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Top Free Language Learning Websites

Websites, apps, e-books, online study communities, and translators can be great assets for language learning. But there are so many materials online, and so much range in quality, that learners can waste a lot of time testing new sites to find the perfect fit for them.

Apr 19, 2019  The 9 Best Free Language Learning Websites and Apps for 2019 1. Open Culture. Living Language. Rosetta Stone. Open Culture is a goldmine of language learning material. There are dozens of courses, language sites and other learning tools available for tons of major and lesser-known languages. And it’s all available for free. With the interactive, enjoyable content on Open Culture, the days of being bored to tears by cookie-cutter textbook dialogues are over.

Naruto episode 101. ' (見たい、知りたい、確かめたい カカシ先生の素顔, Mitai, Shiritai, Tashikametai Kakashi-Sensei no Sugao) is episode 101 of the original Naruto anime. Naruto had started the idea of finding out what was under Kakashi's mask, which the two others, Sakura and later Sasuke, agreed on after being persuaded by the former. However, they were no match against Kakashi as he threw them off his trail.

Language study is not a one-size-fits-all hobby, and no single style of learning will appeal to all learners. Some prefer lots of visual aids and sleek graphics to hold their interest. Some like the motivation of quizzes, scores, and games so they can track their learning and compete with themselves. Some are drawn to grammar, while others prefer listen-and-repeat exercises.

We review five free online language learning resources to find the best fit for different types of language learners.

These language lessons feature new vocabulary and phrases supported by dialogues, writing exercises, audio recording options, and the chance to network with other language learners and native speakers on the site for some real-time practice.

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Pros: This site offers a well-rounded approach to language learning, with study options for reading, writing, listening and speaking. Also, the Busuu app options allow learners to take their lessons or review materials on the go.

Cons: Features like grammar-focused lessons, video units, and printable PDF files are only available through the paid Premium membership. However, I received a free 7-day trial of the premium membership after registering with the site.

Best for: Learners with some understanding of the language already. My beginner lesson in German immersed me into full sentences and dialogues, without much practice in sentence-building or pronunciation first.

Duolingo

Previously an invite-only site, Duolingo is one of the most well-rounded study resources that you can get for free. Learners study vocabulary and build it into simple sentences though reading, writing, listening and speaking, with grammar tips along the way. There’s also an ‘Immersion’ resource with authentic reading materials and a translation option for difficult passages.

Pros: The graphics of this site keep learning organised and interesting, even on the app. Lessons are presented as a flow chart where users can see where their vocabulary can be recycled and build upon in future lessons.

Cons: So far, the site only offers study material in six languages, all of them European.

Best for: Learners who need a bit of structure in their lessons. The ‘Tips’ section of each unit gives strong, succinct grammar explanations. Grammar notes also pop up during the lessons to point out new concepts like articles and conjugation.

Foreign Services Institute

The American Foreign Services Institute offers their language learning materials for free personal use. Though the site is basic, bear in mind that these materials are high-quality, designed by professional linguists with the goal of learner fluency.

Pros: An impressive resource for lesser-studied languages, especially African tongues like Igbo and Shona. The audio recordings, while a bit fuzzy, are well organised.

Cons: Compared to the graphics of the other sites, the materials seem austere, with simple black-and-white PDF texts. Also, the lessons are organised around grammar and repetition, which some learners dislike.

Best for: People who learn best with the structure and rules of grammar-based study. These lessons could also serve as a great supplement to listen-and-speak material.

  • >> Top 10 foreign language faux pas: in pictures

Livemocha

Livemocha’s lessons are broken down into target skills, with reading, writing, listening and speaking each studied separately. This site describes its method as ‘whole-part-whole,’ in which lessons present new material, break it down for the learner, then reassemble the parts so the student can apply what they’ve learned.

Pros: Lessons are available in over 35 languages. While the premium membership isn’t free, users can earn credit on the site by ‘tutoring’ other learners. This involves editing their writing or giving feedback on audio recordings.

Cons: Like a dating service website, you may be inundated with friend requests and tutoring requests, especially if your native language is one that’s widely studied. Be prepared to sift through a lot of learner profiles.

Best for: Learners who want networking options for their studies. Livemocha allows learners to access virtual classes or book an online session with a private tutor. The online community is a Facebook-style networking page with chat options and friend suggestions.

Memrise

This site uses ‘mems’, which are mnemonic flashcards that use your pre-existing knowledge to help remember new vocabulary. The Portuguese mem for “yo quero,” for example, showed a man in a shop saying to the helpful clerk, “you care! Ohh!”

Pros: The site is accessible and the method is clear and valid. The mem feature is a clever and original one. Users can even load their own original mems onto the site to help other learners.

Cons: Because the mems are all user-generated, there’s a range in quality.

Best for: Visual learners, who will be naturals at the mem method.

Anne Merritt is an EFL lecturer currently based in South Korea. She writes at http://annemerritt.com/

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Why pay for expensive language software when you can use dozens of language learning websites for free? These websites use lessons, videos, images, games, and interactions to help you learn a new language or brush up an existing one, just as expensive programs do.

