Learning a new language doesn’t have to be complicated or tedious; it can be one of the most rewarding things you can do. There are many ways you can learn or improve your vocabulary, from attending ESL classes to self-learning.
Whether you are looking to start from scratch or just want to improve your vocabulary, these are 11 free mobile apps for both Android and iOS that will make your learning experience more enjoyable. You just need to dedicate a few minutes per day, about 20 minutes, and you will improve your English skills and develop confidence in communicating in English.
These 11 best FREE apps to learn English vocabulary make it easy to improve your English “on the go” in lots of unique and exciting ways. They will turn your English practice into a fun and inspiring experience.
Also see: Why is Scaffolding Important in ESL?
Best FREE Apps to Learn English Vocabulary
1- Duolingo: Learn New Words Quickly
Website / iOS / Android
Price: Free
Duolingo is an excellent app for learning English from scratch. It uses interactive games to help you learn up to 23 various languages, including English.
It is really effective in helping you learn English quickly. Suppose you commit to using Duolingo for about twenty minutes a day. In that case, you can probably begin to talk in basic English, read a lot of English magazines, and listen to some basic English phrases very shortly.
For beginners, the app focuses on helping you learn verbs, sentences, and phrases. It allows users to improve their language by completing the writing, speaking, and vocabulary lessons for advanced levels.
To start, select your native language and then confirm whether you want to learn English from scratch or looking to improve your skills.
Depending on your level, the app will give you a test. The test’s objective is to determine your language proficiency so that Duolingo will suggest learning material suitable to your level.
In every lesson, Duolingo teaches you seven new English words based on a topic, such as fashion, education, school, science, and adjectives.
There are a few exercises you have to complete in each lesson. For instance, matching new words with a picture, translating an English phrase back to your native language, and repeating an English sentence.
Since you might forget some words you have learned, Duolingo will design an exercise to help you practice words you were weak on.
This way, after completing these review exercises a few times, these new words will become much easier for you to remember.
By studying just 10 to 20 minutes a day, you can efficiently finish all the lessons in Duolingo in about three months. It is much less stressful than studying a lot every day to learn a new language.
Duolingo is an ad-supported app and has a premium version to remove ads and allow you to download courses for offline use. Overall, you can thoroughly learn English for free if you don’t mind ads and staying online.
Also see: This is Why Role Playing is Important in ESL
2- Memrise: Remember New Words Easily
Website / iOS /Android
Price: Free
Memrise uses some creative, funny ways to help you remember and improve your vocabulary. Many English learners think that learning new words is very challenging. Memrise provides you with fun and easy ways to remember words that seem alien to you.
You can also track what you have learned. So you can go back if you forget what a word means or forget what words you’ve learned.
Using Memrise is an efficient and fun way of learning new English words. I would recommend Memrise to anyone, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced English learner.
3- Hello English
Website / iOS / Android / Windows
Price: Free
Hello English offers all the aspects of language learning, including vocabulary, grammar, translation, spelling, spoken, and reading skills. This app requires you to have an understanding of basic English structure and alphabet.
When you log into the app, select your native language. There are about 22 languages supported.
The app will then assess your current English level through a 20 questions test. Depending on the test results, Hello English App will recommend lessons that will suit your English Level.
Even if you have an advanced English level, you can find some suitable lessons to sharpen your English. The app also offers new audiobooks, the latest news, and books to keep enhancing your English language.
Hello English uses interactive games to teach various English lessons, and you will earn coins to unlock more challenging lessons or assignments. This makes your learning fun and interesting.
Hello English is free and ad-supported; however, there is also a premium version to remove ads and unlock special courses for a particular purpose.
4- HelloTalk
Website / iOS / Android
Price: Free
HelloTalk is a community-based app where people worldwide help one another learn their native language, tradition, and culture. You can also call and connect with native English speakers to help you improve your vocabulary.
The app possesses a few extra features, such as sending audio and text messages and even doing video calls with other people.
You can view users’ profiles manually to find a match that interests you; however, this option is not free. HelloTalk is a fun way to make friends, discover new cultures, and practice your English skills.
5- Lingbe
Website / iOS / Android
Price: Free
Lingbe also connects you with native English speakers to help you learn and improve your language skills.
Both Duolingo and Memrise will help you learn English and improve your vocabulary. However, when you are ready to practice your spoken skills in the real world, you will need HelloTalk or Lingbe.
Similar to Hello Talk, lingbe is a language exchange community. To earn talking minutes to practice English, you will need to help another learner learn your native language. So it is a kind of cool app where you are both a teacher and a learner.
To get started with your learning process, you just need to select your native language and the language you want to learn and then introduce yourself.
The app has a button to start a call and confirm whether you are available or unavailable to receive calls.
After a call with your language partner, you might be able to continue to chat. You can use Lingbe for free with the language exchange model or purchase Lingbe coins to buy minutes to talk to native English speakers.
6- busuu
Website / iOS / Android
Price: Free
Busuu is quite similar to Memrise as native speakers in the community also create the courses. To get started, select your English level, and then the app will suggest a course suitable for your level.
Busuu also works as a social media platform where learners with different languages can share their experiences.
7- Awabe
Website / iOS / Android
Price: Free
Awabe is an entirely free app that helps you learn over 4000 common phrases and vocabulary.
The app works entirely offline, and there is tons of content to improve your English skills. It also offers translations, audio and video lessons, and a bunch of language-learning games.
With Awabe, you will also receive daily listening, speaking, and memorizing tests to help you continuously practice until you are fluent.
8- Learn English Daily
Website / iOS / Android
Price: Free
Learn English Daily follows a simple method to learn English by listening and speaking. It is an excellent app to motivate your English practice.
The app has thousands of words and phrases narrated by native English speakers.
You can listen to words and phrases to improve your pronunciation and memorize them. It also encourages you to speak sentences every day.
9- Beelinguapp
Website / iOS / Android
Price: Free
Beelinguapp uses audiobooks to help you learn and improve your English skills. You can listen to stories and novels in English, side by side, and read the text in your native language.
If you love Audiobooks, you will enjoy this app as you can listen to your favorite audiobooks, at the same time, improve your English Skills.
It has many free audiobooks to hone your English skills, including vocabulary; however, some of the audiobooks are paid.
10- English Speaking Practice
Website / iOS / Android
Price: Free
English Speaking Practice is a practicing tool to improve your pronunciation and create confidence in practicing conversation in English.
This app has hundreds of recorded conversations where you can listen to native English speakers to compare and improve your pronunciation.
The idea is to speak and record yourself so you learn how to pronounce certain words and phrases.
11- Google Translate
Website / iOS / Android
Price: Free
Google Translate is Google’s free app that instantly translates phrases, words, and web pages between English and over 100 other languages.
It is an excellent addition to these best FREE apps to learn English vocabulary.
It is not an app to learn English; however, it can help you quickly translate phrases during your conversation.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, learning English and improving your vocabulary doesn’t always have to be painful by memorizing vocabulary. These best free apps for learning English are a great and fun way to learn English.
Whether you are a beginner or even an English native speaker looking to brush up your vocabulary, these best free apps for learning English will make your learning an enjoyable experience.
If you are beginning to learn English, I would recommend you start with Duolingo, and if you have a more advanced English level, then try HelloTalk.