说到学习一门语言，最好的方法就是飞往一个说这种语言的国家，让自己完全沉浸在那种文化和生活方式(culture and way)中。不幸的是，这对世界上绝大多数人来说是不可能的。
次优选择是使用
Duolingo、Memrise或Busuu等工具。当然(Sure)，语言课程很棒，但是如果您已经很忙，那么在您的一天中安排一个结构化的课程将会很困难。
这些在线工具使您能够在舒适的客厅里(living room)学习一门语言。如果你每天能挤出五到十分钟来学习，你就能很好地掌握一门语言的基础知识，以便与母语人士进行对话。它为您提供达到高级流利水平所需的构建块。
本文将介绍一些最流行和最知名的工具，比较它们的优缺点，并帮助您确定哪个适合您。
1.忆术家（网站(Website)）
Memrise 是学习语言的最著名和流行的方法之一，基本上是一个抽认卡应用程序(flashcard app)。它有时会播放某人说话(someone speaking)的短片并要求用户选择说话者所说的内容，而有时它会要求用户输入短语。在会话结束时，会根据用户的准确性、速度和其他因素为用户提供分数细分。(score breakdown)
Memrise将学习一门语言的过程变成了一个游戏，它有积分目标，并估计某人每天达到一定数量的积分需要多长时间。还有排行榜向用户显示他们相对于其他人的排名。
有很多传统语言可供选择，但忆术家最有趣的功能之一是(Memrise)“构建语言”列表，其中包括克林贡(Klingon)语、摩尔斯电码(Morse Code)和 Na'Vi。
忆术家(Memrise)对于初学者来说是一个不错的选择，但这些课程并没有比抽认卡更深入或更高级。这使得学习词汇变得容易，并且声音片段提供了各种各样的扬声器来帮助识别以不同方式说出的那些单词。但是会话教育很少。
Memrise提供每月 9 美元的专业版(Pro version)，但它只提供统计数据和更难单词的额外学习工具。(learning tool)忆术家(Memrise)最适合用于学习语言的基础知识，然后转向更高级、更全面的方法来学习会话技巧。
关于忆术家(Memrise)的最后一点说明是它也提供其他主题的抽认卡。如果有人需要为即将到来的考试学习政治地理、AP 英语术语(AP English terminology)或其他科目，
忆术家(Memrise)可以成为其他学习方法的有用补充工具。
2. 多邻国（网站(Website)）
Duolingo是最受欢迎的学习语言的移动应用程序之一，部分原因是关于吉祥物被动攻击性的笑话。这些笑话只是部分不真实。长时间不打开应用程序，它的提醒消息会让你感觉很糟糕。
至于学习一门语言，多邻国(Duolingo)是一个很好的起点。移动应用程序可以让您在有空闲时间时塞进学习课程。会议可以在中途暂停，这样您就可以在排队等候吃午饭或在电梯上时回答几个问题或输入短语。
Duolingo就像
Memrise一样将这个过程游戏化，提供虚拟奖励和硬币，可用于解锁“有趣”的语言(” language)模块，例如如何调情。
Duolingo的高级版会删除广告，但除此之外并没有真正提供任何有用的附加功能。如果您忘记练习一天，它会提供每月一次的“连胜修复”，但注册的唯一原因是支持Duolingo作为一项服务。
Duolingo目前提供 34 种语言，包括忆术家不提供的几种亚洲语言(Memrise)。这是一个很好的入门方式，但同样不利于提高流利程度。但是，这是了解一门语言并掌握基础知识的好方法。
3. 博树（网站(Website)）
从一开始，博树就在课程结构和提供的资源方面与Duolingo(Busuu)和 Memrise 不同(Duolingo and Memrise)。只有十二种语言可供选择，但这是由于每门课程的深度。要使用Busuu，您必须注册，但这就像输入您的姓名、电子邮件和设置密码一样简单。然后您必须在免费版和高级版(Free and Premium versions)之间进行选择。
Busuu的优势在于其优质产品。虽然免费课程让您可以使用抽认卡，但高级版提供与母语人士的对话、旅行课程(travel course)、移动应用测验、语法练习、获得官方证书的能力等等。
高级版每月 9.99 美元，除非您提前注册更长的时间，这样可以降低每月的费用。好消息是，您可以先试用Busuu Premium一周，然后看看您是否喜欢它。
母语人士可以纠正您的工作，并为您提供重要的词汇上下文线索。如果您想精通一门语言，博树(Busuu)就是您的不二之选。
其他选项
这三个是网络上一些最流行的语言学习工具，但它们远非唯一的选择。
Rosetta Stone、Babbel、Lingvist和其他几十个都是可行的选择。学习外语的主要关键是练习。你不能指望通过学习抽认卡变得流利。虽然它会为您提供构建的基础，但您必须投入时间和精力(time and effort)才能听起来像本地人。
请记住(Remember)，每个人的学习方式都不同。如果这三个建议都不适合您，请尝试其他一些工具。您可能会发现，不断听到一种语言比看到它写出来更能帮助您掌握它，反之亦然(vice versa)。
生活中没有什么比跨越语言障碍(language barrier)更有价值的了。花点时间看看你是否像母语一样喜欢说另一种语言。
The Best Tools to Teach Yourself a Language
When it comes to learning a language, the
single best way is to fly to a country that speaks that language and immerse
yourself completely in thаt culture and way of life. Unfortunately, that’ѕ just
not possible for the vast mаjority of peoplе in the world.
