Just the other day as I was neck deep in work, I heard a colleague mumbling to herself in a strange language. Turns out, she was practising Spanish. Why? She’d discovered a new language app and had dreams of one day taking tourists to travel through Spain. What ensued, were days of her trying to get beyond “Hola,” to “Donde esta el baño?” (Where’s the toilet?). As I explored the appverse a little more, I realised there were a tonne of language apps out there. You might not master a foreign language just yet, but hey, it’s a fun way to pass time isn’t it? Here are a few worth checking out. They are free to download.
Duolingo
iOS and Android
This made it to Google’s Editor’s Choice apps 2017 and has a 100 million downloads. The app uses text, pictures and audio to help you learn new words and pronunciation. The idea is to help you associate the sound of words in the new language with the visuals. While creating an account isn’t mandatory, it does help you track progress, especially so you can “earn achievements”. You can also test yourself in various sections as you progress, and buy plans for specific purposes (a job interview, for instance).
Busuu
iOS and Android
The app is touted to be easy to use and is flexible with how you choose to work with courses you take. All one has to do is choose a language supported by the app, login and decide which level of the course one would like to start with. Levels are divided up under Beginner, Elementary, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Travel. Busuu has a bunch of words and phrases that are perfect for getting by while travelling to a foreign country. It also throws up quizzes to help you test your progress. While the app is free, some of these quizzes might require in-app purchases.
Memrise
iOS and Android
This is a Google Play Awards Best App Winner in 2017. It follows a fun learning method that creates funny or bizarre associations with words. There are 12 languages in-app to choose from. For instance, if you’d like to learn cuss words in Japanese, you could make a beeline to the Japanese naughty words feature. Or use translations from your favourite book to learn the new language. The best part about the app: it uses memes to make learning all the more fun. You can learn in the offline mode and even have accent training.
TripLingo
iOS and Android
As the name suggests, this is your go-to app if you are looking to pick up a few quick words and phrases for that dream holiday abroad or business trip. The app aims to help you to speak and be understood in your chosen language so you are not lost and clueless on that trip abroad. The creators have also included a Slang Slider feature to help you decipher the levels of formality in the language so you know what to say in what context.