7 mobile applications to learn a foreign language

Learning a new language requires personal investment and a lot of rigor. Learning a language is not done overnight. So be sure to be available over a sufficient period of time to be able to complete your training. Applications often offer fairly short daily lessons. Take advantage of regular public transport trips to study. You can assess your starting skills to take courses that really match your level. To facilitate learning, set yourself specific objectives. You can then focus on courses adapted to your needs.

The 10 best applications to learn a language

You want to speak a new language for a next trip or simply for your personal culture ? Here are our top 10 applications to learn a language !

Learning a foreign language carrying many benefits. Talking a new idiom opens many opportunities and allows you to exchange with the premises of a visited country. This also stimulates cognitive capacities. In addition, local populations will appreciate that you were talking to them in their mother tongue.

If it takes persistence, a lot of method and rigor, become a speaker of a second language also gives great satisfaction. First, basic concepts will suffice to cover most of the current vocabulary. In accordance with Pareto law, it is enough to learn 20 % of the lexicon of an idiom to cover 80 % of your most common vocabulary.

You prepare a trip abroad ? Downloading a mobile application to learn a language is a good alternative to private language lessons. But in the world of languages, the offer of online courses is considerable. It can be difficult to choose the right method. Here is our selection of the best applications to learn a language.

1. Babbel

Photo credit: Apps.Apple.com

Our top/flop ::
��: His personalized learning
��: the absence of a community

Babbel is the global reference to learn a language whatever it is. The application allows you to learn English, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, Polish, Dutch, Indonesian, Turkish, Danish, Norwegian and Russian.

With a playful interface, Babbel is gaining notoriety from year to year, and offers for learning two training modules: the vocabulary where the tools. Whether you enjoy a basic or advanced level in Spanish, Babbel is responsible for making you a perfect bilingual.

To do this, the application usesinteractive activities Articulated around oral and written exercises, and a very simple method which also recalls the translator of yesteryear: a word in French and its translation in Spanish.

Prices range from € 12.99 For one month, at € 10 per month (quarterly subscription), € 7.50 (for 6 months) at 5 € (a year).

2. Mosalingua

Photo credit: Apps.Apple.com

Our top/flop ::
��: His scientific method
��: its limited offer

Mosalingua is a mastodon of language learning applications, and already has courses for English, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, Russian and Chinese. In addition, the application offers you specialized courses like a Spanish “special business” or an English “special toefl”.

This small multi-platform application provides courses according to A method that has proven itself at the scientific level, spaced rehearsal. The mission is to help you memorize words using vocabulary exercises.

To do this, Mosalingua uses some 3,000 cards with words as well as key sentences, which will be repeated to you unexpectedly over your evolution in levels, to help you memorize the maximum of words possible.

For this application, you will have to pay € 9.99 per month, or opt for the formula 12 months at € 59.99 (or € 4.99 per month) !

3. Worldly

Photo credit: Apps.Apple.com

Our top/flop ::
��: her very intuitive chatbot
��: its repetitive side

In a few years, Mondly has become one of the real reference applications to learn a new language ! Designed in 2013, the application is already complete for 33 languages.

Mondly’s true advantage is that she perfectly combines Babbel’s learning method with that of Duolingo, while presenting his own features ! Here, you will therefore learn your skills of written comprehension as oral, your vocabulary and your grammar.

In addition, you can choose the frame you want to learn the language of your choice. Go on vacation, learn for work or simply improve your skills, you have the choice ! The real plus of the application lies in its intuitive chatbot, which will guide you throughout your learning.

Price level, you will have the choice between a subscription to € 9.99 for a month, and € 47.99 for a year. The application also offers many offers, throughout the year. Otherwise, you can also choose the “life subscription” version, 60 €, to never have to spend the slightest penny again.

4. Fluentu

Photo credit: Apps.Apple.com

Our top/flop ::
��: its podcasts and its innovative side
��: its exacerbated price

Fluentu is the most in line application with its time in our ranking. Indeed, she breaks with the learning codes by simply offering to learn a language (Spanish, French, Mandarin, German, Japanese, and English) through podcasts and other digital information formats. It is therefore the most unprecedented application of our ranking.

