Learning a second or third language can help you better navigate the world and succeed both personally and professionally. However, not everyone has the money to take tutoring or language lessons. Free language learning apps bridge the gap between budget and desire to learn, teaching you the language skills to communicate in as many languages as you like.
These apps differ in focus, technique, strengths, and weaknesses. Some offer comprehensive and easy-to-use lessons, while others offer hands-on conversation experience with foreign language speakers. We’ve compiled a list of the best free language learning apps with different fluency levels, time limits, and age-appropriate options.
1. Overall Grand Prize: Duolingo
Duolingo is free, but it’s one of the best language learning programs available thanks to the number of languages you can learn and the app’s well-designed bite-sized lessons. Duolingo aims to make teaching fun by motivating learners with challenges and game-like features. For example, you can earn gems for completing lessons, but lose hearts for every mistake you make.
The app currently offers about 40 languages, including a beta version that teaches Klingon for Trekkies. Short lessons are usually about 5 minutes long and are designed to be one lesson per day, but there is no limit to the number of lessons you can take in a day. However, in the free version he can only make 5 mistakes before the lesson is paused and he has to try again later. You can avoid this by upgrading to a Super Duolingo subscription for $7.99 per month (billed annually).
Duolingo lets you learn as many languages as you want at once, while other apps like Busuu limit you to one language at a time. You can also explore different language possibilities with the option to learn two languages at the same time. To get started, you’ll need to set up an account with a password, but once that’s done, there are few limitations if you don’t mind seeing an occasional 30-second ad.
The structure and ease of use of this app make it stand out among language learning apps. Lessons have a clear structure and order. To keep you on track, you can’t move on to a new module until you’ve completed a certain number of lessons in the previous module. If you wish, you can also review previous lessons, mistakes, and vocabulary to refresh your memory and practice. Additionally, you can listen to podcasts in the language of your choice.
The downside is that the amount of content is not the same for each language. Some languages are rich in content, like Spanish and French, while others are less developed, like Esperanto and Navajo.
If you need more training, a Super subscription lets you use the app without restrictions and offers a few other perks like unlimited mastery quizzes and test outs, but the benefits available to free members are: Limited. (If you’ve already mastered a skill, you can use Test Out to skip a lesson.) You can also access additional speaking and listening practice with a Super membership, but you can’t skip a lesson if you’ve already mastered the skill. Repetition allows you to get additional practice at no additional cost.
Duolingo is available in iOSiPadOS, iMessage, and android.
2. Great for multilingualism: Memrise
If you want to hone your language skills or learn the basics of multiple languages at once, Memrise’s free tier may be all you need. This app is more of a learning aid than a comprehensive language learning app. But multilingual apps stand out above the rest because they customize recommended lessons based on your past performance and feature an AI chatbot to help you learn.
The app relies on a lot of mnemonics, but the courses make heavy use of videos. For example, when learning vocabulary, you will be shown a short video of a native speaker saying her one word. Learners learn vocabulary and pronunciation by following the “see, learn, speak” method. Memrise offers 23 languages and you can learn as many languages as you like at once. Plus, your account syncs across your devices, so you can access your lessons from multiple locations, including your desktop computer.
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Memrise allows you to customize your study settings, so you can adjust the number of words you work on in each study or review session. However, if you make these changes in the app and later use the desktop version, you’ll need to adjust your learning settings again, as this is the only part of the app that doesn’t sync.
Memrise offers free and paid subscriptions, the latter for $14.99 per month, $89.99 per year, or $199.99 for a lifetime membership. The paid tier has no ads and includes access to all lessons in any language that you don’t get in the free tier.
memrise is available in iOSiPadOS, and android.
3. Best for general vocabulary: Busuu
Busuu may not have as large a selection of languages as apps like Duolingo or Memrise, but the app makes up for it in terms of the quality of its vocabulary content and course structure. At the beginning of each lesson, you clearly know your goals and what to do next. It is also divided into logical parts that are easy to manage.
The free version of Busuu only allows you to work in one language at a time. Depending on the language you’re learning, certain features may not be available. If you want more and are serious about learning a language, we recommend the premium Busuu plan ($6.95 to $13.95 per month). The fact that you can learn vocabulary from multiple languages alone is worth it. However, if you want to brush up or are happy with learning one language, the free version is perfect for you.
A fun and unique feature that Busuu offers is the option to submit audio or written responses to the Busuu community for feedback and corrections regarding your language skills. Members of the community who speak the language you are learning can offer suggestions and provide cultural background. The instructions for this app are excellent for both the free and paid versions. Busuu focuses on 14 languages, including Spanish, Japanese, and Arabic, so if you want to learn a less popular language, be aware that it may not be offered. please.
Busou is available in iOSiPadOS, and android.
4.Perfect for kids: StudyCat
StudyCat offers free language learning for children ages 3 to 8. Although kids won’t learn everything they need to know from this app (like grammar), it’s a fun way to support language development. Researchers from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found that learning a new language before age 10 offers the greatest opportunity to increase proficiency.
This app uses fun characters and games that appeal to young children. Many of the games are similar to matching and questing games that you may already have played on your phone or tablet. More than just a game, this app encourages a critical thinking approach to language learning. Each activity builds on the previous one, increasing vocabulary while stimulating curiosity. Learning takes place through categories such as numbers, behavior, food, and the body. Through these categories, children are exposed to speaking comprehension training and reading comprehension skills. You can jump to different categories, but you must start with the first lesson before moving on to the next, so your child can build up to each lesson gradually.
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StudyCat is available in five languages, each with its own app. If you want to expose your children to languages other than Spanish, French, English, Chinese, or German, this becomes a bit restrictive. However, the app is kept simple, making it suitable for younger learners as well.
On the downside, the free version of the app doesn’t give you full access to all categories, words, and phrases. You have access to two categories, but some categories do not include all games. To do so, you need to pay a monthly subscription of $14.99. I had to go through a signup screen to access the free version, but the free version is there. This app is simple and fun for young kids and gives them lots of good practice without feeling like a drill.
study cat is available in iOS, iPad OSand android.
5. Great for conversations: HelloTalk
If you’re ready to practice your language skills with native speakers, HelloTalk is the app for you. It’s a language app with translation tools, so you can learn while talking. You might think you need to be intermediate or even advanced to carry on a conversation, but that’s not the case with HelloTalk.
First, fill out a questionnaire indicating the language you would like to speak and your fluency level. The app then creates a list of fluent speakers you can chat with. Type what you want to say in English and the app will translate it into the language you’re learning. There is also a quick tap option to translate specific words. Plus, you can listen to your answers read out loud and see transliterations. HelloTalk also provides grammar correction options to help you communicate more proficiently.
The group chat feature lets you talk to multiple people from all over the world, and lets you save conversations and go back to review words and phrases. Chat in 18 languages and practice your speaking and writing skills at the same time. This is the perfect app if you are confident in your vocabulary and sentence structure. Practical use of the language with native speakers promotes language development.
The best part is that the free version gives you access to the same features as the paid version, but it contains ads. You can invest in the ad-free version for $6.99 per month or $45.99 per year. If you really love conversation as a learning tool, you can purchase a lifetime membership for $175.
hello talk Although available on iOS, iPadOSand android.