Summary:
[[Image:Languageglobe.jpg|630px|thumb|left|Ditch the index cards and pick your destination. ''Photo by Andy Beatty/[http://www.flickr.com/photos/andybeatty/5247263940/ flickr]/CC'']]
For many of us, learning a new language involves flashbacks to stern se�oras, painfully awkward role-playing scenarios, and endless piles of thumbed-over index cards. So the idea of undertaking such a massive enterprise again can be a little intimidating. Good news: Thanks to technology, you don't need these dubious aids ? you can master the toughest tongues with nothing more than a laptop (or smartphone) and a little self-discipline.
But picking from the current array of high-tech tools can be daunting, as different people have different learning styles and different needs when picking up a new language. Are you going abroad for a few days and/or spending a year in Turkey? Do you prefer audio or visual learning? Do you prefer to pick up your vocab and grammar from conversations with exotic strangers, or would you just want to learn how to find broccoli rabe in the grocery store? No matter your preference, there is software out there for you.
''This how-to was written by Adrienne So, a Wired contributor, freelance writer, and world traveler from Portland, Oregon.''
==For story-based learners==
For many, [http://www.rosettastone.com/ Rosetta Stone] remains the gold standard in language-learning software. It works by presenting you with vocab and then prompting you to use context and pictures to piece together sentences. The software also provides you with webchat tutoring sessions with a native speaker. The interface is polished and intuitive, and the endless glowing reviews suggest that the method is effective. But good ol' Rosetta comes with many drawbacks as well. There?s a high price tag and a long learning curve. Honeymooners on a weekend trip to Mykonos probably won?t spend months studying just to learn how to converse with their waiter.
Happily, there are plenty of alternatives out there for people who can?t shell out in the triple digits. [http://www.rocketlanguages.com/ Rocket Languages] is almost as popular as Rosetta Stone, uses a similar concept and costs less than half of what Rosetta Stone charges. So does [http://store.tellmemore.com/ Tell Me More], although the language selection is a little limited. [http://www.byki.com/ Byki] also uses narrative storylines, constructing common phrases and contextual conversations rather than focusing on learning grammar in a linear fashion, and has a more diverse array of languages to choose from.
The [http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/ BBC] also has a number of free online language courses, mostly for Western European languages. Most take you through a 12-week program, complete with certificate. Their quick courses seem to be designed for those who already have a basic knowledge of the language and are just brushing up, although it?s worth stopping by for the intentionally and unintentionally amusing anecdotes and videos (?Kalamari to you too!?).
==For visual learners==
Long-time fans of the Pimsleur language learning method will argue that the method is explicitly audio- rather than visual-based. However, the latest [https://www.pimsleurunlimited.com/ Pimsleur software] makes a greater attempt to incorporate visual elements into the learning process. The method focuses on anticipation and graduated recall ? that is, prompting the student to produce words and phrases on their own, rather than passively repeating them and placing them in context. The software prompts you to move cards around the screen, and your pronunciation is corrected afterwards. As a bonus, the software provides cultural information that the Rosetta Stone lacks. Unfortunately, it?s currently only available for French, Italian, German and Spanish.
==For the time-strapped==
Of course, learning a language in the safety and privacy of your home is one thing. Applying it in the distractions and complications of the real world is another. Mirai Language System?s [http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/istart-japanese!-mirai-japanese/id337246927 iStart] language apps (free for iStart LITE; $4.99 for the beginner app) are snack-sized packages of learning. It may seem a bit tedious to sit through the entire tutored lesson ? oddly enough, the app mimics the classroom experience much more closely than the bigger software packages ? but the vocabulary sections are well organized and easy to use. [http://www.babbel.com/ Babbel] also offers both free and subscription applications that are great at picking up vocabulary and providing you with phrases to deal with a number of social situations.
==Basic translators==
The many people traveling on short vacations don?t need to learn how to convey the essence of Flaubert. Translator apps, both paid and unpaid, abound, but the [http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/google-translate/id414706506?mt=8 Google Translate] app is free and easy to use. It also accepts speech input and can save phrases; the software also recognizes and translates languages as obscure as Welsh and Yiddish.
