10 Time-Saving Apps to Help You Achieve Your Language Learning Goals
If you (like us) have been glued to your phone since the beginning of the pandemic, you've likely spent some of that time on language learning apps like Duolingo and Memrise.
We’ve written before about the benefits (and limitations) of applications that have been designed to help you learn a language, and while they are rather useful (for picking up new vocab and reinforcing rules especially), such apps are not the only way your smartphone can be utilized to help you reach your language learning goals. From habit-tracking tools to translators to vocabulary builders, here are 10 apps that will help you to make all of those 2021 resolutions come true!
Habit-tracking apps
Language learning is a continuous process, not something that you do once and then set aside forever as soon you’ve “mastered” a language—a feat that even most native speakers can’t lay claim to.
Language learning, therefore, should be looked at as a habit that one incorporates into one’s daily life, and what better way to accomplish this than by taking advantage of one of the many great habit-tracking apps out there?
Establish daily habits you’ll actually stick with on the sleek iOs apps Streaks ($6.99 CAD in the App Store), which has an especially stylish, highly customizable interface, or Strides (free in the App Store, with the option for a $6.49/month premium subscription). Both apps allow users to track goals that they’ve set for themselves, with the aim of adding to their streaks of good behaviour.
If you’re team Android, you can try Stickk, which is available for both Android and iOs, or, if all of this sounds terribly boring to you, try Habitica, which turns achieving your goals into a role-playing game; you’re not just getting your weekly hot yoga class in, you’re fighting monsters and winning yourself valuable rewards (like permission to slack off for an hour and watch some Netflix).
Other useful apps 
The TED Talks website—with its informative videos on a range of topics and full transcripts, often available in many languages—is a favourite of many of our students and instructors. Carry the website right in your pocket with the TED Talks app, which is easy to use and allows you to download videos offline.
Okay, we may not be doing many in-person meetups these days, but Meetup is generally a great place to discover language-related events and conversation clubs. Psst... don’t forget to join E-QIP’s Meetup group!
A useful app for anyone who loves to read, Goodreads lets you track every book you’ve read, are reading or want to read; perfect for ambitious language learners whose learning goals involve reading more (or reading at all!) in their target language.
If you are reading books in your target language and you happen to be reading them on a Kindle, take advantage of the app’s vocabulary builder feature, which allows you to look up the definition of words you encounter while reading, save them in your own personal vocabulary list and revisit their definitions and context within the books they appeared any time you want.
Designed for both native and non-native English speakers with a standardized test ahead of them (e.g. the SAT, IELTS or TOEFL), Magoosh is perfect for intermediate or advanced English learners looking to bulk up their vocab (or prepare for a test). The phone app features vocabulary flashcards, as well as timed questions.
Unlike most other web-based translation tools, Reverso doesn’t just spit out a simple (potentially misleading) translation of the text you’ve entered, but actually provides context and examples of the word or phrase as it’s actually used by native speakers. This can be especially useful (and necessary!) when dealing with idioms, slang or words with various meanings.
