If your New Year resolution was to learn a foreign language, and you haven’t started yet, it’s not too late; you can begin today learning a new language quickly and painlessly.
How? Use an app, of course. It’s much easier in 2020 to work on sounding like a local with language learning software.
We’ve compiled a list of the best language learning software for learning a new language. Each learning software has a unique way to learn. Most of the language courses are conveniently available on a mobile app to make the learning process more comfortable. Learning a new language is fun. Who knows, you may become so fluent that people may think you are one of the native speakers.
The 9 Best Language Learning Software To Use In 2020
- Babbel
- Duolingo
- Lingodeer
- Italki
- Idyoma
- Rosetta Stone
- Rocket Languages
- Google Translate
- Mango Language
Best Overall Language Learning Software: Babbel
Babbel is overall the best language learning software for conversational styles that students may learn using Windows 10, Mac, laptops, smartphones, or tablets. The software teaches you enough vocabulary skills to converse comfortably in the new language. The versatility in devices gives you the freedom to learn the language with the available device wherever you are at your desk, on a bus, or lying on the beach.
There are 14 languages you can learn with the Babbel software. It was developed in Germany, which means their German course should be one of Babbel best courses. Babbel is an excellent alternative to the classic Rosetta Stone language software. Danish, Norwegian, and Indonesian are three languages that Babbel also offers that Rosetta Stone doesn’t.
The courses are comprehensive and self-paced, allowing students to learn at their pace. Some lessons may be easier to understand than others; students can move faster and slower through sections depending on their tempo of grasping and learning the snippet. Students can learn to speak a new language according to their schedule, no pressure to find time to complete a lesson before the due date.
Lessons are short, giving you the independence to learn and practice a snippet when you have some free time. You’ll be surprised how quickly a person can learn a language by setting time aside regularly. You may be sitting in traffic on your way home, during a lunch break or have a few minutes before going to bed to go through a snippet.
According to their website, 92% of students improve their language skills within two months. Learners have the choice of learning the basics of the new language or learning by focusing on specific topics like business, travel, or culture. By using the interactive dialogue training on everyday topics, you gain the expertise and confidence to converse in that language.
The speech recognition features give real-time feedback when you practice pronouncing words.
Best Free Language Software: Duolingo
Duolingo uses the gamification concept to entice students in learning a new language. The reward system motivates the competitiveness and determination of a person. People want to be rewarded for doing things right.
With Duolingo, you gain points as a reward, but you can also lose lives when your answer is incorrect. As you master words and phrases in the new tongue, you earn virtual coins, and with enough points, students can unlock new levels.
An independent study showed that 34 hours of Duolingo, that’s less than a weekend, is equivalent to studying a language course at a university for one semester. With over 300 million learners, Duolingo claims to have the most extensive language-learning data to build unique systems. They have multiple publications as well, and they share their data and publications with other research communities.
The language learning software teaches students to read, write, listen, and speak the new dialect. Duolingo, one of the best language learning platforms in the world, is available for the classroom where teachers use the software to enhance their language lessons.
Both Babbel and Duolingo are language software for beginners. Babbel teaches in a traditional conversational way, whereas Duolingo uses many exercises to teach students. Duolingo offers over 31 dialects, including Asian languages that Babbel doesn’t provide. Scottish Gaelic, Hebrew, and High Valyrian are some of the exotic languages to learn on Duolingo, and Klingon too.
Best Asian Learning Software: Lingodeer
Although relatively new to the market, Lingodeer is one of the best language apps to learn Asian languages. The program offers Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese. They have expanded their range to include other languages like Russian, French, German, and Portuguese too.
Lingodeer starts with a good foundation by guiding learners through the grammatical system that is unique to each dialect. They show you how grammar pronunciation, sentence structure, and vocabulary fit together.
They use gamification for a fun way to learn a new language. Lessons contain games and quizzing questions and are paced to introduce more advanced grammar gradually. While you’re gaining gaming points, you’re learning the natural speech pattern of the dialect.
