Learning Languages Online is Easy With the New LingQ Browser Extensions!
Elle
28th Mar 17 10:05 am
Learning languages online opens you up to a world of new blogs, news sites, TV shows, books, movies and more. Having the goal of watching a movie or reading a whole blog post and understanding everything in your target language is awesome, but what about using that content to actually learn from?
The LingQ Chrome, Safari and Firefox browser extensions let you do just that! Find something you want to read in your new language and use the extension to grab it and instantly turn it into a lesson on LingQ.
Here’s a quick tutorial on how to use the Chrome extension.
So easy, right?! Now that you have the LingQ Chrome extension and you know how to use it, wouldn’t it be awesome to get some tips on places to find great content online? Check this out! (sorry if your language isn’t here ☹️)
English
Voice of America English News
This multimedia source of news and information includes audio programs and captioned videos that are written using vocabulary at the intermediate and upper-beginner level. Programs are read one-third slower than normal English speed. Online texts, MP3s and podcasts let learners read, listen and learn American English and much more. Great resource for news junkies!
The Distance Podcast
The Distance is a podcast by startup Basecamp about longevity in business, featuring the stories of businesses that have endured for at least 25 years and the people who got them there. Most recordings include transcripts. Great resource for budding entrepreneurs!
Agenda Web
The Agenda Web’s 100 Classic Audio Books list is awesome! Full texts with audio, and all books that those “Books To Read Before You Die” articles are telling you to check off your list. These being classics, they’re mostly for intermediate and advanced learners. Great resource for literature lovers!
Swedish
8 Sidor
This news site is perfect for Swedish learners looking to get bite-sized news servings in simple Swedish. There is also audio to go with the news stories. Bra! Great resource for news junkies!
Kulturbloggen
Whether you’re into live music, the latest novels or the next big theatre production, this blog has something for you. Articles focus on what is popular in Sweden, and so it’s a great place to learn more about the country the awesome Swedish language comes from. Great resource for culture vultures! (are we still saying that?)
SwedishPod101
This awesome resource is free to sign up for and offers video and audio lessons with transcripts and vocabulary lists. Content is organized by level and there are lots of different Sweden-related topics. Great resource for Swedophiles!
Spanish
BBC Mundo
BBC Mundo is a news site in easy-to-understand Spanish – an excellent way to practice reading Spanish. It also includes video and audio news clips in Spanish. Great resource for news junkies!
El Comidista
If you love whipping up delights in the kitchen, you’ll love this blog by Mikel López Iturriaga, a journalist who’s passion is cooking, and his team. There are recipes, articles and videos on all kinds of delicious treats. You could spend a whole afternoon on this site, so watch out. Great resource for foodies!
Destinos
Destinos is a Spanish soap opera that immerses students in everyday situations with native speakers and introduces the cultures, accents, and dialects of Mexico, Spain, Argentina, and Puerto Rico. That’s right, you can watch cheesy soap operas without feeling guilty! Great resource for guilty pleasure seekers!
Japanese
NHK News Web Easy
Short and simple stories? Check. Accompanying audio? Check. Perfect LingQ lesson material! If the easy section is too, well, easy for you, you can switch to the regular News Web site and give the longer and more advanced articles a try. Great resource for news junkies!
Erin’s Challenge
The content on Erin’s Challenge is based on the DVD series of the same name. The character Erin is an exchange student who goes to Japan knowing a little Japanese. You learn with her and pick up Japanese expressions and cultural norms. Great resource for visual learners!
NHK for School
These courses for Japanese high school students are perfect for studying the language. Learn about Japanese history, geography and calligraphy all while brushing up on your nihongo. Great for intermediate to advanced learners!
Chinese
Chinese Rutgers
This website contains 35 lessons (dialogue transcript and audio) and each one contains a vocabulary list and grammar notes. Great resource for beginners!
Chinese Reading Practice
As the title suggests, this is a great reading resource for Chinese learners. There are so many genres to choose from: stories, essays, poems, songs, jokes, news articles, book reviews and the list goes on. Great resource for literature lovers!
The New York Times in Chinese
This site is for the more advanced Chinese learner. The New York Times is known for it’s hard-hitting news and well-written articles, so expect difficult vocabulary and complex structures. Great resource for advanced learners!
French
News in Slow French
The articles on News in Slow French contain text and audio and each one includes a vocabulary list and grammar notes. Great resource for news junkies!
Cuisine a la Francaise
The French are known for their cuisine, so why not learn to cook some French recipes while you learn French? Cuisine a la Francaise is packed with delectable dishes like breaded camembert, grilled monkfish and plum tart. Great resource for foodies!
Radio France Internationale
This is a great resource for learners who have a strong grasp of the language. Each news item includes a transcript and audio, and topics include business, health, science society and more. Great resource for advanced learners!
Russian
Russian for Free
The Learn Russian with Texts page on Russian for Free contains a number of beginner, intermediate and advanced texts all with accompanying audio. Great resource for literature learners!
Russian Lessons
Twenty short stories on topics like Russian history, military and weddings. Great resource for Russophiles!
Echo of Moscow
This radio program is a gem for Russian learners. Echo of Moscow, known by many as “the last bastion of free speech in Russia”, is a treasure trove of news, analysis of current affairs, cultural, historical and interactive programmes. Great resource for advanced learners!
German
German.net
Easy and engaging texts to practice and develop your German reading and comprehension skills. The texts on German.net are written by experienced German language instructors. Great resource for beginners!
Slow German
Slow German offers texts with audio on all kinds of German-centric topics: German wine, getting a driver’s license in Germany, Oktoberfest and lots more. Great resource for Germanophiles!
Deutsch Lernen
More suited to advanced learners, Duetsch Lernen features daily (from Monday to Saturday) current news from Deutsche Welle, Germany’s public international broadcaster. The stories are read slowly and in addition to the audio file for downloading (MP3), there is also the complete text to read along to. Great resource for news junkies!