Language Transfer is much, much better than Duolingo for learning a language.
I am learning Spanish using language transfer after having learned four other languages in more traditional ways. Obviously, immersion is the best way to learn. But if you have to learn any other way, this is the one. Far, far better than Duolingo.
It's made up of MP3s, usually about 10 minutes each. You just listen to them and respond to the instructor.
You can use SoundCloud, or YouTube, or the simple but practical smartphone app. The whole thing is run by one guy, and there is no charge but he asks for donations. I have been paying $10 per month on Patreon for several years now, and consider it well worth it.
You can learn French, Spanish, Italian, German, Greek, Turkish, and Swahili.
The problem with Language Transfer is its very limited language selection and its format.
Duolingo allows reading, writing, listening and speech (last two can be disabled if unsuitable in your context), and it does not impose daily limits. I've yet to find an alternative app that does all 5 of those things.
Yes, Language Transfer doesn't have as many languages as Duolingo. Hardly surprising, since the entire system and all the language lessons were created by one man!
For me, the most important thing is to learn to think in the other language. Everything else follows from that.
Language Transfer makes a conscious effort not to get you to memorize things, but to internalize them and understand the system. That works perfectly with my own way of learning.
The value of Duolingo is more in the content rather than the actual app itself.
If you're looking for a flashcard app though, anki isn't too bad
Walking around your neighborhood and meeting friendly people.
No but seriously I'm interested in this answer as well.
Anki?
Anki is a FOSS flashcard program that is popular in language learning circles.
You can also download ready-made decks for different categories in many languages. Useful for expanding your vocabulary I find.
I'd recommend starting with ANKI and looking up guides for that language. You might find add-ons that make it easier to use. While making your own deck is better, you can also download recommended decks to learn vocab. Otherwise there are open access textbooks and courses if you want more structured learning.
As for apps, I saw this one recently: https://simjanos-dev.github.io/LinguaCafeHome/
Other discussions right from the Duolingo community:
This would be interesting
I don't think duolingo is good. But no, best I know is to make your own with anki
I second Language Transfer.
I tried to study Arabic with duolingo for about two years, but I never got very far since nothing is properly explained.
Then I started to watch regular classes that someone recorded (in my native language), and I started using language transfer.
With those together I got much farther in a month than I ever got with duolingo.
Nothing beats a class where you can discuss with the students and ask questions to the teacher.
But if you don’t want to spend a lot of money, language transfer and recorded lessons on YouTube are so much better than duolingo
Is there anything with Japanese? It's the language I've been learning (I took a class and have been wanting to study it further), but not all language learning apps have it.
魚のような匂いがする
Rule 3
I use Forget Me Not
Audiobooks from your local library 🤓
My library doesn't even have a single technology-related book, let alone a language section :(
I really like refold.la guides: https://refold.la/roadmap
No but if you want an alternative to anki that is easy to use, try memorion
Paying a tutor or a class might be a good accelerant since you could ask fundamental questions in your native language. Once you have the grammar scaffolding, you could then use flashcards to start building vocab or looking for natives to share conversations with. Note also: immersion rarely works without some foundations to build on (unless the language in question is basically the same as your native language like Dutch is to English). The TL;DR is apps are more entertainment then education.
I wonder if a LLM could do this
not yet, maybe in a year or so. Would suck to learn the wrong thing, and feel confident about it.
Depends. I've found that it was able to explain to me (about Spanish) why, when and how to use this form or the other. But it won't come up with a plan of lessons. And the level of support will depend on the amount of resources available for the language you want to learn
