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11 Websites You Can Use to Speak a New Language

Sean Kim

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11 Websites You Can Use to Speak a New Language

For anyone itching to speak a new language, it’s easier than ever to get started with the help of new communication tools entering the market.

However, with choice comes analysis paralysis, and with all of the options available it’s easy to get overwhelmed before you even start.

To simplify your decision, I’ve taken a handful of language websites and broken them down into different learning categories, so you can choose which style fits you best.

Learning a new language can be broken down into four learning methods:

Algorithm learning
Textbook learning
Course learning
Human learning

Each method has its advantages and its disadvantages, so be honest with yourself about which method you enjoy the most. Do you enjoy traditional textbook learning methods? Or do you thrive when practicing with another human being?

Second, we need to measure the four important factors for each method:

Time commitment
Engagement
Personalization
Effectiveness

This article takes an in-depth look at each service, and will hopefully give you a good idea of which solutions fit you best. Here are 11 websites that can help you learn a new language:

Algorithm Learning

1. Babbel

Time commitment: Low
Engagement: Medium
Personalization: Low
Effectiveness: Low

Babbel is a free tool available on any device that focuses on teaching you the basics of a language from writing, grammar, speaking, listening, and more. As a free app, there’s no risk to trying it out and getting started on learning a new language.

2. Memrise

Time commitment: Low
Engagement: Low
Personalization: Low
Effectiveness: Medium

Memrise is a website that focuses on helping you memorize words. As we’ve mentioned on our language learning blog, memorizing ~2,500 words can help you understand 80% of any language.

Unlike most memorization methods, Memrise has gamified their learning approach to make it more fun and interactive for you.

3. Duolingo

Time commitment: Low
Engagement: Medium
Personalization: Low
Effectiveness: Low

With over 50+ million registered users, Duolingo is the leader in the free language learning category. Similar to Busuu, they have a gamified approach to teach you the basic knowledge of popular languages from Spanish to Mandarin. You can also get some speaking practice, as they’ll ask you to verbally repeat certain phrases during your training.

4. Busuu

Time commitment: Low
Engagement: Medium
Personalization: Low
Effectiveness: Low

Busuu is another free mobile app that embraces the importance of community, something that Duolingo lacks. But if you’re looking to learn the basics of grammar and vocabulary, there isn’t much of a difference between the two apps.

Their algorithmic learning method focuses on teaching you the basics of the language if you’re just getting started. This approach is great for learning basic vocabulary and some grammar, but there’s a limit to how far you can go using this method.

Course Learning

5. FluentU

Time commitment: Medium
Engagement: Medium
Personalization: Low
Effectiveness: Medium

FluentU refers to itself as immersive online learning. It provides a series of videos and courses to teach you basic and advanced conversation phrases. However, self-motivation will be necessary to go through their video library and to hold yourself accountable if you want to see any type of results.

6. Michel Thomas

Time commitment: Low
Engagement: Medium
Personalization: Low
Effectiveness: Medium

Michel Thomas is a well-established language teacher who has created dozens of audiotape programs to help you learn new languages. They’re also a great way to learn basic conversation skills. Their only downside is that is that their practice conversations are one-sided. You’ll need to force yourself to talk out loud and repeat what the people in the audio program are saying in order to practice.

7. Fluent In 3 Months

Time commitment: Low
Engagement: Medium
Personalization: Low
Effectiveness: Medium

Fluent In 3 Months is a popular language learning website created by Benny Lewis. He has also created several premium online courses to help you learn languages faster (ostensibly in three months). While it’s hard to expect anyone to become fluent in that short of a time, it’s still worth checking out if you want to learn at your own pace.

Human Learning

8. Rype

Time commitment: Low
Engagement: High
Personalization: High
Effectiveness: High

Rype is a personalized language learning website that connects you with language coaches who provide lessons tailored to your needs.
As the first language coaching platform, Rype provides accountability and personalization by delivering honest feedback, allowing 24/7 access to your coach, and offering customized lesson packages such as lessons for travellers and lessons for beginners.

Although more languages are coming, they’re currently offering Spanish with plans to introduce French, German, and Italian in the near future.

9. Conversation Exchange

Time commitment: High
Engagement: Medium
Personalization: Medium
Effectiveness: Medium

Conversation Exchange is a place where language lovers meet online to help each other learn their native language.

For example, a person fluent in German looking to learn English can pair up with a native English speaker looking to speak German. Conversations can take place in-person, over Skype, through text over Whatsapp, or via their chat software.

