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- I used Mondly, a subscription-based language-learning app, to study Catalan and finesse my Spanish skills and pronunciation.
- After one month, I improved my Spanish pronunciation and learned practical vocabulary and basic phrases in Catalan.
- However, the lack of grammar instruction made learning a new language difficult, and advanced speakers may not find the lessons challenging enough.
As the novel coronavirus continues to impact much of the world, international
Even if you can't get to that far-flung destination right now, that's no reason to put your dreams of learning a foreign language on pause. While nothing can beat day-to-day interactions with local speakers, a language-learning app can be a helpful tool in studying a new language or brushing up on existing speaking skills.
I use language apps regularly to study Spanish, even though I am based in Spain. I've lived on and off in Barcelona for two years but only began learning Spanish in earnest when I moved here full-time in March, just prior to one of the world's strictest COVID-19 lockdowns. I enrolled in online Spanish classes and hired an online tutor for weekly sessions while also supplementing my learning with various language apps, including free versions of Duolingo and Busuu.
Another popular language-learning app is Mondly, used by over 60 million people around the world. I was given the opportunity to test out Mondly for one month, with a premium-access code for review purposes.
Mondly claims to be the closest thing to actual language immersion, thanks to a high-tech chatbot feature that encourages users to engage in relevant, real-world conversations.
I was eager to try out a new app and see if the more advanced tech features helped my speaking skills.
What is Mondly?
Launched in 2014, Mondly is a subscription-based language-learning app and browser program that currently offers 41 foreign languages and is one of the few apps offering instruction in most of the languages it supports. Meaning, if you aren't an English speaker, you can learn French from Russian, or Chinese from Spanish, making it ideal for a global audience. Every language is equally comprehensive for all 41 languages, which means underrepresented languages like Bulgarian are treated the same as more widely-spoken languages like German.
Mondly was also the first to incorporate chatbot technology and augmented reality (AR) to enhance the learning experience. A separate MondlyAR app deepens the immersive experience, allowing you to roleplay with virtual characters in real-life scenarios, like ordering a meal in Spain or checking into a Paris hotel. MondlyAR currently features just 15 languages, with only the most widely spoken languages offered.
In addition, Mondly offers a virtual reality program, MondlyVR, which is available at an additional cost on Google Play or via the Oculus store. You will need a special — and quite pricey — Oculus VR gaming headset, making this program out of reach for most users.
See a full overview of how Mondly works here.
How much does Mondly cost?
If you want to study just one language, the cost is $9.99 per month. However, with a one-year subscription ($47.99) or lifetime access ($89.99), you can learn as many languages as you want. The MondlyAR app is included in the paid subscription.
Unlike many other language-learning apps, there's no trial period or free version of the app, though you can try the Hello course (with eight lessons) of any language for free.
I studied two languages with Mondly
Living in Barcelona, where both Spanish and Catalan are spoken, I opted to study these two languages for a one-month period using a premium subscription.
Although there are no placement tests, Mondly offers Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels for all its languages. Since I have been studying Spanish for six months and use it in my daily life in Barcelona, I chose the Advanced level for Spanish.
An important note: Mondly teaches Castilian Spanish and uses native speakers from Spain, which was ideal for me since I live in the country. However, for those who want to learn Latin American Spanish, which has different pronunciations and often different vocabulary and verb tenses, this may not be the program for you.
I also opted to learn Catalan, since it's widely used in Barcelona. Even though I hear and see the language regularly, I have never attempted to learn it or say anything beyond basic greetings. And while Catalan has some similarities with Spanish (as well as with French and Italian), there are significant differences in vocabulary, grammar, and especially pronunciation. I chose the Beginner level for Catalan, with the hope that being surrounded by the language would reinforce my studies.
You have the flexibility to move between levels if you want. While it was easy for me to choose appropriate levels to try, if you're unsure what level is best for your skillset you can always try out a level and then switch to a different one later on.
I looked forward to testing out these two languages, at two different skill levels, to see what it was like to build on one local language while simultaneously learning another.
My Experience with Mondly
I initially focused on Spanish, since I am currently learning the language, but found that even at the advanced level, the lessons were far too easy. However, I did use the chatbot function to practice and refine my Spanish pronunciation and found it very useful. In scenarios such as ordering in a restaurant or checking into a hotel, the chatbot interacted with me, understanding voice input, and replying with the voice of a native speaker.
However, I ended up switching primarily to Catalan lessons to feel more challenged. Here, Mondly set itself apart just by having the option for me to learn the language. I was previously unable to attempt Catalan with other apps since Babbel does not offer it and Duolingo only offers Catalan to Spanish speakers.