Lingodeer creates a comfortable learning environment by allowing learners to customize their environment. They can change the background color, toggle fonts, and magnify or decrease the text size.
Like Duolingo and other language software, Lingodeer gives instant feedback. Lingodeer, however, uses native speaker audio, is professionally structured, and uniquely for Asian languages.
Best One-to-One Language Software: Italki
If you’re a language learner that prefers a one-to-one language learning experience, then Italki is an excellent choice for local and distance learners. With over 10,000 teachers and over 100 languages, you may find the right tutor to help you learn the foreign tongue of your choice. You make appointments directly with the online teacher according to your time and schedule.
Start by choosing your teacher. Watch their introduction videos and read the reviews of students to help you select the best teacher for you. Booking is at your convenience. You don’t have to try and make time for the language learning lessons; teachers are available when you are available, not the other way around.
Lessons are in the form of a video chat which means you are hearing how native speakers or professional teachers who are fluent in the language, pronounce the words. If you’re unsure about selecting the right teacher, most teachers give a discounted 30-minute trial lesson.
Of the 100 languages available, the most popular are English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Arabic, Hindi, and Russian. You also have the option of less common languages like Afrikaans, Persian Farsi, or Tagalog (Filipino), and Urdu.
Although you pay per lesson, the payment works with a credit system. Initially, you add money to your account, which shows as credits. With each lesson, a certain number of credits are withdrawn to pay for the lesson.
Best Social Language Learning: Idyoma
Idyoma is a social language mobile app that helps you practice the new language you’ve learned. Download the app for free on your iOs or Android smartphone or tablet, and you’re ready to converse in your target language.
By learning a dialect on language learning software like Babbel or Duolingo, you’ve mastered enough vocabulary words to start practicing your target language with real-life conversations. Idyoma is a great platform to become fluent in another language through social conversations or chatting about common interests.
It is a language exchange software application, which means you practice languages by speaking each other’s language. The device application connects language learners globally, allowing learners to speak with native speakers.
If you have a limited budget, and you want to save on buying language courses, audio lessons, or textbooks, then this is a great alternative.
Learning languages are fun and having conversations in the new language makes it a reality. Italki offers a similar option to language learners. It has a community where you may converse with people in other languages.
Best Subscription Language Learning Software: Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone is a language learning software that’s been tried and tested through time. It is a subscription service that began in 1992 and has been used by millions, including businesses like Calvin Klein, TripAdvisor, Walmart, and NASA.
It mimics immersion techniques to teach language learners a new language. Rosetta Stone uses images, sound, text, and reinforced spaced repetition to teach learners grammar and improve their vocabulary words. They don’t use language translation exercises at all, which some learners may appreciate in a classroom setup.
Rosetta Stone offers 34 courses. Although America and England speak English, there is a difference between British English and American English. With the Rosetta Stone courses, you can decide which one interests you. They offer the same language options for Spanish and Latin American Spanish for Spanish spoken in Spain differs from Latin America.
The programs cater to schools where students learn at their pace. Each classroom learning lesson prepares students for the next so that they won’t feel overwhelmed but know what to expect next. Kids can use speech recognition technology to practice their pronunciations so that they can comfortably converse with native speakers during Live Tutoring lessons.
Rosetta Stone language training courses help employees and employers speak with a business accent. Learners access the Live Tutoring virtual sessions from anywhere in the world, and employers may track employees’ progress on the learner dashboard.
Some may find the subscription costs expensive and the price tag too high for their budget. Others may prefer native speakers to machine learning applications.
Best Travel Language Learning: Rocket Languages
If you want to brush up on your language skills before you visit a country but don’t want to pay each time for a language learning course, then Rocket Languages is an excellent choice. The one-time fee gives you lifetime access to the audio lessons, learning new phrases, and interactive exercises.
