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Learn ChineseDuolingo, Rosetta Stone and other Apps
In addition to the most famous apps like Duolingo or Rosetta Stone, we will also look at other Chinese learning apps, some of which are even better.
The Skyline of Shanghai in China
Chinese actually refers to the Mandarin dialect which is the native language of about 70% of the Chinese, while the other 30% learn it at school.
Another major Chinese dialect is Cantonese, which is spoken in Hong Kong and the nearby regions in China. The importance of the Chinese language has increased significantly, especially in the business world. According to studies, Chinese is already seen by many as the second most important foreign language after English. 
Hong Kong speaks Cantonese
In general, you can learn languages more effectively with learning software than with books — at the same time, learning apps are cheaper than traditional language courses or traveling to learn a language.
Studying Chinese with a good learning software is also more fun than with other methods. Chinese learning apps teach in a playful way and let you choose the topics you are interested in, so that it doesn't feel like work. Now let's have a look at the Chinese learning apps: Mondly Chinese AppThe Best Alternative to Duolingo
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online Version (PC and Mac) Suitable for: Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced Learners, Students, Travel Content: Chinese vocabulary trainer (5000 words), playful exercises, grammar
Prices: Free (initial lessons), $12.99 Discount offer: $99 (Lifetime Access to all 41 Languages)
Overall Value: The Mondly App lets you learn the Chinese language in a playful way with a series of interactive exercises. This Chinese learning program contains:
Summary: Mondly is very similar to the Babbel and Duolingo apps and even better in terms of quality. The cost-benefit ratio for the lifetime access to all 41 languages is unbeatable. Link: Mondly Chinese App and Online Course Chinese Basic CourseOnline Language Course App
Systems: Online Access (PC, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS) Suitable for: Beginners and Advanced Learners, Students, Professionals Content: 1300 words (basic course), 5200 words (complete course), complete grammar, verb conjugations, exercises Prices: $59.95 (Basic Course), $127 (Complete Course)
Overall Value: The Chinese Basic Course contains a vocabulary trainer for the basic Chinese vocabulary (1300 words), as well as lessons and various exercises. This includes Chinese grammar and conjugations. All words, phrases and sentences are spoken by native speakers. This basic course corresponds to the official language levels A1 and A2 (explanation of CEFR language levels). The Complete Course contains:
Summary: Much cheaper and even better than the famous Rosetta Stone. There is a free demo version available and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Link: Chinese Basic Course and Complete Course Skritter Chinese AppLearning to Write Chinese
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online-Version (PC und Mac) Suitable for: Beginners, advanced learners, pupils, students, business Content: Vocabulary trainer, learn to write Chinese characters Prices: Free (first week), $14.99 (1 month), $99 (12 months)
Overall Value: The Skritter Chinese App is a popular app that lets you not only expand your vocabulary, but you also learn to write Chinese characters correctly. You can choose specific topics in the vocabulary lists and practice the corresponding words and Chinese characters. The Skritter Chinese learning app contains:
The online version for computers offers even more features and options than the app. With the subscription you have access to both the app and the online version for computers. Summary: Very popular app for learning Chinese and for a good reason. It offers unique and very useful features at an affordable price. Link: Skritter Chinese App and Online Course Rocket Languages: ChineseLearn Chinese Without Subscriptions
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, PC and Mac (Download) Suitable for: Beginners, intermediate, advanced learners, students, business Content: Exercises with native speaker audio and speech recognition, writing, grammar, culture Prices: Free (initial lessons), $89 (basic course), $249 (full course)
Overall Value: Rocket Languages offers a complete Chinese language course for download, without monthly subscriptions. It covers the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels (A1-C2). This Chinese learning software and app features:
Summary: Excellent premium Chinese course on par with Rosetta Stone but without a subscription. You pay only once and own the software. There is also a 60-day money-back guarantee. Link: Rocket Languages Chinese Learning Software Rosetta Stone: ChineseMost Famous Language Learning App
Systems: PC, Mac, Android, iOS Apps Suitable for: Beginners, intermediate, experts, professionals, business Content: Chinese lessons with native speaker audio and speech recognition
Prices:
Overall Value: How does Chinese learning with Rosetta Stone work? Rosetta Stone has a different approach to language learning than many other online courses or language apps such as Duolingo, Memrise and others. The idea behind Rosetta Stone is to learn a language like you did as a child - by using pictures in combination with listening, speaking, and reading. Each Rosetta Stone lesson includes the following exercises:
Instead, you are supposed to learn the grammar and the meaning of words from the context or recognize the meaning from the pictures. Rosetta Stone Apps and Online Version: The Rosetta Stone Chinese learning software can be used online with a subscription for 3 or 12 months or with a Lifetime Access. In addition to the online version, there are now also Rosetta Stone apps for iPhones and Android smartphones. Summary: Time-tested method, but the lack of grammar explanations and translations may make Rosetta Stone not suitable for everyone. Link: Rosetta Stone App and Online Course Lingodeer Chinese AppIncludes Grammar and Speech Recognition
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online-Version (PC and Mac) Suitable for: Beginners, intermediate, students, travel vocabulary Content: Exercises with native-speaker audio and speech recognition, grammar Prices: $12 (1 month), $60 (12 months), $99 (unlimited)
Overall Value: The Lingodeer App is somewhat similar to Duolingo or Babbel, but has a more extensive list of features:
Summary: The Lingodeer App impresses with excellent grammar lessons and speech recognition. However, this app has lessons only for beginners and intermediate level learners. Link: Lingodeer Chinese App and Online Course Duolingo Chinese AppWell-Known Language Learning App
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online Version (PC and Mac) Content: Chinese exercises with native-speaker audio Prices: Free (with ads), $12.99 (1 month), $60 (12 months)
