What do you lack in the learning apps and what you like?
Two or three days ago, I was asking how to approach learning languages.
You listed many websites and applications that are helpful in your learning process to acquire a new skill.
I can bet you tried many solutions and have an overview of them, so I will ask a few more questions to observe this area:
What kind of practices and exercises in the learning language apps/technology do you like the most and find effective?
What do you lack in the learning apps?
With which versions are you the most? The apps (Android or iOS) VS. Web apps (installed in the PC or in the browser)
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I’m a strong believer in learning by doing. I tried Duolingo a few times for Greek, but the same names and set dialogues didn’t stick for me. The little bird also feels a bit judgy. When I moved to Greece for a few months I learned more, and faster, than I did with any app. Apps have improved a lot with better dialogues, speaking feedback and tutor options, and I like that direction. For me though, using the language with real people still wins.
Learning the alphabet there was genuinely useful, because native speakers in Greece aren’t likely to fancy teaching you the letters from scratch. After that, the recycled names and fixed scripts didn’t prepare me for real conversations, and I didn’t see much speaking practice.
I feel like a lot of apps still miss real life conversation variety. They reuse the same names and tidy scripts, so you rarely practise a messy back and forth with mishears or detours. Personalisation fades and the content stops matching what you actually talk about. Cultural cues and what people really say day to day are quite important.
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@alecsorenpedersen IMO:
– conversation should be about a topic you like – so if you like fitness, I should use vocabulary about fitness
– I should match people
Just out of curiosity – what technique was the best for learning a new (completely different-looking alphabet)?
@busmark_w_nika Honestly the most useful thing i found was pairing letters and sounds and recognising the letters. Which helped when it came to getting around and asking for things.
I spent a lot of time over there, and I often noticed people would be having a conversation in Greek and then just use an English word because it fit the context perfectly. I ended up meeting my girlfriend while I was there, and our texting was the same, a natural mix of Greek and English. She said they used the English words because they were simply easier and it just made more sense.
The question is did i learn faster because i had an emotional connection to the language as she was greek. Maybe i should move to Spain, find a girlfriend and test this theory.
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@alecsorenpedersen LOl, please, do not cheat your Greek gf :D
@busmark_w_nika
😂 We broke up, i guess long distance relationships can be harder than learning a language sometimes!
Alta
Learning should be fun, so a great learning app must be personal, practical, and engaging — not generic or overwhelming.
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@jawad_tijani Can you name at least 3 apps that gave you a good learning experience? It can be beyond language apps :)
IXORD
I mostly use Google for studying, and many websites have the issue that they don’t provide sessions with native speakers. I would like to practice speaking with other people in the language I’m learning. My point in your previous post was that more practice is needed to learn a language, and if apps allowed you to book time to speak with someone, it would be a great solution that combines practice and theory
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@ixord Does it need to be a native speaker? Or someone who tries to learn that language as well?
IXORD
@busmark_w_nika Yes, it should be a native speaker. Everyone may have their own preferences for this, but for me, the priority was to speak with native speakers for practice :)
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@ixord but the thing is, you should also be able to offer them something in return. or?
IXORD
@busmark_w_nika I think it would be cool if there were a specific subscription on the site that included practice with a native speaker, or available for an additional fee :/
I like learning apps that make lessons fun and interactive, what i feel they lack sometimes is adaptability, it could be great if they adjusted to different pace and skill level. Also some apps could be simpler so its easier on learning
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@ava_peyton Duolingo has some tests from the beginning to customise your lessons. Or?
I like apps that gamify the learning process and make practice fun, but they often lack offline functionality—do you find web apps or mobile versions more effective for consistent learning?
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@robert_jr1 I think that from learning, you have a better experience from a desktop, but people predominantly use smartphones. So you need to be there too.
I’ve found that mobile apps work best for me, especially those that combine practical exercises like writing sentences, listening, and speaking with instant feedback and a bit of gamification. I enjoy learning when there’s a story or context behind it because it helps me remember things much better. What I often miss is personalization. Many apps consider only your language level but not your motivation or pace. I’d also love to see more opportunities for speaking practice with real feedback, maybe through an AI tutor or a simulated conversation. I’ve tried practicing conversations using ChatGPT too, but in my opinion it’s not ideal for beginners. You have to lead the conversation yourself and keep guiding it in the direction you need. A lot depends on the initial prompt. Does anyone else have the same experience or maybe a trick that works better?
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@lucie_smejkalova Interesting point. I realised that many things in terms of learning can be done with the help of AI, but as soon as I would switch into a different language, the AI would lead the convo in that language :D