Busuu WORKS: it’s the most effective & best of language learning apps ★ Google Play – Editor’s Choice ★ EdTech Global Awards – Finalist 2019 ★ DtGV – Best Language App 2018 ★ 22 hours on Busuu = 1 college semester, according to a study BENEFITS Learn up to 12 different languages Learn English | Learn Spanish |Learn German | Learn French | Learn Japanese | Learn Portuguese | Learn Italian | … Busuu review ratings place the … And finally, there’s simply no price comparison between Busuu Premium and attending in-person language schools. This equates to paying around $10 to €38 per day! This article does contain affiliate links though, which means that we may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Although there are certain paid a… Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates. If you’ve tried any other online platforms for learning German online, share it with us. For this review, we tested two of its courses: Chinese for beginners and intermediate French. But if you’re not, you’ll probably make use of this feature better than we did. It helps you understand the subtle cultural nuances and aspects of the language that you won’t normally pick up in your average textbook. Busuu understands this and offers useful cultural tips that help you learn when to say something and how to use it appropriately. Busuu Review: Pros And Cons Pros. © 2021 Enux Education Limited. 2. In this Busuu review, we’ll go over how Busuu works, their strengths and weaknesses, and alternatives worth checking out. free and creative ways to learn German online, how effective Duolingo is for learning German, Apartments in Berlin: An Easy Guide For Finding A Flat To Rent in Berlin, Make Money From Home During Coronavirus Pandemic: Earn $15/hour Online With Rev.com, 7 Honest Reasons Why Revolut Is The Best Travel Card in 2021, 13 Best Places To See Cherry Blossoms in Berlin in 2021, Corona Testing in Berlin: How And Where To Get COVID Rapid and PCR Tests, Where To Stay in Berlin: Neighborhoods and Districts Guide, Practice writing and speaking with native speakers via the Busuu community platform, Download and access lessons in offline mode, Access all the grammar lessons with the option to review your weak words, Access the vocabulary trainer to help you memorize new words. I wish I had found Busuu before starting the class. You’re not alone. From scuba diving, hiking, road-tripping and cycling around Europe to moving abroad and living in Berlin, Germany. In fact, Busuu user reviews are so good that it achieved an “Editor’s Choice” stamp on Google Play. The selection is limited, but it does cover several of the most popular languages that English speakers study. Cons. Busuu offers useful cultural tips. Busuu is a wonderful platform to learn languages. I have been using these two features to compliment my learning to good effect. Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes store or Google Play store. But before you do that, make sure you check whether they’re offering discounts on the 12-month and 24-month subscription first. Here’s an example. Download and save it to your computer and if you really want, you could print it out and frame it too. Besides that, the free language learning apps are completely different in their content and teaching style. Now you can never use the excuse that learning new vocabulary or grammar rules are boring. ), the app could better cater to people who like to learn with a bit more entertainment—you know, the many people who like to learn through Netflix or listen to music. Just a quick look will give you an idea of the variety of FluentU videos on offer: FluentU really takes the grunt work out of learning languages, leaving you with nothing but engaging, effective and efficient learning. But if you’re serious about learning the language for work or moving abroad, then you’ll definitely have to supplement it with other ways to learn and improve your German. All of this is all good and well, but how much does Busuu cost if you want to make use of its premium plans? TRY BUSUU NOW – DOWNLOAD THE APP & TRY A FREE LESSON =========== WHY LEARN LANGUAGES WITH BUSUU, THE LANGUAGE LEARNING APP? Any polyglot will tell you that the content you learn should be relevant to your life and be filled with phrases you can actually use when speaking to someone. It's like a textbook just that it's in digital format. You must upgrade to get access to more than one language. Busuu offers 3 different price plans for its premium subscriptions: A 3-month, 12-month, and 24-month subscription. In fact, it’s so bad that I avoided reviewing the course for a long time. Here’s the complete list of languages that you can learn on the Busuu app: Are you using the free version of Busuu and wondering how you can change the language? Now, I'm going to get into a little rant about the “courses” offered on these sites below, but at the end of the day they are free. It’s been hard to replicate that digitally. For example, my beginner lesson in French told me, “To greet people during the day, we use bonjour (good day, hello). Get speaking practice with Conversations. You can find people who are native in your target language, which the app calls friends, and add them. I chose the free version of the Brazilian Portuguese desktop and smartphone app versions to review Busuu. We did another language learning experiment. ! I’m a sucker for elevating my reading and writing skills with classic literature on free book apps like BookMigo, listening to self-help audiobooks on Audible and journaling (okay, maybe not so old school). This means that you can literally learn a new language anywhere with an internet connection (and some willpower of course). I love old-school learning. Then, if you’re using the free version, start learning with their flashcard system, which has vocabulary that includes pictures accompanied by small dialogues. But, far too often I see someone race through levels that only focus on one skill. Just swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you're