Get Smart! Tech to Learn a New Language

Duolingo (duolingo.com)
Duolingohas changed the way people learn languages. Instead of listening to language tapes in your car during a commute, Duolingocreates mini-lessons with games and tricks to keep you engaged and encouraged. You get points for completing lessons multiple days in a row and hearts when you get answers correct. Your progress is synched between your app and the web, so you can sneak in a lesson anywhere. It’s 100% free and doesn’t even make you navigate through ads to learn dozens of languages.

Tandem (tandem.net)
Now that you’ve learned the basics of a new language with Duolingo, you need to find someone to practice with. Tandemis a community of language learners who help each other practice and learn. Like Duolingo, Tandemis free.

Bonus Tool
Google Translate App (iOS and Android app stores)
If you visit a German restaurant before you learn how to ask Sprechen Sie Englisch? (“Do you speak English?), use the camera tool in the Google Translate app to instantly translate the menu into English. (We covered this augmented reality tool and others in last month’s newsletter. Click here if you missed it!)

Beth Ziesenis is Your Nerdy Best Friend. She is the author of several books on technology including Nerd Know-How: The 27+ Best Apps for Work … & How to Use ‘Em! Beth travels the country talking to organizations about free and bargain technology.