Then → Now · 2026
The app the author picked for its huge user-made course library pushed that library out of the app, while AI conversation partners now fill the "speak to natives" step.
What it said (2018) ↓
Apps: Rosetta Stone (the paid benchmark), Memrise ("way more courses"), Babbel ("better at grammar") and Duolingo (the founder learned Hungarian with it).
Talk to natives via ConversationExchange.com and "iTalkie.com".
What happened (2026) ↓
Memrise pushed out exactly the thing the post praised. It closed its community forum in December 2023 and moved user-made courses out of the apps to a separate website in early 2024 (February, per Wikipedia).
Duolingo went "AI-first" in April 2025. It said it would stop using contractors for work AI can do, and its AI Video Call feature is reportedly promoted as tutor-like. The CEO later said no full-time staff would be laid off.
Verdict · Held up: 6 / 10 · Full 2026 update
- Visiting the country and hiring a local teacher to walk you through it helps you learn a language.Still valid evergreen
- Memrise offered way more courses, Babbel was better at grammar, and Rosetta Stone was the paid benchmark.Outdated the reason to choose Memrise is gone
Original post · 2 January 2018
Fast, Quick and Efficient: 5 Tips To Learn A New Language
Some people are just lucky enough to learn multiple languages through their parents.
Others just seem to have an extra spot in their brain which allows them to understand a new language just by surrounding themselves with it for a few days. I’m not one of those gifted people!
However, when you start working location-independent, working remotely, or working from wherever your heart takes you, then learning new foreign languages may just become a necessity. Not necessarily that you find yourself having to do business in a completely new language one morning, but rather it becomes a necessity to help you become a better location-independent, a better remotely working professional, and may take you one deeper step step to connect you with the local life if you are a digital nomad.
I sometime regret I did not pay enough attention to my foreign language classes at high school. But it's never late, and my motto is to never ever stop learning, so here are 5 tips to learn a foreign language that are still helping me massively.
1. Use A Language App
Where to start when you want to learn a new language from scratch, and you don't have the budget to buy a decent language course like Rosetta Stone? No worries, there are plenty of apps that are free or at least super cheap. I tested many, but the first I found and actually liked was Memrise, especially after they launched official Memrise courses. Later on I discovered Babbel, which I might like even better. Memrise offers way more courses, also on specific topics, but Babbel does a better job at including and explaining grammar. I believe it gives a more solid base. I now use them both to learn Spanish – Memrise to increase my vocabulary and Babbel to truly understand what I’m doing. Our founder, Serkan Kurtulus, has learned Hungarian to a pretty neat (and funny!) extent with DuoLingo! And there is many other apps that serve as a language learning resource. Google, as always, is your best friend, and find an app that serves your style best.2. Speak To Natives
Once you know enough to introduce yourself, tell someone how your day was and ask some basic questions, it’s best to just start talking to native speakers. There are numerous forums out there that connect language learners. Babbel’s website has for example one, but just Google it and you’ll find enough options, like ConversationExchanges.com and iTalkie.com. What you think the Natives will think of you is not true. You may think you will sound funny, or the native speakers will make fun you, but No! Discard that thought and do give it a try whether you are learning Japanese, or learning Mandarin, or Norwegian, or Hungarian, or whatever. Locals and Natives do appreciate even if it's just a simple "Hello" in their own language!3. Read The Local Newspaper (Online)
Ready to go beyond the basics? Find a newspaper, or magazine of your interest with a news section, and starting reading. Even when it’s just one item per day, just try. It will be frustrating at first and you might need Google Translate in your bookmarks bar, but it’s a great exercise. You will see the words you’ve learned in their real context and pick up new words, too. There is indeed the risk of understanding things in a completely different context, and find yourself entertaining others over a beer with your "opinions on local matters" -- but who cares? You are learning a new foreign language. That's what matters.4. Listen To The Radio
Even when you’re not confident about your new skills just yet, listening to a local radio station works wonders! Just put it on in the background while you’re cleaning your house. Familiarise yourself with the sounds of a new language and even try to sing along with some songs. Don’t know any radio stations? Try TuneIn.com. or radio.garden5. Visit The Country
Of course, the best and fastest way is to just visit a country where they speak your desired language and force yourself to stick to the language. Even if you feel like you speak like a 5-year old, order your drinks, ask directions and buy tickets in the local language. If you have the possibility of doing this for 3-4 weeks, or even longer, that’s great! But even a weekend will help you improve. These are my 5 favourite ways to learn a new language, but I’m always happy to learn about new tricks! There is a lot of language learning resources out there. What do you do to improve your skills? Tell me in the comment section below, are you getting language lessons, or join the discussion on social media! Here's a bonu 6th tip, coming from a seasoned digital nomad I know:6. Find local teachers that "walk you through the experience"
There is no better way than learning a language from a native speaker. So, wherever you go, you will always find local teachers willing to give you all the grammar, words and essentials to learn the language. But No!, ask them to take you out for shopping, to the butcher, to the local food market, to the travel agent, to the ... whatever experience you want to get. Learn it live! There is nothing more powerful than that when learning a new foreign language!2026 update
What happened after this was written
Claims then:
- Apps: Rosetta Stone (the paid benchmark), Memrise ("way more courses"), Babbel ("better at grammar") and Duolingo (the founder learned Hungarian with it).
