Babbel app is a very popular online learning platform that focuses on other language learning programs. It offers a variety of learning languages for users to study and features a variety of different tools and activities to help people learn their target language.
Other Language learning apps are a crowded marketplace, however, so you may be wondering if Babbel is the best choice for you.
In this Babbel language review, we will take a closer look at Babbel and its effectiveness.
What Is Babbel?
Babbel is an online learning platform that was founded in Berlin, Germany, in 2007. It focuses on language learning and the platform is available through both browser and mobile, giving advanced learners a choice of how they learn.
The service has sold over 10 million subscriptions and is one of the largest and most successful online language-learning platforms on the market today. It was the first service to offer a language-learning app and kick-started this popular genre of mobile apps.
What Languages Can You Learn On Babbel?
The number of languages available on Babbel is low compared to many of its competitors such as Duolingo. At the time of writing, it only offers 14 popular languages. These are:
- Danish
- Dutch
- English
- French
- German
- Indonesian
- Italian
- Norwegian
- Polish
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Spanish
- Swedish
- Turkish
If you are looking to learn any language other than the ones listed above then Babbel is not the service for you.
Language learning that works
- Learn from the App
- Live online language classes
- 10 million subscriptions sold
How Does Babbel Work?
The Babbel method is based on language-learning science and thousands of hours of academic research. There are six proficiency levels for each language so whether you’re a complete beginner or already have a foundation in the language, you can find the right grammar lessons for you.
Structure
Each of these proficiency levels has a number of language courses, usually in the range of one to five courses. The courses are then further divided into a varying number of Babbel lessons.
The lessons usually number around seven to 12. The lessons and courses are grouped together through themes, so you may have lessons about family and childhood together, for example.
Lessons
Each of the lessons has both an interactive audio lesson and a review section that is optional. The lessons begin with the new target language being introduced and this new vocabulary is then repeated in natural sentences or dialog. You can repeat the sentences out loud if you wish. You are then quizzed on the new language.
Reviews
Once you’ve completed each lesson, you can then review what you have learned. There are several methods for reviewing the vocabulary, such as flashcards, multiple-choice listening quizzes, writing exercises, and speaking tests.
Reviewing information after you have learned it is important for retention so make sure that you complete the reviews as much as you can.
Pros Of Babbel
Now that we know a little more about Babbel, let’s look at its strengths.
Placement Tests
Babbel has six proficiency levels for each language learners. If you’re an absolute beginner that has never studied the language before then choosing the right level for you is easy.
However, if you’ve had some education in a foreign language before, you may not know which level is best for you.
Thankfully, Babbel can help with your placement. Each language has a placement test that you can complete before you start the native language course.
This is a short three-minute test that assesses your current level and suggests which Babbel proficiency level you should begin your studies from.
Good Course Structure
The division of Babbel courses into different proficiency levels, courses, and lessons, makes progressing through the language course easy to understand. All of the information is well-organized and flows in a manner that makes sense and is easy to follow.
Later lessons build on information learned in earlier courses and the language is organized by theme. You will find navigating through your chosen course to be intuitive.
Additional Courses
As well as working through the course in order, Babbel also allows you to learn through some additional courses. These are extra courses that are available outside of the main language course content and they will help to reinforce your learning.
There is a Refresher course available and this is a great place to start if you have some experience in learning your chosen language already.
You can also choose to work on your Grammar or Listening and Speaking so if you find you are struggling in either of these specific categories, you can dedicate some time to improving your skills.
You can also focus on repeating words and phrases, Countries and Traditions, or so-called Special aspects of the language, such as idioms.
Native Speakers
There is a lot of audio to listen to in Babbel. The platform regularly asks you to listen to vocabulary and dialog in your target language.
The vast majority of the audio you will listen to is recorded by native speakers. This is very important for language learning as you need to hear the language spoken naturally in order to be able to speak it and understand it yourself
Cons Of Babbel
Let’s now look at the weaknesses of Babbel
Number Of Languages
As we stated earlier, Babble only offers 14 languages and it is a very Euro-centric list. There are many popular languages such as Japanese and Chinese missing from Babbel’s services and if you are interested in other languages, then Babbel is not the service for you.
Exercises Are Dull
There are many exercises to complete throughout a Babbel course. Many of them are multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank exercises and there is little variation.
This can soon get boring and unfortunately, they are unavoidable. You will need to plow through hundreds of these exercises as you work through any course.
Language learning that works
- Learn from the App
- Live online language classes
- 10 million subscriptions sold
You Won’t Become Fluent
One of the core disadvantages of Babbel is one that is common with all online learning platforms. If you are looking to become fluent in your target language, you won’t be able to do this through Babbel alone.
Babbel is great for learning basic vocabulary and sentences. If all you want is a basic understanding of the language or enough to get you through a vacation and easy conversations, then if you put the time and effort into Babbel, you will be able to achieve this.
To become as fluent as a native, however, you will need to support your Babbel learning with other methods. We highly recommend that you find a native speaker to be a conversation partner that you can have long conversations with.
Babbel Pricing
To study a language with Babbel, you will need a subscription. There are several options available and you can choose from subscriptions lasting one, three, six, or twelve months as well as a lifetime subscription. The basic subscriptions only allow you to study one language at a time.
A monthly subscription costs $14.95 a month and this becomes cheaper as you sign up for longer subscriptions. A 12-month subscription works out to $7.45 per month.
Final Thoughts
In this Babbel review, we introduced Babbel and explained its main features and pricing. Babbel is one of the best language-learning apps available and should be considered by everyone.