Several types of tools are offered within Fluentu, ranging from videos to fairly vulgar subjects such as musical clips, to more formal subjects such as news and advertisements. This type of training compensates for one of the issues of language learning. Indeed, after days and days of learning, when we are put in real situation, we rarely have moments of “white” during the conversation phases, to give us time to think.

To help you go step by step, each video has a detailed script in English and Spanish, in such a way that you know what each term means. Only downside, the application has a cost, since only the first two weeks of use are free. It will therefore be necessary to pay 15 € per month or 120 € per year to continue to have access to it.

5. Bus

Photo credit: Apps.Apple.com

Our top/flop ::
��: Perfect for learning vocabulary
��: the false hope of “freemium”

Busuu has also established itself in the landscape of language learning applications. Indeed, weighing only a few mega bytes, this application offers you lessons like at school, which will give you notions of vocabulary and grammar, dialogues in stories to read or audio documents that will facilitate understanding of the phonetics of words.

For each language that the application offers, 150 themes are covered in 3,000 unique sentences to read and listen. Whether it’s everyday life or more professional and serious subjects, Busuu is the ideal support tool for Duolingo, even if learners at the intermediate level will be able to use their knowledge to improve their knowledge.

The downside is a little disappointment … First free the time of the first lessons, the application then becomes paid ! On the other hand, the application is quite economical since you will have to count only € 34.99 A year, for the premium version !

For the Premium Plus version, you will have to pay about € 6.50 per month. But don’t worry, it is common for the application to offer attractive offers ..

6. Call

Photo credit: Apps.Apple.com

Our top/flop ::
��: its user community
��: its lack of diversity

Memrise allows you to learn a language by encouraging to acquire superpowers to the user. The application has the same languages ​​as Duolingo: English, Spanish, Italian, German, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Russian. She follows the same functioning of checking cards as her sister Duolingo. The program incorporates short videos recorded by native speakers to stimulate voice recognition. The goal is to learn five new words a day.

A basic version is free. For advanced use, three monthly subscriptions ($ 8.99), quarterly ($ 18.99) and annual ($ 45.99) are provided.

7. Duolingo

Photo credit: Apps.Apple.com

Our top/flop ::
��: the application is 100% free
��: the too present playful aspect

Here is an application launched in 2011 which claims 200 million users. We no longer present it, Duolingo is a reference to learn a language. In French, you can learn English, Spanish, Italian, German and Portuguese Brazilian. The English version gives access to many more languages: Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, Irish, Welsh, Danish, Swedish, Turkish, Esperanto, Norwegian, Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, Hebrew, Vietnamese, Hungarian, Swahili, Romanian,. You must of course have knowledge in English to take these courses.

The Duolingo method is based on the accumulation of points at the end of each validated lesson. The user plays on checking cards with the technique of spaced repetition. You practice 10 to 20 minutes per day to progress in expression and pronunciation, grammar and spelling.

The application is free, but a paid version – Duolingo Plus – Allows you to use it offline, and without advertising. The cost is $ 12.99 for a month, $ 6.99 per month for 12 months and $ 7.99 per month for 6 months.

8. Tandem

Photo credit: Apps.Apple.com

Our top/flop ::
��: the perfect application to learn and meet
��: It is easy to accumulate too many conversations and lose the wire

This is an application very different from all those you know until today ! Here, you enter the languages ​​you already master, then the ones you want to learn. Then you indicate some of your interests, discussion subjects that you like to approach on a daily basis.

Finally, Tandem will offer you profiles of people who want to learn your language, and who master the one you want to know. The advantage here is that you can chat with people from around the world, and thus discuss your cultural differences.

Fully free, Tandem is a real opportunity to learn a language while meeting (virtually) new people. You will therefore be both a student and a teacher, all in a studious and relaxed atmosphere.

