I'm finally 'fluent' in 5 languages, thanks to this underrated smartphone app
Android Police 2026-07-01 12:15:10
Context: The author, Oluwaniyi Raji, a tech content specialist, shares his experience of becoming fluent in five languages using the underrated smartphone app Pimsleur. He previously used Duolingo but found it ineffective and frustrating due to its gamification features. Raji discovered Pimsleur's audio-first language learning approach, which helped him improve his language skills and hold real conversations in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Japanese, and Mandarin.
Key Facts
- The author, Oluwaniyi Raji, kept a Duolingo streak going for almost two years but didn't see significant improvement in his language skills and eventually quit due to frustration with the app's gamification features and constant notifications.
- Pimsleur's method, developed by Dr. Paul Pimsleur in the 1960s, focuses on audio-first learning, using listening, repetition, and recall to help learners pick up languages, rather than reading and grammar drills.
- A study led by researcher Roumen Vesselinov found that 83% of beginners who completed all 30 lessons of Pimsleur Spanish Level 1 improved their oral proficiency by at least one American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) level after eight weeks.
- Pimsleur's app offers 30-minute lessons that fit into a commute or busywork, focusing on core vocabulary, everyday speech, and grammar through context, with a practical approach that removes unnecessary features.
- The author has been using Pimsleur for over a year and has become fluent in Spanish, French, and Portuguese, and has also had success with Japanese and Mandarin, which he attributes to the app's effective audio-first learning approach.