What’s the Best French Android App? Meet 14 Heavyweights in the Google Play Store
There are a ton of French Android apps to choose from.
Today I’ll present my favorite 14 French learning apps for Android that cover all the bases.
You’ll find apps here that teach all French language skills, including free, offline and totally innovative options.
Contents
- Drops: Visual Vocab Practice
- Learn French Offline: French Survival Kit
- Mondly: Conversation Practice
- Quizlet: Lightning Fast Vocab Memorization
- Radios France: Hundreds of French Radio Stations
- Tandem: Connections to Native French Speakers
- Bravolol: Essential Words at Your Fingertips
- Le Conjugueur: Reference Guide of French Verbs
- Frantastique: Personalized French Lessons
- Dr French: Nonstop Grammar Practice
- Larousse: Thousands of Reputable Definitions
- Brainscape: French Learning Backed by Science
- Clozemaster: Context-based Vocabulary Practice
- How Not to Burn Out on French Android Apps
- And one more thing...
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Drops: Visual Vocab Practice
Drops is a popular vocabulary practice app that helps you learn French without relying on English translations. This, in turn, makes it easier to start thinking fully in French.
Each lesson presents you with different images, or “drops,” and you have to guess the French word by swiping in a variety of ways. Sometimes you have to swipe the entire word, and other times parts of the word.
Drops is a great complement to traditional learning methods, because it provides lessons in five-minute sessions. Perfect for your commute! Drops is great for both beginner learners who want to build vocabulary quickly and for intermediate/advanced learners who want to augment or review what they know.
Other sites use scripted content. FluentU uses a natural approach that helps you ease into the French language and culture over time. You’ll learn French as it’s actually spoken by real people.
FluentU has a wide variety of great content, like interviews and web series, as you can see here:
FluentU brings native videos within reach with interactive subtitles.
You can tap on any word to look it up instantly. Every definition has examples that have been written to help you understand how the word is used.
For example, if you tap on the word "crois," you'll see this:
Practice and reinforce all the vocabulary you've learned in a given video with FluentU's adaptive quizzes. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning and play the mini-games found in the dynamic flashcards, like "fill in the blank."
As you study, FluentU tracks the vocabulary that you’re learning and uses this information to give you a 100% personalized experience.
It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned.
Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)
Learn French Offline: French Survival Kit
I understand that not everyone has a boundless data plan that gives them online app access wherever they are. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use Android apps to learn French.
For the internet-challenged, I present Learn French Offline, a repository of useful survival information including essential French vocabulary and phrases, covering everything from basic greetings to emergency situations.
Although designed for travelers, Learn French Offline can be useful for any learner (especially those without huge data plans, like we mentioned). It’s great for beginners who want to learn essential vocabulary, but it should be used alongside grammar lessons so that you understand why the phrases are structured the way they are.
Also, since every word or phrase is pronounced by a native speaker, you get great listening and pronunciation practice as well.
Mondly: Conversation Practice
Mondly is a well-known app for language lessons. What makes Mondly different from the rest is its use of a chatbot for French conversation practice. This way, you can learn phrases and vocabulary from the app, pronounced by native speakers, and then practice what you learn with the bot.
Mondly even has a virtual reality feature that lets you practice realistic French dialogues and conversations.
Apart from the conversation practice, Mondly has free daily lessons that don’t take long and let you see your improvement over time with statistics compiled from weekly and monthly quizzes.
For example, words and phrases are presented by category, such as travel or work, and each category has lessons where you need to swipe the correct word based on a picture. Another interesting feature is the grammar practice where you need to put sentences in the correct word order.
Quizlet: Lightning Fast Vocab Memorization
No list of language Android apps would be complete without mentioning Quizlet, one of the most popular learning tools generally. Quizlet does just what it says: it lets you create matching and memorization quizzes about any subject.
If you’re thinking you don’t want to spend the time creating your own learning material, no problem! You can use Quizlet quizzes and games that were already made by other users. There are over 500 ready-made French quizzes and memory games for you to choose from.