studying. Below, I’ve put together a comprehensive review of Busuu. If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to learn languages with real-world videos. These really helped us improve our listening and writing skills. Busuu’s paid course offers most of the same features you find in similar language courses and apps. With FluentU, you hear languages in real-world contexts—the way that native speakers actually use them. Busuu has an easy-to-use interface for its desktop version but, of course, you can also download the app for your iOS and Android devices to get started. We would love to hear your recommendations. In our opinion, yes – it’s probably one of the most complex and comprehensive language learning apps that we’ve tried. It also ensures that you’ll have the same language skills for that level whether you learned German in Portugal or learned German in Germany, like us! Do you agree with Busuu’s 4-star rating? But we can honestly say that what they don’t have in quantity, they’ve made up for in quality. Busuu offers tons of cultural tips (click on the lightbulb icon on each slide), so you can, as they say, “avoid missteps” while communicating. Oops. I registered and straight away received an email that I could try out their premium programme for free for 7 days. NOMAD AND IN LOVE © 2021 • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED • PRIVACY POLICY • DISCLOSURE • IMPRESSUM • STORIES, Crafted on OceanWP | Powered by SiteGround. It’s fun to give them a helping hand! Have any other questions or need advice? But, I learned to speak (semi-)comfortably and landed at a C1 (advanced) level within three months. The options are for business, travel, or for culture. They’re accurate, easy to understand, yet short and sweet. Consumers complaining about Busuu most frequently mention credit card, customer service and automatic renewal problems. Don’t know what we mean? Additionally, it appears to be great so far as learning the language should go. Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab, and easily review words and phrases from the video under Vocab. You’ll probably know what Busuu is if you’ve used Duolingo before. If you choose to go with the Busuu Premium Plus plan, you are eligible to get an official language certification. Disclosure: This Busuu review is not sponsored by the way. Up to now, I find myself prefer Busuu because it has been interesting. Reach us via WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger. Only the Busuu Premium Plus plan allows you to change and learn as many languages as you want. ), Learn How to Say Goodbye in 25+ Different Languages, Learn a Language Through Music with 6 Awesome Lyrics Sites, The Penny Pincher’s Guide to Learning Any Language for Free, The Top 8 “What Language Should I Learn” Online Quizzes, The 6 Best Sources of Language Learning Videos on the Internet. Busuu has a consumer rating of 1.36 stars from 58 reviews indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. But you’ll have a better grasp on how that word fits in a sentence as Busuu uses examples that you’ll likely use or hear in real-life!eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'nomadandinlove_com-narrow-sky-1','ezslot_15',112,'0','0'])); This is so important. If you want a downloadable app with offline availability and interactive lessons, I recommend giving the paid subscription a chance. Textbooks and classes sometimes teach us formal, often outdated language. All you have to do is choose any video that strikes your fancy to get started! Especially our reading, writing, and listening skills. We did the Busuu German course for this review, which allows you to learn German from A1 to B2 level. The extra effort that has gone into ‘gamifying’ the language learning experience really makes a big difference. Here’s a snapshot of our progress on the Busuu app. This means that you’ll pay for 3 months upfront for the 3-month subscription plan, pay 12 months upfront for the 12-month plan, and so forth. Subscribe to receive our FREE Step-by-Step Guide to learn how to use VPN to unlock the best travel deals today. A business study plan has lessons like “Talking with Your Colleagues” and “Managing a Project.” I give Busuu an A+ for providing hyper-relevant content in each lesson. My very first lesson included introductions between two French speakers and moved on to ordering food. Zero. Yes! You’ll see that we were able to complete some lessons to 100% but others not. On top of that, you can also choose which days and at what hour you want Busuu to ping you to learn. We’ve personally put in the work and hours and are proud owners of our very own German A2 level certificate. If you can find some room for it in your budget, there are definitely worse things to spend that money on! Over 100 million people love learning a new language with us – now it’s your turn! The Busuu app will then set reminders to notify you to do your lessons at those times. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'nomadandinlove_com-sky-1','ezslot_22',127,'0','0']));eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'nomadandinlove_com-sky-1','ezslot_23',127,'0','1'])); .sky-1-multi-127{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:15px !important;margin-left:0px !important;margin-right:0px !important;margin-top:15px !important;min-height:250px;min-width:250px;padding-bottom:10px !important;padding-top:10px !important;text-align:center !important;}Another con is that you can only do one language course unless you’re on the Busuu Premium Plus plan. Busuu may not be quite as well known as Babbel or Duolingo, but it is definitely one of the bigger names in language learning apps. And if you’d like to leave a comment, tweet us on Twitter. But you have to pay this amount upfront. Learning English becomes fun and easy when you learn with movie trailers, music videos, news and inspiring talks. FluentU takes real-world videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons. That’s the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for languages.