THE BASICS

Find the Perfect Language App for You

Master a language in a few minutes a day with these apps.

Ready to learn a second (or third!) language? These apps can help you get there in just minutes a day. Here’s how to find one that speaks to you:

Longtime favourite Duolingo will teach you to, well, say cheese.

If You Learn Best by Playing

Duolingo has led the language-learning field for years with its breezy, gamified lessons. If you want to speak it, Duolingo probably offers it. The app teaches more than 30 languages, including Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese—even Klingon.

Babbel gets you up and running with common phrases and conversation starters. (It’ll also help you get a snack.)

If You Want to Have Conversations Fast

Through lessons grounded in real-life dialogue, Babbel focuses on getting you up to speed, pronto. The app offers a towering list of languages—try a classic Romance language, go Nordic with Swedish or Norwegian, or give Turkish, Russian, or Indonesian a whirl.

Are you a visual learner? Rosetta Stone’s photo-based approach will speak your language.

If You Want a Tried-and-True Method

Rosetta Stone has been using the immersion approach to language learning since 1992. The app shows pictures in context, with no translation (or verb conjugation), to help you speak and write. No lengthy vocab lists to memorize here. Instead you’ll see someone enjoying a croissant to learn that the French word for “to eat” is manger.

Busuu trains you to speak by quizzing you about common hypothetical situations.

If You Want to Work With Native Speakers

To speak as fluently as a local, check out Busuu. Each lesson introduces a range of mini-games and exercises, after which you can share recordings of yourself to get feedback from native speakers in the Busuu user community.

Play a game and learn some French—all in under five minutes—with Drops.

If You Have Only Five Minutes a Day

Every lesson in Drops is a lightning-fast game of wordplay that takes just five minutes. Start by learning new words by theme (food, people, relationships), then move on to advanced topics like politics and society. When your five minutes are up, see the number of words you’ve mastered, plus other stats.

Text chat with your buddy, then work your way up to video calls.

If You Like to Practise by Chatting

Tandem connects you to a native speaker of the language you want to learn via video or audio calls, or text chat. This global community can help you become fluent in more than 300 languages, including 12 types of sign language.

Try learning an entirely new alphabet with LingoDeer.

If You Want to Learn an Asian language

LingoDeer teaches several languages but specializes in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. In addition to helping Latin-based language speakers adapt to entirely new character systems, the app also offers helpful cultural tips.

Use iTranslate Converse to translate live conversations—helpful if you’re pressed for time.

If You Need a Translation Right Now

iTranslate Converse won't necessarily teach you a language, but it'll make you instantly conversant. The app translates live conversations on the fly, in real time, which means you can use it when you need to find a train, order a coffee, or locate a bathroom. The app understands over 35 languages and dialects, including Arabic, Hindi, and Slovak.