Consumer Advocacy
What you need to know
Language Learning Software
  • Adults can learn new languages just as well as kids. 
  • Audiovisual content is essential to language learning.
  • Stories can guide learners through new words and grammar.
  • Learners should study on a regular, comfortable basis.
Our Approach

How we analyzed the best Language Learning Software Providers

Cost
Language learning software is usually billed in one of two ways: as a single purchase or as a subscription service. Our primary concern was evaluating if a software’s methodology merited its price.
Educational Model
The four essential skills of language learning are reading, listening, writing, and speaking. Any serious full-course software needs to incorporate all four of these skills in their educational method.
Additional Features
Some features aren’t as essential as others. Such is the case of offline modes, camera translation, and progress tracking graphs. Nevertheless, additional features can enhance the learning experience.
Customer Experience
When evaluating customer experience, we largely focused on assessing customer feedback and opinion for each product. We also compared each product’s free trial and money-back guarantee.
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We receive compensation from these partners, which impacts the order they appear on the page. That said, the analyses and opinions on our site are our own and we believe in editorial integrity.

Our Top Picks: Language Learning Software Reviews

Pimsleur review

Screenshot pimsleur.com, April 2021

Best Audio-Based Language Learning Software

The Pimsleur suite of audio-based language courses is based on the system developed by Paul Pimsleur. A scholar in the field of applied linguistics, Pimsleur thoroughly researched the language acquisition process and eventually proposed a different method for learning languages based solely on what users could listen. His research led him to theorize that underachievement in language learning could be mainly attributed to low auditory ability. That was one of his three proposed language learning aptitudes, together with verbal intelligence and motivation.

Screenshotspimsleur.com, April 2021

The Pimsleur Methods™, as it is called today, is one of the biggest names in the language learning industry. It’s available as either single-purchase courses or through a subscription model. Because Pimsleur is mostly an audio-based software program, it’s ideal for those who want to practice while on the go, especially since its core lessons last an average of 30 minutes. It also offers one of the largest assortments of languages to learn from in the entire industry, which makes it a great alternative for anyone looking for more uncommon languages.

The Pimsleur Method™

All of Pimsleur’s courses are based on its eponymous method, which incorporates four main principles. The first of these is called Graduated Interval Recall, the heart of its course methodology. Paul Pimsleur figured that, by reminding learners of new words at gradually increasing intervals, they would remember them each time longer than the time before. 

The second principle of the method is the Principle of Anticipation. According to Pimsleur Language Programs, its courses “accelerate learning, increase understanding, and activate new neural pathways in the learner’s brain” by asking for understanding, pausing for a response, and then reinforcing the correct response. For example, think about your most recent conversation. Chances are you were predicting what the other person was going to say before they did so and had an answer in your head already. This can happen thanks to how our brain is wired to automatically process and anticipate speech patterns.

Screenshot pimsleur.com, April 2021

The third principle of the method is the teaching of Core Vocabulary. Pimsleur takes it slow on this front: the program is designed to teach you only the essentials at any given point. It then adds to the preexisting framework created by those words and structures. By reducing the number of new things you have to retain once, users are able to digest what they have learned—and can avoid being taxing themselves to a point where they lose the desire to continue learning.

The fourth and last principle is that of Organic Learning. In order to help learning and word retention, every new item that a student faces is learned in the context of a conversation or story. Learning words in context is essential for a long-lasting understanding of a language and its nuances. Moreover, Pimsleur says that this helps the learner “automatically integrate intonation, rhythm, melody, and pronunciation.”

Full Suite of Additional Tools

Although Pimsleur’s Language Programs are best known for their approach to learning from audio, each course comes with plenty of additional course material. The following constitute just a few of these additional materials.

