Who doesn’t like learning languages? A few of you may be wanting to learn, but time doesn’t permit you, or a few may not have found any classes close by.

Now you don’t have to worry too much, because all you need is the willingness to learn and a smartphone.

There are plenty of options out there and we help you out in picking some of the best out there.

Duolingo
 

With a bright and easy to use interface, Duolingo lets you naturally progress in your own time. You start with simple phrases and gradually move to more complex things. There’s help every step of the way as Duolingo points out mistakes and praises your efforts.

You can test yourself whenever and set goals – or brush up on your skills when you’ve got two minutes alone.

Duolingo addresses reading, writing and pronunciation by challenging you with a fun range of activities. Occasional emails are sent to encourage you and it’s amazing how quickly you can pick up the basics without even realising it. Thankfully if you forget anything, it’s easy to revisit any lessons and work at your weaknesses.

Memrise

It starts off slowly – to learn Russian, for instance, you’re guided through the Cyrillic alphabet – but that’s by no means a bad thing. There’s something quaint and inviting about its simplistic visual aids, as if a friend is showing you tips to remember each lesson, and a follow-up email from the Memrise team ensures there’s a support network behind you.

On Android and iOS, Memrise’s friendly aesthetics encourage you to ‘grow your mind.’ Best of all, you can download each course to practise offline, so no matter where you are, you can freshen up on what you’ve learnt.

Busuu

Boasting over 35 million users worldwide, the best thing about Busuu is its interactivity. By entering its ‘writing’ capacity, you can stay in touch with the service’s community and really help out by correcting others’ mistakes.

Many just want to brush up on their basic skills ready for a trip to Versailles or Naples, and whilst Busuu accommodates them, it excels in offering courses for those who really want to learn a language inside-out. There’s a slight catch: it’ll cost you.

The core of eleven languages – including German, Portuguese, Polish and Japanese – is covered for free using flashcards and facile tests; it’s simple to switch between your native language and the one you’re trying to learn. However, it’s a freemium service for iOS and Android, so if you want to find out about relative pronouns, geography or even flirting, you’ll have to part with some money.

HelloTalk Language Exchange

It’s an incredibly simple idea that’s all about putting your trust in someone you don’t know. Everyone’s there for the same reason, and you can be both a student and teacher without much hassle. HelloTalk (available for iOS and Android) lets you select your entry level, then find a stranger to talk to. You can type in your native language and they can type in theirs. Just tap and hold to translate or pronounce any sentence.

There’s a huge list of languages to choose from, and you can refine your list of possible tutors by age and country. The really useful thing about HelloTalk is that you can favourite any conversation and add it to your NotePad for future reference.

Naturally, you need an Internet connection and new users are likely to be intimidated when taking that first big step, but HelloTalk breaks down the barriers between countries – and that’s what learning another language is all about.

Tags : Apps