With almost 500 million native speakers globally, Spanish is one of the most popular – and useful – languages to learn. And there are plenty of apps available to help you.
Photo: Courtesy of Gymglish
Ideal for the modern busy lifestyle, language learning apps allow you to dip in and out at your leisure, and wherever you are, be it at home, on the train, or even walking along the street if you’re prepared to run the gauntlet of bumping into other pedestrians. There are a wide number of reputable language apps currently available – many of whose basic services are free. We’ve picked out three of the best offering Spanish lessons below.
Gymglish
Providing language lessons for adults of all levels, Gymglish usually offer the first 7 days free of charge, but by booking at the link below you can gain a whole month free. Their Learning Series are designed to make learning a new language fun, with content featuring short, funny stories that expose users to a diverse range of accents and cultures. Their personalised learning method, powered by AI, has been tried and tested by 7 million users worldwide. After completing your free trial (with no commitment to buy), you can choose your subscription plan that suits your preferred duration and desired features. Gymglish also offer a level assessment at the start of the course, continuous evaluation throughout, and a certificate of completion once you finish.
Duolingo
Duolingo turns language learning into a game. The platform provides users with lessons on themes and grammar that students would learn in the classroom. As well as short game-style activities, users can access resources such as Duolingo Stories and audio lessons designed to improve your conversation skills. The free version gives users a limited number of ‘hearts,’ and once you make five mistakes, you will have to practise previous lessons before moving onto new material. This feature means you’re regularly consolidating what you’ve already gone over. The premium package gives users unlimited hearts, downloadable lessons, and is free of adverts – ideal for dedicated learner who use the app daily.
Busuu
New users to Busuu will be asked to undertake an initial assessment for their chosen language so that the app can identify the level at which they should begin their learning. The app has a clean interface and offers helpful reminders on when to practise and which words you need to brush up. Busuu activities include fill-in-the-blanks, word-order exercises to assist with structuring sentences, and listening and reading comprehension, with Q&A activities following to check your understanding. This content, plus more, is all available for free, but there are also chargeable Premium and Premium Plus plans, which come with a personalised study plan to help you achieve your goals.