learning a language is one of your 2015 resolutions, you should definitely download it right now.

The Duolingo app currently offers eight languages, including French, Portuguese, Spanish and German. It doesn’t offer any language that uses different alphabets, so no Russian or Arabic. The app uses a combination of vocabulary practice, translation and repetition of spoken phrases to help create a well-rounded sense of the language. Using voice recognition, the app lets you practice your pronunciation while still building a foundation of vocabulary, providing useful language skills immediately.

The lessons are fast — just 10 questions — so it’s easy to get one or two in when you have a free moment. You can also choose to opt out of the spoken tasks, so you can practice on the train or at work without putting on a show for those around you. The app also encourages you to go back and review past lessons to refresh basic skills as you move forward, a crucial step in reinforcing your new language.

Duolingo is fast, easy to use and best of all — free! Download the app for either Android or Apple today and start learning your second (or third or fourth) language!