Screenshot pimsleur.com, April 2021
  • Reading Lessons: Users can supplement their core audio lessons with reading lessons to work on both their listening and reading proficiencies.
  • Speak Easy Challenges: Lets users “role-play while reviewing your conversations' written transcripts.”
  • Digital Flashcards: An integrated flashcard program within the Pimsleur platform. It automatically adds the most essential vocabulary words, meanings, and pronunciations from your lessons.
  • Speed Round Game: Lets users test their conversational knowledge at a faster pace than normal lessons allow for.
  • Lightbulb Moments: Integrates cultural & historical information about the language while a user is learning.
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Mondly review

Best for immersive learning

Mondly stands out among language learning software for its emphasis on conversations and conditions that simulate real life. It goes so far as to incorporate augmented reality for smartphone users so you can feel as if you're actually conversing with another person rather than just taking a traditional language course. You'll begin with the basics, but as you progress, Mondly will dynamically adjust the difficulty to match your performance and then grade you afterward so you can see how you did.

It doesn't offer as many languages as some of its competitors, but it does offer most of the most widely spoken languages in the world, including Spanish, French, Chinese, and Russian. You learn about all languages by exploring common phrases and having real conversations with Mondly's chat bot, which acts as your virtual conversation partner that's always available when you want to practice.

In addition to emphasizing conversation, Mondly also focuses on proper pronunciation. All the audio in its courses is spoken by native speakers of the language you're trying to learn and the speech recognition technology can help you master the correct pronunciation by suggesting improvements as you go.

Mondly is a web-based platform, but it also offers mobile apps for Android, Apple and Huawei devices, so you don't need to be near a computer in order to practice. The lessons are bite-sized enough that you can fit them in as you have time and move at your own pace.

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Rosetta Stone review

Screenshot rosettastone.com, July 2019

Best Overall Full-Course Language Learning Software

One of the most established brands in the industry, Rosetta Stone, is often held as the gold standard among language learning software programs. This is due to a combination of its long history in the industry and the popularity of its products.

Screenshot rosettastone.com, July 2019

Rosetta Stone started as the project of one man, Allen Stoltzfus, who set out to create an effective way of learning languages after struggling to learn Russian through the traditional methods of the time. With the help of his brother-in-law, Stoltzfus created the first Rosetta Stone CD-ROM in 1992. Today, Rosetta Stone works as a subscription service and has been used by millions of customers—including employees from large organizations and businesses, such as NASA, Walmart, TripAdvisor, and Calvin Klein.

Screenshot rosettastone.com, July 2019

The Closest Thing to Immersion

Although true immersion is impossible to create through the use of software, Rosetta Stone comes awfully close thanks to its teaching methodology. The program teaches users one of its 23 languages—25 if counting both British and American English and Latin American Spanish and Castilian Spanish—in a way that mimics immersion techniques.

Screenshot rosettastone.com, July 2019

Rosetta Stone avoids any and all sorts of translation exercises. Instead, it teaches words and grammar through the use of images, text, and sound, which are reinforced through spaced repetition.

Patented Speech Recognition Engine

One of Rosetta Stone’s greatest selling points is its patented TruAccent® speech recognition technology. Speaking is one category of language proficiency that much language learning software fails to deliver on. 

It’s difficult to create technology that can accurately track the nuances of a user’s speech and compare it to those of native speakers. This is especially difficult considering how accents in a single language can vary from speaker to speaker. In order to help students pin down the right accent, the company created the TruAccent® speech recognition technology.

Screenshot rosettastone.com, July 2019

This technology is available on the desktop, tablet, and mobile versions of Rosetta Stone and is designed to be easily adjustable. Users can change the speech recognition sensitivity, the speed of their listening drills, and test themselves further by opting for more challenging pronunciation. Rosetta uses machine learning and thousands of hours of recorded speech data to compare user data to that of natives, instantly pinpointing the words users could improve their pronunciation on and even comparing voice wavelengths.

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Duolingo review

Screenshot duolingo.com, July 2019

Best Free Full-Course Language Learning Software

Due to the sheer amount of content that goes into a good language learning software course, it’s to be expected that nearly all programs lie behind a paywall. One exception to this rule is Duolingo. With more than 300 million users worldwide, Duolingo is known across the world for two things: its iconic green owl “Duo”, and its free language learning courses.

Screenshot duolingo.com, July 2019

Every course on Duolingo’s platform is free for users to try to their heart’s content. While courses’ quality and/or thoroughness can vary—courses are made by groups of contributors, not a single unified team of professionals—there’s really nothing to lose by trying out the ones that interest you.