Although the concept is great, finding the right partner is a challenge due to the lack of personalization, a matchmaking system, and schedule coordination. Most students will not be as dedicated because of the lack of commitment involved, and it can take some time before you discover the partner you like.

If you’re lacking budget and have the patience and time to go on the journey, this is a great, free way to learn conversation skills!

10. LiveMocha

Time commitment: High
Engagement: Medium
Personalization: Medium
Effectiveness: Medium

LiveMocha is an online language learning community by Rosetta Stone that allows you to connect with native speakers. They also have interactive lesson courses that you can go through for over 35 languages to learn basic vocabulary and grammar. However, if you want to take your speaking skills to the next level, this option is limited.

11. Polyglot Club

Time commitment: Medium
Engagement: Medium
Personalization: High
Effectiveness: Medium

The Polyglot Club is the most widely-known online language meetup site. It’s a destination where language lovers can organize local events around the world for conversation exchanges, practice sessions, and more. If you want to connect with fellow language learners in-person and practice your speaking skills in person, then you should find an event in your local city using this link.

With that said, it may be difficult for you to find native speakers at these events. Many of the people you find may just be getting started like yourself.

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Last Updated on June 17, 2019

40 Top Productivity Apps for iPhone (2019 Updated)

Leon Ho

Founder & CEO of Lifehack Read full profile

40 Top Productivity Apps for iPhone (2019 Updated)

Over the years here at Lifehack, we’ve discussed plenty of apps that you can use to improve your overall productivity.

There are certain ones that many of our contributors and editors (past and present) have adopted over the long-term — there are always the stalwarts that stick around. But there are also new apps that crop up every day, adding more and more depth to the app category.

Some of the apps are incredibly plain and simple, while others are more robust and offer more features than you can shake a stick at. And everyone has the one they prefer.

It’s been our job (and still is our job) to keep abreast of all of the productivity-type apps out there. As a result — and as a bit of a refresher — we’ve put together a list of 40 best productivity apps for iPhone (all categorized based on their functions) to provide you with an all-in-one resource for you.

For Getting Things Done
For Building Habits
For Files Organization
For Working Smarter
For Improving Security
More Great Apps Recommendations

For Getting Things Done

1. OmniFocus

This app is, while pricey, considered to be one of the (if not the) most robust and full-featured productivity apps on the market.

Download it here.

2. Forest

Train yourself to put your phone down and stay focused on the task at hand by playing with this planting game. It’s fun and will help you achieve more.

Download it here.

3. Things

Another robust choice, this app is a favorite amongst “productivityists”.^[1]

Download it here.

4. 30/30

Recently covered here at Lifehack

, 30/30 is a newcomer to the game that incorporates lists and timing of tasks into an elegant and easy-to-use interface.

Download it here.

5. Any.Do

A beautiful-looking app that is both easy on the eyes and your wallet.

Download it here.

6. PocketLife Calendar

This calendar app is specifically designed to be stylish and super easy-to-use. You can organize your life easily with different modern features.

Download it here.

7. Asana

We’ve covered Asana here at Lifehack

, and it is being actively developed by a strong team committed to making collaborative task management a more efficient and effective experience.

Download it here.

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8. ToDoist

This app keeps track of everything – from simple errands to your most important projects – so you can get it all done and enjoy more peace of mind along the way.

Download it here.

9. FlowTasks

From the folks at MetaLab, Flow is a gorgeous collaborative task management app that is easy-to-use and incredibly functional.

Download it here.

10. Calendars 5

This calendar app focuses on events that help you to keep track of upcoming events and tasks easily. It has everything you need to organize, track and complete your to-dos.

Download it here.

11. Clear – Tasks, Reminders & To-Do Lists

A fun and innovative list-making app that relies on swiping and pinching to make things happen. Clear created a lot of buzz when it launched, and might be the perfect to-do list gateway app for many.

Download it here.

12. Due

A robust reminders app that lets you store and maintain reminders of all types. It’s replaced Reminders for me when it comes to the basics, and it’s worth a look if you want to keep the mundane stuff out of your head and cluttering your mind.

Download it here.

13. Checkmark 2

I use this app

for location-based reminders (such as groceries I need to get or single items I need to pick up from various locations). Checkmark is simple to use and a valuable addition to my productivity arsenal.

Download it here.

