An In-Depth Guide to 21 Top Language Learning Tools

It is an exciting and rewarding experience to learn a language. It opens up a whole new world of possibilities to make new friends and expand your career opportunities.

But if you haven’t done it before, the sheer amount of apps, books, resources and websites can be overwhelming, and not all of them are effective.

So, what tools do you use to learn a language?


Check out some of our latest posts on language learning tools:

Tool Matrix:

Let’s have a quick look at the way different language learning tools can be used to develop your foreign language skills.

Language Learning Tools/ResourcesReadingWritingListeningSpeakingVocabularyConversational Skills
Traditional Language Learning Tools & Resources
1. Language Schools & Tutors
2. Online Language Courses
3. Language Tutors
Digital & AI Tools for Language Learning
7. Language Learning Apps
8. ChatGPT
9. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
Media Resources For Language Learning
10. Native Language Podcasts and Audiobooks
11. Streaming Services for Movies and Television
12. Music and Lyrics
13. Blogs & Online Articles
14. News Websites
15. Social Media
Social Language Learning Resources – In Person & Digital
16. Language Learning Games
17. Language Cafés
18. Travel and Cultural Immersion
19. Pen Pals
20. Language Exchange Platforms
21. Language Learning Forums
Language Learning Tools & Resources – Quick Reference

The table should help you identify which activities will be most beneficial for the specific skills you’re looking to improve. It’s a nifty way to keep your learning objectives aligned with your resources.

Now let’s have a look at each resource in a little more detail.

Traditional Language Learning Tools & Resources

1. Language Schools & Tutors

If you crave personalised guidance, enrolling in a language school or hiring a tutor could be your cup of tea. They can tailor the lessons to your learning style and pace, offering you one-on-one focus.

Teacher writing parts of speech on the blackboard.
Language schools and tutors can take some of the guesswork out of language learning.

Here, you’ll benefit from experienced instructors and a systematic curriculum that addresses everything from basic vocabulary to advanced conversational skills.

Schools usually offer a variety of courses, even specialised ones like business language.

The advantages include personalised guidance and being part of a learning community.

However, you’ll need to commit both time and potentially a significant financial investment—the cost can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the course type and duration.

2. Online Language Courses

Online courses like Rocket Language Russian can be fantastic language learning tools, if you like self-paced learning.

Considering the convenience of learning a language from the comfort of your home? Online courses might be the perfect fit for you.

Platforms like Coursera and Udemy, as well as companies like Rocket Languages or Rosetta Stone, offer a wide range of courses tailored to suit different learning styles.

One of the major advantages is flexibility; you set your own schedule and learn at your own pace.

On the downside, you might find it challenging to practise speaking and conversational skills in a real-world context.

3. Language Tutors

For a truly personalised learning experience, face-to-face tutors serve as a compelling language learning tool.

You can find such tutors through local classifieds, educational centres, or websites like Superprof and Tutor Hunt.

The one-to-one interaction usually takes place in a comfortable setting, often your own home, making it easier to focus.

Costs vary widely based on your location and the tutor’s qualifications, but you can expect to pay anywhere from $25 to $60 per hour.

This format offers immediate feedback and customised lessons, which can dramatically speed up your language acquisition.

With face-to-face sessions, you’ll likely find that your speaking and listening skills improve the most, thanks to real-time adjustments and clarifications.

Online Language Tutors

If you’re keen on personalised attention but find it difficult to travel, don’t want people in your home, or have an irregular personal schedule, online language tutors are an unparalleled language learning tool.

Websites like iTalki and Preply connect you with certified language instructors from around the globe.

You get the flexibility to choose tutors based on your language goals, schedule, and budget; lessons can range from $10 to $50 an hour, depending on the tutor’s experience and expertise.

4. Textbooks & Workbooks

Fancy a more traditional route to language mastery?

Textbooks and workbooks could be your go-to resources.

These classics excel in delivering in-depth grammar explanations and ample practice exercises, making them particularly effective for mastering writing and reading skills.

Typically, they follow a structured curriculum that takes you from beginner to advanced levels, usually with end-of-chapter quizzes to gauge your progress.

Learn French from Dutch
Workbooks can be a great t to focus on certain aspects of language learning.

These materials allow for focused, self-paced learning, offering you the chance to revisit sections as often as needed.

They’re also incredibly portable, meaning you can study anywhere, from a coffee shop to a long-haul flight.

But let’s talk cons.

Textbooks can’t offer you interactive or conversational practice, so you might want to complement them with other methods for a well-rounded approach.

Also, because they’re not updated as frequently as online resources, some information might become outdated.

Nevertheless, if you’re disciplined and like to have a tangible resource in your hands, textbooks and workbooks can speed up your path to language proficiency.