Vocabulary and Grammar Focused

Duolingo focuses on teaching users the groundwork of each language first. This might not make it the best option for users who want to be conversational fast. It does, however, make it an excellent tool for learners who are in it for the long haul but would rather start with software rather than go straight to in-person lessons.  

All of the program’s courses start out with basic words, for example, mother, car, or apple, while supplementing lessons with grammar notes. These sentences might seem robotic or impractical when starting out. Additionally, the depth of the grammar notes vary depending on the course you are taking. However, all Duolingo courses build onto this framework through the Crown system.

Screenshot duolingo.com, July 2019

A relatively new addition to Duolingo, the Crown system reshaped how individual lessons worked entirely. Instead of just going through each lesson once and then reviewing when necessary, users now have the option of repeating lessons to get increasingly harder exercises. Whereas the first and second Crown levels tend to focus on simple translation exercises, higher levels become increasingly difficult and provide more listening and speaking practice.

Wide Variety of Language Courses

For a free software platform, Duolingo sure looks like a paid program in terms of language options. In addition to standard European language offerings, such as Spanish, French, German, and Italian, users can sign up for a wide variety of language courses, including more uncommon options such as Ukranian, Turkish, Hebrew, Vietnamese, Hawaiian, Welsh, and Romanian. There are even courses for constructed languages, namely Esperanto and fictional languages, like High Valyrian and Klingon.

Screenshot duolingo.com, July 2019

Because courses are created by groups of collaborators led by a managing contributor, any language with enough community support is able to make it to the course-building platform, called the Duolingo Incubator. After it reaches the incubator, users that are interested in the language may opt to receive a notification once the course is live and in the Beta testing stage.

Duolingo Pro

For those who are looking for a little something extra, Duolingo also offers a premium subscription product called Duolingo Pro. While the $9.99/mo premium membership does not add anything truly essential, it does provide members with several advantages.

Screenshot duolingo.com, July 2019

For starters, it’s ad-free. Ads are what keeps free software, like Duolingo, running in the first place, since without the advertising revenue they would be forced to stop giving their courses maintenance. For those of us who can’t stand ads, though, the premium membership is a worthwhile consideration.

Moreover, Duolingo Pro provides users with two additional features of note: progress quizzes and detailed performance statistics. The former allows users to test themselves beyond what each regular course has to offer, while the latter is a great motivator for those who love to see just how they are learning and what they could improve. Lastly, Duolingo Pro provides users with a free streak repair—a great boon for perfectionists who just happened to miss a day of study—and an offline mode, which ensures users can access their coursework regardless of where they are located.

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Alternatives

Rocket Languages

Rocket Language’s main focus is to get users to a conversational level as quickly as possible. It uses a step-by-step approach to minimize the risk that users will feel lost during the process. It also emphasizes the importance of developing all basic language proficiencies: reading, writing, comprehension, recall, and speaking.

Screenshot rocketlanguages.com, August 2019

Rocket combines all of this with comprehensive cultural lessons to keep users engaged and interested in the language. For those who can invest more upfront, Rocket languages is a great alternative we can definitely recommend.

Babbel

Babbel is yet another alternative to Rosetta Stone. Given that the program was developed in Germany, it’s not surprising that it offers one of the best German courses in the market. However, all of its courses are designed with a similar approach: everyday situations and words.

Screenshot babbel.com, July 2019

Babbel doesn’t waste any time on complex grammar rules or vocabulary that most users wouldn’t often see in conversations. Rather, Babbel throws users right in the middle of everyday situations where they can see how words are being used and why, while grammar is taught as intuitively as possible. Babbel is also a good alternative for anyone that wants to learn Indonesian, Norwegian, or Danish since Rosetta Stone does not offer those three languages.

Our Research

More insight into our methodology


A language learning program can be a lot of things. It can be a vocabulary training and retention tool, a language exchange platform, or a full in-depth course, designed to take you from zero to a basic or higher level of language fluency. That’s why, when talking about this kind of software, it’s necessary to specify what each one is for and, in the case of more comprehensive software, what its focus is.