Quizlet is great for all levels of French learners because so many vocabulary topics are covered. In addition, you can make your own categories and share them with others!
Quizlet also helps with pronunciation because the vocabulary words often come with audio from native speakers.
Radios France: Hundreds of French Radio Stations
Not all French Android apps are designed specifically for learners. After all, native speakers have their needs, too! But that doesn’t mean that we can’t learn from other types of French apps. I introduce Radios France, a lightweight and free Android app that lets you tune into hundreds of radio stations all over France.
Based on my experience using Radios France, it’s without a doubt one of the best ways to practice listening.
Radios France is great for intermediate to advanced learners who are capable of understanding spoken French outside of a learning context. The accents are diverse and spoken at normal speeds for native speakers. You can also save your favorite stations to find them easily.
Radios France is great for squeezing in French practice during the workday, because you can download it and listen at any time. You might just want to listen during breaks if you can’t always concentrate on spoken French throughout the day. Keep this up over the months and your listening comprehension will greatly improve.
Tandem: Connections to Native French Speakers
Tandem helps you find French language exchange partners for online chatting. You can do video calls, audio calls or text chatting. The idea is to connect with a French speaker who’s learning your native language, so that you both benefit.
Users can correct text messages using built-in tools, which gives you real-time feedback on your grammar, vocabulary and writing skills. In my opinion, Tandem is great for all levels because you can always find language exchange partners at your level—users’ language levels are posted on their profiles.
If you want to take your learning up a notch, Tandem can also connect you with professional tutors for one-on-one lessons. The lessons can be as short as 15 minutes, making it easy to find time.
Bravolol: Essential Words at Your Fingertips
Bravolol is basically a database of essential French words and phrases for travelers, but it works well for French language beginners as long as you’re also using other resources to learn French.
The words are clearly categorized into logical groups such as “basic greetings.” You can choose the word or phrase you’re looking for in English and then see it in French. You’ll also get an authentic pronunciation to imitate.
You can even record your voice and compare it to a native pronunciation of a word or phrase.
Le Conjugueur: Reference Guide of French Verbs
The majority of French android apps focus on vocabulary and pronunciation, but some, such as Le Conjugueur, give us grade-A grammar resources.
Need to conjugate a French verb? Just type it into Le Conjugueur’s search box and you’ll get all the verb forms for different tenses and moods. You can also find the infinitive of a verb from its conjugated form, or check for errors in your conjugations.
There are nearly 9,000 verbs available and Le Conjuguer works offline.
Although primarily a reference resource, Le Conjugeur also has built-in exercises to help you practice as well as a verb-of-the-day feature.
If you’re an intermediate or advanced speaker, Le Conjugeur gives you a quick reference on-the-go so that you can always write correctly.
Frantastique: Personalized French Lessons
Frantastique provides 10- to 15-minute daily lessons that cater specifically to you.
You receive the lessons straight to the app (or you can get them emailed to you). The apps are adapted to your level and learning goals, with exercises to complete. After you do the lesson, you’ll receive results and corrections with explanations.
This type of individualized learning is extremely efficient and motivating. Plus, along with the lessons, you receive funny French stories to keep you interested while learning French cultural references.
There’s even a Frantastique course specifically for business French, which is great for professionals learning the language for work.
Dr French: Nonstop Grammar Practice
If you are looking for an app that gives you 100% grammar practice, look no further than Dr French! With over 240 lessons containing 700 exercises, Dr French is a great method to improve your grammar over several months.
The concept is simple: you read the lesson, then you complete the exercises. The lessons are organized according to topic, but the app will also suggest lessons based on your performance.
Being able to practice grammar structures right after you learn them helps them stick in your memory, and is much more effective than simply reading the rules.
You can access Dr French offline, making it a great grammar app for your commute. Dr French is great for learners of any level because French grammar is covered from beginning to advanced topics.
