{"id":168972,"date":"2023-06-19T18:12:56","date_gmt":"2023-06-19T22:12:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/learn-english-by-chatting\/"},"modified":"2025-02-04T09:44:29","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T14:44:29","slug":"learn-english-by-chatting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/english\/learn-english-by-chatting\/","title":{"rendered":"Best English Chatting Apps for Learners"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you’re a shy person, it can feel much easier to read an English book<\/a> or watch TV in English<\/a> than to speak in English.\u00a0Even if you’re a highly social person, it can be scary to speak in a totally new language.<\/p>\n

Online chatting is the solution: It’s a fun, friendly way to learn English from real native speakers. You can type or video chat, exercising multiple skills. You can often expect to pick up English slang<\/a> or cultural insights from your new chat partners.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

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WhatsApp<\/a><\/h2>\n

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What is it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

WhatsApp is a free SMS service that connects you with people all over the world. You can use it on your mobile device or computer. Chatting options include video chat or text message, so you can practice speaking, typing and even pick up some English internet slang.<\/p>\n

Simply download the WhatsApp app to get started. It works just like an instant messaging platform.<\/p>\n

How it can help:<\/strong><\/p>\n

While it wasn’t designed for language learners, WhatsApp is very helpful for finding English chat partners. The best way to start chatting is to find a public WhatsApp group for language learners.<\/p>\n

Do you have classmates in your English class that you’d like to practice with? WhatsApp is also a perfect platform for you all to connect. The program allows you to organize groups based on topic and continue conversations that were started on your mobile device on your computer.<\/p>\n

Best of all, WhatsApp has a feature that lets you record voice messages\u2014a great way to practice your pronunciation skills, or use a word you don’t know how to spell in English.<\/p>\n

HelloTalk<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"hellotalkWhat is it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

HelloTalk is a language exchange platform you can use to chat with native English speakers and ask questions about the language.\u00a0<\/p>\n

How can it help:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not only can you add friends on HelloTalk, but you can also post “Moments” and interact with posts made by your HelloTalk friends. This will help you see the language used in a more natural context through posts made by native English speakers.<\/p>\n

Another great feature of HelloTalk is that you can translate what you want to say or a message you have received, allowing you to keep the conversations going.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For more information about HelloTalk, click here<\/a> to see our review.<\/p>\n

Tandem<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"tandem-logo\"<\/a>What is it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tandem is a platform you can use for language exchanges with native English speakers.<\/p>\n

How it can help:<\/strong><\/p>\n

As soon as your profile has been verified, you can start looking for a language partner from the many available on this platform and begin your language exchange.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On Tandem, you can meet native English speakers and use a range of methods like text messages, audio and video calls to practice English with your language partner. If you’d like to practice your speaking and listening skills with multiple people, you could also join the “Language Parties.”<\/p>\n

You can even search for a language partner based on location, meaning that you could potentially find a language exchange partner in your own city.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to read our full Tandem review.<\/p>\n

Speaky<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"speaky\"<\/a>What is it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Speaky is another free language learning community. It offers audio and video chat features.<\/p>\n

How it can help:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Speaky is a “social network” for language learners. Once you create a profile and specify that you’re learning English, you’ll be connected with native English speakers who are learning your native language. Through chat, you can help each other.<\/p>\n

Since you’re both learning, it removes much of the pressure to be perfect in your target language.<\/p>\n

italki<\/a><\/h2>\n

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What is it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

italki is a popular language learning website where you can find informal language exchange partners. italki is also known for its certified online language tutors.<\/p>\n

How it can help:<\/strong><\/p>\n

While you do have to pay for the teaching and tutoring services, italki also has a free community where you can read articles written by italki teachers and participate in free language exchanges with other learners. Just go to the language partners page and browse users based on the language they’re learning, where they’re from, their gender and more.<\/p>\n

Looking to improve your writing as well? italki also has a feature where you can keep a journal in your target language and native English speakers will correct your writing.<\/p>\n

See our full review of italki here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Why Chatting is Great for English Learners<\/h2>\n

English speaking skills can be very difficult for students to master\u2014and it’s not hard to see why. We may feel uncomfortable about speaking incorrectly. We may worry that strangers are judging us, or looking to pounce on every little mistake.<\/p>\n

We do what we can to blend into conversations with native speakers. For example, we use movies and series to teach us common expressions and work on our pronunciation. And when the English-language videos are hard to follow, subtitles are very handy. For the biggest benefit, find a program that gives you both! FluentU might be able to help with this.<\/p>\n

FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n

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You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a><\/i>\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n \"FluentU\r\n

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