Hey friends! Today, I’m excited to talk about Yabla, a cool way to learn languages online. Learning a new language isn’t always easy, but Yabla makes it fun.
It uses videos from real life to help you learn. I’ve been trying it and can’t wait to tell you all about it.
Is Yabla the answer to learning a new language?
Let’s jump into my Yabla review and see!
Content Outline
What Is Yabla?- Yabla Overview
Yabla is a language immersion tool that helps you become proficient in a new language by using its simple mantra: Watch, listen, and learn.
The platform offers six languages for you to choose from, namely Spanish, French, Italian, German, Mandarin Chinese, and English.
Yabla is completely focused on learning a new language by using authentic video content with interactive controls. To provide an amazing learning experience, it has an extensive library for all languages.
The library offers content of various difficulty levels and genres, such as documentaries, dramas, sports, people, music, art and culture, action, etc.
Based in New York and established in 2001, Yabla is a platform for both learners and educators. Also, just so you know, the word Yabla is derived from the Spanish language, meaning ‘he or she speaks or you speak.’
For Whom Is Yabla Meant For?
Yabla is suitable for a wide range of learners, including:
1. Students: Both high school and college students can use Yabla as a supplementary tool to enhance their language learning experience. The real-world video content can complement classroom learning and provide context for language usage.
2. Adult Learners: Adults who are learning a new language, either for personal interest, travel, or work, can find Yabla helpful. The platform offers a flexible learning experience that can fit into a busy schedule.
3. Language Teachers: Educators can use Yabla as a teaching resource to provide their students with authentic language exposure and interactive learning experiences. It can be a valuable tool for classroom activities or homework assignments.
4. Intermediate and Advanced Learners: Those who already have a basic understanding of a language and wish to improve their listening and comprehension skills can greatly benefit from Yabla. The platform offers exposure to native speakers and various dialects.
5. Language Enthusiasts: People who enjoy learning new languages and are interested in different cultures can find Yabla engaging and informative due to its authentic content from native speakers.
6. Travelers: Individuals planning to travel to countries where the languages offered by Yabla are spoken can use the platform to familiarize themselves with the language and culture.
Yabla however is meant for anybody who wants to learn a new language for any purpose. Be it a hobby, expansion of cultural horizons, wider career scope, or even to make travel more interesting by learning the local language.
However, since Yabla lacks speech exercises, it also creates an obstacle for a fresh learner and works more as an input tool. So Yabla is mainly for intermediate learners and advanced learners.
In both these cases, the learner will be at ease and navigate through Yabla with basic knowledge of what he wants to watch and what will enhance his skills. As opposed to a person who is just starting since Yabla is not that organized with content.
You should also keep in mind that any language tool isn’t a complete product in itself. Yabla, too, lies on the same lines. It is a tool that helps you improve your basics. Keeping this in mind will help you to know what exactly to expect from it.
Are you looking to learn new languages and want to know if Glossika is the right platform? Then you must check out our article on Glossika review and find out if it is worth it.
Languages You Can Learn With Yabla:
Yabla offers language learning in several languages, including:
- Spanish
- French
- German
- Italian
- Chinese (Mandarin)
- English
These languages cover a wide range of linguistic and cultural backgrounds, offering learners the opportunity to immerse themselves in different languages through authentic video content.
The platform is particularly useful for intermediate to advanced learners, as the real-world video content can be quite challenging for beginners.
However, beginners can still benefit from interactive features like clickable subtitles and listening comprehension exercises.
Key Features Of Yabla
Here are the best features of Yabla:
1. Dashboard
The dashboard helps you track your progress, set goals for yourself, and even stay updated with Yabla News.
2. Yabla’s Own Video player
As I discussed earlier, Yabla’s video library is extensive and filled with natural and authentic videos to give the learner a rich learning experience.
If you are starting on Yabla, you should know that the videos are divided into small segments, and a simple rating tool of 1 to 5 is used to define the difficulty level of the videos.
The real-life content on Yabla looks like a very big advantage to me since you can only best pick the rhythm or the nuances of a language when it is used by the natives or in its natural form, something that educational content designed traditionally might lack.
Subtitles assist each video in your language as well as your target language. You can toggle it on and off as you wish. You also have the option to watch the subtitles in both languages together, individually, or not at all.
While some people may think watching with subtitles is cheating, subtitles activate the speaking and listening parts of the brain at the same time and help you learn better.
Another tool that helped me learn faster was that when I clicked on a word, it immediately got looked up in Yabla´s dictionaries and was also automatically added to the deck of flashcards.
Along with subtitles and dictionaries at hand, what I appreciated with Yabla’s video player was the Slow button, which turned the speed down to 75% or even 50% of the normal speed.
This tool came in handy when I couldn’t grasp the dialect of the characters but did not want to get lost in the track of the series.
