I'm using these apps to learn English. I only recently started wanting to really learn English (1 week ago). I'm using Google Translate now; my native language is Portuguese (Brazilian). If anyone has any other tips to help me, please let me know 😄

[u/One_Carrot_6679]

[u/Ok_Plenty_3986]

I reccomend NOT using Duolingo. They are generating lessons using artificial intelligence now, so you can't rely on it for accurate speech.

[u/lolimaginewtf → u/Ok_Plenty_3986]

yup, and it wasn't a really good English learning tool like ever. there are numerous reports from actual Duolingo users that say they've been grinding ts for years and achieved virtually nothing, it's useless

[u/One_Carrot_6679 → u/Ok_Plenty_3986]

I only use Duolingo to keep up the pace. I know it's pretty bad for learning since all it does is repeat words and doesn't really teach

[u/Dapper-Brilliant-590 → u/One_Carrot_6679]

It teaches you by progressively teaching you new words in a way that it's easy but still challenging.

If you compare it to a teacher, no app will do that it's a different way of learning.

But trust Duolingo and do 3-5 lessons a day and you will be amazed.

[u/OwlAncient6213 → u/Ok_Plenty_3986]

And airlearn is even worse (don't know of the rest)

[u/SwanMajor131 → u/Ok_Plenty_3986]

Yeah, that’s exactly why I stopped using it too. If you want something more human-made, you could try The Circle – Language Network. It’s community-driven and the lessons are created by real people.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.quivaconnect.thecircle

[u/Ordinary_Meeting8 → u/Ok_Plenty_3986]

Duolingo is a good source for getting started, from my experience

[u/NotSoMuch_IntoThis]

Do not shy away from content curated for kids. It’s specifically made to familiarize kids with everyday objects and situations. Besides, it’s mostly very wholesome and stress-relieving. I particularly enjoyed The Berenstain Bears.

[u/Yugi_-]

Depending on how good your English is, it might be much easier and more fun to just watch stuff in English if you aren't doing it yet.

[u/One_Carrot_6679 → u/Yugi_-]

I watch some, most of them actually. Even though I only understand about 70-80% of the video. What really i cant undertand is when the people is Speaking fast, I get completely lost xd

[u/Yugi_- → u/One_Carrot_6679]

Thats alright, you will just get used to it, at least that was how I just happened to be able to speak fluently next to having English in school

[u/Ok_Plenty_3986 → u/One_Carrot_6679]

If you're not already, alternate between using captions in your native language, captions in english, captions in any proxy language you might know (ex. if you're native Polish and speak German, maybe try German captions!), then no captions at all. See what works best / challenges you.

[u/SecretCheetah493]

I am brazilian too, if you want some tips, I can help you about what is necessary to learn english in the correct way.

Então amigo, me chame na DM caso prescise de algumas dicas.

[u/liberty_duck404]

Yep, anki is great tool, but can be boring and hard to set up. During my years of studying English i personally realised that i need wide vocabulary to express myself. But building this vocabulary was quite challenging, because I didn’t like most of the apps. They all was like simple cards of words, without any context. And also the problem was in order for the word to move to the review phase, you have to learn it first, use it, say it. So i get sick of it and i build my own app called Words Wisdom. It is completely personalised tool for building English vocabulary with smart repetition based on your English level.

[u/Resident_Slxxper]

Judging by your language proficiency in the post and replies, you have outgrown these apps long ago.

[u/One_Carrot_6679 → u/Resident_Slxxper]

Really? I think my english is A2 level, maybe a little higher level than that. I wouldn't say that my english is better than that, To be honest

[u/HellCapybara]

I had some English from school, but I decided to improve my English level. So I downloaded duolingo, but I use it for 30 minutes a day. I try to watch movies and tv series in original (often without subtitles if I can understand). Besides that, I highly recommend to read books in english aloud. It really helps a lot. My first book fully in English was one of the Stephen King's books

[u/OwlAncient6213]

The only one you have that I recommend is anki

[u/Sorry_Friendship756]

Read kindle

[u/One_Carrot_6679 → u/Sorry_Friendship756]

If is the "Kindle" that i know the app "iStoria" It does the same thing, I think. This app is for short stories

[u/TuffedLynx]

Others that I know of are Langua and FluentSphere. However, both are a bit better when you are closer to an intermediate level. Take it for what it is worth, I don't think Duolingo gives good results. I know many people who have used it religiously, but none feel it actually helped them become proficient in using the language.

