A Comprehensive Busuu Review for 2024: A Useful Resource for Grasping Conversational Fundamentals

I achieved an advanced level in Spanish (C1) through immersion in Buenos Aires, Argentina—however, platforms like Busuu now aim to replicate that immersive experience online.

Busuu is an established language learning program with a focus on conversational abilities. Nonetheless, I find it most suitable for those starting out.

I have compiled an in-depth evaluation of Busuu below, covering its main characteristics along with advantages and disadvantages.

For an alternative viewpoint, you can also read my colleague Teddy's assessment of the platform.

What Is Busuu ?

Busuu is a language learning platform designed to help you build all core language skills—speaking, listening, reading, and writing—simultaneously.

For instance, it includes a speech recognition feature to enhance your speaking ability directly from your mobile device.

Busuu provides courses in 14 languages: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, English, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, Turkish, Polish, Dutch, and Korean.

A user-friendly desktop version is available, and you can also install the app on your iOS and Android devices.

Busuu also supports offline lessons, allowing you to download content for study without an internet connection.

How Does Busuu Work?

Busuu structures its courses across four primary levels:

• Beginner A1
• Elementary A2
• Intermediate B1
• Upper Intermediate B2

Select courses, such as those for Spanish and English, also include Advanced C1 lessons.

These levels are aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), which measures language proficiency.

I experimented with Busuu's Beginner (A1) lessons in several languages, including Spanish, French, and Chinese. After selecting my level, Busuu generated a personalized study plan to help me achieve my goal, tailored to the time I could dedicate daily.

For additional support, Busuu provides Busuu Live, a personal tutoring service accessible with a Premium membership.

This adaptable service lets you study with a tutor using Busuu's content, receive detailed lesson explanations, and practice speaking your target language.

The sessions last 45 minutes and can be scheduled at any convenient time.

Who Is Busuu For?

While anyone can benefit from trying this app, it is particularly well-suited for certain individuals:

• Busy professionals. Even with just 10 minutes available on some days, I could configure the program for short lessons that fit my timetable.
• Those who enjoy interactive applications. The free version is engaging and simplifies learning basic phrases and vocabulary. I found myself using Busuu during spare moments instead of playing games on my phone, and it held my interest.
• Learners seeking structure. Since Busuu promotes consistent study habits, I could set reminders for specific times I allocated for learning. These notifications were effective without being intrusive.
• Individuals aiming to improve speaking skills. I utilized Busuu's speech recognition tool for speaking practice. This is a great solution if you lack access to a native speaker or feel hesitant about conversing with an online tutor.
• People who favor computer-based learning. Busuu has invested in its web platform, not just its mobile apps. The desktop version has efficient keyboard controls, making it easy to progress through lessons on a computer.

Should You Get Busuu Free or Premium?

To subscribe or not to subscribe?

Busuu provides both free and Premium plans, each with different features. Review the benefits of each to decide which suits you best.

Busuu Free Version

Although the free features are limited, they still offer substantial material. The interactive exercises can effectively start you on your journey to fluency.

• Includes diverse interactive flashcards for language learning. Busuu's flashcard system goes beyond simple translations. Along with standard cards, you'll find true/false questions, comprehension checks, word matching, and more.
• Presents dialogues demonstrating vocabulary in natural contexts. Native speaker dialogues come with transcripts where you fill in the blanks. Hearing how native speakers use new terms gave me a clear understanding of how to use these words myself.
• Provides cultural insights related to the language. I appreciate how Busuu explains the reasoning behind certain phrases, offering cultural context that clarifies language structure. It's helpful to understand more than just "that's the way it's said."

Busuu Premium

The Premium membership includes all the tools necessary to master a language. At $13.95 USD per month, you gain access to numerous valuable features:

• Activate offline mode. You can download lessons to your device via the Busuu app, enabling you to study anywhere, without needing WiFi.
• Access grammar lessons. With clear explanations of grammatical forms and their usage, some focused study will help you form sentences confidently.
• Includes AI vocabulary review. Based on your quiz and exercise results, Busuu's AI assigns a proficiency level to words and phrases, indicating your grasp of them. Busuu then prioritizes the terms you need most in review sessions.
• Take quizzes to assess comprehension. The quiz section in every lesson is available, allowing you to test your understanding of the material.
• Receive community feedback. Busuu's active social community includes knowledgeable speakers of all its languages. By writing or speaking in your new language, you can get improvement tips from native speakers.
• Unlock all 14 languages. Perhaps the most attractive feature for aspiring polyglots, a Premium account lets you learn several languages at the same time.
• Customize your study plan. By specifying your fluency goals and daily available study time, Busuu creates a study schedule that fits your routine. It also estimates your goal achievement date. Having a target finish line is highly motivating!
• Obtain Official Certification. Busuu collaborates with a major education company to offer official CEFR tests. Passing this test grants you a certificate that validates your language proficiency. (Note: Currently available for English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese only.)

Fortunately, Busuu often runs promotions—I've seen Premium plans discounted by 33% or even 50%!

Strengths of Busuu

Develop a Study Plan Tailored to Your Routine

Other apps and traditional classes often use uninspiring content such as "the apple is red" and "Juanita is a woman" to teach grammar. Dull.

With Busuu, you can select grammar lessons aligned with your language objectives.

