What are you looking for in a language learning app? Many of us look for a quick fix to learn a new language fast. In this FluentU vs Pimsleur review, you will find the best solution as well as the best alternative.
Maybe you want to be able to multitask at work or study a foreign language in preparation for a future trip. If you’re going to learn a language, you probably want to be able to do it as rapidly as possible.
Apps like Ling (learn with a native speaker) allow you to sign up effortlessly and get free online courses with qualified professors who are also native speakers. So, get the Ling app and use it to learn vocabulary and phrases in 60+ languages in a real-world context!!
FluentU Vs Pimsleur Review – Which Is The Best Language Learning App?
FluentU Review
FluentU is a well-known language learning program with a large collection of videos, audio snippets, and flashcards. It aids learners in improving their understanding. It’s a simple platform to use. This FluentU review will show you how to use the software and its features and pricing.
Several quizzes and flashcards help users remember new words and phrases. It concentrates on increasing listening comprehension. FluentU is a useful supplement for everyday practice.
Each piece of material includes a transcription and translation so that viewers may follow along with the video or audio clip.
- The FluentU app has a very simple sign-up process.
- You may evaluate your accomplishments, explore the material, or study your previously saved stuff.
- The Achievements tab displays the number of times you’ve used the program. The number of words you’ve learned, the number of captions from the videos, and your points are also included under the tab.
A Look At The Content On FluentU
- The content is the most important aspect of the app. FluentU includes a large collection of videos, audio, and flashcards for each language. You get a transcript, a translation, and a list of key terminology and phrases with each piece of material.
- Many videos seem to be commercials, advertising, movie trailers, music videos, or brief clips from TV series or programs. Overall, there’s a good amount of variety.
- You may also filter the information by skill level, subjects (business, culture, politics, and society), and format. Commercials, how-to videos, interviews, music videos, news, trailers, and more forms are available.
- The variety of information accessible on FluentU may be quite beneficial in enhancing your listening abilities. On the other hand, the actual process of going through the material and acquiring new vocabulary and phrases may be tedious and time-consuming.
FluentU’s Language Learning Methodology
FluentU’s general appearance is rather user-friendly, but what counts most is how well it can teach you a language. Some elements are quite useful and remarkable, while others seemed to waste time.
You will see a description, a vocabulary list of terms you’ll hear, and a complete list of phrases from the videos. As the video plays, you can watch them in real-time. However, there’s no need to spend too much time studying them before viewing the movie.
While watching the video, you can also change the pace or follow along at the usual speed. One of the best features of FluentU is that you can touch a word or expression while viewing a video to learn its explanation. You can also hear its pronunciation and see a list of additional sentences that are utilized in context. Other FluentU videos that use the same phrase or term are also linked to similar videos.
This feature of FluentU is quite beneficial for learning how to use particular terms properly. And it is not something that most other applications can assist with.
Study Aids And Quizzes
After watching a video, you may take a quiz to review what you’ve learned. You may either add the words and phrases from the video to your review list or tell FluentU you already know them.
The software first asks you a series of questions. There are multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, translation, and spelling questions to see how well you recall the phrases.
After a while, the questions might get tedious, and completing the quizzes can take a long time. However, you can skip them.
Features Of The FluentU Language Learning App
1. Offline Access To FluentU
If you download FluentU material ahead of time, you may view it offline. This feature in the app was a great value addition.
FluentU’s primary selling point is its video collection. FluentU’s flashcard sets vary in quality and quantity for each language. Unfortunately, the quizzes, audio clips, and flashcards are only available in offline form.
2. FluentU’s In-App Translator
Even though I previously discussed the FluentU translator, it can do more than translating the information as you view it. You may also use it to search for information on your own. It’s special; because, unlike Google Translate, the FluentU translator contextualizes your search phrases.
3. Look For Words And Phrases
Find material by searching for grammatical and vocabulary terms (such as “travel” or “past tense”).
It’s a one-to-one choice to translate words straight from one language to another. However, there aren’t many other applications that can solve a term and show you how it’s used in various circumstances. We haven’t encountered any other applications that display information that utilizes the phrase as quickly as this one.
4. Use Pre-Existing Flashcard Sets Or Create Your Own
The flashcards don’t stand out compared to other language programs, even though the FluentU translator is useful.
A few are very intriguing, such as Spanish idioms and Business Spanish terminology. It’s worth noting that the number of flashcard sets available varies greatly per language (Chinese has a lot, for example).
What Isn’t Included With FluentU
Some say FluentU is a complete program that helps learners develop all of their communication skills for its pricing. However, one of the most crucial is missing: speaking.
FluentU can help you improve your listening and reading abilities, but it will not help your pronunciation. You can always repeat the sounds you hear, but there’s no way to check if you’re saying it right. If FluentU included a speaking element in the future, that would be a great improvement.
What Languages FluentU Offers
FluentU is a company that curates, transcribes, and translates the information into many languages. Because each language has its own set of videos, audio, and flashcards, the quality and diversity of the films, audio, and flashcards vary.
Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, French, English, German, Japanese, Italian, Korean, Russian, and Portuguese are among the ten languages offered by FluentU. Users may access a large range of films, audio samples, and flashcards in each language. FluentU also allows you to learn multiple languages at the same time.
Price Breakdown For FluentU
FluentU costs $30 per month or $240 for a year. It’s worth noting that since FluentU is situated in Hong Kong, certain credit cards may incur an extra 1% to 3% transaction fee. FluentU is more costly than most other language programs, and it’s seeing more competition.
FluentU provides academic pricing in addition to individual pricing. The minimum number of users for an educational membership is 10, with prices starting at $29.90 per user per year.
Types Of FluentU Subscriptions
FluentU’s membership options, like its cost, are clear. Depending on how long you expect to use the app, you may pick between a monthly or annual subscription. It allows you to access all of FluentU’s material in any language. At this moment, FluentU does not offer a lifetime membership.
FluentU Offers A Free Trial Period
You are welcome to trial FluentU for free before purchasing a membership. For all new users, the app provides a 14-day free trial. You may view all of the information and use FluentU for free during the trial period. When signing up for the program, you must submit your credit card information, so if you don’t intend to use the app, make sure you cancel before the test finishes.
FluentU Coupon
FluentU’s year-long membership saves consumers $10 per month over a year.
There is a growing discount for academic memberships dependent on the number of people that join the group. Ten professors and students, for example, pay $299 per year ($29.90 per user), whereas, for 50 teachers and students, the cost is $649 per year ($13.20 per user).
Pros And Cons Of FluentU
PROS
- Videos are a great way to keep up with the latest news and entertainment.
- It’s a great way to brush up on vocabulary and slang.
- Great for enhancing listening abilities.
CONS
- The game-like element can be distracting.
- Creating your own flashcards isn’t possible
- It is more concerned with memorizing than communicating.
Pimsleur Review
What You Must Know About Pimsleur
After reading the FluentU Vs Pimsleur review, you’ll be able to evaluate if Pimsleur is worth your time. Let’s get started!
What Exactly Is Pimsleur?
The Pimsleur language learning app is a quick and easy approach to improving your conversational skills in a new language.
Dr. Paul Pimsleur created the first Pimsleur language program (Modern Greek) in 1963 to create a full language course that could educate someone without the need for a teacher. The organization now provides 50 distinct language programs, all of which use the same methodology.
Is Pimsleur A High-Quality Language Learning Tool And Program?
- The Pimsleur courses are popular among language learners because they are simple to follow and can be studied anytime and anywhere.
- Pimsleur language programs are mostly audio-based and are designed to develop your listening and speaking abilities. They emphasize natural communication rather than requiring you to remember many random words and phrases.
- They’re good for beginning and intermediate language learners.
- Pimsleur is a free language learning program.
Pimsleur Review: Highlights
The Pimsleur app contains a lot of different functions. The audio lessons are usually the major emphasis. The extra tasks and games reinforce what you’ve learned in the main sessions. It will assist you in remembering things afterward.
Pimsleur’s Features Menu
The functionalities are accessible for more commonly spoken languages such as Spanish and French. They are not always available for less commonly spoken Egyptian, Arabic, or Thai languages.
It’s good to check out the app to see what it offers if you’re studying a less prevalent language.
The following are some of the key features of the Pimsleur language app:
1. Lessons In Audio
All Pimsleur language courses are built on audio lessons. They last around 30 minutes and allow you to examine real-life discussions. The classes break down regular speech into small bits. And you get enough experience listening to and repeating what native speakers say.
2. Skills You Practice Through Pimsleur’s Audio Lessons
You may also earn badges for finishing the classes, which might help you keep track of what you’ve learned. Speak and Understand, Survival Skills, Meet, Greet, and Polite Phrases are among the skills you will practice. While they don’t contribute much to the lessons, they are useful since they demonstrate what you’ve learned.
3. Learning And Driving Modes Are Available Both Online And Offline.
Each lesson may be downloaded and completed offline. If you want to study while traveling or don’t have access to the internet, this is a great option.
You may also study while driving, in addition to learning offline. Many applications only provide interactive courses that need you to sit and concentrate on your phone. Pimsleur gives you the option of having both audio-only and interactive games classes.
4. Flashcards Over The Internet
Each session includes flashcards that will help you review the words and phrases you’ve learned. You may store difficult words to practice later, and each flashcard contains a native speaker speaking the word.
5. Screenshot Of Pimsleur Flashcards
You touch each card to discover the definition and tell the app whether you got it right or wrong. You’ll go through the cards you guessed wrong after the round. It’s a really simple feature, yet it’s quite handy. Over time, the flashcards might help you recall more words.
6. Speed Rounds
Speed Rounds is a game where you must rapidly recognize terminology from the lectures. The words appear at the top of the screen, and you must choose a translation before they reach the bottom.
Over time, this will help you recall the words more rapidly. Speed Rounds are similar to flashcards, but they’re more enjoyable and provide a different approach to practice.
7. Pimsleur Speak Easy
The SpeakEasy challenges allow you to repeat the discussions you learned in class. It’s a role-playing game where you listen to and repeat each side of a debate. They’re simple to follow and may be used to simulate real-life events.
