Bon app-etit

Various studies have proved that there are several cognitive benefits of learning a new language. Apart from improving one’s memory and increasing one’s attention span, mastering a language helps one boost analytical skills and problem-solving capabilities. Besides, if you plan to pursue studies abroad, knowing the country’s language can be an asset. Here are some apps that can help.

Memrise

Be it Spanish, Japanese, French, Italian, or more, this app can help you learn the basics or brush up your knowledge. Not only will it enable you to learn the language, it will also improve your grammar and provide intermediate lessons. It includes about 30,000 ‘native speaker videos’ as well as an interactive chatbot to help you practise whatever you have learnt through a conversation. It also features a pronunciation guide that can help you improve your pronunciation by comparing it with that of a native speaker. (http://bit.ly/2EmTCv7)

Learn French phrases

Most of us would be familiar with various words or phrases in French without even realising it; for example, Café, Chic, Déjà vu, Cliché, and so on. This app can help you learn useful phrases, their meanings, as well as pronunciation. It enables users to listen to the pronunciation of various phrases by native French speakers as well as record their own voice and play it back for practising. (http://bit.ly/2uUX4gG)

Busuu

If you want to improve your speaking and writing skills while being part of a community of people who are trying to learn the same language as well, Busuu is the right app for you. Free of cost, it features a ‘placement test’ that lets you start from the level that best suits you. It provides you with the option of getting a certification from McGraw-Hill Education. You can also get their written exercises corrected by native speakers and get accent training through speech recognition exercises.

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