Learning a new language is always a unique and educational experience and what better app than Babbel can it help us to learn English, German or even Turkish better?
We had a chance to try for six months the application and we ventured intolearning German, a particular language of its kind. Did I really learn something or am I not even able to order a beer? Let's find out together!
What is Babbel and how to learn German or another language?
The first thing to make clear is: what is Babbel? This is the first application in the world for language learning. Founded in 2007 and with more than one million active users, it is the leading company in the online language learning sector.
Babbel offers us a catalog consisting of 14 languages: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish and many more. We can choose to learn one or two at the same time, it depends on how hard we want to test ourselves.
Language courses are mainly focused on conversations e daily themes, useful to facilitate learning and immediately encourage the user to speak.
The reviews received in general are all very positive: it is estimated that about the 73% of users said he felt able to hold a simple conversation after five hours of using the app. Impressive, isn't it?
I have chosen to face a titanic undertaking, that is learn German. I say titanic because it is a much harsher language than the ones I already know personally.
I have therefore abandoned the sweet sound of Spanish and French, put aside the delicate sound of English (and simple grammar), to become a one-piece and mean person with German, ja!
How the application is structured: catalogs and courses
Once you have downloaded the app, you will have it available seven days free in which you can explore all the explorable: then you can decide whether to subscribe for 3, 6 o 12 months: 6,65 euros per month for the first option, 5,54 euros per month for the second and 4,95 euros per month for the third option.
After choosing the language to learn, my adventure began. One of the things that struck me immediately about Babbel is the possibility of carry out a short initial test which allows the application to evaluate the knowledge of the person.
Honestly, I didn't know many words, so I avoided taking the test and decided to immediately start one of the many courses available in the catalog.
Another peculiarity is precisely this, that is to have available useful courses for any eventuality. The courses available are divided as follows: we will have the section first steps, in which we are slowly catapulted into a new linguistic world.
We will start by learning a few words, the basics of grammar and pronunciation. Next we have the basi I and II, in which useful expressions for everyday life, additional grammatical and pronunciation bases are explained.
Then we will move on to the next and more complicated levels, that is pre-intermediate level, intermediate, independent ed advanced, in which we will begin to analyze the language also from the point of view of comprehension and oral and written production, improving your skills more and more.
In the advanced level you will also have the opportunity to deepen expressions, typical idioms and also cultural aspects of the language. If you prefer to concentrate on the grammar of the language, in a simple but effective way, there will be the grammar section where you will find fun exercises with examples and much more.
Do you have to learn the language for work? Fear not, Babbel has a section created specifically for this: you will find words, phrases and other useful examples that will help you to deal with problems without problems. office situations.
If, on the other hand, you want to improve oral comprehension and production, you can use the homonymous section where you will find courses aimed at developing these skills. In addition you will also find the sections culture and traditions e words and phrases, where you can broaden your vocabulary and learn useful and funny everyday phrases every day.
The review method and the division of courses
What I liked about Babbel, besides the variety of courses useful for everything, was the way they were divided: each section is divided into a specific number of courses which, in turn, matter a certain number of X lessons.
For example, entry level I will count 3 courses with 11/12 lessons each. This will allow you to deepen the language on a daily basis. Another element that I personally loved, particularly because I forgot verbs as if there was no tomorrow, is the review mode.
The day following the lesson, the “review” section will be activated which will allow you to review the things you learned the previous day.
How does this mode work? You can choose four different methods for reviewing: listening, speaking, writing or using didactic cards (images with the Italian translation in which the app will ask you whether or not you remember the word in the language you are learning).
Every time I had to review I chose the "speak" or "write" mode, as these were the aspects I wanted to improve. At least three times a week, however, I also did the listening. One of the main features of Babbel is that you can review your own, for example, 15 words multiple times. First by listening, then by writing and then by speaking.
Pros and cons: which device should you use Babbel with?
Mainly I used the application on the PC (also available on tablet) but I also used the one on smartphone, maybe on the bus or in the evening before going to bed. Depending on the device I have noticed pro and against different.
On the smartphone I was having difficulty with the writing aspect: I have had several occasions when, despite clicking on the letter I wanted to use, the keyboard did not click it or chose another one. Writing fast and maybe even knowing the word perfectly, the app gave it to me wrong.
Or there is an exercise in which the scattered letters are shown and you have to rearrange them, thus creating the given word. On the telephone, this exercise was all too simple, as the letters were not "scattered" evenly but only a couple were placed in the wrong position.
Download QR-Code Learn languages with Babbel Developer: Babbel Price: Free +
For example, the word welcome (welcome). The letters were mainly placed like this: wilklomem n. On the PC these two main problems I have not encountered them because I had to use the keyboard and the exercises seemed more "difficult" almost.
For this reason, on this device, I mainly ran writing and reading exercises.
Unfortunately, however, it was problematic to perform the exercises conversazione because my PC microphone didn't understand what I was saying at all, so every time the word was flagged as wrong.
I swear I pronounced them right, ja. Take my word for it, I'm making you a Vanellope Von Schweetz nose!
Despite the presence of this problem on the PC, I was able to find a solution that is to use the smartphone: there the microphone worked divinely and I could scream nein, nein and feel like a true German.
Vanellope Von Schweetz in Ralph Spaccatutto
Is learning German with Babbel really possible?
My journey to learn German with Babbel, in some ways, was like being on a roller coaster. At first I was consistent and exercised every day, sometimes in the afternoon or before bed. Sometimes, on the other hand, I missed those two or three days of lessons and found myself 100 words to review!
After a month of ups and downs, I put my soul in peace and said, “Okay, calm down and cool. I have to learn German and Babbel will help me! " So I started to be as constant as possible: obviously I was not always able to practice well every day, but I set out to do at least 10 minutes a day.
Personally, when I had more time, I used to use the app for about an hour and a half a day and did an evening review. I am obsessed with stationery and the like transcribe words most used in a notebook and rereading them every day was useful.
Download QR-Code Babbel - Language courses Developer: Babbel GmbH Price: Free +
With consistency and the notebook method, over the six months of testing I managed to achieve good levels. I am able to have a conversation about it everyday topics, I remember the various parts of the body, some particular verbal forms and I can even describe people!
So: Did I really learn German with Babbel? The answer is Yes but. The but is due to the fact that, personally, I realized that the German it's not a language for me and therefore, not having a particular stimulus and desire to learn and learn, after a week of stalemate I had already forgotten everything.
The secret to learning anything is this: doing it with constancy but above all passion. If there is not that and there are no stimuli, everything will be difficult and heavy. Learning a language shouldn't convey certain feelings.
However, I can say that Babbel turned out to be a really good app and that, at least for six months, it allowed me to speak German as an almost genuine Italian-German. Furthermore, for what the catalog offers, the price is a real bargain. Quindi, thank you Babbel, goodbye.
Tags babble Is learning German with Babbel really possible?