You can learn dozens of languages for free, including Spanish, English, German, Greek, French, Italian, Hebrew, Chinese, and many others including sign language.

In addition to these websites, there are free mobile language learning apps, which are great for learning a new language while you're away from your computer. Some of the websites below have their own free app.

If you're looking for a more interactive way to learn a new language, free language exchange programs allow you to practice with someone who actually knows the language.

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Duolingo

What We Like

  • Great visual design and quality.

  • Lots of languages available.

  • Lessons include verbal responses to train pronunciation.

What We Don't Like

  • Not a lot to purchase with earned gem currency.

  • If your daily streak is broken, repairing it costs $6.99.

Duolingo is one of the best places you can visit for learning a new language for free. Duolingo also offers an 'Immersion' section where you are given real websites that either need to be translated or are already translated to practice your reading and translating skills.

At any time, you can switch to a different language to learn more than one at once without losing your place.

Languages you can learn: Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Esperanto, French, German, Greek, Hawaiian, Hebrew, High Valyrian, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Klingon, Korean, Navajo, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Welsh

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Busuu

What We Like

  • Subscriptions for long-term learning with good value.

  • Initial placement tests that gauge the best starting level for learners.

  • Lessons are varied, well structured, and challenging.

What We Don't Like

  • Smaller selection of languages compared to some others on the list.

  • Free account doesn't offer any advanced grammar lessons or interaction with native speakers.

Featuring beginner, elementary, and intermediate sections, Busuu also lets you chat with native speakers of the language you're learning,

Busuu offers both free lessons and paid ones through a premium plan.

Languages you can learn: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish

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Memrise

What We Like

  • User-generated content in addition to official learning tools.

  • Most features are available for free.

What We Don't Like

  • Some features require a premium membership.

  • User content may not be of consistent quality.

Since Memrise's courses are created by users, some languages have many different free courses available.

Memrise provides techniques for remembering each and every concept you run across. You collect points as you complete courses. Some options require a paid membership.

Languages you can learn: English, French, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, Norwegian, Danish, Japanese, Korean, Icelandic, Slovenian, Arabic, Turkish, German, Swedish, Polish, Italian, Chinese, Russian, and Mongolian

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123TeachMe

What We Like

  • Registration is not required to start learning.

  • Variety of Spanish lessons specific to situations or careers.

  • Lessons and games for children.

What We Don't Like

  • Only available for Spanish language.

  • Site is not as inviting as some others, and feels a bit dated with more clicks to get to where you want to go.

123TeamMe lets you learn only Spanish, with games, quizzes, lessons, and audio files that assume varying degrees of skill. There's also a sentence maker, verb conjugator, and Spanish-English translator.

A placement test can tell you where you should start learning if you're unsure. There are lots of free resources, but also you can buy a premium subscription.

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Mango Languages

What We Like

  • Free in libraries that offer the program.

  • Large selection of languages available.

  • Useful cultural notes relating to current lessons being learned.

What We Don't Like

  • No fun, game-like elements.

  • Lessons can seem dull after a while.

Mango Languages lets you learn over 60 languages for free, but only if your public library offers a subscription to the website (find out here). Otherwise, there's a monthly fee.

The website and mobile apps are simple to use, offering interactive lessons where you can listen to particular words of a sentence over and over until you get it right. With a microphone plugged in, you can test your pronunciation with a side-by-side comparison of your voice versus the one spoken in the lesson.

Languages you can learn: Arabic, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Bengali, Cherokee, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Farsi, Finnish, French, German, Ancient Greek, Koine Greek, Haitian Creole, Hawaiian, Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Kazakh, Korean, Latin, Malayalam, Norwegian, and others

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Internet Polyglot

What We Like

  • Game oriented.

  • Lesson game style can be changed for replayability.

What We Don't Like

  • Not a traditional language learning program.

  • Limited game types available.

Internet Polyglot is more of a massive flashcard game. After selecting the language you want to learn, you can browse through a number of lessons that teach you a handful of words and phrases.

To test what you've been taught, you can go through the lessons again, but this time in the form of picture games, guessing games, typing games, and matching games.

Languages you can learn: Amharic, Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Esperanto, Farsi, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Tagalog, Tamil, Thai, Turkish, Ukranian

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Livemocha

What We Like

  • Courses are broken down by days.

  • Facebook interaction so you can chat with other people learning the same language as you.

What We Don't Like

  • No games.

  • Lessons can get redundant.

Livemocha is different than these other sites because it demands your participation in helping other people learn your language before you can take lessons.

It works by connecting you with other users who are learning a language you already know. After you correct their mistakes and help them learn something, you're given points, which you can redeem for learning your chosen language.

Languages you can learn: Arabic, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese, Croatian, Dutch, English, Esperanto, Farsi, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Marathi, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu

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LearnALanguage.com

What We Like

  • Some lessons are offbeat and fun.

  • Good site for improving on a language you've already been introduced to.

What We Don't Like

  • Not as comprehensive as many language sites.

