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It depends what language you're interested in. Usually the less languages a service offers the more reliable it is (because the experience can be more specific to the structure of the language).
I had a pleasant experience with Memrise. It offers real-life recording of different people in ordinary settings (like street, cafe, subway) so it's much better than pre-recorded overly perfect pronunciation - different voices, accents, intonations etc.
It's okay as an activity to fill spare 10 mins with or a doomscrolling alternative rather than a language course but that's the case with any language app.
If you're serious about learning then try looking for free online resources, videos, exercises. Sometimes language schools or teachers produce extra materials that are freely available
I had a pleasant experience with Memrise. It offers real-life recording of different people in ordinary settings (like street, cafe, subway) so it's much better than pre-recorded overly perfect pronunciation - different voices, accents, intonations etc.
It's okay as an activity to fill spare 10 mins with or a doomscrolling alternative rather than a language course but that's the case with any language app.
If you're serious about learning then try looking for free online resources, videos, exercises. Sometimes language schools or teachers produce extra materials that are freely available
Jul 14, 2025
Related Recs
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👂Completely free audio-format lessons that prioritize understanding over thoughtless memorization. It’s just one guy I think, hence the limited language options so far. He’s a great teacher.
The languages offered are Spanish, German, Greek, Swahili as complete courses, also intro courses for French, Italian, Turkish, and Arabic. Hope you’re learning one of the ones listed lol
Jan 16, 2025
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🗺In general, my favorite translator ever is Reverso. For expressions and such, Reverso Context. For the most part, it's pretty accurate.
For English, Italian and French, I use Vanity Fair and GQ, as I learn vocabulary from the interviews and articles they publish. There are also different versions of things like Vogue and Elle in the languages previously mentioned, which is so useful. More often than not, the language employed is less formal than the tone they would use at a journal, so I feel like I can actually read the way people are expressing themselves in real time without it feeling outdated, or having people give you phrases no one ever uses. In English I use Wordhippo a lot. You can do so much, even as a native, I think more people should use it. Great resource.
YouTube, of course. I love it and as I previously mentioned in some other answer to this ask, I like things that focus on the democratization of the internet, and in this case, educational resources. Say what you want about YouTube, but this is a pioneer of such task. Along the same line, Substack has been useful as well but it's a little bit more difficult to find a writer that doesn't speak English. If you have more specific sites I could use, let me know <3
For English, Italian and French, I use Vanity Fair and GQ, as I learn vocabulary from the interviews and articles they publish. There are also different versions of things like Vogue and Elle in the languages previously mentioned, which is so useful. More often than not, the language employed is less formal than the tone they would use at a journal, so I feel like I can actually read the way people are expressing themselves in real time without it feeling outdated, or having people give you phrases no one ever uses. In English I use Wordhippo a lot. You can do so much, even as a native, I think more people should use it. Great resource.
YouTube, of course. I love it and as I previously mentioned in some other answer to this ask, I like things that focus on the democratization of the internet, and in this case, educational resources. Say what you want about YouTube, but this is a pioneer of such task. Along the same line, Substack has been useful as well but it's a little bit more difficult to find a writer that doesn't speak English. If you have more specific sites I could use, let me know <3
Jan 22, 2025
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🗃A guide to follow the right people who'll help you learn:
1. When it comes to technique, I think it's better when people stick to a single creator. Preferably one that has credentials as a teacher. On YouTube, there's plenty and they facilitate free content for their students as well. I think it's easier to keep track of your learning progress when you're seeing a single person explain things to you.
2. Booktubers: they typically have good pronunciation, precisely because they read a lot. A lot of them speak slower than their counterparts in other niches and since they're speaking about books, it's more likely the topics will be diversified because they're reviewing books, explaining to you the synopsis, etc.
3. Singers: people who sing also tend to have a good pronunciation. I would say, look for someone who's a content creator first, singer second. That sounds very specific but it could benefit you in the long run when it comes to your oral and listening skills.
4. People who do storytimes: I genuinely think that the best way of learning is through storytelling. This can look differently for everybody. For some people it's vlogs, for some is true-crime, for other is podcasts. Do whatever suits you.
Obviously the preferred platform is YouTube in this case, as I think TikTok doesn't help you process a lot of information and it can become overwhelming to be on the app, which worsens your will to learn.
2. Booktubers: they typically have good pronunciation, precisely because they read a lot. A lot of them speak slower than their counterparts in other niches and since they're speaking about books, it's more likely the topics will be diversified because they're reviewing books, explaining to you the synopsis, etc.
3. Singers: people who sing also tend to have a good pronunciation. I would say, look for someone who's a content creator first, singer second. That sounds very specific but it could benefit you in the long run when it comes to your oral and listening skills.
4. People who do storytimes: I genuinely think that the best way of learning is through storytelling. This can look differently for everybody. For some people it's vlogs, for some is true-crime, for other is podcasts. Do whatever suits you.
Obviously the preferred platform is YouTube in this case, as I think TikTok doesn't help you process a lot of information and it can become overwhelming to be on the app, which worsens your will to learn.
Nov 19, 2024
Top Recs from @isbiltur
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🐦Made by Cornell Lab of Ornithology
It is both a birder handbook and an incredible tool for identifying birds from pictures, sounds and step-by-step questions.
I enjoy learning more about local birds in my area or when I travel. It is completely free and without ads
It is both a birder handbook and an incredible tool for identifying birds from pictures, sounds and step-by-step questions.
I enjoy learning more about local birds in my area or when I travel. It is completely free and without ads
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