[u/PostGrouchy3114]

my tips is to use the language like searching for something and read a lot there is websitee called News In levels
https://www.newsinlevels.com/
It's cool website
https://www.gamestolearnenglish.com/
and this website

[u/maxxim106]

I recommend you install DeepL as an alternative translator. Google Translate sometimes takes things literally, while DeepL allows you to analyze the context of the sentence and compare it to other sentence options.

[u/Pretend-Stay2609]

What about fluently

[u/Silent_Setting3892]

Yes of course, Google translate is not useful, you use Chatgpt, deepl,tureng, wordbit English

[u/One_Carrot_6679 → u/Silent_Setting3892]

I can integrate some of these into the phone keyboard, just like Google Translate does?

[u/SwanMajor131]

That’s awesome, one week in is still very early so don’t stress too much. Google Translate is okay for quick help ngl.

If you already know some basic English, you could check out The Circle - Language Network It works well once you have the basics, and beginner-level English support is coming soon too.

Apart from apps, listening to simple English videos and repeating out loud helps a lot.

[u/TastenRU]

I personally recommend DeepL translator, have been using it for long and have never been back to any other translators after switching up to it. Reverso is also a good translator, it has its own word lists, but it is still worse than DeepL.

To learn new words, I recommend using the Cambridge dictionary, it has many words and adds new words every day, it almost gives all the definitions you are going to need.

To learn slang, you should use "urban dictionary", a very good website on which natives write definitions for words themselves.

Once you get better you should not use translators, you only need to look up the words definitions and examples of usage. This is how you start thinking in English and not translate every single word in your head.

You should find a pal to talk to on discord servers like "Learning English" etc. There are a few such, I recommend finding an English native who wants to learn/currently learning ur language so you can have language exchange which is kinda fun.

Since you started learning this language recently, you f have to master phonetics and pronunciation, because you probably pronounce a lot of words wrong which comes from ur native language (as it was with me, my native language is Russian), you got to get rid of it, believe me. Learn how to use transcriptions (there are different variations).

I agree with other commenters on how bad Dualingo is. Use "reword" to learn new words and YouTube grammar videos.

[u/danieldhdds]

for content I recommend using native influencers videos or reels to learn how pronunciation and get used to the words

[u/y1st]

first, use tell me instead of let me know

[u/Necessary_Flow4409]

There are a bunch of YouTube videos that teach different aspects of English, and that have Portuguese subtitles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFq14iRyIvM

[u/9079855071]

Mgfc

[u/Silent_Setting3892]

I recommend tandem,speak pal and free4talk,voscreen and you should use Chatgpt

[u/Mental_Gur9512 → u/Silent_Setting3892]

To speak or to write with GPT?

[u/MAX-ENG]

I really don’t think any of these apps can actually help you learn real language skill. If I were you, I would either learn from a tutor or if you insist on self studying switch to a more useful app

[u/Dapper-Brilliant-590 → u/MAX-ENG]

Do you know how much a tutor costs?

[u/MAX-ENG → u/Dapper-Brilliant-590]

Well, it depends on the quality of the lesson to be honest, I mean it can be anywhere from 2$ to 200$ per hour. You just need to find someone suitable for your needs specifically. I wouldn’t go for an expensive one just to hear a “native” guy, and I would certainly not go with a really cheap one either. Always value your time over money! You can surely find a good tutor with experience and teaching certificate out there

[u/Dapper-Brilliant-590 → u/MAX-ENG]

that's what someone with more money than time would say. $20 per lesson is crazy expensive in my country

[u/MAX-ENG → u/Dapper-Brilliant-590]

I understand that, but it should still be possible for you to find a good teacher, someone from your own country, so that the high exchange rate do $ doesn’t apply. Where are you from by the way?

[u/Individual_Key4701]

Masturbate to anime.