Traveling and discovering the world has never been as easy and as affordable as it is today. So many developments in the travel and leisure industry, together with technological advances, have made traveling a simple thing. As long as you have some money, which does not have to be a lot in many cases, you can go to far flung places or to popular tourist destinations.
There is the bonus factor of learning the basics of the language of your country of destination. While we’ve all seen the meme jokingly (perhaps only partially) stating that the Internet has forced the world to speak English, there are still countless languages being spoken the world over. And while it may seem a gargantuan task to some, learning basic words and phrases prior to traveling can contribute to a more fun vacation.
If you fancy yourself a world traveler (or even a wannabe), it is a smart thing to actually make an effort to learn some of the languages spoken in your destinations. There is always the option of signing up at convention learning institutions, of course, and that’s a great idea if you are spending an extended period of time in a location. For example, if you’re slated to stay several weeks in Bangkok, taking a short course in a Thai school is an excellent idea. Other major cities have similar setups, where you can take short courses to learn their language.
Now if you want to do this before you leave, and you want to make sure you can utter phrases in foreign languages, here are some language apps for your Android device to help you achieve that goal.
Some say Hello-Hello is the best free language learning app out there, although that may be subject to argument. We do know, however, that the app does have a lot of merits. One big thing going for the app is that the courses were developed in collaboration with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. With 11 languages available and real-life situations used in the lessons, this app is certainly useful.
Babbel
Babbel is another well respected name in the world of language learning, and it also has 11 languages in its arsenal. Each language pack has thousands of words and phrases and an integrated speech recognition feature helps with your pronunciation. And when you’ve learned all you can from the app, you can access more material from the web site.
50Languages is based on Common European Framework levels A1 and A2 and is suitable for all levels. The app is available in over 40 languages and combines audio and text for maximum learning.
Who says learning a language has to be such a chore? These apps can make it less of a burden for you, and before you know it, you just might be able to chat up the waiter or bartender in his local language!
