uTalk Review: The Fun Way to Learn a Language

While the feature helps you to brush up on your pronunciation, we found this as a deficiency. This is because some competitors already incorporate voice recognition capabilities and just hearing the correct answer is not enough.

It is important to note that this feature only applies to topics you have unlocked. You can use uCoins or either of the uTalk subscriptions to unlock any spoken phrase.

More words are added to the feature as you open up more topics. It’s an effective way to learn as you get to learn the language systematically, which helps beginners when it’s only their second language.

Quality of The Learning Material

uTalk is fit for beginners because it incorporates short key words in its teaching. We also think it wins by diving into different cultural aspects of a foreign language. The topics are comprehensive and used by familiar to any native speaker.

You can learn at your own pace since the app provides well-structured topics. The entire language topic can take about 2 hours and 45 minutes to complete the exercises. We estimate that you can spend 180 hours on the platform to go through all 65 topics in each one language.

Grammar Instruction

We found the grammar part oriented more toward novices during our uTalk review. It mostly teaches basic vocabulary, reflecting simple actions and common words.

Intermediate learners might brush up on these basic phrases, but it lacks the push to conversational fluency. It forces them to complement uTalk with a traditional classroom or other language learning apps.

uTalk can solve this issue by introducing live sessions with native language instructors to help advanced language learners understand deeper grammar explanations and rules.

Verbal Practice

Verbal practice is excellent with uTalk, especially with the recall and speaking game. Generally, they’re important because they help you to start speaking and associate certain actions with the native speaker pronunciation of the word.

The speaking game sharpens a learner’s ability to talk like a native. Users also get instant feedback whenever they pronounce a word encouraging them to go on or try again.

The recall game will even require that you get all the words and pronunciation correct before continuing with the levels of the game.

It also helps that a woman and man’s voice is available for instruction. It gives a perspective on how the same phrase sometimes sounds when said by different genders.

Practice makes perfect, and the Phrase Practice feature becomes ideal for revising previously learned material. Through this repetitive training, conversational fluency becomes easier with time for learners.

Reading and Writing

uTalk provides learners with reading tasks and exercises in some features, like Phrase Practice and Practice Games. Learners read words and phrases to help them associate them with appropriate actions in pictures.

The reading tasks include only short-form content and not long-form. It is beneficial to beginners who need to start with understanding the sentence structure but intermediates who have a learning style which involves a lot of reading will lack practice.

There’s also no dedicated writing feature to help learners practice how to write in their target language. The app provides words and phrases which either require speaking out aloud or associating them with appropriate pictures but without typing anything.

Generally, we find that the app provides factual translations for reading but it lacks in the writing area. It forces users to seek out this feature in other language-learning apps. 

Vocabulary

The uTalk app has a decent database of basic vocabulary that is used in practice games. However, after spending more hours on the platform, the specific vocabulary may seem minimal. For example, with the Phrasebook feature, there’s the repetition of basic phrases used. The games may also have a similar vocabulary.

Consider getting a subscription to navigate around this and ensure you have a huge database of words to work with. It’ll help you acquire new vocabulary, increasing your chances of speaking like a native speaker.

Repetitiveness

Generally, uTalk provides a visually and mentally stimulating way to learn words which is good for avoiding boredom. However, some users reported that the training mode and the memory game is repetitive. It is especially true if you’re using the Free Starter Words.

We recommend switching to a paid subscription and having a variety of other new and interesting topics for your target language to keep the repetitiveness at bay.

uTalk Review: Simplicity of Operation

uTalk has a convenient user interface compared to other language-learning apps. It’s easy to find tabs and menus because they aren’t cluttered. For example, when you enter the app and give the necessary permissions, it directs you straight to a page with many language combinations to choose.

The page has engaging pictures to accompany your chosen language, representing popular landmarks of the country of origin. The background changes to the representative picture of the target language.

A first-time user will easily navigate the menu, which is strategically placed on the top of the screen. A wallet, subscription, settings, and home icon direct users to the respective pages or links. The desktop web version is similarly easy to navigate, with no visible differences.

What Areas Could Be Improved?

Key areas where we find that the app needs improvement are its lack of accommodation for intermediate learners and the repetitive nature of the exercises, such as the memory game.

Intermediate learners require more features such as an extensive vocabulary of the language they’re learning. The app could improve by offering more grammar lessons to cover the rules of a language. Other language programs, such as FluentU, offer live and recorded grammar lessons for this reason.

Regarding the problem of repetitive exercises, the app could try adding more content to coursework. While the ofetn used speaking game is great, each part could have their own unique set of exercises.

Another area that we noted that needs improvement is the loading times on the uTalk app. It takes 3 to 4 seconds to open different features. It adds up after some time and takes time, especially if a user wants to shorten his daily language learning.

The developers could optimize the application for use on all iOS and Android phones for a smoother experience, although most popular devices are supported.

uTalk Prices

The plans offered in uTalk differ in payment rate such that the more months you subscribe, the more the price decreases. For example, during our uTalk review, a six-month subscription gives a 15% discount, and a 12-month subscription gives a 30% one.

There’s a monthly fee if you’re interested in learning only one language. Accessing more than two languages on the platform for a fixed price is also possible. However, uTalk doesn’t have a lifetime subscription that gives you access to content without a time limit.