We chose to focus on holistic, course-based software for two reasons. First, because comparing programs that are meant to be supplementary language-learning tools to those that are truly comprehensive courses would be akin to comparing apples to oranges. The second reason why we chose to focus on this type of software is that it’s what most people are looking for in the first place. Both users with little to no previous experience learning a language and experienced learners make use of language learning software. In the case of the former, they require software that will guide them through the steps of learning their first foreign language. In the case of the latter, they may be searching for this kind of software to supplement their other tools and personal learning methods.

We vetted 30 companies that offered language learning software and evaluated them according to key criteria. These included price, multi platform functionality, spaced repetition, and types of exercise. Then, we started our first round of in-house testing by creating accounts on the software platforms that made the cut, using them for five days.

An important disclaimer we have to make is that our current reviews are not final. In order to truly experience what each of these programs has to offer, we decided to embark on a longer, three-month testing period starting on July 29. The testing process will culminate on October 11, after which we will update our reviews with new information.

Designing our own in-house tests

We chose the top twelve language learning software programs and looked for twelve in-office participants to test them.

We put participants in groups of two. Each pair learned a single language but on a different software platform (e.g. Spanish on Rosetta Stone and Spanish on Duolingo).

Participants were able to choose their desired study session duration, so long as they studied no less and no more than three hours per week. Study sessions varied among participants from 30 minutes of study, six days a week, to one hour of testing, three days a week.

Participants were also asked to keep journals of what they learned, as well as of what they liked or did not like about their software. They will fill out a survey each Monday, rating their experience based on different factors.

At the end of the testing process, we'll send out a comprehensive questionnaire to obtain more detailed information about each participant’s experience with their given software. As a final test, we will be arranging for each pair of participants to talk with a native speaker. The speaker will then tell us which participant performed better in casual conversation and what he or she thought each one did well in and what they could improve. The ultimate goal of this test was not to see how fast each participant learned their language of choice. After all, the speed of learning is dependent on a wide variety of factors. In our case, most of our writers speak at least two, if not three languages; our two Spanish-language participants are immersed in the language because we are located in Puerto Rico; and some of the languages we chose are generally faster to learn when you’re an English speaker.

Instead, the point of this test was to see how well guided and instructional each course was, the additional tools each program provides users with, and if, at the end of the process, the participants thought they got their money’s worth. Testing this software for a longer period of time would also allow us to more easily identify what each software was best and worst at.


While we prioritized full-course, holistic language learning, we did look at software which focused on certain learning methodologies or particular areas of language learning. We took the other 15 programs from our original list and tried them out for a few days to see which ones were the easiest to use and most conducive to healthy learning patterns. Although none of these companies are featured in our reviews, we have included recommendations for the ones we liked the most as part of this content. 
 

Cost

As the one thing on every consumer’s mind, it’s imperative to understand the most common pricing models of language learning software. Our primary concern with cost was that the software’s content would not justify its price tag. Time and time again we’ve heard of customers ending up dissatisfied  with how in-depth their software went, but unable to get their money back by that point. 

There are essentially three ways in which language learning software is sold: as a service (SaaS) on a subscription model, as a single-purchase product, and as a free software, which almost always has a premium option available. Because our list of 15 companies had software priced in all three ways, we had to carefully examine and compare what each platform offered in comparison to its base pricing.

In addition to the base price of each software, we also considered the long-term plan alternatives each company offered. We favored language learning software with 3-month, 6-month, and yearly payment options.  

Educational Model

Educational model was one of the hardest factors for us to evaluate, namely because we haven’t spent years researching and testing different models for teaching language ourselves. Thankfully, we were able to talk to  experts in the field who spoke to us about the preferred methods within the language teaching community. 

Nathaly Batista Morales, a Ph.D. student of bilingual education at Texas State University (TSU), was one of the people we contacted to find out more about this. We learned from Nathaly that many language teaching models are still based on “antiquated World War II models that were used to teach the armed forces a second language.” She told us that “repetition was the number one method,” but it fell out of favor precisely because vocabulary would get repeated indefinitely and learners would stop progressing. She added that current theories support a sociocultural approach to language, favoring cultural immersion, conversation with locals from the onset, and content that relates to everyday situations.

