10/7/24
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8 Min
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Lingosnap Team
Why are travel apps important?
When travelling to a foreign country, nothing enriches the experience quite like understanding the local language. It can make interactions more meaningful, help you navigate unfamiliar places, and even lead to delightful surprises that come with speaking directly to locals. Whether you're a first-time traveller or a frequent flyer, using a language learning app can make all the difference. Here, we've rounded up the best language learning apps for travelling, each offering distinct methods and benefits
Lingosnap: Learn by Capturing the World Around You
Languages Available: Japanese, Chinese
Price: USD 6.99/month or USD 39.99/year
Lingosnap is perfect for those who love to explore while learning. With an AI-powered image recognition system, Lingosnap allows you to take photos of objects, signs, and attractions during your travels and learn the corresponding words in a new language. Imagine arriving in Tokyo, snapping a photo of a street food stall, and immediately learning the Japanese terms for those delicious dishes. With spaced repetition to optimise memory retention, you can be sure those words will stick for your next encounter.
Lingosnap's unique focus on user-driven content ensures that you are learning vocabulary that's personally relevant. Whether you need key phrases for ordering food, asking directions, or buying tickets, Lingosnap lets you decide what you want to learn. This makes it incredibly practical for travellers, especially when compared to more rigid language apps.
Duolingo: Gamified Learning for Beginners
Languages Available: 40+ including Spanish, French, German, Japanese
Price: Free with ads, USD 12.99/month or USD 83.99/year (Premium)
Duolingo is a well-known favourite, famous for its gamified lessons and engaging content. It uses spaced repetition to help build vocabulary and grammar skills, and its vibrant user interface makes it fun for beginners to stick with. However, while it has a wide range of languages, its content lacks depth when it comes to cultural and real-life context. This can be limiting for travellers looking for practical, everyday phrases that go beyond standard lessons.
Duolingo is excellent for someone just starting out, offering quick, fun lessons to build a basic foundation. If you want a light introduction before a trip, it's a good choice—but it may not cover everything you need for a seamless travel experience.
Busuu: Structured Learning with a Real-Life Focus
Languages Available: 12 including Spanish, French, Japanese
Price: USD 15.00/month or USD 128.99/year
Busuu takes a structured approach to language learning, offering lessons based on CEFR levels and including real-world topics like dining and emergency phrases. This makes it suitable for travellers who prefer an organised learning path. Busuu's language exchange feature also lets users practice with native speakers, offering a more immersive experience.
However, its structure might be too formal for those who prefer learning on the go or exploring as they travel. Busuu may feel less flexible and spontaneous, which can be a drawback for adventure-driven learners.
Memrise: Real-World Learning with Native Speaker Videos
Languages Available: 16 including Japanese, Korean, Spanish
Price: USD 59.99/month or USD 117.99/year
Memrise focuses on real-world language usage, offering phrases spoken by native speakers in video clips. This makes it great for travellers who want to sound more natural. Memrise also uses spaced repetition and mnemonic techniques to help users remember new words.