For many of us, learning a new language involves flashbacks to stern se�oras, painfully awkward role-playing scenarios, and endless piles of thumbed-over index cards. So the idea of undertaking such a massive enterprise again can be a little intimidating. Good news: Thanks to technology, you don't need these dubious aids ? you can master the toughest tongues with nothing more than a laptop (or smartphone) and a little self-discipline.
But picking from the current array of high-tech tools can be daunting, as different people have different learning styles and different needs when picking up a new language. Are you going abroad for a few days and/or spending a year in Turkey? Do you prefer audio or visual learning? Do you prefer to pick up your vocab and grammar from conversations with exotic strangers, or would you just want to learn how to find broccoli rabe in the grocery store? No matter your preference, there is software out there for you.
''This how-to was written by Adrienne So, a Wired contributor, freelance writer, and world traveler from Portland, Oregon.''
==For story-based learners==
For many, [http://www.rosettastone.com/ Rosetta Stone] remains the gold standard in language-learning software. It works by presenting you with vocab and then prompting you to use context and pictures to piece together sentences. The software also provides you with webchat tutoring sessions with a native speaker. The interface is polished and intuitive, and the endless glowing reviews suggest that the method is effective. But good ol' Rosetta comes with many drawbacks as well. There?s a high price tag and a long learning curve. Honeymooners on a weekend trip to Mykonos probably won?t spend months studying just to learn how to converse with their waiter.
Happily, there are plenty of alternatives out there for people who can?t shell out in the triple digits. [http://www.rocketlanguages.com/ Rocket Languages] is almost as popular as Rosetta Stone, uses a similar concept and costs less than half of what Rosetta Stone charges. So does [http://store.tellmemore.com/ Tell Me More], although the language selection is a little limited. [http://www.byki.com/ Byki] also uses narrative storylines, constructing common phrases and contextual conversations rather than focusing on learning grammar in a linear fashion, and has a more diverse array of languages to choose from.
The [http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/ BBC] also has a number of free online language courses, mostly for Western European languages. Most take you through a 12-week program, complete with certificate. Their quick courses seem to be designed for those who already have a basic knowledge of the language and are just brushing up, although it?s worth stopping by for the intentionally and unintentionally amusing anecdotes and videos (?Kalamari to you too!?).
==For visual learners==
Long-time fans of the Pimsleur language learning method will argue that the method is explicitly audio- rather than visual-based. However, the latest [https://www.pimsleurunlimited.com/ Pimsleur software] makes a greater attempt to incorporate visual elements into the learning process. The method focuses on anticipation and graduated recall ? that is, prompting the student to produce words and phrases on their own, rather than passively repeating them and placing them in context. The software prompts you to move cards around the screen, and your pronunciation is corrected afterwards. As a bonus, the software provides cultural information that the Rosetta Stone lacks. Unfortunately, it?s currently only available for French, Italian, German and Spanish.
==For the time-strapped==
Of course, learning a language in the safety and privacy of your home is one thing. Applying it in the distractions and complications of the real world is another. Mirai Language System?s [http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/istart-japanese!-mirai-japanese/id337246927 iStart] language apps (free for iStart LITE; $4.99 for the beginner app) are snack-sized packages of learning. It may seem a bit tedious to sit through the entire tutored lesson ? oddly enough, the app mimics the classroom experience much more closely than the bigger software packages ? but the vocabulary sections are well organized and easy to use. [http://www.babbel.com/ Babbel] also offers both free and subscription applications that are great at picking up vocabulary and providing you with phrases to deal with a number of social situations.
==Basic translators==
The many people traveling on short vacations don?t need to learn how to convey the essence of Flaubert. Translator apps, both paid and unpaid, abound, but the [http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/google-translate/id414706506?mt=8 Google Translate] app is free and easy to use. It also accepts speech input and can save phrases; the software also recognizes and translates languages as obscure as Welsh and Yiddish.
Source: http://feeds.wired.com/~r/howtowiki/~3/I9VxjVYubYY/Use_Apps_to_Learn_a_Foreign_Language
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