Best language learning apps?

[AnnO'Neemus]

I've been brushing up my French with Duolingo and Memrise, but I appreciate their limitations, in that they don't really help you to learn a language in a practical sense, I don't think, with their weird set phrases, but they're useful for refreshing vocabulary and prompting the correct conjugation of verbs. So far, they've simply been reminding me of a lot of the French I learned years ago but had forgotten.

Am just about to download Busuu and give that a go too.

Which language learning app(s) do you prefer, and why?

 

[mojo pixy]

I like most "teach yourself" courses, but I'm ok with learning from reading. They are comprehensive but do require some academic reading ability, and possibly feel old-fashioned in these days of listen-and-repeat oriented courses.

 

[rutabowa]

Does Michel Thomas have an app? I found his CD courses the most proper, for home learning...

 

[gentlegreen]

I randomly installed "Bussuu" on my phone the other day, but it looks like Duolingo that doesn't work for me either - "Francais Facile" is all grammar - the website looks unchanged since the 90s ..

What I actually need is immersion, but before I even get there, I want to be able to go to the French Embassy in two years' time and do my visa interview in French - not that it's a requirement ... and then I have to hit the ground running so I can rent somewhere to stay or I'll be in a tent at whatever time of year it ends up being ... then fairly shortly afterwards, deal with the Mairie, then lawyers and all sorts of other trades ...

With language exchange, it's the usual problem of sustaining a conversation even for the first hour.

I found a French learning Paltalk chat room the other week, but it's run by a willy-waving "intellectual" who was bemoaning the "Algerisation" of the French language after a massive discours on the subjonctif .... several people in the room were probably North African...

(I hope I can actually get on with people in France long enough to master the language ...)

The French are massively absent from the Internet - there was briefly a room run by a friendly guy based in the département where I want to live, but that fizzled out...

 

[rutabowa]

The French are massively absent from the Internet

This has not been my experience, where have you been looking?! They haven't just stayed on Minitel or whatever it was called

 

[gentlegreen]

This has not been my experience, where have you been looking?! They haven't just stayed on Minitel or whatever it was called

They aren't on Paltalk, and any Youtube videos are about 2 minutes long ..
I guess I'm looking to find people who share my interests and actually speak to them ..

 

[rutabowa]

They aren't on Paltalk, and any Youtube videos are about 2 minutes long ..
I guess I'm looking to find people who share my interests and actually speak to them ..

ah I haven't heard of paltalk... buton the standard social media sites there are just as many french as other european nationalities as far as I can tell, you might just need to try different platforms, they definitely use the internet!

 

[gentlegreen]

ah I haven't heard of paltalk... buton the standard social media sites there are just as many french as other european nationalities as far as I can tell, you might just need to try different platforms, they definitely use the internet!

I'm subscribed to a few Brittany-based groups on Facebook ... but it's speaking I need practice with ...

 

[JimW]

This has been mentioned a few times on a Chinese language studies forum I go on, not used it myself though: HelloTalk | Free Language Exchange | Language Partners Basically a way to find language exchange partners.

 

[Raheem]

I've found Duolingo to be miles ahead of anything else out there. Just a personal opinion, and it could be horses for courses, but I think the main thing you need is is speed, which it has.

Of course there are things it doesn't give you, but it's realistic to go from Duolingo to being able to read and watch TV in your chosen language, given enough hours.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

On a related note has anyone tried having online lessons? I've vaguely considered it and there are sites with thousands of teachers on but I've no idea how you'd go about finding the right person.

 

[Winot]

On a related note has anyone tried having online lessons? I've vaguely considered it and there are sites with thousands of teachers on but I've no idea how you'd go about finding the right person.

My daughter has online Spanish lessons, but she knew the teacher already from pre-pandemic times. Anyway, they work well.

 

[pseudonarcissus]

I've found Duolingo to be miles ahead of anything else out there. Just a personal opinion, and it could be horses for courses, but I think the main thing you need is is speed, which it has.

I’m finding Duolingo good too, mainly for the constant repetition, and going back to previous sections. I’ve done oldschool courses, but never devoted the time to really commit stuff to memory. Brazilian kids learn to conjugate verbs like learn the times tables, by rote. As an adult learner I think you assume you can get the same end effect by osmosis...I know I can’t

 

[Bus Honeygun]

My daughter has online Spanish lessons, but she knew the teacher already from pre-pandemic times. Anyway, they work well.

My daughter is doing German as voluntary extra GCSE the same way. The teacher is also a relative, which helps, but I'm still pleasantly surprised how well it's going.

I'm finding Czech Duolingo really good. Probably helps that I have no ambitions for it other than to pick up a few words and phrases and have a vague idea what's going on when I'm there. As mentioned above, the repetition is great for hammering it home. Not sure what I'm going to do with some of the phrases, though: 'I'm not a machine', 'you are a big girl', 'it's a strong tree' etc.