14. TeuxDeux

Created by Tina Roth Eisenberg and Fictive Kin — Teux Deux is simple and incredibly stellar in terms of design. If you like lists (including the popular “Someday Bucket”) and want to associate dates with tasks, then Teux Deux will be right up your alley.

Download it here.

15. Wunderlist

Another incredibly popular choice is Wunderlist. Part of 6Wunderkinder’s software family, it sports a gorgeous design and is incredibly functional. We’ve talked about the app a couple of times here at Lifehack, so check those posts out here.

Download it here.

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16. Nirvana

For the GTD enthusiasts, there’s Nirvana. Straight from the source: “Nirvana frees your mind to focus on actually getting things done. If you’ve had enough of generic to-do lists, it’s time for Nirvana.”

Download it here.

17. Priorities

An elegant-looking task management app that has received decent reviews,^[2] this could be the one for you if you’re not a fan of OmniFocus or Things — especially if you need (or want) to share tasks with others.

Download it here.

For Building Habits

18. Productive

With this app, you can plan your habits with an easy-to-use interface, schedule habits for any time of the day, set smart reminders for each time of the day and stay on track with useful feedback. This app is perfect for anyone who wants to build a habit that sticks.

Download it here.

19. Habitica: Gamified Taskmanager

You can complete tasks and build habits in a more fun way with this app. Input your Habits, your Daily goals, and your To-Do list, and then create a custom avatar. Check off tasks to level up your avatar and unlock features such as armor, pets, skills, and even quests.

Download it here.

20. Streaks

This app follows the model of the popular “don’t break the chain method” in that you use the app to track how you are donig in the pursuit of your goal. Great for goal-setting — and an easy and elegant interface to boot.

Download it here.

21. Remember The Milk

Another popular to-do list app, Remember The Milk has a huge following. It has plenty to offer, including the ability to share tasks with others.

Download it here.

22. Day One Journal

When it comes to journaling, nothing really beats Day One. Its latest update added a slew of features that will make you want to start making journaling a habit.

Download it here.

For Files Organization

23. Evernote

Touted as the world’s most widely-used productivity app, Evernote an be used simply as a notetaking app or can be customized to be your GTD app of choice — among other things.

Download it here.

24. Pocket

You can save an article, video or link you want to read or watch later to Pocket from anywhere including your computer, Safari, email, and your favorite apps like Facebook, Twitter, Flipboard, and Feedly.

Download it here.

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25. Sync.Me

This app identifies unknown phone calls, warns you from annoying spam calls, and adds a caller picture to your contacts from Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

Download it here.

26. Droplr

One of the most popular file-sharing apps out there today. Straight from the source: “Stay productive on the go. Droplr for iPhone keeps you in sync and makes sharing on the iPhone natural.”

Download it here.

27. Dropbox

Before iCloud, there was Dropbox. And there still is Dropbox, which is still widely used by both Mac and PC users all over the globe. It’s like having a flash drive in your iPhone. A must-have.

Download it here.

28. iDolly

In conjunction with Dolly Drive and DollySync, iDolly allows you to edit and share your documents from your iPhone.

Since all your changes sync automatically to all your devices, the current version of a document will always be accessible because Dolly Sync keeps everything in sync. Very handy.

Download it here.

29. Soulver

It may seem odd that a calculator app shows up on this list, but this is no ordinary calendar app. Ben Brooks over at The Brooks review describes Soulver as follows: “It is what calculators would have been if they were invented at the same time computers were, instead of what we have with most calculator apps.” ^[3]

Download it here.

For Working Smarter

30. Captio

A simple capture tool. Straight from the developers: “It’s simple. Open Captio and start typing. When you’re done, hit Send. The note is immediately delivered to your email inbox.”

Download it here.

31. Drafts

A tremendous capture tool that allows for simple capture, followed by sending items to various applications such as OmniFocus, Things and more.

Download it here.

32. NoteShelf 2

This is a perfect note-taking app for you. You can take beautiful handwritten notes, type, annotate PDFs, record audio & create lists. You can organize them into categories or groups.

Download it here.

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33. Doodle

This app links directly with the Doodle service, which is one that allows you to plan and organize meetings far more efficiently and effectively. Lifehack contributor Steve Dotto has written about Doodle more in-depth here.

Download it here.

34. TextExpander (Legacy)

I have saved countless hours of time with TextExpander, and despite its inability to be as robust on iOS as it is on the Mac, it is still a worthy app to have in your arsenal.

Download it here.

