Learning a new language can provide life changing opportunities and enjoyment. There are so many reasons to learn a foreign language whatever your nationality, to improve employment potential, intellectual curiosity, make travel more enjoyable, sharpen cognitive and life skills, make lifelong friends, and many more. Whilst it is widely acknowledged that it is easier to begin learning a second language at a tender age, starting a new language at any age is eminently worthwhile.

There’s a good selection of traditional materials and tools available to assist with language studies, such as language courses, grammar books, dictionaries, phrasebooks, and electronic translators. However, there are real benefits in using the latest technology to quicken the pace of learning. Online lessons and computer software are two popular ways of immersing yourself in learning a foreign language. They are the best alternative to actually staying in a country where the language is spoken by the general population.

There is an extensive amount of open source computer software to help individuals learn a foreign language. We have identified the best of breed open source Linux software to make language acquisition fun, enjoyable, and a stimulating way of learning. These applications offer the opportunity to radically improve your life.

 

Now, let’s explore the 9 foreign language tools. For each title we have compiled its own portal page, a full description with an in-depth analysis of its features, a screenshot of the software in action, together with links to relevant resources and reviews.

Foreign Language Tools
Anki Extensible flashcard learning program
Learning with Texts Read and listen, save and test words in context
Tagaini Jisho Japanese vocabulary and kanji dictionary
Verbiste French and Italian conjugator
OpenTeacher Learn words in a foreign language
Parley Vocabulary trainer for KDE 4
Step into Chinese Language-mining tool to help English speakers understand Chinese
FLTR Foreign Language Text Reader
Perroquet Train your oral skills in foreign languages

 

 

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