5. Flashcards

Flashcards serve as a versatile language learning tool that should not be underestimated.

Retain all this new vocabulary by focusing on basic words and phrases, and gradually work your way up to more complex ones.

One of the key benefits of flashcards is their portability, making it easy for you to utilise spare moments throughout your day for quick study sessions.

You can opt for traditional physical cards, or turn to digital platforms like Anki. Both will let you learn new words in precisely the order you want.

If you make your own cards, with Anki or physically, each card can have an image, translation, or both.

Neither digital nor paper flashcards are tied to a formal course structure (unlesss you want them to be), giving you the flexibility to focus on vocabulary and memorisation, where they really excel.

However, if you’re new to Anki, the user interface can be a bit overwhelming at first.

On the cost front, physical cards are almost free, while digital options like Anki offer free basic versions, though premium features may set you back around $25.

625 Words to Learn a Language

Gabriel Wyner’s ‘Fluent Forever’ App is a particularly useful flashcard app to get a quick start to many common languages.

It is based on cognitive psychology and neuroscience studies into how we best learn vocabularly in another language.

This is combined with Gabriel’s personal experience that it takes just 625 words to learn a language – or at least, to learn the basics of a language fast enough to get a head start.

6. Dictionaries and Translation Apps

In today’s digital age, dictionaries and translation apps have emerged as a go-to language learning tool for quick reference and on-the-spot translation.

Reverso is a particularly useful language learning tool, as it provides examples of translated words in context from a range of documents.

Opting for this tool, you’ll typically find features like text translations, voice recognition, and even image scanning for signs or menus.

One of their major advantages is the immediate access they provide to translations and word definitions, helping you understand texts and conversations much faster.

However, these tools should be used as a supplement rather than a replacement for structured learning.

Remember, while they incredibly useful, they are not always 100% accurate—especially with complex sentences or idiomatic expressions. Always double-check, if the translation is crucial.

Digital & AI Tools for Language Learning

7. Language Learning Apps

Always on the go and got your smartphone handy?

Consider turning it into your personal language tutor with a language learning app, designed not only for learning languages but also for providing helpful vocabulary tips.

Platforms like Duolingo, Babbel, and Rosetta Stone serve up interactive lessons covering a broad range of languages.

These apps offer explanations of difficult terms, tips for building vocabulary in context, and helpful reminders and explanations of vocabulary usage, making the process of learning languages more engaging and effective.

You can expect a modular structure, complete with levels that unlock as you make progress, which makes these apps particularly effective for building vocabulary and basic sentence structure.

Additionally, many language learning apps are available as a web app, allowing users to access the app on a larger screen of a desktop or laptop, which can be beneficial in terms of visibility and speech recognition.

Cost-wise, many of these apps offer free versions with optional in-app purchases, but premium features could set you back around $5 to $15 a month.

If you’re looking for a convenient and engaging way to get started or reinforce basic skills, language learning apps can fast-track your journey to fluency.

How to Choose the Best Language Learning App? featured image

Searching for the perfect vocabulary learning app? Discover how to evaluate your options in my comprehensive guide How do I Choose the Best Language Learning App?

To learn more about various language apps, check out our product reviews:

8. ChatGPT to Learn Reading and Writing Your Language

If you are reluctant to use Language Exchange Chats, one of the new language learning strategies you now have access to is the opportunity to “chat” with a robot.

ChatGPT is a form of Artificial Intelligence created by OpenAI. It has been trained on a vast amount of written language data to generate human-like language. ChatCPT3 is currently free for anyone to use after making an account.

ChatGPT is useful for language learning because it can provide instant, accurate feedback on grammar, vocabulary, and syntax.

Language learners can practice their skills by interacting with ChatGPT and receive real-time feedback on their writing or speaking.

ChatGPT4 AI in Bing Search Chat can interact in many languages, providing
a 24/7 language exchange partner at exactly your level!

ChatGPT4 AI in Bing Search Chat

Additionally, ChatGPT can generate examples of correct language usage, which can help learners improve their language skills.

As it is available 24/7 and can be accessed from anywhere, learners can practice their language skills anytime they want.


UPDATE: There is an app specifically for using ChatGPT as a language learning tool. Conversly.ai has an attractive interface, and a few predefined options for the style of conversation. As of April, 2024 it is available for French, Spanish, German, Russian, Japanese and Portuguese learners.

You can chat with an AI ‘buddy’, debate an issue of your choosing, and play a story telling game. Or you can just chat with the AI. Either way, the app feels a little more personal and ‘purpose built’ than the ChatGPT interface.

