Language apps for Thai learners of European languages: which teach from Thai, which train speaking, which get you to work
Most language apps have no Thai menu, they train different skills, and few get you to the level work in Europe asks for. We compare them point by point.
In short
If you are learning a European language to work there, do not pick an app because it is popular. Pick it on three questions: can you learn from Thai, does it train speaking or grammar, and does it get you to the level the work asks for. Free apps are a good start, but the certificates employers and embassies accept come from real exams such as the Goethe-Zertifikat or DELF.
1. Why studying in an app every day may not be enough for work
Jobs and visas in Europe measure language as a level, not as a streak of days. In Germany, for example, the vocational training (Ausbildung) visa normally needs German at B1, and the Chancenkarte, for applicants on the points route, needs at least A1 German or at least B2 English, according to Make it in Germany. Make it in Germany↗
Language also goes with having work. Eurostat's 2022 data found that 78.5% of working-age people in the EU who have a job know at least one foreign language, against 65.0% of the unemployed. Eurostat↗
Takeaway: set your goal as a level, such as B1 within so many months, then choose the tools that get you there.
2. How far can an app take you? What the research says
Research shows apps genuinely help with reading and listening, but speaking lags behind, and the levels reached are mostly still below what work asks for.
Reading and listening: a 2021 study in the journal Foreign Language Annals found that 225 people who learned Spanish or French with Duolingo alone, to the end of the beginner level, read and listened about as well as university students after 4 semesters. Foreign Language Annals, 2021↗
Speaking: a 2024 study in the journal Language Learning & Technology followed 48 self-study learners of Spanish for 3 months. After about 27 hours on Duolingo on average, their reading, listening, writing and speaking scores all improved. Language Learning & Technology, 2024↗
Duolingo's own published study: of learners who finished the A2 part of the course, about 66% in Spanish and 53% in French spoke at A2 or above. Duolingo, 2021↗
These studies looked at Duolingo learners in particular courses and samples, so they do not say that everyone will reach A2, or that A2 is the highest level an app can take you. If your goal is B1, assess your speaking separately from your progress in the app, then add conversation practice and grammar review where you still get stuck.
Takeaway: use the app as the first stage of the plan, not the whole plan.
3. First question: can you learn from Thai?
Most apps teach European languages through English. If your English is not yet solid, learning from Thai keeps you from losing the thread in the very first lesson.
- Duolingo announced in April 2025 that Thai speakers can now learn Spanish, French, German and Italian from Thai, where before most could only learn English.
- Mondly lists Thai as one of the native languages you can learn other languages from.
- LingoDeer, italki and Preply have a Thai menu in the app.
- Babbel, Busuu, Memrise, Drops, Pimsleur, Rosetta Stone and Lingoda have no Thai menu yet, so you learn through English.
Takeaway: if your English is below B1, start with an app that teaches from Thai, then move to learning through English, which trains two languages at once.
4. Second question: speaking or grammar?
Each app is good at something different. A common problem is studying for hundreds of days in a row and still not being able to say a simple sentence, because the app chosen does not train speaking.
If you want to speak
- Pimsleur teaches through audio only, with the focus on speaking and pronunciation.
- italki and Preply are one-to-one video lessons with a teacher, who sets their own price.
- Busuu has native speakers correct your speaking and writing exercises.
If you want solid grammar and writing
- LingoDeer orders its lessons systematically by grammar.
- The Goethe-Institut's Deutsch für dich has grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening exercises from A1 to C2, free.
If you only want more vocabulary
- Drops focuses on vocabulary with pictures and sound, free for 5 minutes a day.
