Hello to hallo: Apps for learning languages

If you booked a vacation, need to level up your skills for a job, or want a productive way to spend idle minutes, these language learning apps will help you talk the talk.

Duolingo

Duolingo: Language Lessons

Duolingo

Contains adsIn-app purchases

4.5

35.3M reviews

500M+

Downloads

Everyone

1
Bite-size lessons in a game-inspired package make language learning approachable for students of all ages
2
Choose a daily goal – ranging from “Casual” to "Insane" – and stay motivated as the app tracks your streak
3
Subscribe to Duolingo Plus for personalized lessons that help you practice what you got wrong

This fast-paced, gamified language-learning app has a decade of expertise in teaching and over 40 languages on offer. Build your vocabulary as a variety of cute, animated characters cheer you on through brief daily listening, speaking, and matching exercises. Along with European, African, and Asian languages, Duolingo offers courses in Latin, Yiddish, and even Klingon.

Babbel

Babbel - Learn Languages

Babbel

In-app purchases

4.6

1.09M reviews

50M+

Downloads

Everyone

1
Learn languages through interactive lessons designed to prepare you for real-life situations and conversations
2
Improve your pronunciation with a speech recognition tool to help you sound more like a native speaker
3
Lessons are customised to your needs and goals, and build on grammatical concepts shared with your native language

Learn language and grammar with lessons featuring the voices of real-world native speakers. Babbel focuses on teaching casual, everyday conversation, with an emphasis on the local culture of the country whose language you're learning. You’ll need a subscription to access lessons, but you can try out a class first.

Memrise

Memrise: Languages for life

Memrise

Contains adsIn-app purchases

4.5

1.57M reviews

10M+

Downloads

Everyone

1
Learn to read and write more than 20 languages, from Spanish and French to Chinese and Korean
2
Build your repertoire of common everyday phrases via short lessons designed by fluency specialists
3
Set and track goals, access native speaker videos, practice your pronunciation, and test your progress

Linguists know that your native tongue influences how you learn other languages, so this subscription-based app tailors its program for both the language you want to learn and the one you already speak. As part of your lesson plan, watch clips of native speakers in spaces like offices or coffee shops, with an emphasis on how speech differs based on the situation.