It can seem like there are nearly as many language learning apps out there as there are languages, and that’s good. Not everybody learns the same way. But ask yourself, how did you learn to speak growing up? Everyone used the same method for that: Listening to and mimicking a native speaker. That’s the core concept behind uTalk, an innovative language learning system which places just as much emphasis on listening as it does on speaking.
uTalk
To build the app, they enlisted more than 1,000 native speakers to record audio. That audio is featured heavily in the curriculum, making sure you get correct pronunciation on each word as soon as you encounter it. You can even slow down the playback to better wrap your tongue around difficult words or phrases. That kind of customization is the other great feature about uTalk. You can start by getting a good foundation in the basics: Sentence structure, common greetings and all-important phrases like “where’s the bathroom?” But from there, you can veer off into the phrases that are going to be most important in your personal interactions. The vocabulary is organized by topic. You can focus on “business” if you’re planning to work out some overseas deals, or “food” if you’re a traveling foodie. Like a lot of modern language apps, a large part of the learning process is gamified. But the games in uTalk do more than just keep you motivated. Intelligent algorithms detect the words you’re struggling with or the phrases you want to use most, then sprinkle those into the games more frequently. And here’s possibly the most impressive thing: uTalk can teach more than 140 languages, and each one is geared to be learned from the native language perspective. That means an English speaker learning French won’t learn it quite the same way as a Hindi speaker would. Once you get the app, you can access it on any device, and can even bring it up offline – a real lifesaver when you’re abroad in unfamiliar territory. The service has multiple plans, but right now you can pick up a lifetime subscription for $69.99. Prices subject to change. SHOP MORE DEALS: Check out the Komando.com Deals page for the hottest tech and digital deals, including gadgets, gizmos, online courses and more! Tap or click here to start shopping. For questions about Komando Deals products, click here. By clicking our links, you’re supporting our research, as we may earn a very small commission. Recommendations are not part of any business incentives.
