From Beginner to Fluent: The Best Apps for Language Learning

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Right, let’s be real: summer is for sun, fun, and definitely not stressing about verb conjugations. But if you’ve ever wanted to casually drop a “je ne sais quoi” at the family barbecue or finally understand what your Duolingo owl is screeching about, now’s your chance! Read on to find the best apps to make language learning feel less like homework and more like your new favorite summer activity!

1. For The Casual Learners

Duolingo is like that overly enthusiastic gym buddy who texts you at 6 AM on the dot to say, “YOU’RE LOSING YOUR STREAK!” But hey, the guilt works somehow? This app turns learning into a game where you can challenge yourself and continue your language-learning streak. It’s definitely an app that’s helpful and easily accessible to beginners (just try not to fall to your knees when you lose your 50-day streak; it’s alright, we’ve all been there!). With over 40+ languages available - from Spanish to French, and yes, even High Valyrian - it’s great for beginners! That being said, its newly implemented AI-generated lessons might lead to oddly-made sentences and might not be the best app for fluency. It may help with building habits though! Adding on, it doesn’t provide any courses tailored for languages like Tagalog, Thai or Cantonese which is a notable limitation of the app!

Drops, the sister site of Kahoot, is for those with the attention span of a goldfish. Quick five-minute sessions filled with pretty pictures help teach you words without the pain of constant grammar drills. This is perfect for those who need to learn all the important phrases like “Where’s the bathroom?” and “How much?” right before your vacation—priorities, people! This one offers more than 50 languages, including popular ones like Japanese and Mandarin, and even has an option for Hawaiian! However, not all languages have the same amount of depth - some focus mostly on core words/travel phrases and might lack the nuance of the actual language.

Memrise shows you how people actually talk: slang, facial expressions, and all that. Finally, you’ll know the answer as to why your French textbooks lied about “Comment allez-vous?” being the go-to greeting (spoiler: everyone just says “Ça va?” and shrugs). It features over 20 languages, with major languages (like Spanish, French and Japanese) offering substantial courses that even include videos of native speakers! Admittedly, smaller courses might have fewer levels, but their focus on real-life applications definitely makes them stand out for their conversational skills.

2. For The Overachievers

Anki is the flashcard app that’s basically accelerated vitamin gummies for your brain. It uses spaced repetition to improve long-term memory retention. Warning: Yyou’ll dream in flashcards. Eventually, you’ll wake up muttering, “Wait, was ‘el gato’ the cat or the cake?” Anki supports any language, and users can even download pre-made decks or build custom ones!

Clozemaster is like Mad Libs but for language enthusiasts. Fill in the blanks in sentences, and suddenly you realize that you have accidentally learned grammar. “The _____ is on the table?” Congrats! You now know prepositions. Magic. It’s perfect for more immediate learners who are quite tired of your usual textbook phrases. Clozemaster offers around 70+ languages with an extensive vault of sentences for its more popular languages and offers courses that even Duolingo doesn’t have!

LingQ is a website that lets you learn from actual content, like that K-drama that you’ve been watching nonstop. Suddenly, “studying” becomes an enriching way to learn a new language while still enjoying your hobbies! It covers 50+ languages, with the major ones having the most resources geared towards it. On the other hand, smaller languages might lack some content.

3. For the Social Butterflies

HelloTalk connects you with native speakers who will correct your grammar in exchange for helping them with theirs. It’s like having a pen pal and language tutor all in one! This one supports 150+ languages, from Spanish to Swahili, and it even has built-in translation and correction tools!

Tandem is like HelloTalk’s fancier cousin. You can filter your language partner by interests, so you’re not just stuck talking about the weather with someone whose hobby is “tax law.”  Find your people, whether that’s a dedicated reader or a fellow foodie. Tandem has 300 languages available, with an added bonus for a professional tutor if you’re a serious learner.

Speaky is for when you want to practice writing without the pressure of a tutor looking over your Google Translate attempts. Pro tip: start with “hello” and “how are you” before attempting to explain quantum physics. Speaky offers lessons for all your major languages, but the smaller languages might have fewer users.

The secret to becoming adept in a language over the summer lies in consistency, not intensity. Most importantly, embrace your mistakes as part of the process! Summer learning should be low-pressure and enjoyable! If you accidentally mix up words or struggle with pronunciation, laugh it off. Every beginner has been there once, and these moments often make for the best stories later :-)