Are you tired of traditional language learning methods that don’t seem to work? Do you want to learn Russian in a fun and interactive way? Well, look no further than language learning apps! In this blog post, we will be sharing the 6 best apps to learn Russian.
How to choose a good language app
Before diving into our list of top picks, it’s important to note what makes a good language app. This is also what we are looking for when comparing different Russian learning apps.
First, as learning any language takes a lot of time and effort, a good language app should have high-quality, engaging content that keeps its users motivated. Secondly, a good Russian learning app should offer various exercises such as quizzes and flashcards. Thirdly, for self-learners, it’s important to choose an app that provides feedback on your progress, especially personalized feedback.
Now with these criteria in mind, let’s dive into our top picks of best apps to learn Russian in 2023. We have also listed down the pros and cons of each app so you can choose one that fits you. Let’s go!
Best Apps to Learn Russian 2023
Best App to Learn Russian Casually – Duolingo
Duolingo is the most popular language learning app that teaches more than 30 languages including Russian. It’s free with gamified lessons that are fun and interactive. From multiple choices to fill-in-the-blank exercises, Duolingo’s Russian course is full of different kinds of challenges that keeps you engaged. It helps you build your Russian skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking with fun games. It also has a large community where you can interact with other learners and compete for points and rewards.
Pros:
- It’s completely free (with ads) and accessible to anyone with a smartphone or computer.
- It’s encouraging and motivating. It gives you feedback, rewards, and reminders to keep you on track and make learning enjoyable.
- It’s fun and gamified. It uses various types of exercises, such as matching, translating, typing, and speaking, to keep you interested and challenged.
Cons:
- It’s poor at teaching the alphabet and typing. It doesn’t explain the Cyrillic script well and expects you to type in Russian without proper guidance or keyboard support.
- Lacks logic and explanations. It doesn’t teach grammar rules or cultural nuances explicitly and often introduces new words and structures without context.
- Unnatural sentences. Duolingo Russian uses robotic audio and sometimes weird sentences that don’t reflect how native speakers talk.
Best App to Learn Russian with Interaction – Babbel
With over 10 million users worldwide, Babbel has proven to be a popular choice for language learners. It offers lessons that are tailored to your level and interests, as well as interactive exercises and speech recognition technology.
Babbel’s Russian course offers an interactive and structured way to learn Russian. It helps you master the Cyrillic alphabet, grammar rules, vocabulary, and pronunciation through various types of exercises and explanations. It also has a speech recognition feature that allows you to practice speaking and get feedback on your accent.
Pros:
- Interactive.
- Affordable and flexible. Even though Babbel is not free, you can choose from different subscription plans and durations that suit your budget and goals.
- Thorough and clear. Babbel Russian is great for begginers as it teaches you the essential concepts and skills of Russian with detailed explanations, examples, and tips. It also provides cultural insights and real-life scenarios that make learning more relevant and engaging.
- Adaptive and personalized. It adjusts to your level and pace of learning, and tracks your progress as you learn. It also lets you customize your review sessions and focus on the topics you need to improve.
Cons:
- Limited and repetitive. Babbel Russian only covers beginner to intermediate levels of Russian, and doesn’t offer advanced or specialized courses. It also uses mostly the same format and types of exercises throughout the lessons, which can get boring for some.
- Incomplete lessons. Some find the Babbel Russian course quite incomplete, with the only first few lesson being thoroughly taught with explanations.
Best App to Learn Russian Comprehensively – LingoDeer
LingoDeer is a rather lesser-known language app that also offers a Russian course. The learning experience is similar to Duolingo with fun, gamified lessons that keep you motivated. What makes it better is it offers a comprehensive, structured course that teaches you from scratch. It helps you master the Cyrillic alphabet, verb conjugation, vocabulary, and pronunciation through various types of exercises and explanations. It also has a speech recognition feature that allows you to practice speaking and get feedback on your accent.