We also spoke to Dr. Dana Paramskas, professor at the University of Guelph and expert in various fields related to linguistics—including technology for second language learning, which she has helped develop. During our conversation, Dr. Paramskas emphasized the importance of audiovisual content and stories in language software. “If [learners] are looking for a package, I would strongly suggest that the package start with visual audio and then goes on to writing or text. Text should not be first.” Dr. Paramskas added that with the software she worked on “everything starts with a story and then everything else is built in—the vocabulary, grammar, and so forth.”

Dr. Paramskas also mentioned progression as something essential for language learning software. “Nobody should get stuck at any one point and not know what to do next,” she told us. This is why finding the software with the best-guided course turned into the main goal of our testing methodology.

In addition to what experts were able to tell us, we also homed in on certain criteria that we considered essential in any software’s educational model. We made sure all of our top language learning software picks had exercises that incorporate reading, writing, listening, and speaking. We also evaluated features such as spaced repetition systems, which are highly recommended for practicing vocabulary.

Additional Features

We defined “additional features” as content that could be helpful or lead to an improved experience while learning a foreign language, but would not adversely affect a product if removed. Any and all the features that we did not qualify as “essential” fell under this category. The nature of this criteria means that no language learning software suffered blows to their score when evaluating it. Instead, scores universally rose—even if just a tad, for some products.

Some examples of additional features include an offline mode, camera translation, learning graphs and statistics, community forums, and progress tests. We also considered language exchange components as additional features in software designed to be comprehensive courses.

Customer Experience

Our customer experience criteria were based on any significant patterns of complaint we could find online. Naturally, we would also consider the feedback from our testing participants regarding each program.

A common complaint we found regarding language learning software is that customers believe the product wasn’t worth the price they paid. Depending on when a customer decides the program is no longer worth it, it might already be too late to request a money-back guarantee. This type of issue is most prevalent with two types of software: those that  do not offer free trials, and those that are based on tutoring lessons, since effectiveness can vary widely from one teacher to the next. 

We also found complaints regarding unresponsive customer support. Unresponsive customer service departments can be aggravating for any customer, but more so for those who are first-time users of language software and might not be able to navigate the platform easily. This unresponsiveness often translated to customers who were unable to get their money back promptly, as well.

We also considered money-back guarantees when evaluating companies. Along with free trials, these allow customers to get a cursory overview of what the platform is like and if it’ll fit their learning needs. Thanks to these policies, we were able to try out the software for a short period of time before beginning our longer, three-month software testing. This helped us rule out language learning software that did not have a holistic approach. 

Helpful information about Language Learning Software

What Does It Take to Learn a Language?

Language is more than just long lists of vocabulary, grammar rules, and conjugation tables. It is a living thing that changes and adapts to the needs of the groups and cultures it inhabits—words in a vacuum, it is not. Language influences nearly every aspect of our lives and is our chief tool for understanding the world around us.

Learning a language is no easy feat. Every language consists of its own complex system of signs and meanings which are constantly changing, often without us even noticing. These systems can be as alike as they can be dissimilar. Take English, German, and Swedish, for example, which all share a common parentage. This leads to their similarities in lexicon and grammar and oils the wheels of the learning process. 

In some instances, however, languages belonging to the same family tree can be considerably different from each other. Consider the cases of Portuguese and Romanian, both Romance languages, or Finnish and Estonian, both Finnic languages. Both cases show two languages that belong to a single, modern family branch, but differ significantly in grammar and vocabulary. Some languages share no common linguistic roots at all with each other, proving even harder to learn in the long run. 

How difficult a language is to learn from the perspective of the average English speaker is clearly illustrated by the Foreign Service Institute’s (FSI) language learning timeline. This timeline reflects their 70 years of experience in teaching languages to U.S. diplomats. Although the actual amount of time one needs to reach “fluency” suggested by the FSI has been debated, their timeline still serves as a good indicator of how long you can expect it to take to learn one language over another.

Even the most “uniform” of languages suffer from unpredictability to some degree. Varying declension patterns, unorthodox pronunciation, and grammatical conventions that defy our logic are just a few examples of the many roadblocks that language learners face. Exceptions abound, as well, and sometimes these exceptions have exceptions themselves, easily increasing learner’s frustration.

