Thursday, July 12, 2018

Memrise (Language Learning Software)



For the past year and a half, I've been working on learning French. 

Initially, I started out with some ebooks from Amazon, but those didn't appeal to me very much. Just too difficult to learn without actually hearing pronunciations, accents, etc...




I then gave the Duolingo free software a try, you can read my review about that option HERE.

Again, this option did not work out in the long run and I went back to looking for other language learning programs online.

Happily, as the saying goes, "third times the charm". 

I then found out about the Memrise language learning system, and it's been "full speed ahead" since then!  

From the Memrise site:


We’ve got you covered

Go from zero to language hero with over 200 courses full of rich content created by expert linguists.


Super smart learning tech

From local accents to conversation and grammar skills, we got you covered with 20,000 native speaker videos and our new chatbots.


Learn anywhere, anytime

A learning adventure that fits in your pocket and translates to useful, real-life language skills. Your superpowers, unlocked.

******

What do I like about Memrise? 

Actually, almost everything! 😁

First and best of all, IMO,  it's been FUN to learn with this program, definitely NOT a chore! 

And to date, I am still using just their FREE option (paid programs are available too at very reasonable prices) that's been more than adequate for learning beginner French.

 I have learned almost 1500 words already, and considering that I only work on this about 30 minutes x 5 days a week, I think that's pretty darn good!  And when I say, LEARNED, I mean learned. Not just going over words again and again, without actually getting a good grasp of how they are used in sentences correctly, spelling, pronunciations...

I also appreciate that this program can be easily accessed on my Kindle or other tablets, phones..., not just on a PC, for on the go learning too. They have a free app. that works great if you are someone who likes to utilize "waste and waiting" times and instead, use that time to learn something new.

If you have been considering learning a language but weren't sure which program would be easy and fun to start with, I highly recommend Memrise. 

Except for a couple of minor tweaks that I have already suggested to their representatives, I have had nothing but a positive experience using their free language programs. 

I even have plans to learn another language (probably German or Spanish) when I complete my French lessons. 

Learning a language can be so rewarding, for so many reasons. 

It's great when you are travelling to actually be able to converse with the locals, without struggling to be understood or constantly referring to dictionaries, etc..

A second (or third...) language can be invaluable, if you are job hunting. Many employers are looking for bilingual employees and are willing to pay more for these skills.

It's also a great way to keep your brain and memory sharp!

 I have been pleasantly surprised how much I have been able to retain with the French I have learned to date. And with 2000 words considered a starting point for being fluent in most languages, I haven't got far to go to reach that goal next! Of course I plan to go further than that but it really has given me a sense of accomplishment already. 

And in Canada, French is one of our official languages so it is definitely a good choice for starting my "second language journey" here. 😁

Let me know if you give Memrise a try.

 I'd love to hear your thoughts on this language software. 


Overall rating for this product: Very Good. 4 out of 5

26 comments:

  1. I will have to check it out. I know very little Spanish and sure would like to learn more.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, do give it a try, I'm sure you'll find Memrise very helpful.

      Delete
  2. Thanks for your comment on my blog Geraldine. As you can see, I haven't been blogging much lately. There is so much to do and not enough time. By the time I'm done working, I'm just too tired to blog.

    I think that you are very wise to learn a second language. I speak both French and English because N.B is a bilingual province. My daughter Nicole spoke 5 languages fluently. It came in very handy as she was an avid traveller. She really had a gift of learning languages quickly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, that's amazing re: your daughter's linguistic skills, I'm impressed!😊

      I didn't realize that about NB. I've yet to have visited the Maritimes, have always wanted to. That's great that you are bilingual too.

      I haven't been blogging much lately either. It felt good to post this review yesterday.😂

      Delete
  3. Thats wonderful that youve learned 1500 words. I could never pick up a language other than English to speak it well enough.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your kind words. I've got a long way to go still but I'm very happy with the progress I've made already. I can now already read simpler French text but conversing is a lot harder. I'm determined though!😂

      Delete
  4. Hello Geraldine, Thank you for stopping by my blog to say hello. I hope you get some of that rain you need. I have a couple of friends in BC, and the photos they share show a gorgeous part of the world. Have a wonderful weekend! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Sandpiper, love your blog name!

      BC, especially Vancouver Island (IMO) is really beautiful and usually this area gets a lot of rain. Not for the past 2 summers though. Hopefully soon. Thanks for stopping by too!

      Delete
  5. Wow...1500 words...well done you, I am so impressed!
    I am hopeless at learning new languages. I tried Welsh once, and Arabic later...but just couldn't make any headway! Maybe it was a lack of quality time to spend on them.
    Perhaps...when my course is finished, I'll give it another shot.
    You have inspired me...thank you so much! :))

    Big Hugs xoxoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sure you'd find Memrise helpful Ygraine. I know I wouldn't be making this progress with other learning methods for languages. It really is a lot easier and fun too. Thanks for your very kind words, I'm encouraged even more!

      Enjoy that amazing vacation you are on, lucky you!!😊

      Hugs back to you too.💟

      Delete
  6. Wonderful that you found a program to help you learn that you are happy with. Wishing you a wonderful time speaking french.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad I found out about Memrise, Tammie. Nice to see you here again too.😊

      Delete
  7. Sounds like a great tip, I must look this up. My French is rubbish and my husband does all the talking. Will give it a try on the French version. Thanks. Happy weekend Diane

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think you'll enjoy it Diane, let me know if you do!😂 Happy weekend to you too.

      Delete
  8. This is good to know. Thanks so much for this review.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you enjoyed it Sandy.

      Do you know more than one language? I thought you mentioned something about that in one of your earlier comments, for another review. Happy weekend to you.😂

      Delete
    2. I did study Spanish for for a while when we were planning to move to Santa Fe, NM. I used a book, but that didn't help me much with pronunciation. I do remember most words by sight.

      Delete
    3. Thanks Sandy. I agree about learning from a book, it is very limited. But that's great that you still remember a lot of the words in Spanish!

      Delete
  9. Excellent review. I find Memrise very helpful and I agree, it is fun too. Much better than duolingo.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I agree, so much better than duolingo. I probably would have given up, without Memrise.😊

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow it sounds great - I would love to learn French...if I ever thought I could travel to France and use it. Good review - I enjoyed reading it Geraldine. hope your summer is going well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sandy, I am really enjoying Memrise. Learning French is giving me such a sense of accomplishment. Not to mention that it's fun too! You would enjoy it a lot I think.

      I love your new avatar photo!

      Happy Summer to you too.🌞 Another sunny day here on th Island but I'm actually craving a good downpour. We have a drought right now,most unusual. This is usually the rainiest part of Canada.

      Delete
  12. This was a good review. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I still use Duolingo for my daily German practise. Does the job. :-)

    Greetings from London.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by. I think you'd love Memrise!

      Delete

Thank you for your visits and feedback! :<)

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...