Over the years, I’ve tried a lot of language-learning tools. Some stuck, some didn’t. Below are the apps I actually use, what role they play in my routine, and who I think they’re best for.
This isn’t a “top 10” list. These are tools I return to because they serve different purposes at different stages of learning.
Duolingo
Duolingo is marketed as a gamified, beginner-friendly language-learning app, and that’s exactly where it works best. It currently offers 40+ languages, ranging from major world languages to smaller or constructed ones, and it’s especially well known for being accessible and easy to start.
I think Duolingo is a great way to start learning a language.
Right now, I’m casually learning Hungarian, and I’ve found Duolingo to be a very low-impact way to gain exposure—recognizing words, patterns, and how the language sounds. It’s not intense, and that’s actually its strength. I can open it for a few minutes and still feel like I’m making contact with the language.
Where I think Duolingo really shines is early exposure and alphabet learning. I’d like to start using it specifically to learn a new writing system—possibly Ukrainian, Korean, or even Hindi. For that initial “what am I even looking at?” phase, Duolingo does a good job of lowering the barrier.
It’s entertaining, light, and easy to return to—which matters more than people like to admit.
Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone markets itself around immersive learning through images, audio, and repetition, avoiding translation as much as possible. It currently offers 20+ languages, with a strong focus on major global languages.
Rosetta Stone is a great bang-for-your-buck option.
I was gifted a lifetime membership about five years ago, and at the time, I remember it being relatively affordable compared to long-term subscriptions. Even today, it’s often priced competitively for what you get, especially if you catch a sale—especially compared to paying monthly for multiple years elsewhere.
I used Rosetta Stone when I was a very new German learner—around A1/A2—and it helped me get comfortable with basic phrases and sentence structures. The platform relies heavily on imagery and spoken phrases, which helps concepts sink in naturally without overthinking grammar.
Where Duolingo feels entertaining, Rosetta Stone feels calm and relaxing. It’s slower, more deliberate, and good for building familiarity rather than speed.
I don’t use it as much now, but early on, it played a real role in making German feel less foreign. I definitely plan on returning to this app.
LingQ
LingQ is marketed as an input-first language learning platform, designed around reading and listening to real content rather than completing structured lessons. It supports 40+ languages, and its strength lies in flexibility rather than guided curricula.
LingQ is my main app—and the one I use most consistently.
You can upload almost anything: TV show transcripts, YouTube videos, articles, even text generated by ChatGPT. You can also read content uploaded by other users. It’s very much a community of language learners and teachers, but everyone is both a contributor and a learner.
What makes LingQ powerful is how it tracks vocabulary. Every word you encounter is marked on a scale from 1 to 4, depending on how well you know it. Over time, you can literally see your understanding grow—and as your vocabulary improves, your reading speed improves with it.
With a tap, you can see a word’s definition, pronunciation, or the full sentence it appears in. That immediacy keeps you in the flow of reading instead of breaking immersion.
If I had to describe LingQ in one word, it would be efficient. It’s been one of the biggest contributors to my vocabulary across foreign languages.
italki
italki positions itself as a language tutoring marketplace, connecting learners with professional teachers and community tutors across 150+ languages. Unlike apps, it focuses entirely on live, one-on-one human interaction.
This is where everything comes together.
italki is where I take what I know and practice speaking with a real person, live and in real time. There’s pressure—and that’s the point. To keep the conversation going, I have to speak. I have to say something, even if it’s imperfect.
Every teacher I’ve worked with has been kind, patient, and genuinely helpful. That environment has helped me get over most of my remaining fear around speaking.
Exposure therapy works here. The more you do it, the less intimidating it becomes.
No app replaces this. It’s where passive knowledge turns into usable language.
Next Adventure Languages 