Learning a language can be an exhilarating and rewarding experience, but it also presents its share of challenges and frustration.
That is why it’s essential to find a language learning resource that meets your requirements and helps you meet your objectives. Here are some of the top online language learning resources.
Linguatics
Linguatics is an online language learning resource that employs gamification to keep users engaged and entertained. Students create a cartoon avatar character and navigate games to earn rewards for progress.
Linguatics offers students the unique feature of setting daily goals to track their progress. These can range from basic to intense, depending on the language. Furthermore, its progress bar displays how many days in a row they have completed lessons.
Linguatics stands out among language learning apps in that its lessons are tailored to learners’ abilities. It uses quizzes, stories and podcasts to test learners in various ways.
The app also features a podcast that guides learners through captivating stories from around the world in their target language, complete with brief explanations and native-speaker pronunciation. It’s an ideal way to practice while on the go and improves speaking skills by giving users practice using new vocabulary.
Another fantastic feature of Linguatics is its memory retention system. This helps learners recall what they learned in previous lessons, as well as reintroducing words they made mistakes on previously. Furthermore, Linguatics will remind users of any grammar points they need to review.
Italki
Italki is an online language learning resource that connects learners with a global network of language tutors. It also has an expansive community and discussion forum where language learners can engage with other members and practice their foreign language at their own pace.
Italki offers a free-to-use model, so you can sign up for an account without charging and start learning a new language right away. Once registered, you can search for teachers and book lessons – with options to select your teacher’s country, age range and experience level to find the ideal match tailored to your individual needs.
Once you’ve selected a teacher, you have the option to book either a 30-minute trial lesson or a full lesson. This is ideal for learning at your own pace and getting acquainted with the teacher before booking an extended lesson.
Italki offers an impressive selection of language tutors, and it’s simple to locate one who meets your needs. Tutors are divided into two categories: Community Tutors and Professional Teachers.
Community teachers are typically cheaper and great for conversational practice, while professional educators possess more expertise and can offer more structured lessons. Furthermore, these tutors often hold certifications which make them great options for exam preparation as well.
Italki is an excellent platform for language learning, boasting an expansive network of teachers for almost any language. Unfortunately, finding a quality tutor can be challenging, and there have been reports of spam and unscrupulous activity on the site.
Forvo
Forvo is a free language learning resource that enables users to listen to the pronunciations of words in over 330 languages. Additionally, its database boasts an expansive selection of popular categories and essential phrases so users can quickly locate what they need.
Forvo’s content is crowdsourced, meaning anyone can add their own voice to a word and its pronunciation. This makes Forvo an invaluable tool for kids to develop listening skills and master new words in various languages.
One of the greatest strengths of Forvo is its extensive database, which contains audio clips of real people speaking over 450 languages. You can listen to pronunciations of words in Spanish, Arabic, German, French, Russian and Japanese, among many others.
The website is organized into language groups and features a map of speakers’ locations to facilitate comparison between pronounced versions of words from different cultures. Furthermore, the search function allows you to quickly see which sound files are most popular in each language.
Furthermore, Forvo offers an interactive flashcard feature that enables learners to hear the pronunciation of vocabulary words and rate how difficult they found it. This is a great benefit for students who want to practice their pronunciation with guidance from native speakers.
Overall, Forvo’s approach to pronunciation analysis differs from other language learning programs in that it provides detailed feedback on each vocabulary word they pronounce, as well as monitoring audio recordings by word and segment to demonstrate the outcomes of their production.
ProZ
ProZ is a membership website with numerous features and advantages for language professionals. Some of the more useful include its dedicated forum, comprehensive support system and ability to connect with like-minded professionals. Furthermore, ProZ provides access to thousands of free translation resources as well as an excellent job board. All in all, ProZ should not be missed by language professionals looking for quality information.
ProZ offers a number of special interest groups that provide members with specialized resources. Notable examples include the Translation Technology Community and Translators Forum – an open forum where translators can network and exchange ideas without fear of judgment or harassment. Unlike most forums, this one provides a secure space to share and learn.
ProZ is not the only website available, but it certainly ranks as one of the most popular and offers a number of impressive benefits that should be taken into account when making an investment in your future.
IFTTT
IFTTT (If This Then That) is a free web service designed to automate tasks and boost efficiency. It connects various apps and devices together for automation, making it both simple to use and accessible to everyone.
IFTTT works by connecting different devices and apps together, known as an “applet” (formerly known as recipes). Applets enable smart home appliances like lights and thermostats to internet services like weather forecasts or traffic reports. They may be activated by events like receiving a new email or adding a file to Dropbox.
If you’re interested in learning a language, IFTTT can be an invaluable tool. The site offers hundreds of useful automation and even lets you pick up some new phrases on the go with their Radio Lingua podcast.
This service boasts over 18 million active users and processes more than a billion apples monthly. You can browse pre-created applets or build your own from scratch.
Applets are scripts that launch automatically when triggered by an event, such as saving emails in Gmail or uploading new Instagram photos to Dropbox. There are numerous uses for applets, from saving starred emails in Gmail to sending new Instagram photos directly to Dropbox – the possibilities are endless!
One of the most useful features is its capacity to sync data sources such as your Facebook newsfeed or Twitter timeline. You can even set up an applet that will save your Instagram photos to Dropbox when they are tagged by you.
Busuu
Busuu is an online language learning resource that strives to foster a community of language learners. Their website and app boast beautiful designs with plenty of useful features like offline mode, progress tracking, short lessons, and more.
The free version of the site offers a limited amount of content, while premium plans offer additional lessons and other perks. For instance, Premium Plus members have access to personalized study plans, official certificates and more.
Busuu’s community aspect makes it an invaluable resource, encouraging users to interact and help each other out with writing exercises within minutes. This is especially helpful for those feeling stuck on one question or phrase.
It helps them remain motivated and prevents them from quitting. Furthermore, receiving feedback from native speakers is invaluable for any language learner.
Busuu not only helps users learn vocabulary, but they can also take advantage of its interactive flashcards. Each card explains the meaning behind a word and includes audio clips of native speakers saying it.
Flashcards can also be used to practice basic grammar and pronunciation. These exercises utilize spaced repetition, which helps build confidence and the capacity for memorization of words and phrases quickly and effortlessly.