Busuu employs lessons centered on everyday subjects, from "What Are You Up to Tonight?" to "A Day at Home" for general learning.

A business-oriented study plan includes lessons like "Talking with Your Colleagues" and "Managing a Project."

I rate Busuu highly for delivering highly relevant content in each lesson.

Additionally, you can select the specific days and times you wish to receive study reminders from Busuu.

For example, I configured the app to remind me to study every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6 p.m. with a 15-minute lesson.

Solidify New Vocabulary Through Comprehension Checks

One of Busuu's most effective learning techniques is testing your understanding of new vocabulary.

For example, when Busuu introduces the Spanish phrase "Yo estoy bien," the question isn't "What does this mean?" but rather, "Is Luis describing how he feels?"

Here is another instance.

In the Chinese course, a conversation between a woman and a store clerk concerns a purchase.

I received a list of words from the lesson and had to determine their correct placement in the dialogue's transcript by listening to the conversation.

Since the dialogue contains material I haven't learned yet, I had to deduce where new words belonged based on context, similar to how we acquire our first language.

Gain Cultural Insights

Busuu provides useful cultural tips that explain when and how to use expressions appropriately.

For instance, my beginner French lesson explained, "To greet people during the day, we use 'bonjour' (good day, hello). After sunset (typically between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.) we say 'bonsoir' (good evening)."

Busuu offers many cultural tips (click the lightbulb icon on each slide), helping you "avoid missteps" in communication.

Engage with a Social Community

Busuu has a dedicated section for social interaction within the app.

You can locate native speakers of your target language, referred to as "friends," and connect with them. You can then share messages for them to review.

Busuu provides a small prompt—such as an image or video—to inspire you to write or speak.

Your Busuu friends and other app users can respond to your written or spoken submissions with feedback!

From my experience, they often advise forming complete sentences and suggest improvements.

Similarly, I began receiving messages from app users learning my native language. It's enjoyable to assist them!

Weaknesses of Busuu

Limited Language Selection in the Free Version

While 14 languages are offered, the free version restricts you to learning only one.

Accessing additional languages requires upgrading to a Premium membership. This is disappointing for those, like me, who wish to study multiple languages such as French and Portuguese at once.

Course Quality Differs by Language

With 14 languages, Busuu has significant upkeep, and naturally, some courses are more developed than others.

The available features and audio quality depend on the language you choose.

For example, Busuu's Spanish course includes video skits, clear native-speed audio, and feedback for both speech and writing.

Conversely, its Chinese course lacks videos, has less clear audio spoken quite slowly, and only offers feedback on speech, not writing. While both courses are decent, the Chinese course is not as comprehensive as the Spanish one.

Moreover, while Busuu offers placement tests, they are only available for certain languages like English, Italian, Spanish, German, and French. When I tried the Chinese course, I had to start from scratch even though I had some prior knowledge.

Potential for Inaccurate Corrections

Although Busuu's social component is a standout feature, there is no barrier preventing non-native speakers from correcting your submissions, for example.

All a user must do is list your target language among the "languages I know" on their profile. This implies that non-native English speakers can correct English learners, and so forth.

This lack of verification diminishes what might otherwise be Busuu's strongest asset.

Could Benefit from More Engaging Content

While I believe Busuu's digital flashcards are reasonably good, this memorization approach can lead to correct answers without truly absorbing the language.

It's tempting to take the easy route and quickly select the right answer through elimination, much like during a test.

Additionally, this technique can become monotonous over time.

Although Busuu's lessons are relevant, the platform could better serve learners who prefer more entertaining methods—such as those who enjoy learning via Netflix or music.

A good supplement (or even alternative) for this would be a program like Lingflix, which lets you learn vocabulary and grammar in context by watching authentic videos made for native speakers. Lingflix takes real-world videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons. With Lingflix, you hear languages in real-world contexts—the way that native speakers actually use them. Just a quick look will give you an idea of the variety of Lingflix videos on offer: Lingflix really takes the grunt work out of learning languages, leaving you with nothing but engaging, effective and efficient learning. It’s already hand-picked the best videos for you and organized them by level and topic. All you have to do is choose any video that strikes your fancy to get started! Each word in the interactive captions comes with a definition, audio, image, example sentences and more. Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab, and easily review words and phrases from the video under Vocab. You can use Lingflix’s unique adaptive quizzes to learn the vocabulary and phrases from the video through fun questions and exercises. Just swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you're studying. The program even keeps track of what you’re learning and tells you exactly when it’s time for review, giving you a 100% personalized experience. Start using the Lingflix website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the Lingflix app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Busuu Review Conclusion: Opt for Premium for an Optimal Experience

Ultimately, I suggest Busuu's paid version for committed learners.

The free version is enjoyable, but other free apps provide similar features. You might also consider Memrise, which offers a wealth of multimedia content and videos featuring native speakers. Babbel also provides structured lessons with cultural notes.

What distinguished Busuu for me was its effectiveness in prompting speaking practice and teaching genuine native expressions, even if there is room for improvement. I also value the opportunity to interact with native speakers on the app (using provided prompts).

However, the free version is quite limited, so if you desire more lesson variety, offline access, and interactive features, I recommend trying the paid subscription.

And remember to maximize the social features by seizing every opportunity to speak!