When you’re learning a new language, there’s no substitute for practice. Just think of how long it took you to learn your first few sentences as a baby, and that was with the benefit of “cultural immersion,” as linguists like to call it.
Language apps can certainly give you that practice. Learning a new tongue is one of those skills where you truly get out of it what you put into it, and the easy access of our smartphones have made it easy for us to keep up with those daily lessons. But what if you could get some feedback from more than just a faceless piece of software?
That’s the big appeal behind the Busuu Language Learning app, and 100 million users worldwide seem to have taken notice. Not only do you get an intuitive curriculum that adjusts as you learn, but you get a pipeline to actual native speakers who will check your pronunciation and sentence structure.
First, the basic framework: A basic subscription to Busuu lets you select a pathway through your new language that reflects how you plan to use it. (Travel, business, etc.) After you choose that jumping-off point, you’ll get quick, bite-sized drills on common words that progress quickly to full conversational sentences. Busuu’s AI algorithms adjust the speed of the curriculum to match how quickly you’re absorbing it, and you won’t just learn to read these new phrases. Speech recognition can check your pronunciation every step of the way.
Once you feel ready for some conversation, you can open up Busuu’s real winning feature. You’ll be able to send short audio or video clips to native speakers in your chosen language and have them give you pointers on your usage. At the same time, those speakers can send in their own quick phrases so that you can check their English. It’s a win-win for all users, and it’s the next best thing to actually walking the streets of a foreign town and learning a language the old fashioned way.
A premium level subscription comes with access to 12 languages, and completion of each comes with a certificate. Curious? Right now, a 2-year subscription to Busuu’s Premium Plus plan is 50% off at $89.99.
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