I tried brushing up my schoolboy French with Duolingo and got really annoyed. Too basic, yet really unforgiving if you got one letter wrong or missed an accent. My wife is improving her already quite good French and is really enjoying it, so each to their own.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

On a related note has anyone tried having online lessons? I've vaguely considered it and there are sites with thousands of teachers on but I've no idea how you'd go about finding the right person.

Both Alliance Française and Instituto Cervantes are offering online lessons, in French and Spanish, respectively. They seem to be offering the lessons/levels that they would ordinarily be offering in classrooms.

I think I might sign up for Alliance Française.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

I've found Duolingo to be miles ahead of anything else out there. Just a personal opinion, and it could be horses for courses, but I think the main thing you need is is speed, which it has.

Of course there are things it doesn't give you, but it's realistic to go from Duolingo to being able to read and watch TV in your chosen language, given enough hours.

My problem there is that I've reached the age where I usually watch television with subtitles even in English. I think it's a combination of poorer sound quality, actors mumbling too much, and probably my hearing also going a bit, although I'm not that old.

I've been watching eg Lupin and Call My Agent and can understand little bits here and there, but much of the dialogue is either inaudible and/or spoken too quickly for my brain to process/simultaneously interpret. When I've watched them all with English subtitles, I might start from the beginning and watch in French subtitles too.

 

[Raheem]

My problem there is that I've reached the age where I usually watch television with subtitles even in English. I think it's a combination of poorer sound quality, actors mumbling too much, and probably my hearing also going a bit, although I'm not that old.

I've been watching eg Lupin and Call My Agent and can understand little bits here and there, but much of the dialogue is either inaudible and/or spoken too quickly for my brain to process/simultaneously interpret. When I've watched them all with English subtitles, I might start from the beginning and watch in French subtitles too.

OK, well if you can't you can't.

I wasn't really telling anyone to go and watch French TV, just saying that it's realistic to use Duolingo to get up to a standard where you can do that (unless there are reasons you find it difficult).

 

[hypernormalized]

I've had far, far more success in finding good textbooks, a dictionary, notebook and pen, turning the laptop and phone off, getting a cup of tea and just cracking on through them.

I've completed at least one tree in Duolingo and to be honest the transferability to real world situations has been basically nil.

I am a massive luddite though despite loving gadgets in my youth and working full time with computers. Nowadays, with a few exceptions like these oldschool forums, I find it all a bit over the top.

 

[sparkybird]

On a related note has anyone tried having online lessons? I've vaguely considered it and there are sites with thousands of teachers on but I've no idea how you'd go about finding the right person.

Monkeygrinder's Organ
As winot said, a personal recommendation is best. You don't say what language you're learning, but if it's Spanish pm me, as my teacher in Guatemala is amazing and very reasonable (£10/hour). She's looking for new students as the language school she worked has has closed down due to the pandemic.

 

[Skim]

About a year ago, I decided to do something with my rusty A Level French. I signed up with Tandem, which is excellent (and free). Since then, I’ve been making friends there, exchanging text/audio messages and doing video calls. Speaking was nerve-wracking at first, but it’s the only way to progress quickly. I can now talk for an hour in French with no problem… and if I can’t find a word, my language partner knows enough English to help me find what I want to communicate. I’m not fully fluent, I’m always learning, but I’m so much more confident now. Et je suis retombée amoureuse de la langue française!

As well as the app, I immerse myself in YouTube videos and podcasts every day. The more I listen, the more I comprehend, and I use the vocabulary I learn into my weekly conversations.

Recommended podcasts: InnerFrench, Le Podcast Fluidité, Ehoui!, Passarelles.

YouTube: French With Pierre, French On The Go, Piece of French, French With Vincent.

These are intermediate-level, but also lots of excellent resources for beginners.

I don’t bother too much with grammar books and verb drills. Listening and speaking is the way to go. I also construct sentences with the help of a translation app, writing things about myself and what I’ve been up to, then I try out the phrases when in conversation. Golden rule: do a little bit of practice each day. Even when I haven’t got time, I’ll fall asleep listening to podcasts

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I've found Duolingo to be miles ahead of anything else out there. Just a personal opinion, and it could be horses for courses, but I think the main thing you need is is speed, which it has.

Of course there are things it doesn't give you, but it's realistic to go from Duolingo to being able to read and watch TV in your chosen language, given enough hours.

I've been doing duolingo to try and up my Japanese.
It's very good, and motivates me to a degree.

Downsides are . . .
Quite often the phrases used are really stupid and not something you would ever say in a million years.
The english translations of phrases that don't directly translate are often a bit off, or at the very least Americanised - an obvious example is 'toilet'. In Japanese you might ask where the toilet is, but the only acceptable English translation is "Where is the bathroom" . . .for a room that doesn't have a bath, and all you actually want is a toilet. Write "where is the toilet" and you will lose a life.
The other obvious downside is that you don't get to discuss the 'why' of any sentence structure, or oddities, or get any explanation of anything. . . it just is, and you just learn it . . . over and over and over again.

Good though, and it's FREE. I'd never consider paying for it though, the paid version doesn't bring enough to the table.