By contrast, Mondly includes full courses of less-widespread languages, including Catalan.
Once I was set up on the platform, I had access to flexible learning options that I could tailor to meet my individual interests. I had access to around 35 topics ranging from weather to food and drinks.
Each topic offered six lessons, one conversation via chatbot, and one vocabulary section. The modules were taught using a blend of techniques, including swiping, fill-in-the-blank drills, multiple-choice, typing, and speaking.
I was able to skip the topics I had no interest in like sports and focused on those that were most applicable to my daily life, such as restaurants, shopping, and food and drinks.
Each lesson in my chosen topic followed a similar format of introducing vocabulary via a photo and audio of the word interspersed with relevant phrases. This helped reinforce the vocabulary while introducing basic verbs and pronouns.
Within each lesson, I was often given the option to either select or recite aloud the correct translation of a phrase. This was a clear departure from many of the other
However, I could skip the speaking part, which I found myself doing for long, complex phrases. The voice recognition function can also be a bit finicky; while it wasn't always able to recognize my (admittedly inexperienced) pronunciation, it had no trouble recognizing the voice of a friend who is an experienced speaker.
At the start of every lesson, I was given three stars. Stars were lost for mistakes I made and I received points based on the number of stars left at the end of each session. My final score was tallied on a Leaderboard, where I could compare my progress with other learners.
In addition to lessons by topic, daily lessons also became available every 12 hours and included anywhere from 8 to 15 words and phrases. After completing a full week of lessons, I was able to access a weekly quiz for review. I found these weekly tests very useful in motivating me to keep coming back every day to practice.
There was also a monthly challenge available after I'd completed all the weekly quizzes (although I wasn't quite disciplined enough to practice all 30 days).
Additionally, I had access to a vast number of daily lessons that dated back to 2015. However, these were not categorized in any way, so I found myself starting and abandoning several until I found a topic I was interested in.
Drawbacks of Mondly
By completing daily lessons and practicing with a couple of topics each week, I learned a fair amount of new vocabulary. However, the repetitive nature of the exercises became tedious. That was especially true when studying both Spanish and Catalan since the content and lessons are the same across all languages.
While Mondly did an admirable job helping me learn and retain new vocabulary, I struggled with comprehending even some of the most basic sentences in Catalan since the app does not include clear explanations of grammar. There was even a time when a standard verb I had been taught earlier turned out to be wrong when used in the exercises, and an entirely different verb I hadn't yet learned the nuances of was the correct answer.
That said, I did appreciate the ability to click on a verb and view a dropdown menu displaying its full conjugation in three tenses: past, present, and future. This is a very smart and helpful feature that sets Mondly apart from other apps like Duolingo, which only shows the translation of current verb tense with that subject.
Additionally, the lessons didn't require me to use accent markings, which is important for pronunciation, and in particular, understanding the correct verb tenses. This makes Mondly a better fit for the casual learner versus someone looking for a more rigorous academic program.
Finally, while the idea of AR is admirable, the execution was clunky. I found the mix of a computer-generated voice in English and a native speaker's voice in Spanish to be jarring and it often included explanations in English that were wholly unnecessary. I also ran into the most issues with voice recognition trying to use the AR, making the experience more frustrating than immersive.
While I was initially excited about the MondlyAR app, it was sadly not available in Catalan and the vocabulary used in the handful of real-world scenarios for Spanish was far too basic for my level.
And because I don't own an Oculus headset and didn't want to purchase one just for language-learning purposes, I also wasn't able to even try out the MondlyVR.
The bottom line
Overall, I thought Mondly was useful for learning practical vocabulary and helpful, colloquial phrases at a beginner and low-intermediate level. The emphasis on speaking complete sentences in authentic situations definitely made this language-learning app more useful than others I've tried.
The chatbot feature was also particularly helpful; I could listen to real-world phrases spoken by a native speaker then record my voice as I repeated them. Because I could record myself as many times as I wished, it allowed me to practice and refine my pronunciation. In fact, after a month of using the chatbot, I was complimented by my Spanish tutor and local friends on my improved accent.
That said, I don't know that it would be worth the cost of a subscription just for the chatbot. Much of the material at the advanced level of Spanish wasn't challenging enough, so the app is better suited to beginner and casual learners.
However, the lack of grammar instruction and occasional unclear translations made learning new phrases confusing at times. I often struggled to understand why a sentence was structured a certain way and the app never offered any real explanations.
That said, while I still didn't feel confident enough to speak Catalan after one month of using Mondly, I found that I could recognize many more Catalan words — on signs, in the grocery store, overheard in conversation, and most importantly for me, on restaurant menus.