Friday, March 6, 2020
Study Soulmates! The Best Language Learning App(s) for You
Study Soulmates! The Best Language Learning App(s) for You Study Soulmates! The Best Language Learning App(s) for You Finding your soulmate is a challenge that can take a lifetime.Sometimes, someone seems great on the surface, but some unknown factor just doesnt click.You might try adjusting yourself to make things work.You can change your hair. You can learn to eat pineapple on your pizza. You can start listening to Nickelback.But at some point, youll reach your breaking point. One can only pretend to like Nickelback for so long.While finding the right language learning app might not be quite as harrowing as finding a life partner, it can be nearly as challenging. The struggle is real.It can be frustrating for anyone, whether youre looking for an iPhone app or an Android app.Popular language apps enjoy a huge fan base, but will you be among the adoring masses?Addictive language apps can get users hooked on learning, but what if youre just not the addictive type?While theres no foolproof method for finding your perfect mate or perfect app, knowing yourself better can give you an edge. Thats where personality tests come in handy.Yep, personality tests.You may have heard of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Its one of the most popular personality assessments. Through a simple questionnaire, it can be used to categorize people based on four sets of opposing traits.This gives you data to speculate on everything from career goals to big life decisions to, of course, romance.So what if you could also be matched with your perfect language app according to whether youre an ENFJ, an INTP or any of the other MBTI personality types?Well, now you can!In this post, well tell you which of the best language learning apps you match with based on your personality. Why Choose Apps Based on Your Personality Traits?Choosing an app based on your personality traits can help you play to your strengths. Everyone has different things that really work for them. So if, for instance, your personality indicates that you respond well to structure, why not focus on using a structured app?Plus, cho osing the right app for your personality can help you compensate for your weaknesses. Language learning requires a wide array of skills. However, based on your personality type, some of these skills could be challenging to acquire. After all, if youre an introvert, getting conversational practice can be exhausting. Luckily, there are apps that can help you compensate for any potential weakness.Finally, basing your app choices on your personality traits can help you accommodate multiple facets of your personality. There are different apps that play to each aspect of your personality. Mix and match apps to take into account your personality as a whole.Plus, lets be honest. Its just fun!Study Soulmates! The Best Language Learning App(s) for YouTo see which apps you match with in the categories below, youll need to first take a personality test to see which traits apply to you. The apps below are sorted into the eight personality aspects in MBTI that show up in your given type: Extrover sion, Introversion, Sensing, Intuiting, Thinking, Feeling, Judging and Perceiving.There are plenty of formal, spendy MBTI assessments. However, if youre looking for a simple, free version, check out 16Personalities. While a few trait names are listed differently (most notably, perceiving is called prospecting), the basic concepts remain the same.Any PersonalityFluentURegardless of your personality type, FluentU is here for you through thick and thin. Heres where the love match analogy briefly breaks down, because FluentU gives you what you cant (and honestly probably shouldnt) have in a soulmate: customization and flexibility with little to no effort on your part.You pick your pace. You choose what you learn. Meanwhile, FluentU uses real-world videosâ"like music videos, movie trailers, news and moreâ"to give you an in-context learning experience.Each video is captioned and the captions are annotated, giving you plenty of additional information to access whenever you need itâ"lik e definitions, example sentences and associated images.If you want to change up your learning experience, try learn mode. In learn mode, videos, images and example sentences are combined into flashcards and exercises for more engaging study.Regardless of your skill level, FluentU can help you improve your language skills, and whats more, it takes the time to really get to know you. FluentUs algorithm takes learner history into account when presenting you with questions, ensuring that youre building on what youve already learned.ExtraversionExtraversion often manifests as the degree to which someone is outgoing. People who score high in this area usually get energy from being around other people and enjoy working and interacting with others. If you score high on this trait, the apps below may be just what youve been longing for.HelloTalkAvailable: iOS | AndroidIf you get your energy from interacting with others, HelloTalk will give you all the energy you need! HelloTalk helps you con nect with native speakers for free, giving you valuable language practice. You can use voice, text or video chat, which allows you to connect however youre most comfortable.Additionally, HelloTalk offers tools to make chatting easier. Built-in aids supply you with translation or pronunciation help so you can focus more on the good