Embarking on the quest to learn a new language can be intimidating, so much in fact that many folks talk themselves out of the idea before they even get started. Being able to read, write and speak a dialect other than your own is a skill that can pay dividends for the rest of your life, making it almost always a worthwhile endeavour. Below are some of the best options available across multiple desktops and mobile platforms.

There are many apps and online services available that take you through the entire process of learning a language, from teaching basic vocabulary all the way to speaking fluently. Whether you're interested in language learning to advance your career, enhance your travel experience, impress that special someone or you'd like to add it to your child's homeschooling curriculum, the key is starting here.

1. Duolingo - Best Free Language Learning Website
[/b]Language learning is broken down into bite-sized skills by Duolingo, with each lesson designed to feel like a video game. You accrue points when you successfully complete a module and lose a life when you're wrong, gaining experience points as you proceed just as you would in most role-playing games.

[b]2. Memrise - Language Learning Games To Maintain Interest

Memrise provides about two dozen languages to choose from and tens of thousands of native speaker videos, with the ability to sign up via email, Google or Facebook. Its beginner and advanced courses are also game-centric in many ways, with language learning broken out into structured levels. A leaderboard is posted alongside each course selection, showing weekly, monthly and all-time high scores in an effort to motivate the student through old-fashioned competition and bragging rights.

3. busuu - Native Language Speakers Guide You

Busuu takes a slightly different approach to language learning by employing what is essentially a social, crowdsourced model with a global reach. Many of your speaking and writing exercises are corrected and graded by actual native speakers, as opposed to some automated process, ensuring that you receive feedback tailored specifically to your current knowledge level.

4. Rosetta Stone - Expensive but Battle-tested Software

Rosetta Stone's interactive lessons are sprinkled with real-life situations in over 20 different languages. The integrated TruAccent speech recognition functionality works to develop correct pronunciation, with the end goal to have you speaking as if it was your first language. You are asked to read stories out loud, letting you practice in an interesting, enjoyable method all the while analyzing your cadence and pronunciation.

5. Babbel - Passive, Interest-based Lessons


Babbel doesn't really take the immersive approach that some of the others on the list do, instead opting to provide tips and other guidance in your native language as you proceed through its lessons. Using a combination of your native tongue and the new dialect as opposed to total immersion, the "Babbel Method" is designed so that your brain passively learns based on dialogue content.

6. Tandem - Always Someone To Help You Learn


A very interesting concept in learning, Tandem's mobile language exchange pairs you with people from all over the world so that you can practice and learn their native language. With over a million community members spanning 150-plus countries, the app's large and extensive member base all but guarantees that there is always someone available to connect with.

Tandem lets you find an exchange partner in one or more of the following languages at no charge: English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish. Visual and audio interaction provides a very personal experience, and you also have the option to request a professional tutor for a fee by booking prepaid lessons during your desired time window.

Source: http://www.hotproforum.com/topic735.html