American Sign Language and Egyptian Arabic are two of the 12 languages offered by the programs. It also has instructions in Japanese and Spanish for travelers who want to learn English. American Sign Language courses use the video material to teach learners. Instruction levels vary with the languages. Some languages are elementary level one, whereas languages like French and Italian have three levels.
The “whole-brain learning” method builds skills in speaking, writing, comprehension, recall, and to a certain extent reading. From the beginning, you are prompted to focus on conversing and building your skills. Cultural lessons show you how locals live, which gives you a better understanding of the people. It’s not about learning words but the ability to converse and communicate with locals.
You have the flexibility to move around with lessons; you aren’t obligated to follow the sequential order of lessons.
Best Translation App: Google Translate
Google Translate translates is the app for you when you need quick translations. It translates over 90 languages, which are handy for reading content on websites but also for translating free-flowing conversations.
Conversation mode allows translations while you converse with another person. It’s a machine translator that feels like having a human translator with you during the conversation. It translates the words and repeats them in your language.
The vocabulary translation is literal, so the words won’t always be what the person intended to say. Nuances and expressions may be lost during the translation, but people do figure out what the person meant. It is free, and the availability of text and audio translations could be convenient.
Best English Second Language: Mango Languages
If you need to go to an English-speaking country, Mango Languages may help you get by with basic English. English isn’t the only dialect taught on the app; there are over 70 languages. It allows learners to pronounce words correctly by emphasizing parts of the words. The speech comparison tool assists learners in analyzing how they pronounced the word.
It is a great language learning tool for beginners who want to learn multiple languages. The beautiful interface is well designed with a simple course structure that is easy to follow. It guides you to the next lesson and shows you what teachings you’ve completed.
The courses are customized to the language, and it differentiates, for example, between Canadian French and French. Popular languages have a lot of content available to practice skills and conversing in the new language. The app also introduces learners to the culture to understand the foreign tongue better.
Some of the less common languages to learn are Hawaiian, Malayalam, Ancient Greek, Shakespearean English, and Dzongkha. Languages like Dutch, Irish, Pakistan Punjabi, and Swedish are also available.
FAQ About Language Learning Software
Who needs to use learning language software?
Language learning software is for anyone and everyone who wants to learn a new language.
- A teacher may use the software in the classroom to teach a second language to the kids.
- Expat families may want to learn the foreign tongue of the country they are residing in.
- Interpreters want to have the best language skills in their language and be fluent in the second language they will be interpreting to.
- Business people may want to improve the fluency of the languages they negotiate in. Even when using interpreters, it is good to understand the basics of what is said.
- Travelers in a foreign country may want to learn words and phrases for essential communication.
- Missionaries may need language learning software to become fluent in the local dialect.
- Diplomats and employees from government organizations who serve in foreign posts need to learn languages for effective communication.
- Some children and adults have the affinity to pick up a new language effortlessly quickly. They may enjoy learning many modern languages.
What is the best program for learning Spanish?
- Busuu uses quizzes to access learners before they pass to the next level
- Duolingo is the best free app to learn Spanish
- FluentU uses real-world audio and visual content which is ideal for travelers
- Gritty Spanish teaches the Spanish used in the streets
- Learn Spanish Podcast teaches Spanish on all levels using videos
- Memrise offers pronunciation and practicing the lesson
- Pimsleur is an audio program and works best for auditory learners
- Rosetta Stone has an interactive platform
- StudyBlue uses flashcards to learn Spanish
According to an article in the Travel Daily News dated January 2020, Spanish is the official language in 21 countries, and the US has more Spanish speakers than Spain. According to Ethnologue, Spanish ranks as the number two language of how many people Spanish is their first language.
What is the most useful language learning app?
The most effective language learning app is the best language learning software that effectively helps students learn a new language. When selecting the best language app for your needs, consider the features of the software.
- Gamification is a fun way of learning difficult or tedious content. It motivates learners to continue and to progress to a new level.
- Spaced repetition repeats and reinforces language principles throughout the course creating a solid foundation.