9. 50 landscape

Photo credit: Apps.Apple.com

Our top/flop ::
��: its diversified offer
��: The courses are quite basic

Here is a much less known application to learn a language. As its name suggests, 50langes offers the opportunity to learn 50 languages ​​such as Arabic, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, German, English, French, Dutchman. And other less widespread languages ​​also: Hindi, Persia or Afrikaans. 50langues applications contain more than 100 lessons to learn or start in a second language.

In addition, they allow you to work out of connection. The learning method is focused on the European framework levels (CECRL). It combines texts and recordings to improve in reading, pronunciation, expression and written and oral understanding.

10. Speedo

Photo credit: Apps.Apple.com

Our top/flop ::
��: His particular learning
��: Lots of necessary updates

You want another solution to learn a language ? You would like to be able to compare a more wide panel of linguistic applications ? Speekoo, allows you to take lessons in ten languages: English, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek, Chinese, Japanese, Russian or Arabic. The platform offers exercises to write and speak in order to work on written and oral expression and understanding.

The application has, in a “backpack” button, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation sheets. Each level corresponds to a city. Once validated, his city sheet informs the learner, who enriches both his general culture: Seville, Montevideo, Buenos Aires or Madrid, etc. for Spanish. London, New York, Auckland, Sydney or Vancouver, etc. For the English course.

Another advantage: the basic use of the application is free ! A subscription is required to access all of the content: € 9.90 per month without commitment, or € 3.50 per month 12 months with commitment.

7 mobile applications to learn a foreign language

Discover 7 applications to improve your linguistic skills on iPhone and on Android smartphones.

Claudia the Pope / Published on March 24, 2022 at 10:15 am

In working environments that are internationalizing, knowing another language is essential to communicate with collaborators from around the world. Such an asset can boost your career and give you access to new professional opportunities. Here are 7 applications available on iOS and Android, which offer you the opportunity to learn a new language directly from your smartphone.

Mosalingua, to memorize sentences by turning flashcards

Mosalingua offers language courses for beginners but also professionals who wish to reach an advanced level. There are, for example, programs to learn English and Spanish business, as well as to prepare TOEFL and TOEIC. The application immerses you in immersion in common situations of the world of work, such as a job interview, a meeting or a telephone call. The tool uses the spaced repetition method. Every day, flashcards allow you to memorize vocabulary words, which are offered at regular intervals so as not to forget them. You can also register to improve your pronunciation. Learning is carried out by self-assessment.

• Available languages : German, English, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin, Portuguese and Russian.
• Application available on : iOS and Android (English business).
• Prices : monthly subscription at € 9.99 or annual at € 59.90. You have 15 days of free trial. The application also offers tailor -made offers adapted to companies. See the offers of Mosalingua Business.

Babbel, to learn vocabulary by repeating them

Babbel is one of the most popular linguistic learning applications. It offers courses by theme and level. The words to remember are regularly repeated to ensure good assimilation of spelling but also grammar. The sheets are complete and the supports are varied. The lessons are based on real and interactive conversations to quickly become more comfortable. To complete your training, you can listen to podcasts, participate in online courses with professional teachers and play games. Good to know: the application is chargeable, with a free version that restricts access to certain features.

• Available languages : German, English, Danish, Spanish, Indonesian, Italian, Mandarin, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Swedish and Turkish.
• Application available on:iOS and Android.
• Prices : 3 -month subscription to € 29.99, from 6 months to € 44.99 or 12 months to € 59.99. You have 7 free trial days. Babbel also offers linguistic training for companies. See Babbel for Business offers.

Busuu, to improve themselves to other learners

Busuu allows you to learn new languages ​​by connecting users with native speakers. This complete application offers both auditory and visual learning. After defining your level, the tool asks you to inform the themes you want to assimilate. You can focus on specific needs related to your professional career. The courses are accompanied by playful exercises in the form of holes, dialogues or “true or false”. To improve your level of conversation, you can ask other users to correct you. The application has an active community but the corrections are not carried out by professionals. Most: an official certificate system, which allow you to highlight your new linguistic skills.