The next-best option is to use a tool like
Duolingo, Memrise, or Busuu. Sure, language classes are great, but if you’re
already busy, then fitting a structured class into your day is going to be
difficult.
These online tools give you the ability to
learn a language from the comfort of your living room. If you can squeeze out
five or ten minutes a day to study, you can get the basics of a language down
well enough to have a conversation with a native speaker. It gives you the
building blocks you need to reach advanced levels of fluency.
This article will take a look at some of
the most popular and well-known tools, compare their strengths and weaknesses,
and help you decide which one is right for you.
Memrise is one of the most well-known and
popular ways to learn a language, and is basically a flashcard app. It
sometimes plays a short clip of someone speaking and asks the user to select
what the speaker said, while other times it will ask the user to type in a
phrase. At the end of a session, the user is given a score breakdown based on
their accuracy, speed, and other factors.
Memrise turns the process of learning a
language into a game with point goals and an estimate of how long it will take
someone to reach a certain number of points per day. There are also
leaderboards to show users where they rank in relation to others.
There are quite a few traditional languages
to choose from, but one of the most interesting features of Memrise is the list
of “Constructed Languages” that include Klingon, Morse Code, and
Na’Vi.
Memrise is a great option for beginners,
but the courses do not get more in-depth or advanced than the flashcards. This
makes it easy to learn vocabulary and the sound bites provide a wide variety of
speakers to help identify those words said in different ways. But
conversational education is minimal.
Memrise offers a Pro version for $9 per
month, but it only offers statistics and an additional learning tool for more
difficult words. Memrise is best used to learn the basics of a language and
then move on to a more advanced, more comprehensive method for learning
conversational skills.
One final note about Memrise is that it
offers flashcards on other subjects, too. If someone needs to study political
geography, AP English terminology, or other subjects for an upcoming test,
Memrise can be a useful supplementary tool to other study methods.
Duolingo is one of the most popular mobile
apps for learning a language, partially due to the joke about the
passive-aggressive nature of the mascot. Those jokes are only partially untrue;
go too long without opening the app and its reminder messages will try to make
you feel bad.
As for learning a language, Duolingo is a
great place to start. The mobile app makes it possible to cram in a study
session whenever you have downtime. The sessions can be paused midway through
so you can answer a few questions or type in a phrase while waiting in line to
get your lunch or on the elevator.
Duolingo gamifies the process much like
Memrise does, offering virtual rewards and coins that can be used to unlock
“fun” language modules, such as how to flirt, for example.
The premium version of Duolingo removes
ads, but doesn’t really offer any useful additions beyond that. It provides a
single monthly “streak repair” if you forget to practice for one day,
but the only reason to sign up is to support Duolingo as a service.
Duolingo currently offers 34 languages,
including several Asian languages that Memrise does not offer. It’s a great way
to get started, but again, not conducive for deep fluency on its own. However,
it’s a great way to get introduced to a language and gain a grasp of the
basics.
From the start, Busuu sets itself apart
from both Duolingo and Memrise in how the courses are structured and the
resources it offers. There are only twelve languages to choose from, but this
is due to the depth of each course. To use Busuu, you’ll have to sign up, but
this is as simple as entering your name, email, and making a password. Then you
have to choose between the Free and Premium versions.
The strength of Busuu lies in its premium
offering. While the free course gives you access to flashcards, the premium
version offers conversations with native speakers, a travel course, mobile app
quizzes, grammar exercises, the ability to earn official certificates, and much
more.
The premium version is $9.99 per month
unless you sign up for longer periods upfront, which reduces the monthly cost.
The good news is that you can try Busuu premium for a week and see if you like
it first.
Native speakers can correct your work and
provide you with important context clues for vocabulary. If you want to become
fluent in a language, Busuu is the way to go.
Other Options
These three are some of the most popular
language-learning tools on the web, but they are far from the only options.
Rosetta Stone, Babbel, Lingvist, and dozens of others are all viable options.
The main key to learning a foreign language is practice. You can’t expect to
become fluent by studying flashcards. While it will give you the groundwork to
build from, you will have to invest time and effort to sound like a native.
Remember that everyone learns differently.
If none of these three recommendations work for you, try out some of the other
tools. You may find that constantly hearing a language helps you grasp it
faster than seeing it written out, or vice versa.
Few things in life are as rewarding as
bridging a language barrier. Take some time and find out if you enjoy speaking
another language as much as your native one.