Larousse: Thousands of Reputable Definitions
Take the most comprehensive English-French dictionary with you anywhere you go so that you can always make yourself understood. Once the app is on your Android device, you won’t need an internet connection to access Larousse’s 250,000 words and phrases, 400,000 translations and pronunciations for hundreds of thousands of words.
In addition to vocabulary, the Larousse English-French dictionary offers example sentences and complete conjugations for verbs. This is a great reference resource for any level of French learner.
Brainscape: French Learning Backed by Science
Brainscape has developed a French learning method called Intelligent Cumulative Exposure. Basically, the idea is that you should learn French in small increments, focusing on one concept at a time. The Brainscape app has been developed by scientists at Columbia and Yale for mobile learners.
You’ll learn at your pace, reinforcing previously learned concepts until you build up confidence. Unlike many other learning methods, Brainscape avoids immersion, explaining universal grammar concepts in English before doing anything else. Then, real world French examples are used for lessons.
If you’ve never taken a French class before, Brainscape is worth a try thanks to its course-like structure. Lesson features include audio, vocabulary memorization, writing practice and more.
Clozemaster: Context-based Vocabulary Practice
The concept with this French Android app is simple: fill in the missing word for a variety of sentences.
If you’ve taken standardized language exams before, you may have seen “cloze” activities, where you have to fill in the missing word or phrase based on context. That’s exactly what Clozemaster aims to do: teach you French vocabulary based on context and not by providing the translation.
Unlike other French vocabulary apps that focus on lists and flashcards, Clozemaster focuses exclusively on these interactive exercises to learn vocabulary.
The words Clozemaster teaches are based on frequency lists, which provide the most-used words in a given language. That way, you know you’re focusing on relevant vocabulary.
You can upgrade to Clozemaster Pro to access the text-to-speech feature for pronunciation practice. Clozemaster is best for intermediate learners who’ve already had some exposure to French grammar and sentence structure.
How Not to Burn Out on French Android Apps
Lots of people get addicted to a new French Android app for a week but then eventually get bored or burnt out on practicing. Here’s how to prevent that from happening so you truly get the most out of your French Android learning experience.
- Use a variety of French apps. This is a no-brainer, but important to remember. Just like how you need to use lots of different resources to learn French traditionally, you need several apps to stay interested and to cover all your bases.
As we’ll see below, there are lots of great French learning apps for Android, covering everything from quizzes to vocabulary practice to language exchanges. The only limit is your phone’s memory!
- Make a habit of opening French apps during your downtime. More than other learning methods, French apps lend themselves well to those times that you don’t have much else to do. For example, if you commute to work on a train, breaking out a book and notes might be cumbersome, but learning from apps on your phone is a cinch.
This habit makes French Android learning convenient and natural, as you won’t need to carve any extra time out of your schedule.
- Make extensive use of the free features. Although some of the best French Android apps require paid subscriptions, many will still offer limited free versions or free features that you can take advantage of.
Learning French doesn’t have to break the bank. Plus, the free features give you a chance to try out an app without risk and decide whether you’d like to eventually upgrade to the full version.
There’s no on-off switch when learning French. Language learning is an immersive experience, and with French Android apps you don’t have to stop learning just because life gets in the way. If you want to become fluent, understand that every moment counts and downloading the above resources is a great way to keep pushing ahead.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
And one more thing...
If you like learning French on your own time and from the comfort of your smart device, then I'd be remiss to not tell you about FluentU.
FluentU has a wide variety of great content, like interviews, documentary excerpts and web series, as you can see here:
FluentU brings native French videos with reach. With interactive captions, you can tap on any word to see an image, definition and useful examples.
For example, if you tap on the word "crois," you'll see this:
Practice and reinforce all the vocabulary you've learned in a given video with learn mode. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning, and play the mini-games found in our dynamic flashcards, like "fill in the blank."
All throughout, FluentU tracks the vocabulary that you’re learning and uses this information to give you a totally personalized experience. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned.
Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)