- An authentic conversation between native speakers helps learners hear the various nuances in the pronunciation of words.
- Speaking and listening exercises teach learners to hear and pronounce the word correctly.
- Mobile applications conveniently allow students to go through a lesson whenever it’s convenient for them. A person carries their mobile devices typically with them.
- Tracking progress indicate to learners how far they’ve progressed and motivates them to continue the learning process
Language-learning software varies in their learning method. Select the language learning software program that is best for the way you would like to learn a new language.
How to learn a new language
If you want to become a language learner, the first step is deciding which foreign language you want to learn. The difficulty level of learning languages depends on the language you chose. The FSI (US Foreign Service Institute) group language according to its difficulty level for English speakers.
- Easiest: Spanish, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Swahili
- Moderate: Bulgarian, Burmese, Greek, Hindi, Persian, Urdu
- Challenging: Amharic, Cambodian, Czech, Finnish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Lao, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese
- Most Difficult: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean
Language learning software programs, like the Rosetta Stone, help you learn and master a new language.
The next step is to find the best language learning software. The ideal is to find the program that will teach you a foreign language in such a manner that it feels like a native tongue when having a conversation with someone. Not everyone is natural language learners or will become native speakers, but language learning apps may help you to learn enough of the foreign language to accomplish your goals.
The best language learning software must accomplish two things when learning a language:
- The learning experience must work for you. Establish the learning style you prefer. Does the learning software offer you that kind of learning experience? Do you prefer learning a language with audio lessons, flashcards, visual, or more traditional methods?
- Does the language learning software also offer the language you would like to learn, and is it one of the best language learning software applications for that language? For example, developed in Germany, Babbel’s German course is excellent. Then again, if you’re looking for Klingon, which isn’t a language a human being speaks, then Duolingo is the app to try.
The third step is to decide that learning a foreign language is fun, and you will use the language learning tool to accomplish a language proficiency that best suits your needs.
- Schedule when and how long you want to spend on the language learning program each day, week, or month.
- Stick to these times.
- Complete the exercise the language learning software programs provide.
- Use the language daily. Watch videos, TV shows, or movies in the foreign language you’re learning.
- Look for opportunities to practice your vocabulary in real-life.
- Find a language learning community that will inspire you. You may find a group on a social network or social media platforms.
How to learn a language at home?
Learning a new language means learning new words, and that’s where most people stop because it reminds them of homework exercises. Many have memories of memorizing words. The best language learning techniques don’t require you to learn all the words of that tongue—you don’t even know all the words of your native language.
It is, however, essential to learn the right words in the new foreign dialect. Dr. Edward Fry made a list of the top 1000 English words used. He noticed that these words covered 90% of written material. In other words, making a list of the right 1000 words of a foreign dialect may give you a conversational and written vocabulary in your new second language.
One of the best language learning techniques is flashcards. Write a word on each flashcard and carry a batch with you. Whenever you have a few free moments, pull out a flashcard to learn another word of the foreign language.
Anki is an electronic flashcard app if you prefer working from your device. Then you won’t run out of flashcards if you unexpectantly have free time on your hands.
What is language software?
Language software helps people learn a foreign tongue. It is a language course program that uses highly effective language learning resources and learning methods to make the learning process productive for adults and children.
The best way to learn a target language is to converse with native speakers. It isn’t always possible or practicable. Language learning software is the best alternative. The audio recordings are recordings made by native speakers to help learners hear the language spoken as if in a real-life situation.
Often the language-learning apps use expert linguists when developing their language learning solution. The language programs are designed to enhance conversation skills by increasing the learner’s vocabulary words and maintain foreign language skills. Most language programs integrate with a classroom environment.
Language learning apps vary in price point. Some are free, and others are subscription-based.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that your learning preferences are as relevant as the new dialect you want to master. A variety of options give users a wide selection. We tried to narrow your options with the information presented in this guide.