Want to learn Swahili? There’s an app for that.
Whether you have 20 minutes for a formal lesson or five minutes to chat with a native speaker, language apps offer everything you need. Try out one of these free apps and pick up where that high school class left off.
Busuu blends lessons with conversation practice, and a recent study found that 22 hours of using the premium app is equivalent to taking one semester of language instruction. Premium starts at $5.41.
Hello Talk connects users with more than 5 million native speakers, whom you can text and call. Additional translation services, like voice-to-text, are available with in-app purchases.
Duolingo employs game concepts to increase user motivation, awarding points, tracking participation and allowing students to advance to the next level. Unsurprisingly, it’s enjoyed in classrooms.
The Memrise site hosts a series of language lessons in addition to lessons in other topics, from art to job training. The app allows users to download language lessons that can be accessed even when the phone is offline. Pro starts at $8.99.
As the name suggests, this app is designed for the tourist, mixing common traveling needs (tip calculator, safety tools) with a voice translator and language lessons. Offers in-app purchases.