  • Lesson content is inconsistent from language to language.

  • Site design is outdated.

This website supports a good handful of languages, but it's not nearly as comprehensive as some other websites here. Some languages only feature a list of basic words and phrases with pronunciation help, while others have full courses with flash cards, slang, greetings, and more.

LearnALanguage.com is best for brushing up on basic and common words only after you have a good introductory feel for the language.

Languages you can learn: Arabic, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish

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Nativlang

What We Like

  • Offers languages others do not.

  • Interesting information on languages and linguistics.

What We Don't Like

  • Doesn't offer some common languages, such as French.

  • Some languages have more resources, lessons and guides than others.

Nativlang includes unique languages some of these other websites may not support. Not all of the languages have the same learning structure, but most all of them will teach you pronunciation, grammar, alphabet, writing, and phrases.

Videos show you how to write and speak the language.

Languages you can learn: Portuguese, Icelandic, Aramaic, Italian, German, Middle English, Spanish, Modern Greek, Ancient and Koine Greek, Sardinian

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FSI Languages Courses

What We Like

  • Courses were used by the U.S. government for training.

  • Languages are covered thoroughly.

What We Don't Like

  • Content can be outdated.

  • Courses tend to be dry and uninspiring.

The resources at Foreign Services Institute (FSI) Languages Courses were developed by the U.S. government and are now freely available in the public domain. Everything on the website is ordered by units, featuring an MP3 file for every tape within each unit. You can follow along with the audio tapes using the attached PDF files, and some of the units also include a workbook for practice.

Languages you can learn: Amharic, Arabic, Bulgarian, Cambodian, Cantonese, Chinese, Chinyanja, Czech, Finnish, French, Fula, General, German, Greek, Hausa, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Igbo, Italian, Japanese, Kirundi, Kituba, Korean, Lao, Lingala, Luganda, Moré, Norwegian, Polish, Persian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Shona, Sinhala, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Tagalog, Thai, Turkish, Twi, Vietnamese, Yoruba

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Living Language

What We Like

  • Offers fictional Dothraki (from Game of Thrones) as a language.

  • Good resource if you're brushing up on language skills you already have.

What We Don't Like

  • Only basic lessons and PDFs are free.

  • Flashcard-based lessons growing boring after a while.

Living Language doesn't have free lessons that walk you through different skill sets. Instead, you're given free PDFs that have thousands of essential words and phrases.

All the PDF files are meant for beginners and can be downloaded without a user account.

Languages you can learn: Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese

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Speak7

What We Like

  • Good for references and for brushing-up on skills.

  • Useful samples of everyday situations.

What We Don't Like

  • Site is outdated.

  • No interactive lessons or videos.

  • Available resources vary between languages.

Speak7 is entirely text-based, so there aren't any videos or interactive lessons, but its very useful how-to samples help with common sentences, like asking for directions, writing letters, making a phone call, creating a reservation, dealing with law enforcement, and seeking medical help.

Not all of the resources are the same for each language, but some of them also have vocabulary lists, pronunciation help, and grammar instructions.

Languages you can learn: Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish

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Effective Language Learning

What We Like

  • Good for beginner essentials.

  • Lots of language information available.

What We Don't Like

  • No audio or pronunciation learning.

  • All text-based, no interactivity or video.

  • Only five languages offered as free courses.

Effective Language Learning has over 35 free lessons for French and several for Spanish, Italian, and German.

You can learn numbers, greetings, dates, telling time, accent marks, grammar, shopping, dining, and several other topics. All of the lessons here are in text form, so you won't get pronunciation practice through audio files.

Best Free Language Learning Websites

Languages you can learn: French, German, Italian, Spanish

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MIT Global Studies and Languages

What We Like

  • Broader range of language-related courses.

  • Useful if you want to expand your knowledge beyond basics.

What We Don't Like

  • Site's content is somewhat difficult to navigate.

  • Language resources are inconsistent.

MIT's list of language courses isn't well organized, making it rather difficult to identify resources. The website also doesn't have a consistent set of lessons, which means some languages may have only audio files, others just PDFs, only videos for some, and maybe even assignments without answers.

Consider it if you've exhausted all the other websites in this list and are still looking to learn more about the two available languages.

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Top Free Language Learning Websites Online

StudyStack

What We Like

  • Community-created flashcards.

  • Variety of games and puzzles.

What We Don't Like

  • User generated content might not always be accurate.

  • Primarily flashcard-based.

StudyStack is a simple language learning website that offers flashcards and other games to help you study a new language.

Top Free Language Learning Websites For Beginners

You can also learn a set of words through crossword puzzles, quizzes, matching, word scrambles, and other games. Since each game uses the same set of words, you can test yourself numerous ways.

Languages you can learn: Arabic, Cantonese, Chinese, French, Spanish, Latin, German, Dutch, Russian, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Irish, Italian, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Japanese, Esperanto, Sanskrit, Slovak, Finnish, Swahili, Swedish, Czech, Dene, Kazakh, Turkish, Welsh, Yiddish