Picture of Conversly.ai language learning interface for ChatGPT
Picture of Conversly.ai language learning interface for ChatGPT

However! Trust, but verify! Because ChatGPT is ARTIFICIAL intelligence, it is still learning.

Also, ChatGPT sometimes “hallucinates”, which is what the industry calls the phenomenon of AI returning false information.

It is more than adequate for beginner language learning, but if a native speaker tells you that something ChatCPT has said is wrong, double check your information.

9. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality is a new reality for language learning!

Ever fancied stepping into a digital world to learn a new language? Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) can make that dream a reality and serve as high-tech language learning tools.

Platforms like Mondly and ImmerseMe offer immersive experiences that simulate real-world scenarios.

These platforms allow you to practice speaking, listening, and even non-verbal cues in a controlled, interactive environment.

Depending on the system and course content, costs can vary; a basic Mondly VR package could set you back around $10 a month, whereas more comprehensive systems might require an investment upwards of $300.

You’ll find that these innovative methods are especially effective for honing your IRL* conversational skills and improving your understanding of body language and cultural norms.

*IRL – In Real Life

Media Resources For Language Learning

10. Native Language Podcasts and Audiobooks

Podcasts and audiobooks are a top language learning tool for an immersive experience, often replicating natural conversations in the language you’re eager to learn.

You can find podcasts specifically designed for language learners on platforms like Spotify, or dive into audiobooks available on Audible.

The cost varies; some podcasts are free, while subscription-based services like Audible can set you back around $15 per month.

A benefit specific to Audible is that you can often buy the same book on Kindle, and then read and listen at the same time.

The Kindle/Audible matching service creates a very powerful language learning tool, bringing sound to your reading.

11. Streaming Services for Movies and Television

FluentU takes real world media, and turns them into personalised language learning tools.

If you’re a fan of entertainment, streaming services like Disney, Hulu, and Showtime can become a unique language learning tool.

These platforms offer a wide range of movies and TV shows in multiple languages, often with the option for subtitles.

Alternatively, if you are looking for someone else to source helpful material, “virtual” immersion tools like FluentU use real-world videos—think music videos, news, and inspirational talks—and turn them into personalised language lessons.

A typical subscription for these services can range from $6 to $15 per month, depending on the platform and the package you choose.

12. Music and Lyrics

For a harmonious way to learn a new language, consider diving into music and lyrics.

Platforms like Spotify or Apple Music offer extensive playlists in various languages, allowing you to groove to the beat while picking up new phrases.

You can usually find the lyrics online by searching for artist, song name and adding ‘lyrics‘ into the search.

Or go Old School, and buy a CD – remember, they usually come with the lyrics on the inside cover!

The cost of these music streaming services can range from $10 to $15 per month.

So, hit play and let the melodies accelerate your language learning in an enjoyable and meaningful way.

13. Blogs & Online Articles

Once you have a foundation in your target language, even the wider internet can be leveraged as a tool.

Annika Zang, German translator and language coach, has a snazzy suggestion for finding new vocabulary in context:

  1. Find a blog or an online magazine
  2. Most of them have search bars on the top of the page
  3. Type in the word you’re trying to learn
  4. Et voilà: The website now shows you all the articles where that word appears.

That way, you don’t just memorize words – you see how they’re being used in different, real-life contexts.

Bonus tip: Write down sentences that relate to your own life, using that word.

This way you learn a language in context.

Extension Activity – take all this vocabulary you notice in the native language books, movies or music, and make your own flashcards, either physical cards or in an app like Anki.

14. News Websites

If you’re keen to stay informed while learning a new language, news websites are a terrific choice.

Sites like BBC Mundo for Spanish learners or Deutsche Welle for those tackling German offer articles, videos, and podcasts in various languages.

There are even specialist language learning websites using news and current affairs to help you learn your language, like News in Slow French.

News in Slow French is a language learning tool provides you with a rich array of vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and a keen sense of the language structure, all wrapped up in current events.

You’ll find it particularly useful for enhancing reading comprehension and vocabulary, and even listening skills if you watch video content.

News In Slow French Logo

Learn more about

News in Slow French

Read our independent review and find out why we like it so much.

For everyone from beginner to upper intermediate and even advanced language learners of French.

Most news platforms offer free content, although some might have a subscription fee ranging from $5 to $20 per month for premium features.

15. Social Media

Platforms like Facebook and Instagram host numerous groups and influencers who specialise in language education, offering you a thriving community to join.

Combine your love for cycling, crochet or online gaming with your language learning by finding a hobby group in your target language.

While basic access to these platforms is generally free, some influencers or groups might offer exclusive paid content, ranging from $1 to $10 per month.

Social Language Learning Resources – In Person & Digital

16. Language Learning Games

Scrabble is a fun language learning resource.
Image from Wikicommons

When it comes to blending education with entertainment, language learning games rise to the occasion as a valuable tool for acquiring new skills.

