Learning Chinese, English, and Spanish, the world’s three most widely spoken languages, is now more accessible than ever from the comfort of your own home. In addition to the top websites for learning English, there are numerous free applications available for learning Chinese, no matter where you are. These web pages and mobile apps are designed to help you master a language spoken by millions across the globe, enhancing your skills in pronunciation, oral comprehension, and written communication.
If you find yourself unable or unwilling to commit to a language academy due to time constraints, personal preferences, or financial considerations, language learning apps offer a flexible and engaging alternative. These apps make the process of learning Chinese dynamic, enjoyable, and entertaining, incorporating games to enhance your vocabulary and refine your pronunciation across various subjects.
Busuu
One of the most versatile language learning resources is Busuu, an exceptional tool not only for mastering Chinese but also for various other languages. This app offers flexibility, allowing you to choose when and where you want to complete your lessons. The best part is that Busuu is available across multiple platforms, making it accessible on Android, iOS, tablets, smartphones, and even through its web version.
Beyond Chinese, Busuu offers courses in French, English, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Turkish, Polish, Russian, and Arabic. With a premium subscription, you gain access to all these languages, making it an ideal choice if you’re interested in learning multiple languages simultaneously.
Busuu provides thousands of expert-created lessons tailored to your language of choice. It employs an adaptive learning approach, customizing the curriculum to suit your needs. You can also craft a personalized study plan, and native speakers from around the world are available to offer corrections and assistance, helping you refine both your written and spoken communication skills.
While Busuu offers free courses for exploration, it also offers paid versions with a range of subscription options, including one-month, twelve-month, and 24-month plans. If you decide it’s not the right fit within 14 days, you can cancel and receive a refund, no questions asked.
HiNative
HiNative takes a distinctive approach to language learning. Rather than structured lessons, it provides a platform where you can pose questions, and native speakers offer real-time responses. The process is straightforward: you can inquire about pronunciation, seek translations for signs, menus, or labels, or ask grammar-related queries.
With a global community of four million users, HiNative covers a wide array of languages, including French, Italian, German, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, Vietnamese, Spanish, and, of course, Chinese. The interface is multilingual and supports a total of 113 languages.
HiNative is accessible through its iOS and Android apps or via its web-based search engine. It’s a valuable resource for gaining insights and clarifications on various language-related matters, making your language learning journey interactive and engaging.
Duolingo
Duolingo stands out as one of the most renowned language learning applications globally, offering a multi-platform experience entirely free of charge. Boasting millions of users worldwide, Duolingo allows you to embark on your language learning journey without constraints. To get started, simply create an account and select the language you wish to learn. While Duolingo doesn’t offer Chinese instruction from Spanish, it does provide courses from English. This means you can engage in lessons conducted in English as long as you possess a basic proficiency in the language.
Duolingo is known for its speed, adaptability to your skill level, and thoroughness in reviewing challenging topics. With engaging games, you’ll enhance your vocabulary and pronunciation across various subjects. Upon initiating your Duolingo account, you’ll undergo an initial assessment to gauge your existing knowledge. For Chinese learners, starting from scratch is an option. Duolingo covers a broad spectrum, encompassing vocabulary, translation, verbs, pronunciation exercises, and more.
This application is visually appealing and suitable for learning any language. Duolingo encourages daily practice for just a few minutes, offering courses not only in Chinese but also in English, French, Italian, Russian, Catalan, Esperanto, Guarani, Portuguese, and more.
While Duolingo offers free courses, it also presents Duolingo Plus—a subscription option that includes advantages such as offline lessons, an ad-free experience, unlimited lives, streak restoration, and progress assessments. Should you choose to subscribe, access this feature through the “Shop” tab. Note that using Duolingo remains free even without Duolingo Plus.
Memrise
Memrise is another exceptional language learning app available across various platforms. It is recognized as one of Google’s top language learning applications. After registering for an account, you can access Memrise through both the web and mobile applications (with offline capabilities). The platform offers a diverse array of specialized courses for learning numerous languages, including Chinese.
To use Memrise for Chinese learning, you’ll need proficiency in English or another supported language. Currently, there are no Spanish-Chinese courses, but there are English-Chinese courses. To access lessons, choose your spoken language and your target language. A basic understanding of English will suffice for Chinese learners. Memrise continuously introduces new courses, so Spanish-Chinese options may become available in the future.
Memrise offers various subscription plans, including monthly, yearly, and lifetime options, priced at €8.99 per month, €5.83 per month for an annual plan, and a single payment of €139.99 for a lifetime subscription.
HelloChinese
HelloChinese closely resembles Duolingo in terms of appearance but is tailored specifically for comprehensive Chinese language learning. The app covers speaking fluency, character writing with on-screen stroke guidance, pronunciation improvement, and sentence construction using newly learned words. It offers an intuitive, enjoyable, and efficient approach to language learning, requiring only a few minutes of daily practice to make significant progress.
HelloChinese encourages repetition to enhance retention, offers voice recognition for pronunciation evaluation, and allows users to listen to native speakers to imitate correct pronunciation. The app supports both Mandarin Chinese and Traditional Chinese and is particularly useful for beginners.
FunEasyLearn
FunEasyLearn specializes in vocabulary expansion, offering more than 6,000 words for free across three different proficiency levels. The app features an interactive interface with images where users can practice pronunciation and select the correct answers. It encompasses various games, such as word matching and image-to-word associations, grouped into 15 thematic categories, including transportation, animals, family, and food.
FunEasyLearn is ideal for language learners looking to enhance their vocabulary without the need for an internet connection. Users can revisit previously learned words to reinforce their knowledge.
Beyond the specific “6000 Words” app, FunEasyLearn offers a main app that provides a diverse selection of fun games, operates offline, and offers support for 34 languages, including both Chinese and traditional Chinese. Additionally, it supports 54 native languages to facilitate learning.
Skritter
Skritter specializes in teaching the writing systems of both traditional and simplified Chinese, as well as Japanese. The app employs handwriting recognition technology to guide users step by step through the process of drawing each character or word. It offers over 300 lists of Chinese and Japanese textbooks, permits users to create custom lists, and provides “smart” flashcards for improved stroke accuracy and memorization.
The app features a spaced repetition system to assist in retaining learned content and offers personalized progress statistics to monitor your development.
ChineseSkill
ChineseSkill adopts a game-centric approach to Chinese language learning. The app is designed to make learning fun and engaging, covering all aspects of the language. Users can learn to speak fluently, write characters by hand, master pronunciation, and construct sentences using newly acquired vocabulary.
ChineseSkill’s highly intuitive interface encourages daily practice with voice recognition for pronunciation feedback. It offers support for both Simplified Mandarin Chinese and Traditional Chinese.
Download ChineseSkill for Android | Download ChineseSkill for iOS
Pleco
Pleco functions primarily as a Chinese-English dictionary, providing comprehensive support for students studying the language. The app features character recognition through camera input, handwriting input, flashcards, and pronunciation assistance. It’s an invaluable resource for language learners seeking additional support while studying Chinese.
Hellotalk
HelloTalk deviates from traditional language learning apps by emphasizing language exchange with native speakers worldwide. The app connects users with language partners from over 160 countries, facilitating practice and conversation. You can search for partners based on factors like location, language, and age. The app offers chat functions similar to WhatsApp, allowing users to ask questions and receive corrections from their language partners while engaging in conversations.
Regardless of your language proficiency level or learning goals, HelloTalk provides a platform for immersive language practice and cultural exchange.
