Whether you’re brushing up your Spanish in between classes, or simply want to learn it in your spare time, a method of learning that is growing in popularity is to use an app. This means that learning Spanish is fun and accessible not just for grown ups, but for kids too!
Why Should You Use an App to Help Learn Spanish?
Gone are the days of paying for extra tuition - everything you need to learn Spanish can be found in an app, so why not plug for one of our top 10?
OUR TOP PICK
The first app we have here is a pretty awesome all-rounder. Spanish Translator + is rich in features, and is basically like carrying a language expert in your pocket.
This app is ideal for middle school to high school students because although visually this is not massively exciting, this app does exactly what you would want it to when it comes to learning a new language.
It’s worth noting that this app has some advanced features which really makes learning Spanish more accessible and less daunting.
This really gives an independence to this style of learning a language - so is perfect for students who are in middle or high school. You can do your own hand holding here.
Pros
- Advanced sentence translator - the perfect tool to help you navigate a new language.
- Comprehensive dictionary - yeah, spelling can be a bit tricky.
- Verb conjugator - Spanish has a lot of grammar rules, so this handy tool will save you a fair amount of brain work.
- Phrasebook - what would carrying a language expert in your pocket be without a phrasebook?
- Flashcards - not everyone’s favourite way of learning, but flashcards are proven to be the best method for keeping new information stored in your brain.
Cons
- Visual - this is not quite the Candy Crush Saga of the app world, and is not so vibrant and engaging, but this is a great tool to use as a parent alongside your kid.
EDITORS CHOICE
Now, this has to be the most renowned app for language learning on the market. Duolingo is perfect for Improving reading, writing and listening skills.
This app is ideal for kids of all ages because there are lots of levels to work through. Whether you are a complete beginner or think you can string a sentence or two together, there is definitely a gap in this app for you to fit.
Infants will absolutely love Duolingo’s owl mascot. This mascot is the key to keeping up language learning. Yeah, he can be very persuasive because he is in charge of your personal learning streak.
This is a bar that you have to try and keep filled, or the owl will fly into your notification settings and pester you until you get back onto the language learning train.
Pros
- Fun and interactive games - perfect for kids of all ages. The games are a great way to recall information you have learned and they also encourage you to keep up your good work. A little bit of self-competition never hurt anybody!
- Engaging interface - you can’t deny that this app SCREAMS fun just by looking at the vibrant colors and the fun Duo owl (ok, the mascot is great for users of any ages, we just love him!)
- Not just Spanish - this app is not specifically for learning Spanish. In fact, you can learn any language you want on there. So, when you complete your Spanish journey you can then move on to whatever language you want to try out next.
- Practice - there is no room for cheating on this app - unless you get all the answers right, you won’t be allowed to move on. That’s right, this app may be fun but Duolingo does have some rules there too.
- Reminders - you can turn on the push notifications for this app which is even more encouraging as a reminder to get practising each day.
Cons
- Precision - in some of the game modes, it is tricky to not get caught up in the timed conditions. Unfortunately, Duolingo does not account for spelling mistakes so you have to be really careful to not type yourself short of moving on to the next level.
BEST VALUE
If you have a pretty good understanding of Spanish from being taught in high school, and want to keep it up in your spare time then this is the app for you. This app is ideal for teenagers because the premise of this app is that it is basically social media that helps you to learn Spanish.
Pretty cool, huh? This app lets you send messages, voice notes, and you can even call and video call native Spanish speakers or learners through this app. This is definitely a much less traditional method of learning, but this would be perfect for teens who are glued to their phones. Well, you may as well text and learn something simultaneously.
This is a great way to practice the language with people who speak Spanish, this is the best way to be corrected and actually gain a full understanding of the language. This is also a really fun way to make new friends - it’s the modern version of pen pals.
Pros
- Adopts a unique learning style - this is basically social media that helps you learn Spanish.
- Video and text chat - we told you, this is a very new way of learning a new language. But, this would be really engaging for teenagers because this kind of conversational Spanish will be really relevant to them. This will
- Connections - this app connects you with native Spanish speakers, so you can really get to grips with learning as you practise the language with someone who speaks the language fluently.
- Translation - you get a more personalized translation, rather than just seeing the translated version you can learn this from a native and get a much better understanding of the language. Active learning only here!
