A couple of FREE learning tools for english speakers to learn Spanish and Japanese

Here’s a list of methods for learning a language, and individual tools that have Spanish and Japanese resources using these methods. The list should be roughly ordered by how effective the methods are IN MY OPINION, with the tools ordered by how good the free plan is. Although it is highly likely that you have different preferences to me, and different things are more effective for you, with what methods you choose also depending on what level you are in the language - for example a written text might overwhelm a person who doesn’t know any of the language with a lot of new words. Tools with a :ceuta_and_melilla: flag are tools that I am using to learn Spanish, and tools with a :jp: flag are tools the I am using to learn Japanese.

Methods to learn a language (can be reasonably used for free)

Flashcards

  • Premade flashcards:
    • :ceuta_and_melilla: :jp: Duolingo (a variety of different flashcards that force you to learn actively by entering answers to questions and checking if you are correct)
    • Glossica (audio flashcards)
  • A custom set of flashcards (or you could get one that’s premade by another user):
    • On anki (regular flashcards with audio and pictures)

By speaking to people in the language being learnt

  • :ceuta_and_melilla: :jp: Hello talk
  • :ceuta_and_melilla: :jp: Talk with family and friends

Using audio that teaches you all of the language concepts in english

Spanish

  • :ceuta_and_melilla: Language transfer
  • Coffee break spanish
  • Beginner spanish with spanish obsessed

Japanese

  • :jp: Japanese pod audio lessons

Using movies/music/books in the language being learnt with tranlations to your native language

  • Podcasts:
    • Spanish:
      • :ceuta_and_melilla: Story learning spanish
      • News in slow spanish
    • Japanese:
      • Nihongo con tepei (haven’t properly tried this resource yet)
  • Literature:
    • Bee lingua (comes with a naration of the story and music as well)
    • Read lang
    • LingQ
  • Movies/videos:
    • Dual subs
    • Lingo pie

Paid tools (haven’t tried any of these)

  • Rosetta stone
  • Pimsleur
  • Italki
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