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'nomadandinlove_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_3',109,'0','0'])); This is important because it means that you’ll be following a language curriculum that is valid and recognized in every European country. That said, intermediate-and-up learners would likely benefit from a more immersive experience. This is a screenshot of one of the German vocabulary lessons we did on Busuu. The official language certificate Busuu issues you are certified by McGraw-Hill Education, one of the world’s largest and most respected educational organizations. Next, you’ll pick a study plan to follow by choosing what you’re interested in learning. To be totally honest, I'm surprised at how much Livemocha in particular was recommended to me after using it myself. Comprehensive Yet Concise Grammar Explanationseval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'nomadandinlove_com-sky-2','ezslot_24',122,'0','0'])); The grammatical explanations on Busuu are simply awesome. Busuu has two premium subscription plans: Busuu Premium and Busuu Premium Plus.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'nomadandinlove_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_13',115,'0','0'])); But there are some key differences between the Busuu Premium vs Premium Plus plans. But if this post has saved you time, money or made your life easier, feel free to buy us a coffee. Related post: Can’t decide between Busuu vs Duolingo? You first choose a level (Beginner A1, Elementary A2, Intermediate B1, Upper Intermediate B2). We like that it’s easy to see what lessons come up next so you can decide whether you want to move on or review what you’ve learned on the Busuu app. All Rights Reserved. You can use FluentU’s unique adaptive quizzes to learn the vocabulary and phrases from the video through fun questions and exercises. This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you At first I was happy with the way the app worked and it functionalities however I chose to cancel my subscription 2 month before it was due to auto-renew as I couldn’t afford the upkeep after being reduced to Furlough salary, however, Busuu.com decided upon themselves to auto-renew my subscription, circa £80.00, without my consent and I am now being charged late payment charges by other provided due to Busuu… Awesome, right? We love the fact that many of these examples also teach you the cultural aspect and nuances of that particular language.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'nomadandinlove_com-leader-4','ezslot_12',113,'0','0'])); Besides learning vocabulary on the free Busuu plan, you’ll also get access to a limited selection of lessons that will help you learn grammar rules and improve your listening comprehension skills. We're here to help you plan your next adventure and show you how to travel sustainably and ethically! The first part teaches you the new word (along with a cute image to make it more memorable) and it also includes audio so you can learn how to pronounce the word. On top of that, I see that most people opt to write their social responses as opposed to speaking them. You won’t get refunded the amount for the remaining period and you’ll have access to its full language learning content till your subscription period ends. If you choose the Busuu Premium Plus plan, you also get an official certificate that will prove and validate that you achieved that particular CEFR language level. But whether a post is sponsored or not, we always share our honest opinion. Busuu is a language learning game and community that you can speak a language in 10 minutes a day. We mentioned earlier that we’re a little shy to record audio for a complete stranger. Course Review Over 1000 lessons delivered in bite-sized lessonsCovers 4 stages of CEFR, from A1 to B2 levelAvailable on iOS, Android, Web, Offline modeAvailable languages: As of Dec 2019 – 12 Languages - Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Turkish, and English Visit Website Editor Rating 3.5 Ratings Review Busuu boasts one of the biggest … While Busuu’s social aspect is one of the best features that makes this app stand out, there’s also nothing stopping people who aren’t native German speakers from correcting your German verbal recording, for example. Once you’ve got some practice in, you can even start speaking to other native speakers who also use the Busuu app. Like listening to announcements at a train station, booking flights through a travel agent, visiting attractions in Germany, or viewing an apartment. Now comes the answer to the big question: what do we honestly think about the Busuu Premium Plus plan after using it for 30 consecutive days and is it good for learning German? Another bonus is that you can go back at any time to review previous lessons on the Busuu app. The free version of Busuu is quite limited, but the paid program unlocks some cool features. That’s not all. Busuu is a social media site where you can learn a foreign language with the help of either free online resources or with a paid subscription. Plus, they also include useful tables to help you understand and memorize mind-boggling grammar rules. We’re Busuu, & we’re an app that makes learning a language easier for everyone. The social feature is awesome. If you’ve purchased the monthly subscription, you’ll now get access to advanced grammar lessons and tailored content. In my experience, they typically encourage you to write complete sentences and tell you how you can improve. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to learn to speak a language besides practicing and speaking it as often as possible. Is Busuu free? While Busuu’s social aspect is one of the best features that makes this app stand out, there’s also nothing stopping people who aren’t native German speakers from correcting your German verbal recording, for example. So after using a combination of attending German language school, Duolingo, as well as other free and creative ways to learn German online, we thought we would try Busuu Premium Plus and review it. The app is polished and professional. Prices range depending on the subscription, but the cost can still be less than if you were to pay for private lessons at a school. We’ll prove that in the next section. I knew zero Spanish when I moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina. can take anywhere. We picked ‘culture’ since we’re learning German for the purposes of moving and living abroad in Germany. Overall, the free Busuu plan is great if you just want to learn a few basic phrases for traveling or if learning the language is just a hobby. The lesson structure introduces useful dialogue straight away, pushing you to learn and practice as you go. At first glance, this app may seem like just another regular language learning tool, but it has some hidden depths. Along the same line, you’ll start receiving messages from people in the app learning your native language, so you also have the chance to respond to their written or verbal responses. Example Vocab in Busuu.com. Don’t worry. I strongly recommend Busuu for the ones who are learning languages and want to have fun at the same time because the interaction among the members worth it. Limited Pronunciation and Speaking Exercises. There is no monthly option even if you were willing to pay a higher monthly rate. The app also has a strong focus on listening to dialogues, and it gets you involved in other learners’ journeys. Busuu also provides offline lessons so you can download some extra practice and take it with you anywhere, anytime. You should definitely consider taking language courses that follow the CEFR framework. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'nomadandinlove_com-mobile-leaderboard-2','ezslot_14',116,'0','0']));The certificate comes in a digital format. The answer is both yes and no. I review the Busuu vocab lists for topics I … Busuu does give you access to native speakers to practice your speaking and writing skills. At this time, Busuu currently only offers the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, English, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Russian, Portuguese, Spanish and Turkish. The reason I willcomplain is simply because too many people might think these sites are better than what they are. You can access Busuu’s language courses directly from your phone (via the Busuu app) or log on to their website from your desktop computer. Plus, after a while, this method may get tedious. No matter what setbacks they may have, you can't really complain too much when it has a $0.00 price tag associated with it. But that only means that Busuu will not renew your next subscription. Here’s are the current prices (2021) for the Busuu Premium vs Premium Plus plans: The price difference between the Busuu Premium vs Premium Plus plan is around 15%. You get to choose grammar lessons based on your language goal (e.g., Complete French, French for Business, French for Travel, etc.). We reveal how you can save as much as 53% on hotels, flights, car rental and more. But maybe if Busuu used a combination of speech recognition software and read-out-loud exercises, it may encourage our fellow introverts to come out of their shell. Busuu gains major points for trying harder than most to get you to practice speaking—and speaking like a native—although some improvements can still be made in that aspect. Busuu is trying to change that. From popular languages like Spanish, French and English to more complex and challenging languages like Arabic, Russian and Japanese. Great Reading and Listening Exerciseseval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'nomadandinlove_com-sky-4','ezslot_27',124,'0','0'])); Many of the reading and listening exercises on Busuu are based on real-life situations too. If you’re not an absolute beginner and are serious about learning the language, then you should consider paying for the Busuu Premium plan. And if it is, will you do just fine with free Busuu, or is it worth it for you to go Premium? eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'nomadandinlove_com-portrait-1','ezslot_19',128,'0','0']));We hope you enjoyed our Busuu review! If the limited number of available languages doesn’t bother you, and if you enjoy short and fun lessons, give it a go and see if it fits your needs. Ask a question or add answers, watch video tutorials & submit own opinion about this game/app. So you’ll know if you scored enough to be awarded the language certification. And let's note that Busuu campaigned to save the Silbo Gomero!! Even Busuu’s free version offers pretty extensive content compared to other free language learning apps. You can create a study plan that’s relevant to your life . Busuu Language List. Busuu uses lessons ranging from “What Are You Up to Tonight?” to “A Day at Home” for general learning. You can, of course, cancel the plan in between. Busuu is among the better free language learning apps, although its Premium subscription adds a lot and is worth the cost. All that person needs to do is include German in their profile’s list of “languages I know.” This means that non-native English speakers can correct those learning English, and so on. It currently only offers 12 languages vs 38 on Duolingo and Rosetta Stone’s 24. If you’re studying German, an example would be Grammar Hero, which you can find our review of here. Just make sure your target language is available in their lesson bank first. At the end of the day, I recommend Busuu’s paid version if you’re serious about learning. Here’s another good example. But its effectiveness in helping you learn a new language will largely depend on you.