Thus, learning a language is a long, arduous process of trial and error, which often translates to long hours of study and practice. This is where good educational models and learning methodologies can make a drastic difference in the uptake of a foreign language. Before we discuss any of the methods that we believe can improve foreign language uptake, we need to understand how language is acquired by children and how it differs from how adults learn a new language.

How Is Language Acquired?

Language acquisition and language learning are sometimes used interchangeably in casual conversation. These two concepts are fundamentally different, however. When speaking of acquisition, one is specifically referring to the subconscious process that every human being naturally experiences during childhood. Language learning, on the other hand, is done so with intent. Adults learn new languages through practice and the instruction of language structure.

According to the linguistic milestones table created by the University of Sheffield's School of English, during their first year of life, children become more sensitive to word order, begin babbling and then uttering their first words. By age five, children have the capacity for approximately 6,000 words and are able to produce more complex sentences. Unlike children, adults are not able to learn language as intuitively due to a number of reasons. Biological factors, such as brain plasticity and physical limitations during childhood, may certainly have a hand in this. However, a recent study by MIT Scientists suggests that the root cause of this may not lie in the biological factors we face as we age, but in the social factors. 

The MIT study posits that adults have the tools and resources to learn just as quickly as children do, but that we simply lack time and motivation. For those lacking the latter, a proper goal is needed to ensure that they continue to be engaged by what they are learning. If the issue is time, however, then it all comes down to the methodology, that is, to how we learn the language.

The Best Way to Learn a Foreign Language

Languages are constantly changing because they exist within cultures, where they serve as a group’s means of communication and expression. As a group of speakers evolves, so does their language. Likewise, as our knowledge of language learning and acquisition has expanded, so have our tools and methods.

A prime example of this are textbooks. Textbooks are still widely used—particularly in classroom settings—and are a key component of many language curriculums. However, their validity is being increasingly questioned by the language learning community, with some calling them outdated or simply a waste of time. Classroom settings are themselves waning in popularity, with sharp decreases in enrollment to foreign language programs in American schools and colleges. Instead, language learning today is increasingly becoming married to digital technology in the way of online software and mobile applications.

Language learning software has exploded in popularity in recent years. This is in part due to the increased accessibility, flexibility, and affordability it offers to users. Learners no longer need to trek all the way to a classroom to take a one-hour course where they might barely get a chance to speak out loud in the first place, or spend potentially copious amounts of money on a course that may end up disappointing them halfway through. Instead, learners can log into their platform of choice and complete as many lessons as they want on their own time. They can try out the software and ask for their money back if the product’s structure is not to their liking.

This doesn’t mean that classroom settings don’t have their benefits. In fact, there are many caveats to only using software to learn a foreign language—a lack of proper guidance being the big one. It’s why many of these programs are used by people already learning a language and by teachers hoping to reinforce what their students learn in class.

There are, however, other issues at play when it comes to classrooms. For starters, class size plays a significant role when it comes to language learning. A class of five, where each student has a higher amount of time to participate, will be infinitely better than one of 25. The teacher’s experience, knowledge, and available teaching tools will also vary widely between classrooms. These factors, along with a lack of flexibility in scheduling, might make classrooms seem antiquated to many modern language learners.

So, then, what is the best way to learn a language? What is the best way to become fluent? While the idea that everyone learns differently has been debunked, it’s still hard to state a single “best method” of learning a language. Your best method will ultimately depend on how much time you are able to dedicate to it, and the tools and resources available to you. Regardless, there are some methods and techniques that are generally preferred by language learners and experts alike. 

Study regularly. Cramming may help you pass a test, but it won’t help you learn a language. In a TechCrunch article, writers Masato Hagiwara and Burr Settles compare learning a language to losing weight. You can’t lose weight by working three times as hard a single day of the week instead of exercising on a regular basis. You need to find a rhythm and a schedule that doesn’t exhaust you, but that also demands a reasonable amount of effort. Whether that schedule consists of studying 30 minutes six days a week or 45 minutes four days a week is up to the learner and their preference.

