7 Ways to Learn a Language Effectively with AI
Learning a new language is an exciting endeavor. You get to expose yourself to new cultures, people and places. But, we all know that becoming proficient in a language, nevermind fluent, is really tough. It takes grit. It takes creativity. It takes the right use of the right resources.
Recent advancements in AI are changing what’s possible with language learning. No longer do you need to study abroad to create an immersive experience. It’s all accessible on your phone, or laptop. At Borne, we think it’s a golden era of being able learn a language effectively now with AI language learning apps!
Here’s how to make the most of AI in your language learning journey.
1. Get Busy Speaking the Language!
How do I learn to speak Spanish? It’s a common question with a simple answer. You need to practice speaking Spanish! There’s really no substitute for practicing conversing to prepare you for what to say in a conversation with a native speaker. Talking to language tutors who are native speakers is fantastic, and still is, but it adds up if you’re using it regularly (which you need to) and it’s pretty inconvenient to not be able to practice on-demand. That’s where conversational AI is a game changer, in our view. You’re able to get busy speaking the language you want to learn with an AI tutor that’s affordable and that’s available 24/7!
Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.
– Benjamin Franklin
2. Wash, Rinse, Repeat.
When you’re learning a language, repetition matters, especially for vocabulary and grammar. You make mistakes, you learn, you make the mistake again, you learn again. Eventually, you don’t make that same mistake. These patterns become more familiar after a while, but it’s thanks to practice and repetition. A lot of people don’t enjoy learning languages because traditional methods of repetition get boring quickly. It’s just hard to feel fired up to flip to that next flash card, if you’ve just reviewed 50 flash cards!
AI offers us a better way. When we interact with other people, there’s a lack of predictability that makes the learning process more engaging and, frankly, fun. AI is predictable in some respects, but, with the right prompt, it can feel a lot like you’re interacting with your favorite human language tutor. Language tutors like Borne provide us with this same blend of repetition with variety that we get with other humans, helping us master a language without getting bored along the way!
3. Learn What You Love!
We all have that favorite class in school, where you didn’t have to exert any effort but you still remember a lot of details. You learned, and it’s because you were learning something you enjoy. So often in language learning, we’re doing role play, practicing ordering food or buying a train ticket. The reality is it’s awesome to do that when you’re ordering paella in Valencia or buying a train ticket at Gare du Nord, but it’s uninspiring when you’re sitting in a classroom with no windows!
An AI language partner like Borne lets you learn a language while exploring topics that interest you. We didn’t write any rigid lesson plans, but instead created a platform that gives you the freedom to learn about the things that inspire you. That’s what’s going to keep you coming back to practice learning. Sure, you need to learn some basic words and phrases to get situated. But, having the freedom to dig in to your passions is what we, and our AI tutor Borne, all want.
4. Speak like a Native!
Nobody wants to sound like a robot when speaking a language. No offense, Borne! We can all picture the tourist sounding robotic when he or she is finally set loose in a foreign country on a trip, ready to show off their hard-fought language skills. Textbooks are great for learning vocabulary and grammar rules. But, we’ve all experienced that feeling of thinking you know a language well until you hear native speakers talking to each other and you’re like, what…?
Well, the reality is there are a lot of idioms in languages that don’t make literal sense. There’s slang. There are just less formal ways to say things. This has always had to come from humans, but the reality is that AI language tutors can teach you idioms and slang unique to different countries to make you sound more like a native speaker. The goal is to make you sound less like the guy with a fanny pack taking pictures of the Eiffel Tower and more like Antonio Banderas at the Cannes Film Festival.
5. Get Feedback and Get Better.
We’re all a bit self-conscious when we start speaking a new language. You might know what you’re saying isn’t perfect, but you can also tell that the person you’re speaking with gets what you mean. Ok, great, the point you were trying to make went through, but you still wonder what wasn’t right about what you said, and the person you said it to didn’t give any feedback.
Well, we’ve all had this happen on a study abroad or on our travels, but wouldn’t it have been nice if that person had kindly suggested rephrasing your sentence to make it a little more clear and less awkward? It rarely happens with a human, unless it’s a tutor. With AI language learning apps like Borne, you can actually click on any text you say and get direct feedback on how you might have been able to say something better. Or, you might have said it perfect, which is also great to know!
6. Make it Fun, Like a Game.
You’ve got to consistently practice to really learn a language. Memorization gets boring pretty quickly, so do grammar exercises! Games are fun. A good game will draw you in, and we want to be drawn in when we’re trying something hard like learning a language. That’s why gamification, a popular feature in AI language learning apps like Borne, is so great. It pulls you in to learn, instead of making you feel like you have to study. These gamified features, like daily streaks, make you want to stay committed and make you feel accomplished. They do this like a well-designed game, encouraging consistent practice.
7. Prepare for the Real World.
Sure, streaks and rewards are great. Duolingo has showed us that gamifying language learning really does help in getting us to show up each day. But, you don’t get two or three options on a screen when someone asks you a question in Portuguese in Brazil and a ding when you select the right answer. You have to understand what that person said, which may involve phrases they don’t teach in textbooks, and then create a response, all in a matter of seconds.
This comes from practice, where it all becomes almost hard wired in your brain. And, if you’re not living in the country or with someone who speaks the language you’re trying to learn, it comes from simulations real-world interactions! AI language learning apps like Borne help to bridge this gap between traditional learning methods and real-world interactions through simulations and adventures in a way that wasn’t really possible before.
How Can I Really Learn a Language with AI?
To get the most of these new tools, you have to be thoughtful about which to use, and how you’ll integrate them in your day-to-day. Let’s recap what we’ve found to be how to use AI language learning apps to learn a language effectively in 2025:
Get Active: AI tools aren’t supposed to be a passive learning tool. They force you to get in the game. You’ll work your brain more as a result, but that’s part of what’s making you better.
Explore What You Want: Forget what you feel like you should learn. Learn what you want to learn. You’ll work at it more, and get better as a result. The AI has your back, and will be flexible
Stick with It: You’ve got to be consistent. Set push notifications to send you reminders at times when you might have a free 10 to 15 minutes to practice. These small time windows add up!
Embrace Mistakes: Mistakes are a part of the learning process. Don’t shy away from errors or messing up, the AI doesn’t judge! Take its feedback, and get better with it.
Also, be sure to check out our 8 Virtual Immersion Strategies to Empower Language Learners post for how we recommend creating a fully immersive language learning environment, all from the comfort of your home. Here’s to your language learning journey!
Unlock your potential with the Borne language learning app. Use AI effectively, and learn smarter.
Eddie Duszlak
Co-founder of Borne. Lifelong language learner.
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