Overall Value: The Duolingo App offers beginner language courses for 36 languages, including Chinese. Duolingo covers mostly the basics as well as some intermediate level Chinese vocabulary. The major drawback of Duolingo (just like Rosetta Stone) is that there are no grammar explanations. The vocabulary learning with Duolingo is "gamified", which means it is structured like a game with levels, experience points, achievements, etc. The interface is relatively similar to the apps from Babbel and Mondly. Summary: The vocabulary trainer and the exercises of the program are okay. However, it is not possible to learn Chinese grammar with this app. LingQ Chinese AppInnovative Approach to Learn Chinese
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online-Version (PC and Mac) Suitable for: Beginners, intermediate, advanced learners, students, professionals Content: Video and text lessons, browser extension to import any Chinese texts, vocabulary trainer Price: $15 (1 month), $120 (12 months) Overall Value: The LingQ Chinese App is basically a translation program that is combined with a personalized vocabulary trainer. In addition to the lessons and texts that are included in this app, any Chinese text can be imported. LingQ has its own browser extension for Firefox, Safari and Chrome to import texts (including ebooks). You can click on any Chinese character in the texts to see a translation and this adds the word to your personal vocabulary trainer. LingQ also has many videos and podcasts in Chinese, the content of which appears as a text next to the video or podcast — so that any word there can be clicked on and saved as well. Unfortunately, there are no grammar lessons, meaning that this app will not suffice on its own to learn Chinese. Summary: Very interesting way to learn Chinese vocabulary on any subject. However, you need other apps for the Chinese grammar. Bluebird Chinese AppChinese Lessons and Exercises
Systems: Android and iPhone apps, online version (PC and Mac) Content: Chinese exercises with native speaker audio and speech recognition Prices: $9.99 (1 month), $100 (12 months), $200 (unlimited), $400 (163 languages)
Overall Value: The Bluebird App offers 146 source languages and 163 target languages and dialects, including Chinese. The Chinese language course in this app includes the following:
There are about 500 video lessons for learning Chinese, each 5 to 60 minutes long. For languages with other scripts, the words can also be displayed transliterated in the Latin script. The Bluebird app has no grammar lessons. Instead, you are supposed to understand the grammar "implicitly" from the examples, like in Rosetta Stone. Summary: The video lessons and the interface take some getting used to, but the exercises are quite varied. Especially for smaller languages, this app is a viable alternative. Mango Chinese AppIncludes Grammar
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online Version (PC and Mac) Content: Chinese lessons with native speaker audio, grammar, culture
Prices:
Overall Value: The Mango Languages App offers 70 languages, including Chinese. This app also has some grammar lessons and cultural explanations. The explanations in English are all recorded and well done. However, the number of lessons for learning Chinese is quite small, which means that this app is only suitable for absolute beginners. There are no exercises, except for the repeated vocabulary tests. You can also record your own pronunciation in the app and compare it with the recording of a native speaker. Summary: Good quality, but not much vocabulary. Only for absolute Chinese beginners. Lingo Chinese AppPlayful Chinese Learning
Systems: Android and iPhone Apps, Online Version (PC and Mac) Content: Chinese lessons and exercises Prices: $19.99 (1 month), $40 (3 months), $60 (6 months)
Overall Value: The Lingo Play App offers language courses for 70 languages. It offers "gamified learning", which means learning vocabulary in a playful way. Each Chinese lesson offers the following exercises:
There is also a multiplayer mode and competitions where you can test your Chinese skills against other people. Summary: Overpriced Chinese course that does offer some good exercises, but is not better than other similar apps. Busuu Chinese AppNot really recommended
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online-Version (PC and Mac) Suitable for: Beginners, intermediate, high school students, college students, travelers Content: Lessons and vocabulary trainer with native speaker audio, grammar Prices: $13.90 (1 month), $80 (12 months)
Overall Value: The Busuu App is a language learning app for 12 languages, including Chinese. The interface is similar to apps like Duolingo, Babbel or Mondly.
Summary: Definitely the weakest of the tested Chinese learning apps in terms of quality. Pimsleur Chinese CourseMost Expensive Software to Learn Chinese
Systems: PC and Mac (incl. Mobile App) Suitabe for: Beginners, advanced, students, travel vocabulary Content: Chinese vocabulary, lessons with native-speaker audio and voice recognition Price: $575 (complete download)
Overall Value: The Pimsleur App is very similar to Rosetta Stone in that it does not give grammar explanations, verb conjugation tables, etc. Instead, the Pimsleur method is supposed to let you learn the Chinese language intuitively, just like your native language - by combining pictures, reading and speaking (speech recognition). This Chinese learning course for PCs and Macs also includes a mobile app for Android and iOS systems. Pimsleur offers 14 course languages you can use to learn Chinese as a second language. Summary: The most expensive Chinese course, even though it is unlikely that learning with it is much better than with the cheaper apps. Drops Chinese AppAlternative to Babbel and Duolingo
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online Version (PC and Mac) Content: Chinese lessons with native speaker audio, vocabulary trainer
Prices: $13 (1 month), $72
Overall Value: The Language Drops app is most notable for having 47 target languages and 40 source languages, similar to Mondly. You can learn about 3000 Chinese words and phrases with this app. However, there are hardly any exercises, except for introducing new Chinese words and matching these words to pictures. You can choose from which topics you want to learn new Chinese words and at what skill level you want to learn (whether you know the language somewhat). If you want to try the app for free for two weeks you have to provide your payment information and then cancel it. The "deal" you get in the app is more than 3 times as expensive as when you click "Get Premium" on the website ($38 per month instead of $13 per month). Summary: No variety, no grammar and only 3000 words. Does not justify the higher price, even if you get access to all languages.
Best Apps to Learn Chinese:
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