The uncertainty of this moment might easily cause us to feel disconnected from one another, particularly as a country. Improve your communication abilities, and you'll be well on your way to re-establishing contact with the outside world. The capacity to study a language online in later life may be really advantageous in terms of keeping the brain busy, and there is no solid evidence that you ever lose the ability to do so!!
Here we will provide a list of the finest websites and apps for learning a language while staying at home, both online and through your smartphone. The free ones focus on getting the fundamentals down, whilst others may demand a little fee to unlock all of their capabilities, however, they provide a more in-depth learning experience than the free ones.
1. Duolingo is a language learning application.
Duolingo is a fantastic free resource for people who are just getting started with language learning. It focuses on fundamental terms and the development of a strong foundation of vocabulary from which to advance to simple sentence construction. Furthermore, interactive quizzes and games provide a delightful approach to learning while concealing a scientifically established technique of learning – spaced repetition – from view.
It also supports more than 30 languages, including some fictional ones such as Klingon and High Valyrian, which may be just as entertaining to learn but may not be as helpful in everyday situations.
You may get started with Duolingo on the web, your iPhone, Android phone, or your Windows phone, among other platforms.
Memrise is a second option.
Similar to Duolingo, Memrise is a fun and effective tool to get you started and engaged in learning a new language with interactive exercises and games. Memrise offers a plethora of languages to learn, as well as a variety of courses with varying degrees of difficulty. There are video snippets of genuine native speakers to assist deepen the experience, and if you feel like you want, even more, there is a premium edition available for £7 a month, which unlocks all of the features and languages.
Memrise language learning is available online, on Android devices, and on iPhones.
The Rosetta Stone is a third option.
Rosetta Stone is a commercial service (although brief free trials are available) that attempts to properly prepare you to hold a conversation with a native in the language of your choosing. It has a strong reputation in the independent language-learning market. Lessons may take numerous forms, ranging from pure audio lessons to let you move away from your computer screen to Stories - where you read along with a native speaker – and everything in between. The language learning program Rosetta Stone may be a suitable choice for you if your objective is a more thorough comprehension (which includes the ability to write the language). There is also an option to learn with a tutor.
For more information about price and to join up, please see the website. Rosetta Stone also has mobile applications for the iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone platforms.
Busuu is the fourth member of the group.
If you prefer a more collaborative method, Busuu brings together learners from all around the world to assist one another by providing comments and evaluating conversational abilities. Busuu offers over 1000 bite-sized courses that are based on proven approaches and are designed to help you improve your level. There is a lesser range of languages on Busuu than on the other sites on our list, and in order to receive the full experience, which includes limitless discussions with other learners, you will need to pay for a premium membership, which costs around £6 per month.
Visit their website for additional information and to sign up, or download their mobile applications for iPhone and Android phones.
Babbel is number five on the list.
Babbel is doubling down on its efforts to have the conversational aspect of online language learning figured out. A subscription-based software that includes content handpicked by professionals as well as voice recognition technologies to help you improve your pronunciation. One of the most useful features of Babbel is the review sessions, which put the principles you've learned to the test in a variety of situations, just like in real-life discussions. Like Busuu, there is a considerably narrower number of languages to choose from, with most of them being European. Prices start at £4.75/month when you purchase a year's worth of service.
Learn more about Babbel on their website, and sign up for a free account on your iPhone or Android device.
Netflix is the sixth option.
Taking a short diversion, one excellent approach to practice a new language is using Google Chrome Extensions with Netflix, as you sit back, watch movies, and socially isolate yourself.
Having two sets of subtitles to read while watching a movie on Netflix is the concept here. You'll have one set in the language you're studying and another set in your original language. Learning languages online in this manner allows you to zero down on the conversational characteristics of the dialect and can assist you in using words in the appropriate circumstances in the future.
You must be using Google Chrome as your web search browser in order to complete the setup. Google Chrome is merely another tool that allows you to connect to the internet and browse the web. If you don't already have Google Chrome installed, you can get it from this page.
Following that, you must install the "Extension." Extensions are in-browser apps that are designed to enhance your online browsing experience. Language Learning with Netflix is the add-on that we recommend you use. You may select the language you wish to study, control the speed at which the subtitles appear, and click on words to find out what they mean by clicking on them. Accept the pop-up that appears after clicking on the link and selecting "Add to Chrome."
Once the extension has been downloaded, the Language Learning with Netflix page will appear, guiding you through the process of using the extension on Netflix.
Looking for something to watch but aren't sure what to watch? Check out our list of the best Netflix programs for the elderly.