- Talk to natives via ConversationExchange.com and "iTalkie.com".
- Read local news with Google Translate; listen to radio via TuneIn and radio.garden.
- Visit the country; hire a local teacher to "walk you through the experience".
What happened since:
- Memrise pushed out exactly the thing the post praised. It closed its community forum in December 2023 and moved user-made courses out of the apps to a separate website in early 2024 (February, per Wikipedia). That site was due to close at the end of 2024, then 2025; in November 2025 Memrise said it would not shut it down after all. Memrise Help · Wikipedia · Memrise blog
- Duolingo went "AI-first" in April 2025. It said it would stop using contractors for work AI can do, and its AI Video Call feature is reportedly promoted as tutor-like. The CEO later said no full-time staff would be laid off. Computing, 2025 · HR Grapevine, 2025-08-19
- Babbel launched Babbel Speak, an AI conversation partner, on 2025-09-16. "Speak to natives" now has an AI rehearsal step before it. Babbel press
- IXL Learning acquired Rosetta Stone in March 2021. PR Newswire
- "iTalkie.com" is almost certainly a misspelling of italki, which is still active and now centred on paid tutors. ConversationExchange is still up (link check 2026-09-30). italki blog · conversationexchange.com
- TuneIn and Radio Garden both appear to be still active, according to Wikipedia and a 2025 roundup (Radio Garden self-reported 40,000+ stations in 2024); their own sites could not be re-checked. Wikipedia: Radio Garden · HotBot 2025
Named tools/orgs status:
| Name | Then | Now | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rosetta Stone | Paid benchmark | Owned by IXL Learning since 2021 | PR Newswire |
| Memrise | Praised for many (community) courses | Community courses moved out of the apps in 2024 to a separate site, which Memrise decided in Nov 2025 to keep | Memrise Help |
| Babbel | Praised for grammar | Active; added AI "Babbel Speak" (2025) | Babbel |
| Duolingo | Founder's Hungarian | Active; "AI-first" since 2025 | Computing |
| ConversationExchange.com | Language exchange | Active (dated design) | link check 2026-09-30 |
| "iTalkie.com" | Language exchange | Likely italki; active, tutor marketplace | italki |
| Google Translate | Reading aid | Active (not re-checked) | — |
| TuneIn | Radio | Active | HotBot |
| Radio Garden | Radio | Active | Wikipedia |
Verdict: Immersion (news, radio, travel, live teachers): Still valid (evergreen). The app comparison: Outdated; the reason to choose Memrise is gone and every app now centres on AI conversation practice.
Headline finding: The app the author picked for its huge user-made course library pushed that library out of the app, while AI conversation partners now fill the "speak to natives" step.
Re-verified 3 November 2026: 7 claims confirmed, 4 corrected, 2 hedged, 0 removed.
Researched 30 September 2026 and re-verified against the sources on 3 November 2026. Sources are linked in each point. Items marked "unverified" could not be established and are not guessed.