You can choose from old-style board games, or go digital with apps specifically designed to make language learning more interactive.

Cost-wise, many games are free to download, but sometimes they offer in-app purchases for advanced features or levels.

If you find traditional study methods a bit dry, language learning games provide a fun and fast-paced alternative to boost your linguistic prowess.

17. Language Cafés

If you crave real conversations and a hot cuppa, Language Cafés are the language learning tool for you.

Platforms like Meetup or specific language café events in your area usually organise these gatherings.

While some cafes might offer free entry, others may charge a nominal fee, ranging from $5 to $20 for the experience.

So don your best chatty hat, grab a flat white, and get to conversing in your new language!

18. Travel and Cultural Immersion

Learning a language while having an in-country cultural experience – who knew you could have so much fun?!
Photo by Raphael Loquellano

If you’re committed to intensive learning, in-country language schools offer a rigorous but rewarding experience; they usually cost between $500 and $2,000 per week, depending on the country and course intensity. One of the most established network of schools is Education First, or EF.

Alternatively, consider specialised language learning tours, such as the educational tours organised by EF’s sister company, EF Tours, who merge travel and education to a number of international locations in a seamless package, generally ranging from $1,500 to $4,000.

Don’t forget about self-organised opportunities either; working holidays or volunteer stints can be an affordable way to soak up a language and culture.

19. Pen Pals

If you’ve got a way with words and love the idea of forming international friendships, digital pen pals serve as a phenomenal language learning tool.

Websites like InterPals or PenPal World make the process a doddle, connecting you with like-minded individuals keen on honing their language skills.

Go Old School – write a letter to a Pen Pal!

Not only can you practise your writing and reading comprehension, but you also get to take your time formulating sentences, choosing the right words, and even using a dictionary as a crutch if you need it.

This method is mostly free, though some websites offer premium features for a cost, usually around $5 to $20 per month.

20. Language Exchange Platforms

If you’re keen to practice speaking and improve your conversational skills, language exchange platforms offer an unbeatable experience.

You can find them in a variety of places. Facebook has been a wonderful platform for finding others to exchange with. Websites like Meetup.com also have a number of face-to-face and online language exchange opportunities.

And then there are stand-alone websites, like ConversationExchange.com, which despite having an interface that is a little jaded, has consistently been one of the most effective means of finding new people to speak with, both face to face, and online.

Websites like ConversationExchange.com are great places for language development.

Typical features include text chats, voice recordings, and even video calls, providing a comprehensive environment for language practice.

Speaking and listening are the skills you’ll most effectively hone using this language learning tool.

Most platforms offer basic features for free, but for a more tailored experience like advanced matching or expert tutoring, you might have to shell out around $5 to $20 a month.

Not only do you fast-track your language learning, but you also get the chance to make international friends along the way.

NOTE: Women especially need to be aware that it is quite common to receive unwanted advances on these apps. It is important to set clear boundaries and communicate clearly with potential language partners.

This includes specifying the type of communication you are comfortable with, such as only chatting about language and culture, and avoiding personal or intimate topics.

It is also recommended to avoid sharing personal information like phone numbers, social media handles, or email addresses even when you feel comfortable with the other person.

21. Language Learning Forums

If you’re on the hunt for diverse perspectives and real-world advice, language learning forums should be your go-to resource.

Platforms like Reddit or LanguageLearners.org are bursting with threads that tackle anything from pesky grammar questions to nifty learning techniques.

You’ll find these forums invaluable for improving your reading comprehension and for learning how to ask and answer questions in your target language.

Usually, joining these forums is free, though some may have premium features or courses that can range from $10 to $50.

Conclusion

To learn languages fast can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. With effective use of the types of language learning tools we have discussed here, anyone can become fluent in a foreign language.

By setting realistic goals, choosing a language that interests you, and following the tips and tricks outlined in this guide, you can make your language learning journey faster and more effective.

Remember that language learning is a lifelong process, and the key to success is consistency and perseverance. So, keep practicing, stay motivated, and enjoy the journey of discovering new cultures and ways of communicating.

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Cate is a language enthusiast sharing her language learning journey here. Apart from her native English (albeit 'Strine'*!), as an adult she has also learned Auslan (Australian Sign Language) to approximately a C1 level, Dutch to around B1/2, French to around A2, and has a smattering of other languages.

B.A. (Anthropology/Marketing), Grad. Dip. Arts (Linguistics), Grad. Cert. Entrepreneurship & Venture Development, (CELTA).

Auslan Interpreter (NAATI), and general Language Nut.

*For more information on 'Strine', visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strine

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