- Free to download - even better, this app is completely free but you will need internet access to message and call people.
Cons
- Camera share - as a parent, you might want to check who your child is talking to before letting them practice with a stranger, which is why we recommend this app for teenagers.
RUNNER UP
This app is ideal for boosting your vocabulary. Don’t get us wrong, you will not become a fluent Spanish speaker just by using this app - but it can definitely help!
This app is better suited to older kids because it is mainly flashcard based, but there are some other fun elements that this app has, such as a collection of clips of native Spanish speakers saying various words and phrases and this really helps with pronunciation.
But, let’s not ignore how great flashcards are for memorising vocabulary. By going over flashcards you can isolate any weaker areas and improve on them. So again, this is an app where your kid can track their progress independently which should encourage them to keep up their hard work that they have put into learning Spanish.
Pros
- Relevant - learners can access video clips from native speakers which is a really great way to practice pronunciation and intonation.
- Engaging - this app is home to fun games and quizzes that are flashcard based, but this really helps the learning experience.
- App store and Google Play - this app is available across both of the popular app stores so is super accessible.
- Flashcards - this is a great way to retain and revise new information, and being on your phone this is super portable and you won't have lots of bits of paper flying around.
- Vocabulary - mainly vocabulary learning based, this won’t get you to fluent speaking but is a great way to get started.
Cons
- Visual - this is not the most exciting app to be glued to, but it helps the learner to get the job done - it depends on how fussy you are!
RUNNER UP
Looking to learn the absolute basics? This app is the best for just that. This app is ideal for younger learners because well, it is a lot more of a fun app. With Pingo the dancing panda on board and accompanying your journey of learning Spanish, this app is ideal for keeping young kids’ attention.
So, this app only really teaches the basic vocabulary but that is perfect for a younger learner who doesn’t quite need to know about verb conjugations and the superlative just yet.
But, we are certain that there will be great appreciation for Pingo the panda mascot, who is pretty encouraging when it comes to getting things right… Oh yeah, he will cut some shapes to celebrate alongside you and your success.
Pros
- Lesson based - 101 lessons, so there is plenty to keep you busy here.
- Useful phrases - 1,190 to be exact, so this is pretty good to get you started.
- Interactive - over 4,000 interactive exercises which will make learning Spanish super fun and engaging.
- Advanced speech recognition - help you pronounce words and phrases correctly
- Pingo - this app’s mascor is a dancing panda - and it’s not just kids who will love this, but grown ups will too.
Cons
- For the basics - another app that is great to get your Spanish learning started, but this is not one for the advanced learner.
RUNNER UP
This app is ideal for high school learners because it has slightly more advanced features that an infant would lose interest in. For instance, you can upload photos and audio recordings for native speakers to check your spelling or pronunciation.
This app has a real sense of community as you can interact with a variety of different people, who are all there to help and support each other on their journeys to learning Spanish.
STOP! This is a multi-linguist zone only! Just kidding, but this app is great for learning lots of languages and not just Spanish, so once you are getting pretty confident with your learning, you can transfer the same skills you have developed to learning another language.
Pros
- Upload - you can upload pictures for reading and writing assistance.
- Audio recordings - native speakers can check and correct you on your pronunciation
- Community - can get instant feedback on questions and queries from native speakers.
- Multilingual - you can learn more languages here, so once you are happy with how your Spanish journey is progressing then you can try another language.
- Q & A - so this app uses a method similar to flashcard testing, but there are no card-like things involved, so this is a lot more appealing to all those who dislike flashcards.
Cons
- Not suitable for young children - this is similar to the format of a social media app, so it would be great for teenagers who are familiar with using these kinds of apps.
RUNNER UP
Perfect for beginners to practice vocabulary, this app is perfect for learners who are constantly on the go. This app is ideal for younger learners because it is home to some fun, interactive games which really add to the learning experience.
This app has lots of fun games which will help you pick up a lot of new vocabulary, in a way that is not as tedious as handwriting words out over and over and over again. You can also have specific lessons on, for example, verb endings so you can really decide what you want to look at and then if you get bored you can go back to playing the super fun games.
Pros
- Fun games - no flashcards in sight.
- Vocabulary - over 1000 words to study from
- Lessons - fun and a great way to practise important Spanish skills, like -AR, -ER and -IR verb conjugation.
