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The Best Language-Learning Apps

By Mike Richard Aug 10, 2021 3:46 AM

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man using application to learn a language — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The best way to learn a new language is, of course, immersion. Nothing beats surrounding yourself with native speakers. If you’re looking to jumpstart your language learning before arriving in a new country, however, there are plenty of smartphone apps to do just that. Here are four of the best mobile apps for mastering a new language.

Pimsleur

The Pimsleur App – 50 Years of Training in the Palm of Your Hand

Pimsleur is one of the oldest, most recognized language learning brands. Most of its products rely on listening and repeating individual words at first, then complete sentences as users develop their vocabulary. It’s ideal for those who learn best aurally, and many users can develop basic conversational fluency in a month. However, the “listen, speak, repeat” approach isn’t effective for everyone, and it can feel overly repetitive. The app is free for both Android and iPhone, although only paying Premium users have access to additional learning tools like flashcards, quizzes, and a customized skills section that’s perfect for travelers.

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Tandem

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Most language learning apps and software rely on formulaic lessons through which students progress one step at a time. That structure can be great for some, while others prefer a freeform approach. Plus, the lack of a native speaker to converse with makes it difficult for students to know how proper (or not) their pronunciation is. Tandem solves these problems. It’s a language-learning exchange where users connect to learn each other’s language. New users create a profile, including which languages they’re fluent in and which they’re looking to learn. The site then works to find the best learning partner for them. The community boasts more than 160 world languages, including English, Spanish, German, French, Russian, Japanese, Korean, and more. It’s free, communal, and is the best way for budding polyglots to know whether they’re speaking correctly. The upgraded Tandem Pro version is ad-free and adds features like profile verification and allowing members to locate other nearby members to meet up with.

Duolingo

Duolingo: The Best Way to Learn a Language

Duolingo keeps things lighter and more fun by “gamifying” the language-learning process. The app interface is bright, colorful, and uses short, exercises to help students quickly master new vocabulary and phrases. Users progress to higher levels one at a time, and the app rewards those who maintain their streaks by tracking the number of days in a row they’ve reached their point goal. It also encourages reviewing older lessons, so users retain the words and phrases they’ve previously mastered. Most of the features — including multiple language learning and access to short audio stories — are available in the free version. Upgrading to Duolingo Plus provides access to downloadable language learning lessons and an ad-free experience.

Memrise

Like Pimsleur, Memrise is best for students who learn aurally. The app takes a different approach, however, by using short videos of native speakers saying words and phrases aloud so users can quickly master the pronunciation, tone, and cadence of their chosen language. In this way, it’s easier to learn the conversational patterns of a new language. A limited selection of lessons is available in both the Android and iOS versions of the app. Users looking for more will need to upgrade to Memrise Pro to unlock the full set of features.

For travelers, Google Translate is another must-have, as are these other free travel apps.

Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He’s kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South… Read Full Bio

5 Tips If You’re Traveling With Cigars: I Learned No. 2 the Hard Way

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Traveling with cigars can be challenging if you’re not prepared. The lack of preparation can lead to your favorite cigars getting smashed from inadequate storage, or they can peel because they weren’t kept at the proper temperature, among other issues. Sometimes you do all the right things, and still come away shaking your head.

I’ve been smoking cigars for two decades now, and it’s not beneath me to admit that I’ve made plenty of cigar travel mistakes in that span, and as recently as two weeks ago. You live, you learn, and hope you don’t waste a stogie on the next trip. My most recent cigar travel mistake is what inspired me to share these tips. Sure, there are plenty of articles out there offering similar advice. But this list comes from a cigar smoker and writer who has visited six countries and about a dozen states in the last year alone. And in that time, mistakes were made, and lessons were learned.

The art of adventure packing: packing light but effective

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If you are like me, you grew up with stories of adventure. Whether you were fans of fictional adventure like Indiana Jones and Alan Quartermain, or you loved the true-life accounts of Ernest Shackleton and David Livingstone, there is a deep pull to venture into the unknown. The desire to abandon the Mon-Fri 9-5 in search of something deeper. You could spend your time thinking about hopping a boat and sailing the seven seas like the pirates of old. You could look up at the elusive peak of a mountain and believe it begs to be summited. You could stare into the depths of a jungle and wonder what treasures it hides beneath its canopy. No matter what kind of adventurer you are, you need to be prepared for whatever the world throws at you. I have climbed Salkantay Peak and explored the jungles of Peru. I have scanned the plains of Africa in search of a giant cat (the prospect of which was much more comforting than the actual sighting and wondering if I was far enough away). And I have disappeared into the secluded areas of Svalbard. One thing that remained constant was the need for the right pack.

Here is what I learned when packing for my adventures.

Savannah Beyond the Postcard

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Savannah is one of those cities that seems almost too easy to like. The live oaks are dramatic. The Spanish moss does exactly what it is supposed to do. The brick sidewalks buckle in all the right places. The houses look like they were designed by people who understood proportion, shade, and the value of a proper front step. Even the light seems to arrive with better manners than it does in most places.

I have a built-in advantage when it comes to Savannah. We have family there, so we have been back several times, not just once for the checklist version of the city. I have also done a photography workshop there, which is a terrific way to learn any city. You get up early, stay out late, and pay attention to alleys, doorways, ironwork, reflections, and the way a city changes when the tourists are still asleep.