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'nomadandinlove_com-netboard-1','ezslot_17',126,'0','0'])); Like we said, we’re a bit shy to record an audio of ourselves speaking German and prefer to use the writing option. This means that you won’t be able to submit these language certificates as part of visa submissions and applications. To make our Busuu review as comprehensive and fair as possible, multilingual Mateo and I both reviewed the resource independently before meeting up to share and compare our findings. I am learning more on Busuu than the actual class. Both the Busuu app and website are polished, professional, easy and fun to use. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe, Get regular language learning tips, resources and updates, starting with the "Complete Guide to Foreign Language Immersion" e-book, Sign up for our weekly blog newsletter for a chance to win a free FluentU Plus subscription (value $240), FluentU takes real-world videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons, download the FluentU app from the iTunes store or Google Play store, Cyber Monday 2019 Roundup: The Best Deals for Language Learners (Today Only! This ensures that you always have time for language learning! This is great for finding out which CEFR language level you should start at if you’re not an absolute beginner.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'nomadandinlove_com-narrow-sky-2','ezslot_16',119,'0','0'])); We love this feature because Busuu allows you to do placement tests again whether you’re on the free or premium Busuu plan. Download: Luckily, language apps are very accessible and easy to use. We’ll focus mostly on the Busuu Premium plan because the free version is pretty straight forward. They’ve even managed to explain confusing grammar rules (there’s plenty when you’re learning German) like when to use ‘weil’ vs ‘denn’ in a simple and clear way. Yes, because you can most certainly download the Busuu app for free and use the free plan to supplement your language learning.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'nomadandinlove_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_9',111,'0','0'])); And no because you’ll only be able to access a very limited range of Busuu’s entire language learning content with its free plan. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'nomadandinlove_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_7',166,'0','0']));The ones we did not (or rather could not) complete was because we were using the free version of Busuu before we finally upgraded to the premium plan. As we’ve outlined in this review, Busuu has a great reputation, and it’s regarded as one of the best language learning platforms. Our German app’s Grammar Review and Vocabulary Review ensure you learn German vocabulary in phrases and understand how to structure them in sentences. Probably one of the biggest advantages of learning German online is that you can go at your own pace. There aren’t many languages available, and you only get to learn one in the free version. After sunset (usually between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.) we say bonsoir (good evening).”. James: I had one earlier connection with the German language a few years back that was not very effective. But that’s as far as the similarities go. You can study at the moment 12 different languages including Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Turkish, Polish, Spanish, French, German and so on. It may seem like a big commitment to make, even for the Busuu Premium 3-month subscription. Currently, the courses are available for learning English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, Chinese, Polish, Japanese, Arabic, Turkish and Russian. They spam people with links to Rocket German which has (in my opinion) caused major damage to the reputation of the company. But the pros are that the prices are really reasonable and you’ll probably be more committed to learning a new language when you know you’ve paid for a certain period. Besides the easy-to-follow and clear structure, we find it really helpful that each language lesson builds on what you already know, rather than just random and unrelated lessons. Avoid Learn to speak German with Busuu hack cheats for your own safety, choose our tips and advices confirmed by pro players, testers and users like you. What’s more, it’s simultaneously fun and poetic, expressive and logical, and incredibly useful. Whereas for other free language learning apps (like Duolingo), you can only do a placement test at the beginning of the language course if you’re not a premium subscriber. Although there’s a free version, it limits you to just one language, and most of the learning is done through digital flashcards. Busuu Review: Is it Worth Paying for Busuu Premium Plus for Learning German? Busuu vs Duolingo. But these language certificates do not have the same weight as those issued by IELTS, TOEFL or TestDaF. The first thing you’ll do when you join Busuu is complete a placement test. The premium plan allows you to access a whole lot more language learning content and is worth paying for.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'nomadandinlove_com-leader-3','ezslot_11',114,'0','0'])); Besides vocabulary flashcards, you also get access to all the grammar lessons and exercises, audio dialogues to improve your listening skills, reading and writing exercises, quizzes, and access to the Busuu community where they connect you to native speakers who will give you feedback on your speaking and writing skills. While I think their digital flashcards aren’t bad, this type of memorization makes it very easy to answer correctly without actually internalizing the language. Other apps and even in-person classes rely on cringe-worthy content like “the apple is red” and “Juanita is a woman” to teach you grammar. Anyone willing to give this app a try can benefit from it, but it’ll work best for a few certain types of profiles. It’s true that Busuu doesn’t offer as many language courses as some of the other language learning platforms. If we compared the cost of Busuu Premium vs Duolingo, the prices are similar but you get way more value with the language learning content on Busuu.