Learn a Foreign Language App – Best of 2021
Learning a foreign language is one of the best things anyone can do to connect with others, further a career, and boost brainpower. In the old days, there were two ways to learn a new language: take a class and talk to other people. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted classroom learning and prevented people from practicing their newfound language skills with others. The good news is that advances in technology and cell phone apps have made it easier, faster, and less expensive to learn a language in exciting new ways.
A number of language learning apps are available today, and while most language applications help build vocabulary and proper grammar for the target language, each apps provides a different approach to learning a language. Some have speech recognition to ensure proper pronunciation, for example, while others offer instruction in multiple languages. A handful has emerged as the top language learning apps.
Best Foreign Language Learning Apps of 2021
Memrise
Memrise focuses on basic translation, building understanding of the language through real life situations, and correct pronunciation. Users start by learning a few key words and phrases then watches video clips of native speakers with different speaking styles and real accents that help the user recognize the nuances of the new language. The app focuses less on grammar rules and more on giving learners the confidence to speak in their new language.
Duolingo
Duolingo improves vocabulary and grammar through daily lessons and quizzes covering vocabulary recognition, listening activities and voice-enabled speaking practice. The app motivates learners by letting them earn points, level up, get virtual currency and even compete with others.
Mondly
Mondly is a colorful app that makes learning a new language fun, but it is also a serious language program. Users can choose among 30 languages to learn; they can also select their native language from among 33 choices to make learning even easier. The app uses a combination of course materials, chatbots, instant feedback, and augmented reality (AR) to help learners master a new language.
Mondly is game-like in that users can take lessons and tests to unlock the door to the next level. A new daily lesson unlocks every 12 hours. Users who complete the entire week of daily lessons take a weekly test; learners who complete the weekly tests unlock a monthly challenge. Getting access to the next learning level is good motivation for coming back day after day.
Users who open a free Mondy account have access to seven lessons and a daily lesson under the “Hello” topic. A paid account opens up the remaining lessons under topics such as core vocabulary, family, seasons and weather, public transportation, food and drinks, and even travel, vacation activities and preparing a trip.
Babbel
Babbel offers bite-size, interactive lessons that cover words and phrases someone would use in real life, from introducing themselves to ordering food or making travel arrangements. The app makes it easy to learn enough of a language to hold a short conversation after using the app for just a few hours.
The linguists and language teachers that designed Babbel created a system tailored to the user’s native language and target language, reflecting differences in the ways language-users learn new languages – an English-speaker might learn Italian differently from a Spanish-speaker, for example, so Babbel presents slightly different lessons for each language pair.
HeyPal™ Featured Future Star
HeyPal™ is a language exchange, which is an approach based on mutual learning. The app pairs language exchange partners; each partner is a native speaker of the language the other wants to learn. HeyPal allows users from around the world to use interactive chat and social posts to learn and practice a new language.
After signup, users select their native language and choose from among 30 languages that they wish to learn. Next, users interact and practice with people who speak their target language. HeyPal also includes instant translation features, grammar and spelling assist, and engaging video tutorials.
Because users get to interact with one another and practice their language skills right away and in a comfortable, natural setting of real conversations, HeyPal is fun and immersive way to learn a new language.
No single app is perfect for every user, but using an app can help almost every learner pick up a new language without having to sit in a classroom or travel to a foreign land to practice their new skills.
FRANK MAGLIOCHETTI
Frank Magliochetti owes his professional success to his expertise in two areas: medicine and finance. After obtaining a BS in pharmacy from Northeastern University, he stayed on to enroll in the Masters of Toxicology program. He later specialized in corporate finance, receiving an MBA from The Sawyer School of Business at Suffolk University. His educational background includes completion of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and the General Management Program at Stanford Business School. Frank Magliochetti has held senior positions at Baxter International, Kontron Instruments, Haemonetics Corporation, and Sandoz. Since 2000, he has been a managing partner at Parcae Capital, where he focuses on financial restructuring and interim management services for companies in the healthcare, media, and alternative energy industries. Last year, he was appointed chairman of the board at Grace Health Technology, a company providing an enterprise solution for the laboratory environment. Frank is also CEO of ClickStream, ClickStream’s business operations are focused on the development and implementation of WinQuik™, a free to play synchronized mobile app and digital gaming platform. The platform is designed to enable WinQuik™ users to have fun, interact and compete against each other in order to win real money and prizes. Twitter at @ClickstreamC and @WinQuikApp.
Frank was appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Designer Genomics International, Inc. The Company has accumulated a growing body of evidence that highlights a link between alterations in the immune and inflammatory systems and the development of chronic human disease. The Company is visionary and has established itself as a leader in the field of inflammatory and immune genetic DNA and RNA biomarkers that play a causative role in debilitating conditions, such as atherosclerosis/heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and cancer.
A proprietary state-of-the art data mining bioinformatics program, called ‘cluster analysis’ will be used to measure disease development susceptibility with potential for earlier diagnosis and intervention. The company is developing a healthcare program based on its proprietary genetic panels that will allow people to be their own healthcare advocate and take an active role in their health status as well as longevity.
Managing Partner
Parcae Capital
www.parcaecapitalcorp.com
www.frankmagliochetti.com