35. Launch Center Pro

A quick launcher for the iPhone that doesn’t just launch an app…with some of them it can do much more. This app saves you time by launching complex actions in a single tap.

Download it here.

36. GoodReader

This may seem to be an odd one to make this list, but here are plenty of reasons why it is here with this article.

Download it here.

37. LogMeIn

Want to be able to control your Mac from wherever you are? Then get this app.

Download it here.

For Improving Security

38. 1Password

There is simply no better password manager out there. I’ve even put together a 1Password Emergency Kit worth looking at here.

Download it here.

39. LastPass Password Manager

You can store passwords and logins, create online shopping profiles, generate strong passwords, track personal information in photo and audio notes.

All you have to do is remember your LastPass master password, and LastPass autofills web browser and app logins for you.

Download it here.

40. Truecallers

Identify and block spammers, search for unknown numbers and call friends easily with this app. With a community-based spam list from over 250 million users, you’ll need this app.

Download it here.

There are plenty of other options out there (and we’ve heard from readers in the past as to what they enjoyed using), but these 40 are among the best.

More Great Apps Recommendations

Reference

[1]	^	Ciara Conlon: Top Productivity Bloggers Share their #1 Tip
[2]	^	The Next Web: Get the Right Stuff Done with Priorities
[3]	^	The Brooks Review: Don’t Mimic Real-World Interfaces

11 Websites You Can Use to Speak a New Language

Algorithm Learning

<img src="https://cdn.lifehack.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/22145642/iPhone.jpg" alt="iPhone" width="579" height="329" data-lh-image-id="317547">

<img src="https://cdn.lifehack.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/22145607/171059000130830154013.png" alt="171059000130830154013" width="615" height="390" data-lh-image-id="317543">

<img src="https://cdn.lifehack.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/22145631/Duolingo-4.jpg" alt="Duolingo-4" width="475" height="353" data-lh-image-id="317545">

<img src="https://cdn.lifehack.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/22145657/phones-368x380.png" alt="phones" width="462" height="477" data-lh-image-id="317549">

Course Learning

<img src="https://cdn.lifehack.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/22145646/language-immersion-online-3.jpg" alt="language-immersion-online-3" width="552" height="384" data-lh-image-id="317548">

Read Next

<img src="https://cdn.lifehack.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/22145635/germanadvanced.jpg" alt="germanadvanced" width="315" height="416" data-lh-image-id="317546">

<img src="https://cdn.lifehack.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/22145625/blogpicbenny.png" alt="blogpicbenny" width="694" height="367" data-lh-image-id="317544">

Human Learning

<img src="https://cdn.lifehack.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/22145706/Screen-Shot-2015-09-22-at-2.52.43-PM-380x274.png" alt="Screen Shot 2015-09-22 at 2.52.43 PM" width="526" height="379" data-lh-image-id="317550">

<img src="https://cdn.lifehack.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/22150628/Screen-Shot-2015-09-22-at-3.05.54-PM.png" alt="Screen Shot 2015-09-22 at 3.05.54 PM" width="635" height="494" data-lh-image-id="317557">

<img src="https://cdn.lifehack.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/22150618/Screen-Shot-2015-09-22-at-3.05.34-PM.png" alt="Screen Shot 2015-09-22 at 3.05.34 PM" width="621" height="634" data-lh-image-id="317556">

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40 Top Productivity Apps for iPhone (2019 Updated)

Table of Contents

For Getting Things Done

1. OmniFocus

2. Forest

3. Things

4. 30/30

5. Any.Do

6. PocketLife Calendar

7. Asana

8. ToDoist

9. FlowTasks

10. Calendars 5

11. Clear – Tasks, Reminders & To-Do Lists

12. Due

13. Checkmark 2

14. TeuxDeux

15. Wunderlist

16. Nirvana

17. Priorities

For Building Habits

18. Productive

19. Habitica: Gamified Taskmanager

20. Streaks

21. Remember The Milk

22. Day One Journal

Read Next

For Files Organization

23. Evernote

24. Pocket

25. Sync.Me

26. Droplr

27. Dropbox

28. iDolly

29. Soulver

For Working Smarter

30. Captio

31. Drafts

32. NoteShelf 2

33. Doodle

34. TextExpander (Legacy)

35. Launch Center Pro

36. GoodReader

37. LogMeIn

For Improving Security

38. 1Password

39. LastPass Password Manager

40. Truecallers

More Great Apps Recommendations

Reference

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