Converse with native speakers. There are many platforms out there that allow you to talk with native speakers of the language you are learning. They are called language exchange software applications, because they connect people that are trying to learn each other’s language—hence, the “exchange.” Speaking with natives is essential to becoming conversational in the language you are learning. No amount of studying will help you form a natural conversation with another human being. If you have no immediate access to a native speaker in your area, we highly recommend trying out one of our favorite language exchange platforms:

  • Tandem: Tandem is a mobile application designed as a social network for language-learners. When signing up for an account, users are asked a series of questions in order to find their ideal language exchange partners: what their native language is, what other languages they speak (and at what level), and what languages they are learning. However, users are also asked about their passions and hobbies, learning goals, and the kind of people they would like to talk with. Additionally, one must also upload one or more pictures clearly showing their face to encourage transparency. Tandem isn’t just limited to conversation, however. Users can also pay for lessons with personal tutors and use the “Travels” tab on the app to answer the questions of people who are currently traveling in a foreign country.

 

  • HelloTalk: HelloTalk is a language exchange mobile app that facilitates contacts between speakers through the use of “topics”. After signing up and selecting their language preferences, users are asked to create a topic that other users can access to start a conversation with them. During conversation, HelloTalk’s cornerstone features, the translation and correction tools, help speakers communicate and point out grammatical and spelling mistakes that can be improved on. HelloTalk has also developed courses for those who want to test the waters beyond language exchange.

 

  • Idyoma: Idyoma is a mobile app that connects language learners through individual or group chats. You can use the app to talk with people from around the world or locate nearby language learners who are using the app, as well. Users may be matched based on shared interests and messages can be instantly translated inside the app.

Find a study partner. Motivation is an easy thing to lose while learning a language. Learning an entire new set of rules along with scores of vocabulary words and a whole new way to express yourself can make you quickly lose track of your original goals. This is especially true for those who reach an intermediate level but are stuck in the plateau there, unable to attain an advanced, native-like level of fluency. 

Having a study partner may not remind you of your specific goals, but it can provide a friendly face with whom to measure your progress by. By working together, it’s easier to stay on track and find reasons beyond your original goals for learning the language. It’s also a great way to practice speaking with another person—albeit, without the supervision of someone who can point out your mistakes.

Contact a language coach or tutor. If you have the budget for it, having 1-on-1 sessions with an experienced tutor is one of the best alternatives out there. Tutoring combines the best of both worlds: it grants learners the flexibility of software with the advantages of a small classroom setting. Tutors can adapt on the fly to your current level of language proficiency and provide materials targeted towards your interests. Although tutors may offer their services at a wide range of prices, really good ones are generally expensive and may even cost you more than a classroom course. 

Avoid studying during stressful moments or situations. We previously mentioned that a regular pattern of study was a healthy learning habit. Having said that, it’s better to not study at all while you are under serious stress than to force yourself to adhere to a strict, inflexible schedule. While speaking with Nathaly Batista, she told us that learners should have a “low level of anxiety while studying, or otherwise they won’t be able to learn.” When studying, make sure you aren’t in a rush or in an uncomfortable position. Plan ahead of time and try to study in the same spot regularly, but don’t feel forced to study if you are not in the best mental state.

What to Watch out for When Purchasing Language Learning Software

No software can offer true immersion

In the field of language learning, experts generally agree that immersion is the single most effective technique there is. Immersion entails placing the learner in an environment—be it a classroom, a household, or a foreign country—where they must communicate in their target language. Immersion allows learners to absorb verbal language at much higher rates since it’s in use all around you and, ideally, becomes your only option for communication.

There are some language learning software programs out there that use the word “immersive” or “immersion” to describe their lessons or teaching methodology. They generally make use of audio recordings and videos of native speakers, as well as suggesting podcasts or subtitling movies. While this could be read as a worthy goal, it’s also very misleading. 

There is no way that any type of software can offer true immersion. “That is a misguided claim, at best overly optimistic," is what Dr. Dana Paramskas told us. “When you’re dealing with immersion, it’s physical contact with a culture, with a person. When you’re dealing with software, with prompts and words, it’s artificial and you have to work with that.” Immersion is only a possibility in spaces where the language learner is constantly in contact with their target language. Unless the learner is forced to understand and communicate in it, the effect is essentially lost.