Cons
- Beginners only - once you have mastered the basics then this app will stop being helpful to you, and you will have to upgrade to another one.
RUNNER UP
Rosetta Stone is a totally immersive approach to learning Spanish, giving no explanations in your native language. This is close to the way in which you learn things as a toddler, so this is a scientifically-proven learning technique. This app is ideal for teen learners because this is a very independent learning experience that younger kids would lose interest in pretty quickly.
This app is perfect for auditory learners as its well-recognised feature is its audio lessons. So, if you are an auditory learner then this app is the best one for you.
Don’t get us wrong, these lessons will take a fair bit of time - it’s recommended that you allocate yourself at least 30 minutes to have a solid revision session.
There are lots of multiple choice exercises - that’s right, not a flashcard in sight - and by completing these exercises the learner can enhance their comprehension skills.
Pros
- Audio lessons - if you are an auditory learner then this is the best app for you.
- Phrasebook for travelling - this could come in pretty useful.
- New vocabulary - this is a great resource to help you pick up a wide range of vocabulary.
- Speech recognition software - gives you useful advice on your pronunciation and accent.
Cons
- Bugs - some reports of bugs in the software, but the app is highly reviewed on app stores.
RUNNER UP
The premise of this app is that it acts as a convenient phrasebook. This app is ideal for kids who may have the chance to visit Spain because this would be a very handy guide.
This app is for picking up basic words and phrases when travelling, so it is a great way to give your kid some independence when abroad. But of course, the language they can actually learn from this is limited.
Think of this app as a bit of holiday fun, rather than for hardcore study sessions.
Pros
- Simple vocabulary - this app is more of a taster for popular Spanish words and phrases, so we can call this a warm up app.
- Audio recording - listen to how a native speaker would pronounce the vocabulary.
- Handy - yeah, this is a pretty handy pocket-sized phrasebook.
Cons
- Visual - although this app is perfect for learning the basics, visually it is not as exciting as other apps.
RUNNER UP
Last but not least, Busuu is great for picking up the basics of Spanish so it is perfect for a learner in high school. We say this because the interface is not the most eye-catching ever, but it is really great for learning on the go.
In fact, this app is not just for learning Spanish - so once you feel pretty settled in learning Spanish, you can comfortably move on to another language because, well, what not?
When it comes to learning languages it is all about technique and word patterns, so once you get to grips with one language you can transfer these skills to another.
Pros
- Not just Spanish - we are loving the versatility, and why learn one language when you can learn more?
- Vocabulary trainer - we would say this app is more of a vocabulary specific one, so if you want to become a human dictionary for Spanish then this is the app for you.
- Specific courses - you can select specific courses depending on what you want to concentrate on, so this app gives you complete freedom in deciding what you want to revise.
- Grammar review - this app also focuses on grammar which is especially important when learning a new language. The wrong spelling can totally change the meaning of a sentence.
- Study plan tools - this app helps you to plan your work - so it does not send you through reminders, but it does help you decide when you are going to get some work done.
Cons
- Visual - not as visually stimulating as some of the other apps we have looked at.
Best Apps for Learning Spanish Buying Guide
Why should you learn Spanish from a young age?
With over 400 million speakers in the world today, Spanish is second only to Chinese in most spoken languages. It’s safe to say that learning such a widely spoken language would not be a waste of time, and why not get started from a young age?
From an ‘adult’ point of view, obviously learning Spanish would benefit you in the job market - but from a young age it can be difficult to see where the benefits lie. But, as an infant your brain is still developing and so this is the key time to learn new skills, as your brain is at its most receptive.
The same applies to school students - as long as your brain is still active and learning, which it is when you’re learning new information every day in school, then this is your perfect window of opportunity.
Does this all sound good to you? Great! But you might now be wondering where to begin. Well, this is where we can help you. There are so many resources out there that can really give you the help you need, along with thousands of Spanish tutors around the world.
But, one of the newest and most convenient ways to learn a new language is through an app. Oh yeah, you can get an app for pretty much anything these days!
So, as you can see there are lots of amazing apps that can help anyone of any age or ability to learn Spanish. Whether you’re in preschool or college, there definitely will be an app for you. All that’s left for us to say is: adios amigos!