Pros:
- Thorough and clear. LingoDeer teaches you the basics of Russian with detailed explanations, examples, and tips.
- Cultural tips: LingoDeer provides cultural insights and real-life scenarios that make learning more relevant and engaging.
- Clear grammar explanations: LingoDeer has a clear grammar tips section in each Russian lesson that navigates you through the difficult parts.
- Fun and gamified. There are various types of exercises to keep you interested as well as rewards and progress track to help you maintain motivation.
Cons:
- Limited content. It only covers beginner to intermediate levels of Russian, and doesn’t offer advanced or specialized courses.
- No video material. It does not offer any video material that is better for language immersion
Best App to Learn Russian Immersively – Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone is another great app to learn Russian because it offers an immersive, intuitive, and comprehensive way to learn the language. It helps you develop all your language skills—speaking, listening, reading, and writing—through various types of exercises and images. It also has a speech recognition feature that offers personalized feedback on your pronunciation.
This app is known for its immersive approach to language learning, using pictures and audio to help you learn Russian in context.
Pros:
- Immersive and intuitive. You can learn Russian naturally and intuitively by associating words and phrases with images and sounds. The Russian course is taught in Russian instead of English. With no translations or explanations, the learning experience with Rosetta stone is more immersive and intuitive.
- Comprehensive and thorough. Rosetta Stone teaches Russian from beginner to advanced levels, covering a wide range of topics, vocabulary, and grammar. There are also additional features, such as stories, audio companion, and tutoring.
Cons:
- Lack of grammar explanations: Rosetta Stone’s immersive approach relies on the learner to figure out grammar and vocabulary through context, which may be frustrating for some learners.
- Limited speaking practice: While Rosetta Stone does offer speech recognition technology, it may not provide enough opportunity for learners to practice their speaking skills in a real-life context.
- Expensive: Rosetta Stone’s price point is higher compared to some other language learning apps and resources.
- Limited cultural context: While Rosetta Stone provides exposure to the Russian language, it may not offer as much insight into the country’s culture and customs as some other language learning resources.
Best App to Practice Russian Speaking – Mondly
Mondly is one of the best apps to learn Russian online because it simulates total language immersion and uses various techniques to teach you the Russian language quickly, effectively and in a fun way.
Mondly also has some other features like chat box, speech recognition, and even augmented reality technology to provide an immersive language experience.
Mondly’s Russian course is structured around different topics such as greetings, food, travel, and more.
Here are some of the pros and cons of Mondly Russian.
Pros:
- Plenty of speaking practice: with its chat bot and speech recognition technology, Mondly is great for those who wish to practice there Russian speaking skills.
- Fun and interactive teaching approach: Lessons are fun and engaging with a variety of topics.
- Comprehensive content: Mondly covers a range of topics and grammar concepts, which can provide a well-rounded learning experience for learners of all levels.
Cons:
- Less cultural context: Similar to other language learning apps, Mondly may provide less cultural context compared to more in-depth language courses.
- Over-reliance on translation: Mondly often translates words and phrases directly, which may not be the most effective way to learn and retain new vocabulary.
- Lack of feedback: You may not get personalized feedback or correction on your pronunciation or writing skills.
Best App to Learn Russian with Structure – Busuu
Pros:
- Personalized and flexible. You can create a study plan that suits your goals, level, and schedule. You can also access the lessons anytime and anywhere on your device.
- Fun and social. You can interact with other learners and native speakers through voice messages, corrections, and chats. You can also learn cultural tips and real-life scenarios that make learning more engaging and relevant.
Cons:
- Not free. You have to pay a subscription fee to access the full content of the app, which can be costly compared to other apps or resources.
- Less engaging. It uses mostly the same format and types of exercises throughout the lessons, which can get boring. It also doesn’t offer much entertainment in the content.
With these apps at your fingertips, there’s no excuse not to start learning Russian today! Each app offers a unique approach to language learning, so it’s worth trying out a few to see which one suits your style best. Happy studying!