Learning a new language sounds exciting until you actually start doing it.

At first, you might imagine yourself ordering food in another country, having conversations with locals, or finally understanding what your friends are saying in a different language. Then you download an app, complete a few lessons, memorize some words, and realize that understanding a lesson and actually speaking to someone are two very different things.

I've noticed that choosing a language learning app isn't really about finding the one app that does everything perfectly. It's more about figuring out what you want to learn and finding a tool that fits that goal.

Some people want to become fluent over several years. Others just want to learn enough Spanish to survive a two-week trip.…