Babbel Language Course Review – Is it worth it?
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Introduction
Anybody interested in learning a language will undoubtedly have heard of Babbel. Their advertising is seemingly everywhere, and they’re a popular sponsor of podcasts and YouTube videos. But how does it compare to other well-known language courses such as Rosetta Stone and Duolingo? I signed up to find out whether Babbel was worth using as a serious language-learning tool.
Please note, the following is a review of Babbel’s Spanish course. Although the content for each language will vary, Babbel applies the same teaching method across all of its courses.
What is Babbel?
Babbel is a popular language-learning program and mobile application. The company aims to get you speaking your new language as quickly as possible. It does this by teaching new vocabulary and providing examples of their use in everyday conversations. The program reintroduces learned words at regular intervals using spaced repetition. This helps to solidify these words within your long-term memory.
At the time of writing, it is available in 13 languages, including French, German, Russian, and Indonesian.
How it works?
Lesson Structure
Babbel groups its lessons based on knowledge level. It has sections labelled as newcomer, beginner, intermediate, and so on. It then divides these sections into lessons that focus on particular scenarios and themes. An example of this would be introducing yourself or ordering at a restaurant. Each subject is then split into three units – two learning units and one final review unit.
The lessons teach the vocabulary required for each topic. On top of this, it does a great job of showing you how the language works. I appreciated the effort taken to explain these complex grammar rules. As a native English Speaker, I found the explanations delivered in a way I could easily understand. With other programs, I’d often be left with a list of grammar-related questions. I’d then spend hours googling and looking for answers. I didn’t have this trouble with Babbel.
Lesson Activities
Babbel lessons involve a variety of tasks. I’ve outlined a few of the key ones below:
Introduction to new vocabulary – At the start of each lesson, Babbel introduces a selection of key vocabulary. The program does this by displaying sentences with pictures to help you memorise them. You’ll then be asked to either select the correct answer from a line-up or to type the main words from each sentence. Sometimes, it will ask you to do both.
Filling the blanks – Fill in the blank space within a sample sentence. This usually involves inputting the correct verb, noun or adjective. Verbs have a stem and an ending, and while they often follow patterns, many are also irregular. Babbel helps you learn these by testing you using different sentence examples. This is excellent for learning Spanish, where verb conjugations can be one of the hardest elements to grasp.
Matching the items – This can be anything from matching pronouns to their correct verb conjugations, to pairing the answers to the correct questions.
Listening exercises – Here’s where you listen to native speakers verbalise the words you’ve learned in the preceding sections. Babbel will then test you on these by asking you to type what’s been said into the program.
Complete the dialogue – One of my favourite activities is the dialogue training sections. This involves a voice-acted conversation, with the dialogue displayed on the screen but with certain words or phrases left blank. You then have to input the correct word using your newly acquired vocabulary. This is incredibly beneficial for learning how to use a word in everyday conversation.
At the end of each lesson, you’re given a score and the option to correct any mistakes you’ve made.
Review Feature
Babbel uses a sophisticated review feature. This feature takes the words you’ve learned throughout the entire course and tests you at regular intervals. If you get a word wrong it will test you on it more often. If you get the answer correct, there is a longer period of time before you are tested on it again. Each word or phrase has its own “knowledge level” which progresses as you show proficiency.
This is great because spaced repetition is proven to help people learn languages. You can conduct review sections in the following formats – flashcards, listening, speaking or writing.
Mobile app
Babbel designed its program to be convenient and this is evident when using the app. You can download lessons to your phone, ready to use in places where you can’t access the internet, such as a plane. I love that I’m able to switch between learning in browser mode and on the mobile app. Babbel continuously syncs your progress between these two mediums.
Live classes
A more recent addition to Babbel’s offering is live classes. By signing up for a Babbel Live subscription, learners are offered the opportunity to attend an unlimited amount of online classes. Much like the course content, classes are structured around a particular topic with a pdf provided before each lesson.
There are two subscription types, one focused on group classes and another for private one-on-one lessons with a teacher. Group classes are limited to a maximum of six people, and anyone with a private subscription is still able to join the group sessions.
It’s important to note that currently, only a small number of languages support live classes. These include German, Spanish French and Italian.
What I like about Babbel
The best thing about Babbel is that it introduces useful phrases from the very first lesson. This means you’re able to use the vocabulary you learn right away. People are often unsure whether to use Babbel or Duolingo, and this appears the main difference between the two. With Duolingo, it’s not uncommon to find yourself learning bizarre phrases that you’d never use in real life. Google Images is full of ridiculous examples such as “their monkey drinks milk” or “I am the cheese”. Luckily, you won’t find sentences like these in Babbel.
Another thing I like is that the lessons are split into bite-size chunks, making it easy to feel a sense of accomplishment. This is great because learning a little each day is more beneficial than doing an hour or two once a week. This is known as massed vs distributed practice. Of course, you’re free to spend as much time on the program as you want, but it is the frequency of learning that is the key to progression. Babbel understands this and is ready to fit into whatever time you have available.
This brings me to another point. Babbel isn’t just for beginners. When you join the program you have the option of taking an assessment which will place you at an appropriate point in the course. This is great for anyone who’s learned a language in the past and wants to pick up where they left off.
What I feel needs improvement
One key area in which Babbel could improve is gamification. The lessons could be a little more fun and addictive. This is the only area where I feel Duolingo outperforms Babbel.
Another improvement could be in the review feature. Each time you use this section you have to pick how you want to review – flashcards, listening, speaking or writing exercises. Each session is then in units of ten questions. I would love it if I was able to mix these formats up, so I could combine them in the same session. It would also be great if I could extend the number of questions to more than ten, to keep a better flow.
Is Babbel worth the money?
Definitely yes! Babbel is reasonably priced compared to other language learning programs. They also offer discounts for signing up for longer periods. This shouldn’t be a problem for anyone committed to learning a new language.
Conclusion
Babbel’s language courses provide a great way to learn in a structured and well-designed environment. The content is ideal for both newcomers and for those who already have some knowledge of a language. The Babbel app is great to use on the go, and the browser version is a breeze.
The best thing about Babbel is the programs focus on achieving a conversational level in the shortest possible timeframe. Because of this, it teaches you the vocabulary you actually need. I found Babbel to be a fantastic starting point in my Spanish language learning journey. And having now tried a variety of programs, this is without a doubt one of the best.
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