Programs with non-holistic approaches

Software that focuses on improving certain language proficiencies is a novel solution for learners who already have a certain level of fluency in their target language. By using this type of software, speakers can work on their ability to recall certain words, practice their conversational skills, brush up on conjugation, and more. The issue is when these programs sell themselves as a language learning solution for people with no previous experience of a language.

Take vocabulary building software, for example. There’s no use in learning hundreds or even thousands of words if they are learned outside of context and without any structure to compose sentences with. In fact, this was an issue we faced during our own testing of language learning software. One of our two participants for Russian was using a program that turned out to be more of a vocabulary builder with grammar notes than anything else. Hence, we had to drop that program and use another one that did employ a holistic approach.

It’s important to stress, again, that this software is optimal for brushing up on specific skills. There is nothing wrong with targeted software. However, when it’s sold as a “whole” or “full” package for learning a language, that can trick consumers into spending time and money on something that does not align with their goals.

FAQs about Language Learning Software

What languages can I learn through language learning software?

A wide variety of languages may be learned through language learning software. The languages that are available will vary from one software to another, with some offering a single language and others offering nearly a hundred. Overall, Indo-European languages are the most commonly offered on language learning software. This includes highly popular languages from the Romance, Germanic, and Slavic language families, such as Spanish, German, French, and Russian, which commonly rank among the top ten most studied languages in America. An exception to this, however, are the three most commonly taught East-Asian languages: Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin Chinese. These three languages have gained a considerable boost in popularity with learners, most likely due to a combination of cultural exposure and economic or business opportunities.

Is language learning software expensive?

How expensive a language learning software program usually corresponds to the number of tools it provides for its customers. The most common price point we found during our evaluation phase was $9.99/mo. There is a big difference in prices between language learning software that is purchased as a single package and those that use a subscription model. The former is generally much more expensive in the short run but can be more valuable for those learning at a slower pace, in which case a subscription may eventually become more expensive. Software that is charged as a service can be split into two groups: general course-based software and specialized or skill-targeted software. Both groups fall into a $5.00 to $30.00/mo price range, in comparison to single-purchase packages, which can easily cost $80+.

Is language learning software better than classroom learning?

Using language learning software can, in theory, be better than signing up for a classroom language course. However, this will all depend on how disciplined you are, what previous experiences you have with language learning, and how well-guided or designed your software of choice is. Learning languages in a classroom setting gets a lot of flak nowadays, and not all of it is unwarranted. Classrooms are wont to have numerous students, all vying for their professor’s limited time. How good your professor is at teaching the language is also an important factor to consider, regardless of how large your class is. On the other hand, learning in a classroom can be very beneficial if you lack the motivation to study by yourself. In these cases, you are more likely than not to give up on your language learning software course, unless you have very urgent and/or serious motives to learn your target language.

How long does it take to learn a language?

How long it takes to learn a new, foreign language varies depending on three factors: your language learning goals, your native language, and your studying habits. As a rule of thumb, you should not expect to have a basic level of fluency in any language in less than three months. The first thing to consider when asking this question is: what does “learning a language” mean to me? If your goal is only to be capable of holding a basic conversation, then you will naturally take much less time to “learn” your target language than someone who needs to pass a language proficiency test. Consider what your goals are first and then worry about how long it might take to reach the level of fluency you desire. The second thing to consider for this question is: what does the target language share with my native language? If you are a native Spanish speaker learning Portuguese, you’ll find many more similarities between both languages than a native Spanish speaker learning Hungarian, for example. Learning a language that shares little to no linguistic traits with your own won’t necessarily be more difficult than the alternative, but it is more likely to take longer as you adapt to an entirely foreign language system. Lastly, you need to ask yourself the following: how often and for how long can I study? Language learners need to be honest about this to themselves. Too little study will make the exercise of language learning fruitless, but too much study will probably drive you insane. In the end, it comes down to how efficiently you study, and a good methodology will always bring out better results in a shorter span of time.

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