They do, however, have restrictions. The pace of these discussions might be a touch sluggish at times. They’re also written, so all you have to do is read what you see. Despite this, they’re nevertheless a fantastic method for novices to learn the fundamentals of a new language’s conversation.
8. Moments Of Inspiration
Lightbulb Moments aren’t revolutionary, but they offer some intriguing cultural nuggets to your language learning experience. They’re brief overviews of the culture and history of the language you’re studying.
For example, a lightbulb moment in the Spanish lesson reveals how Spanish people are given their last names. The names in Spain are different from those in the United States, so it was fascinating to learn about them!
List Of Pimsleur’s Languages:
- Pimsleur offers Albanian.
- Arabic (Eastern).
- Arabic (Egyptian).
- Arabic (Modern Standard).
- Armenian (Eastern).
- Armenian (Western).
- Croatian. Czech.
- Danish.
- Dari Persian.
- Dutch.
- Farsi Persian.
- Finnish.
- French.
- German.
- Greek.
- Haitian Creole.
- Hebrew.
- Hindi.
- Hungarian.
- Icelandic.
- Indonesian.
- Irish.
- Italian.
- Japanese.
- Korean.
- Lithuanian.
- Norwegian.
- Ojibwe.
- Pashto.
- Polish.
- Portuguese (Brazilian).
- Portuguese (European).
- Punjabi.
- Romanian.
- Russian.
- Swahili.
- Swedish.
- Swiss-German.
- Tagalog.
- Thai.
- Turkish.
- Twi.
- Ukrainian.
- Urdu.
- Vietnamese.
You gain access to one language lesson when you subscribe to the Pimsleur app. A separate membership allows you to access all courses if you wish to study several languages. Other popular language learning applications, such as Rosetta Stone, Babbel, and Mondly, require you to subscribe to each language separately.
What Devices Can You Use Pimsleur With?
If you want to use Pimsleur on a mobile device, the app will offer you the best possible user experience.
Apps for Android and Apple cellphones are available free of charge. If you have an Amazon Alexa device, you can also utilize Pimsleur.
Overall Learning Experience With Pimsleur
Overall, Pimsleur is an excellent language program that may assist you with establishing a good foundation in your target language. The Pimsleur Method is an efficient technique to learn a language rapidly. The courses cover a wide range of themes that you would face in daily life.
One thing to keep in mind is that each Pimsleur language course is unique. While the dialogues you’ll hear in each course are very similar, each course’s depth and features are amazing.
Price Of Pimsleur
The Pimsleur app costs between $14.95 and $20.95 a month for a subscription. The cost of purchasing lifetime access to the classes varies.
When paid in advance, from $21.95 for five lessons to $575.00 for a full 5-level course. You may choose the one that best fits your budget.
If you intend to use Pimsleur for a long time, lifetime access could be better. Membership will save you more money if you wish to study for a few months.
Price Of A Pimsleur Subscription
Pimsleur subscriptions range from $14.95 to $20.95 each month. The reduced membership price ($14.95) only includes one language course’s audio lessons. The higher subscription pricing ($19.95) contains all audio lessons from a single language course and other features such as flashcards and practice games.
The app’s newest subscription model, Pimsleur All Access, costs $20.95. You will get access to all features and language classes with this membership. If you’re learning many languages, this is the greatest deal.
Pros And Cons Of Pimsleur
PROS
- Audio lessons are brief and simple to understand.
- Explanations of history and culture; are both interesting and informative
- Native speakers carry out natural conversations.
- Lessons may be downloaded and completed from any location.
CONS
- There isn’t any reading or writing practice.
- The speed of the lesson might be a touch sluggish at times.
- There are very few grammatical explanations available.
FluentU Vs Pimsleur – Which Is The Best Language Learning Software?
When Pimsleur first started, it was a cassette-based learning method. Although it has made significant progress in recent years, it still has a long way to go. It has been updated to offer an interactive version for some languages.
In terms of language acquisition, Pimsleur is a better option than FluentU. One-stop-shop Pimsleur is the best option if you want to learn a new language.
If we compare FluentU Vs Pimsleur, in terms of teaching pronunciation and listening skills, Pimsleur has no equal. And it does it with a level of stickiness that few of its competitors can match.
If you liked our FluentU Vs Pimsleur review, check out our Pimsleur vs. Anki and Quizlet vs Memrise reviews for additional information on alternative applications.
Learning Languages Is Easier With The Ling App – The Best Language Learning Software
Ling app is one of the best language learning software platforms for learning a new language. There are more than 60 languages to choose from and free lectures, readings, and interactive activities.
Consequently, students of all levels (basic to advanced learners) may start learning a language and improve their listening, speaking, and written language abilities with a native language speaker. Moreover, almost all the languages have their own app on the Playstore and multiple videos on YouTube.
Aside from that, this suggested software and the free app offer a variety of additional tools and resources. These include audio-based tutorials and the ability to interact with hundreds of native speakers. They offer expert instructors to help students improve their language skills.