• Available languages : German, English, Arabic, Spanish, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian and Turkish.
• Application available on:iOS and Android.
• Prices : monthly subscription to € 9.99, from 12 months to € 69.96 or 24 months to € 129.84. You have a guaranteed refund within 14 days. Busuu also offers linguistic training for companies. See Busuu for Business offers.

Drops, to acquire vocabulary by holding series of words

Drops invites you to memorize series of terms related to the themes you choose. You can learn vocabulary specific to business and technology, or the world of work. You can add words to your favorites to find them easily. The application adopts fun techniques to captivate user interest. You thus perform exercises with different game mechanisms, such as questions and answers or letters that you must drag to form expressions. Learning, limited to 5 minutes a day, combines both the audio and the visual aspect. Drops is practical for knowing specific words, but the application does not allow you to acquire the basics to know how to speak a language. Apart from the vocabulary, it does not offer lessons on the construction of sentences, grammar, nor conjugation.

• Available languages : German, English (British), English (US), Arab, Cantonese, Korean, Danish, Spanish, Spanish (Latin-American), Esperanto, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Swedish, Tagalog, Turkish and Vietnamese.
• Application available on:iOS and Android.
• Prices : monthly subscription at € 12.99, from 3 months to € 29.99 or 12 months to € 89.99. You have 7 free days. Drops also offers a version intended for companies. See Drops at Work offers.

Hellotalk, to learn by exchanging with other users

Hellotalk stands out from other linguistic learning applications by its form. Indeed, the tool presents itself as a social network. The user community actively contributes to your progress. You have the possibility of interacting with natives of foreign countries. You can post photos, interact using likes and comments, or chat with the members. You memorize vocabulary related to business and work using fun exercises, texts and podcasts. Hellotalk offers you to deepen your knowledge by accessing private courses on more specific themes, such as business English. Finally, the platform has integrated grammatical translation and grammatical verification tools.

• Available languages ​​(more than 150 languages ​​supported): German, English, Arabic, Cantonese, Korean, Spanish, Indonesian, Italian, Mandarin, Dutch, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese ..
• Application available on:iOS and Android.
• Prices : free use. The HELLOTalk VIP version, at € 13.99/month or € 78.99/year, gives access to unlimited features, such as translations, cats, the abolition of advertisements ..

Other mobile applications to learn a foreign language

Each application offers its own teaching method. It is therefore important to test several solutions to choose the option most suited to your needs. Duolingo and Rosetta Stone have been included for several years among the most downloaded apps on iPhone and on Android smartphones. They therefore constitute interesting options to consider before making your final choice.

• Duolingo: The application allows you to progress step by step, as in a game. Although the graphics are childish, the application is ergonomic and offers you the possibility of exercising yourself in writing and orally. You must first validate courses on themes of everyday life, such as family or studies, before accessing other chapters (work, health, sports, etc.). Duolingo is available for free on iOS and Android. The Duolingo Plus version is € 13.99/month or € 87.99/year.
• Rosetta Stone : the tool emphasizes oral practice. Rosetta Stone offers to associate sounds with images and texts on different themes. The free version offers limited access to courses. The application is available on iOS and Android with a 3 -month subscription to € 45.99, from 12 months to € 109.99 or for life at € 204.99. In addition to the classic version, Rosetta Stone has developed Fluency Builder for companies.

Our advice for learning a new foreign language

Learning a new language requires personal investment and a lot of rigor. Learning a language is not done overnight. So be sure to be available over a sufficient period of time to be able to complete your training. Applications often offer fairly short daily lessons. Take advantage of regular public transport trips to study. You can assess your starting skills to take courses that really match your level. To facilitate learning, set yourself specific objectives. You can then focus on courses adapted to your needs.

Linguistic learning applications, which are available on iPhone and Android smartphones, allow you to progress independently. There are also training to deepen your knowledge to master a new language.

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