stuff: a fun conversation!HelloTalk also allows you to make public posts for native speakers of your target language to see, making it easy to ask questions or find your next conversation partner.TandemAvailable: iOS | AndroidReady to get your chat on? Tandem can help connect you to native speakers you can practice your skills with.With over 3 million people enjoying Tandem, youll probably be able to find someone you hit it off with. To find partners, all you need to do is list select what language or languages you want to learn during registration. Then, youll automatically get matched with potential partners. Once you find someone you like, follow them s o that you can connect with them again in the future.You can chat via video or text and send pictures or audio messages.IntroversionIntroversion is the opposite of extraversion. If youre introverted, being around others can drain your energy, and introverts usually prefer to work alone. The apps below can be great companions for solitary study.MondlyAvailable: iOS | AndroidIf youre an introvert, getting speaking practice can be daunting. And ironically, if you dont practice speaking, when you have to interact in your target language down the road, it can seem that much more intimidating.But to practice speaking, you have to talk to people. Or do you?With Mondlys Android app, you can practice your language skills using their virtual reality feature. The app uses realistic scenarios like eating at a restaurant, getting a taxi and more. A character speaks to you, and you respond verbally from a list of options. Youll even get immediate feedback on your pronunciation.Beyond virtual real ity, though, a lot of the learning on this app revolves around listening to and participating in conversations perfect for getting in some speaking practice on your own!Mango LanguagesAvailable: iOS | AndroidMango Languages focuses on building up your language knowledge to give you the conversation skills you need.To get you conversation-ready, Mango Languages teaches you the basic building blocks before advancing on to conversational skills. Since Mango Languages will give you some conversation practice, though, interacting with real people down the road should be a breeze!Mango Languages also includes some cultural information, so youll have what you need to avoid any possible faux pas. No need to draw any unnecessary attention to yourself!SensingIf you scored high in the sensing category, chances are that you lean heavily on your five senses. You focus on whats concrete and what youve experienced. Because of this, theres a strong chance that you like logic and order. Here are a c ouple apps that feel exactly the same way.busuuAvailable: iOS | AndroidIf you need logic and order, busuu might be just what you need to keep yourself on course. Thats because busuu aims to teach you a language in just 10 minutes a dayâ"perfect if youre already booked for the other 23 hours and 50 minutes of the day.Plus, busuu breaks content down into organized, numbered lessons, so the path ahead of you will be clear.And dont worry, there are plenty of opportunities to use your senses. Activities like flashcards and quizzes can appeal to your sight, while conversations with native speakers can exercise your hearing.Rocket LanguagesAvailable: iOS | AndroidNeed concrete details to really feel comfortable with a language? Try Rocket Languages.Since people who score high in sensing often want the hard facts, you might like Rocket Languages focus on details. For instance, in-depth cultural lessons and audio lessons provide you with the specifics you need to understand the language.Plu s, a variety of different activities will give your senses a workout. You can get the experience you need through writing lessons, speaking practice, quizzes, listening activities and more.Download the app, or get the hard facts about what they offer for the language youre learning right on their website:ArabicChineseFrenchGermanItalianJapaneseKoreanPortugueseRussianSpanishIntuitingIf you score high in intuiting, you probably trust your gut. Youre probably less interested in detail than a broad overview. However, you may have exceptional skill in spotting patterns. The apps below are right on the same wavelength.BeelinguappAvailable: iOS | AndroidSince youre good at spotting patterns, you might prefer language learning opportunities that allow you to learn by using the language rather than studying the underlying structure. Beelinguapp is a great tool for that.Beelinguapp provides side-by-side texts in your target language and your native language. You can read in your target langua ge and simply glance at the translation if you need a little assistance. Beelinguapp also offers karaoke-style audio, highlighting the excerpt as its spoken. This way, you can improve your language skills by recognizing patterns in either spoken or written language.DuolingoAvailable: iOS | AndroidThrough repetition, Duolingo might be able to help you understand the structure of a language intuitively.Duolingos main focus is repetition-based activities to teach you grammar and vocabulary. While there are brief written lessons before these activities, the main method of learning is using the language rather than studying. So while you might not be able to explain a certain verb conjugation after using Duolingo, it may turn out you can use it correctly.ThinkingPeople who score high in thinking usually lean heavily on logic. They tend to like clear rules and are often