6 Helpful Apps to Learn a Language in Times of Coronavirus
Posted by With the spread of COVID-19, a new educational landscape is emerging, with online lessons being the most practical way you can study languages from the comfort of your home. But while it is always best to learn under the guidance of a professional expert, it’s crucial to practice outside the classroom to achieve fluency and gain confidence using your new skills (even when that classroom is virtual).
A fun, interactive, and safe way to do so (especially in 2020, with the coronavirus prevalent) is by using one of the many language apps available on Android or iOS, which can be the perfect complement to your online language lessons.
Read on to find out more about the top 6 apps that will help you build your vocabulary, cement important grammar rules and, eventually, become fluent and confident when using your target language!
Photo via Flickr
Rosetta Stone
Price: $5.99 monthly
Rosetta Stone’s mobile app features resources to learn 24 different languages (among them are Spanish, Italian, French, and English). The app structures its courses into basic, intermediate, and advanced levels, with a focus on building vocabulary and improving pronunciation. Some of the activities include listening and repeating words and phrases, matching the word to the picture, and translating phrases. And don’t waste the chance of testing your knowledge using their interactive quizzes.
Duolingo
Price: Free
Those looking to acquire the basics of a language or build up their vocabulary will find a great option in Duolingo. With a bright, lively design and an easy-to-use interface, you’ll find yourself making quick progress by using the app regularly but at the times of day that suit you best. Their study material ranges from very simple vocabulary and grammar to more complex sentences and structures. Further, their speech-recognition function allows you to record yourself saying words and sentences and get feedback on your pronunciation!
Click here to download the app.
Photo by Newerdead
Memrise
Price: $9.99 per month
Whether you are an eager language learner, a business professional, or a traveler, Memrise can help you acquire a new language. The app has a lot of resources, such as videos, flashcards, and fill-in-the-blanks exercises that will greatly expand your vocabulary, and give you strategies and tips to improve your communication with other speakers of your target language. For instance, all their courses begin with recordings of native speakers using formal and informal greetings that you can repeat and adopt, too.
Click here to get started with Memrise.
Clozemaster
Price: Free
Clozemaster is a bit different from the other apps mentioned above, as it gives users the opportunity to learn a language by playing classic games, like crosswords. It has more than 100 languages (including exotic ones, like Zulu) and a nice variety of activities to complete, earn points and make progress. For example, in some tasks, you’ll have to select the correct word that’s missing from the sentence or test your pronunciation by recording yourself saying words and phrases.
Get started with Clozemaster by clicking here.
Photo via Flickr
LingoDeer
Starting from £3/€3 per month
LingoDeer might be just the thing for those of us who are tired of mindless repetition and want a gamified app “with a brain” instead. LingoDeer offers a wide range of language courses (Korean, Japanese, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, Russian, Portuguese, Italian, Vietnamese – not to mention all the courses geared towards non-English speakers), where each unit starts with Grammar Notes, giving succinct, yet in-depth explanations of every grammar or vocabulary point a learner might need. Paid users can get access to well-structured lessons, top-quality audios, and challenging exercises that have been proven to work.
Head over to lingodeer.com to explore their courses!
Lingualift
$29 a month
Last but not least, if you are looking to improve your grammar and vocabulary in your target language, then you should give Lingualift a try. This app is great for beginner or intermediate level students, as they’ll find clear grammar explanations, vocabulary exercises, and a lot of cultural insights that will help support your language lessons. Paying for Lingualift’s monthly subscription will give you access to their study routines, videos, and even songs you can sing along with to practice your pronunciation.
Certainly, all these language apps can help you take your foreign language skills to the next level, especially while COVID-19 has limited our ability to meet face to face. But keep in mind that studying a new language will never be as effective as when you learn under the supervision of an experienced, professional language instructor, who can adapt each class to your unique learning needs and use the latest teaching techniques to keep you interested and motivated!
Looking for help to get started with your target language? Contact us today and we will prepare a program just for you!