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I was bitten by the travel bug many years ago; ever since, I’ve made a point of visiting exotic destinations around the world, which includes non-english speaking countries. Traveling the world years ago when no one spoke English was deemed as pretty exotic and exciting, sadly, nowadays we seem to have become a bit lazy. If they don’t understand, we just say it louder and slower.
I live in Los Angeles, a melting pot of different cultures; the one thing I realized was, even for non-international travelers, being able to communicate in different languages is becoming more and more necessary; according to the 2017 US Census, nearly half of residents in America’s five largest cities speak a language other than English. Overall, the number of U.S. residents who speak a foreign language at home now stands at almost 67 million, which works out to one in four public school students. Grab a few basics and you’ll be surprised how far they go.
Google Translate
It might not be teaching you directly but it is certainly my personal go to. If I see words I don’t understand but want to learn it as simple as pointing the camera at the text and getting a translation. Not sure whats on the menu, type it in. Need to get a sentence out to a local that you really don’t know. Let it speak it out for you. Literally, the best thing since sliced bread!
Drops
If you really want to hone in on vocabulary, Drops uses a series of five-minute exercises to drill new words. The time limit gives it a gamified element that will keep you on your toes and the “travel talk” feature will teach you phrases you’ll especially need while abroad.
Duolingo
I like the fact it is more like a course in the palm of your hand than a list of jumbled words. It uses repetition and reviewing to make sure you have grasped it and mixes audio learning with visuals prompts.
Duolingo addresses reading, writing, and pronunciation by challenging you with a fun range of activities. It’s amazing how quickly you can pick up the basics without even realizing it. Plus, it’s easy to revisit the lessons and work on your weaknesses.
Memrise
With home videos of native speakers, Memrise gives users a sense of how the new language actually sounds. It also utilizes proven memory techniques to cement lessons into your brain faster, as well as an algorithm that adapts to your learning pace and style. It also keeps track of the words you’ve mastered, for those who like a record of success.
Babbel
Babbel uses bite-sized lessons — 10–15 minutes each — to help you learn alongside your busy schedule. The program repeats vocabulary throughout each level, a proven method that helps learners retain new words. Lessons are also created in conjunction with native speakers and covering scenarios you’ll actually use.
Additional Sources: www.makeuseof.com, www.goodhousekeeping.com & www.danflyingsolo.com
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