task-oriented. These apps understand you perfectly.BabbelAvailable: iOS | AndroidBabbel focuses on practical skills you can use in real conversations that youre likely to encounter. Covering common themes like shopping, dining and transportation will help you practice the vocabulary youre most likely to use.When youre an independent learner, it can be hard to know if youre pronouncing something correctly. But as a thinker, you probably want to know youre right, so you might like that Babbels speech recognition technology will check your pronunciation for you.Plus, Babbels 10-15 minute lessons are short enough that you can make sure you meet your learning goal each day.LingvistAvailable: iOS | AndroidAs a thinker, you appreciate logic, and Lingvist has a lot of it to offer.Thats because Lingvist focuses on the most relevant vocabulary. With over 4000 words, theres plenty to learn, but the focus is on the material youre most likely to use in the real world.Plus, Lingvist offers a focused approach, teaching you based on what you already know. No need to waste time restudying over and over again!Lingvist is the product of combined efforts of linguists, scientists and developers, so thinkers may also appreciate the thought and research behind the app.FeelingThose who score high in feeling often prioritize the feelings of others over hard facts. These apps care about your feelings, too.MemriseAvailable: iOS | AndroidSince feelers care about people, you might connect better with an app thats more people-focused. Memrise might be just what youre looking for.Thats because Memrise features over 30,000 videos featuring native speakers. Rather than just focusing on the words themselves, you can see and hear the emotions of the speakers.Plus, chatbots can help you simulate real interactions with people, giving you helpful, interactive practice.LinguaTVAvailable: iOS | AndroidWish you could see how language is used in real situations? LinguaTV will show you.LinguaTV offers videos of native speakers using their languages in common situations you may encounter, like eating out, traveling or wo rking.Not only will this help students learn relevant, useful vocabulary, its also likely to engage feelers, who might be able to connect with the scenarios on a more emotional level.JudgingIf you scored high in the judging category, you might like order and structure. You probably also enjoy making decisions and taking control of a situation. But you may not mind letting these apps take control of your language learning.Rosetta StoneAvailable: iOS | AndroidSince judgers like order and structure, theyre likely to respond to apps that act more like conventional courses, and this makes Rosetta Stone a great option.Rosetta Stone is broken down into convenient lessons and units to teach you all the finer points of the language.However, just because the material is broken down into lessons doesnt mean youre not in the drivers seat. In fact, you can still make plenty of key choices, like using extended learning featuresâ"such as a phrasebook, downloadable lessons and more.Be proactive by checking out whats available for your target language on their site:ArabicChineseFrenchGermanItalianJapaneseKoreanPortugueseSpanishDaily Dose of LanguageAvailable: iOS | AndroidBecause judgers like order and structure, they often prefer a set timetable. Schedules can be tight, but judgers prefer things stay on schedule.And do you know whats easy to fit into even the busiest schedule? A one-minute daily dose of language learning. Yes, each day, Daily Dose of Language from Innovative Language provides free one-minute mini lessons on topics like vocabulary, slang and culture. You can even get a daily reminder to let you know that your lesson is ready.PerceivingPerceiving types tend to value flexibility. Because of their natural curiosity, perceiving types usually enjoy new ideas and opportunities. These apps will stay flexible with you, and give you the sense of adventure you crave.LingQAvailable: iOS | AndroidAs a perceiver, you probably like trying new methods and following your own path, so LingQ might be right up your alley.LingQ aims to teach you a language through content. While there are thousands of hours of audio and plenty of written material already available, you can also import other web content to turn it into a learning tool. Then, the app allows you to look up and save any new words or phrases you might encounter for easy studying.Not only is this a new and innovative approach to learning, its also fully flexible since you choose your own content.DropsAvailable: iOS | AndroidIf you cant resist trying something new, Drops can quench your thirst for adventure.From its minimalist design to its fast-paced micro games, you wont find anything else quite like Drops.Rather than encouraging you to connect words in your target language to words in your native language, Drops uses illustrations to help you link a word to its actual meaning. All in all, Drops aims to make learning fun and addictive.If you need any more proof that Drops is unique and innovat ive, though, we offer you this tidbit: Drops has a five-minute session limit. You probably wont get overwhelmed or intimidated if you know your learning activity will only be five minutes!Dont spend your whole life searching for the best language learning app for you.Base your choice on your personality traits, and you just might find your language learning soulmate!
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