There are two things I love very much: technology and learning languages. And we are so lucky these days, we can play around with the latest technology to improve our language skills. How? Let’s have a look right at 5 tech hacks to learn languages the smart way.

Tech Hacks to Learn Languages

5 Tech Hacks to Learn Languages Like a Pro!

Without further ado, I’ll start with an activity that we always recommend when it comes to learning a language: reading.

Read books on Kindle from Amazon

Tech Hacks to Learn Languages

If you have a smartphone or tablet, get ready to change your habits! Reading books in a foreign language can be made easier for you if you use the right tools. One of my favorite e-readers is Kindle from Amazon. You can buy the e-reader itself, or download the free Kindle app for a mobile device you already have.

You can then buy or borrow from a huge collection of ebooks in many languages, but that’s just the beginning! As you read, you can look up the translation or the definition of a word or expression just by tapping on it. Not only that, but you can also access the Wikipedia page if there is one, or simply check its definition in an offline dictionary. All of that is available in seconds with just one tap of your finger; you don’t even have to go into another app!

Of course, there are more features to this e-reader that you can use to boost your language learning. You can highlight new words to review later. However, you also can create a flashcard to add to your learning the very same way. When you select a word or expression and share it to your MosaLingua app, a new flashcard is created for you to learn later. It’s as simple as that! I will come back to this topic a little later.

Watch foreign movies on Netflix and Amazon Prime

Tech Hacks to Learn Languages

Nowadays, a lot of people have access to online video streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.

Aside from being my number one chilling activity, these are perfect tools for learning a language wherever you are! Both have tons of foreign movies, or simply movies that have soundtracks and subtitles in the language that you’re currently studying. Finding movies and TV shows in your target language has never been easier. A simple search with the keyword audio or subtitle with the target language will list all the movies that you can watch. Even better, you can watch TV Shows or movies or series that you’ve watched in another language.

Since you’ll already know the plot and the dialogue, your ear will be more focused on the grammar and vocabulary aspect of the movie.  It’s one of the most powerful ways to improve your language skills while having a good time. Honestly, who knew that Netflix and chill could teach you a language? You might find that there aren’t enough videos in your target language available for you, especially if you’re learning a less common language.

Invest in a VPN

Ideally, you would want to explore the free videos offered on the web sites of foreign TV networks. The problem is that streaming is often limited to users located in that country. Well, this issue can be easily bypassed with a single tool, called a VPN. This is a service that allows you to use an IP address (or your computer’s ID in Internet speak) from any country in the world. Switching your IP to another country lets you access all the content, audio, or video from these TV websites without any problems. You will need to subscribe to a VPN service, which usually costs between 2 and 3 dollars a month.

Change the language on your keyboard

The tips I gave you so far will help you improve your reading and listening comprehension. So, what about your speaking skills? What if I told you that you have a pronunciation coach in your pocket right now? Yes, I’m talking about your smartphone! Whether you have an Apple or Android, your device has a voice recognition feature that can be used for just that purpose.

keyboard

You might complain that you need to have clear pronunciation so it understands what you say. Isn’t that what you’d expect from a pronunciation teacher? You just need to change the language of your keyboard to the language you are currently studying and then click on dictation. You’ll see: your phone will give you a hard time if your pronunciation is too sloppy!

Use your MosaLingua app

5-tech-hacks-to-learn-languages-like-a-pro-video-mosalingua

All the time you spend online can be also used to personalize your learning path on your MosaLingua app. Instead of following the suggestions of your app or manually creating cards, what if you could select your own cards while browsing the internet, reading ebooks, or using your favorite apps? Well, good news: now you can!

With the latest version of the MosaLingua app, create a custom learning path by adding new flashcards based on vocabulary you encounter “in the wild.” Select the new word or expression and send it to your MosaLingua app using the MosaDiscovery plug-in. Your app will suggest a translation and add it to your learning stack. All of this happens in a flash, no need to type anything!

Watch Cedric’s Tech Hacks Video

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more language hacks like these!

I hope you enjoyed this article on tech hacks to learn languages! These are just a few hacks I use when I learn languages. If you want to give them a try, drop a comment below and we’d be happy to help with anything you need. If you have other tech hacks you want to share, please let us know there, too! Take good care of yourself and see you soon!