Takeaway: use one app for grammar and another channel for speaking with real people. One app is almost never enough.
| Compared | Duolingo | Mondly | italki |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learn from Thai | Yes: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian | Yes, Thai as your native language | Thai menu, one-to-one with a teacher |
| European languages | English and 4 more | About 25 | Teachers in 150+ languages |
| Focus | All four skills, game-style | Short lessons, speech recognition | Speaking, one-to-one |
| For work or exams | No business course | 300+ business lessons | Teachers for business, exam prep and job interviews |
| Price | Free to use | Mainly paid | Teachers set their own price |
| Best for | Starting out, a daily habit | Several languages, business content | Actually speaking |
5. Third question: does it get you to work?
If your goal is work, look for content in the language of the workplace, and for levels that go further than A2.
- Busuu has Business English from A2 to C1, covering job applications, interviews, emails and meetings, plus French and Dutch for business.
- Mondly has more than 300 lessons with business content.
- Germany's vhs-Lernportal has Berufssprache Deutsch, German for work, at A2 to B1 and B2, free, covering job applications, interviews and talking to customers.
- Lingoda runs live classes in small groups of up to 5, offers Business English, and gives a CEFR-level certificate when you finish each level.
One more thing to know: most app certificates are not official certificates. Babbel itself says its course certificates are not formally recognised. If you need one for a visa or a job application, plan for a real exam, such as the Goethe-Zertifikat for German, DELF or DALF for French, and DELE for Spanish. Babbel↗
Takeaway: use apps to reach the level, then use a real exam to prove it.
6. Free courses from official bodies that many people overlook
Before you pay for an app, try the free courses made by bodies in the country itself. They follow CEFR levels and carry no ads.
- German: Deutsche Welle's Nicos Weg, a video course from A1 to B1; the Goethe-Institut's Deutsch für dich, A1 to C2; and vhs-Lernportal, A1 to B2.
- French: TV5MONDE Apprendre le français, A1 to B2, free with no sign-up, and it helps you prepare for the TCF.
- Spanish: the Instituto Cervantes' AVE Global, a paid online course from A1 to C1.
Takeaway: most of these free courses teach through English or the target language, so they suit people who are already past the beginner stage.
7. Learning with a teacher in Bangkok
If you want structure and a teacher who checks your work, both of these institutes teach to CEFR levels and are exam centres too.
- Goethe-Institut Thailand teaches A1 to B2 in the classroom, at 5,500 to 10,900 baht a course, and teaches in German from the very first hour.
- Alliance Française Bangkok teaches A1 to C2 from 192 baht an hour, with a 24-hour course at 5,190 baht, and holds DELF and DALF exams three times a year, in March, June and November.
Takeaway: a classroom costs more than an app, but a teacher corrects your speaking and writing, which is what apps do least.
8. Combinations by goal
- Vocational training in Germany (B1 needed): start Duolingo or Mondly from Thai, move on to Nicos Weg and vhs-Lernportal, practise speaking with a teacher on italki, then sit the Goethe-Zertifikat B1.
- A job at a company that works in English: Business English on Busuu or Lingoda and interview practice with a teacher, with the local language learned for everyday life.
- Moving to France: free TV5MONDE alongside classes at Alliance Française Bangkok, then sit the DELF.
If you are not yet sure which country to start with, read “Want to work in Europe? Where to start”, then make that country's language level the first item of your 30-day plan.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a German-learning app that teaches in Thai?
Yes. Duolingo announced in 2025 that Thai speakers can now learn German from Thai, and Mondly supports Thai as a native language. The free courses from official bodies mostly teach through English.
Can I use an app certificate for a visa or a job application?
Mostly not. The certificates that are accepted come from standard exams such as the Goethe-Zertifikat, DELF or DELE. Use apps to prepare, then sit the real exam to confirm your level.
What level of the local language do I need to work in Europe?
It depends on the route. In Germany, for example, the vocational training visa normally needs B1, and the Chancenkarte on the points route sets at least A1 German or at least B2 English. Always check the conditions for the country and the role you are aiming for before you plan.
A question for you
How are you learning a European language right now, and is it getting you to the level the job you are aiming for asks for?
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