The Yabla video library offers a wide range of categories, each catering to different interests and learning needs. Some of these categories include:
1. Animation – Offering 21 videos, this category likely features animated content suitable for language learning.
2. Art/Culture – With 550 videos, this category covers a broad spectrum of topics related to art and cultural aspects.
3. Comedy – Consisting of 183 videos, this section provides humorous content.
4. Commercial – Includes 140 videos, possibly showcasing advertisements or commercial content.
5. Day to Day – This category has 37 videos focusing on everyday life scenarios.
6. Documentary – Offering 358 videos, it likely includes documentary-style content.
7. Drama – With 254 videos, this category may feature dramatic narratives or plays.
8. Economy/Business – Comprises 117 videos focusing on economic and business-related topics.
9. Environment – This category includes 95 videos on environmental topics.
10. Food – Consisting of 180 videos, this section might cover culinary topics.
11. History – With 193 videos, this category delves into historical subjects.
12. Interviews – Includes 231 videos, likely featuring interview-based content.
13. Leisure – This category offers 114 videos, possibly focusing on leisure activities and hobbies.
14. Lessons – With 177 videos, this section is likely educational in nature.
15. Lifestyle – Comprising 87 videos, it covers various lifestyle topics.
16. Music Videos – Offers 103 videos featuring music-related content.
17. Musicians – This category includes 44 videos, probably focusing on musicians and their works.
18. News – Consists of 69 videos, providing news and current events content.
19. People – With 777 videos, this is a broad category likely featuring content about people and their stories.
20. Science – Offers 88 videos focusing on scientific topics.
21. Society – Includes 525 videos covering various social issues and topics.
22. Sports – This category comprises 62 videos related to sports.
23. Student Life – With 162 videos, it likely covers aspects of student experiences.
24. Travel – Consists of 43 videos focusing on travel and exploration.
Each category in Yabla’s video library is designed to enhance language learning through diverse and engaging content.
3. Games on Yabla
The games feature in Yabla offers an interactive and engaging way to reinforce language learning through various types of exercises.
These games are designed to enhance the skills acquired from watching the video content on the platform. Here’s a detailed look at the different types of games available on Yabla:
These games in Yabla are integral to the language learning process, offering a practical application of the language skills acquired from the videos.
They cater to different aspects of language learning, such as listening, comprehension, vocabulary, and writing, making the learning process more comprehensive and effective.
4. Multiple Choice
This game presents a video clip with subtitles where a word is missing, and you must choose the correct word from multiple-choice options.
It consists of about twenty questions per video clip, focusing on specific phrases and aiding in improving comprehension skills.
5. Fill in the Blank
This game is similar to the Multiple Choice game but without the options. Here, you are required to type the missing word, which helps you test your spelling.
6. Scribe
Scribe is Yabla’s patented dictation game. This game again focuses on using your ears but increases the difficulty level.
Here, you have to type out the whole sentence after listening to it. But don’t worry, you still have the Slow and Replay buttons on the video, so you can go at it again if you can’t grasp it the first time around.
Scribe also rates you between 1 to 3 stars. One star means you were struggling, and 3 means you aced it.
7. Vocabulary Review
It is a basic flashcard game in which you are given a word in either your target or chosen language and are expected to choose the right translation before the timer goes off.
This game can be boring for some, but I particularly found it insightful and as a break from the video content.
8. Flashcards
Flashcards is a game equipped with the word sets you have created for yourself. Don’t remember creating them? No wonder!
Because they were automatically created when you looked up words while watching the video content.
If you don’t exactly remember looking up the word or the context of it, Yabla gives you the option to look up the exact video segment from which the word was saved as well.
But there are 2 things in particular that I didn’t like about this game. The first is that it uses a robotic voice for the words and not a real voice used for other parts of the exercises and content.
The second is that even if it is quite effective, it presents too much information at once and leaves you spreading yourself too thin.
Why Did I Choose Yabla?
Being a traveler, I always recognized the benefits of learning a new language, but it hit me more challenging last year when just a few words of French helped me connect to locals in Brussels.
As soon as I started conversing in French, the locals became friendlier.
My trip just got more interesting from there. I got invited to a local’s house for dinner, went to a tucked-away inn, which was, by the way, very popular with the locals, and overall had a personal and richer cultural experience than I would usually have.
I even picked up some more French before I left. And that made me realize that listening was the best way to learn a language. I narrated my experience to a friend, and she introduced me to Yabla and ended my search for a language-learning platform.
Yabla immediately fit my terms of wanting to learn a language just by listening. And with the variety of the content they had to offer, I was sold!
Yabla Pricing: How Much Does It Cost?
The cost for a Yabla subscription for a month amounts to $12.95/month, but you are eligible for a discount by signing up for multiple months at a time, like $55 with the annual plan.
Yabla also offers a free 15-day no-questions-asked trial period, after which if you want to continue, you can pay $12.95/month, $54.95/six months, or $99.95 for a year.
But bear in mind that these plans give you access to the coursework of only one language of your choice.
Also, just to be sure, if you want to go for Yabla, you can even access some sample videos and get a feel of how Yabla works.
Is Yabla Meant For Children Or Adults?
With so much video content, this burning question is bound to exist in everybody’s mind. Is Yabla’s content interesting as an adult?
Yes! There is so much content for adults that some videos even come with a warning of Viewer Discretion Advised!
But, if you are a parent, even before it crosses your mind, let me tell you that Yabla does have a content filter. Be rest assured, as this content filter makes sure only family-friendly videos show up when your kid is using Yabla.
Yabla’s Interface And The Fuss About It – Needed Or Not?
Yabla runs on an older web framework and has many people complaining about it, but I honestly don’t see any problem. As long as I have used Yabla, I haven’t encountered any functional problems because of its older framework.
It would be pleasing to the eye to have a newer and sleeker UI, but the lack of it should not cause a problem for the user. Yabla is giving you exactly what you came for in Language learning. Maybe it’s just not in a fancy box. But that should not affect the product’s value, should it?
Get LingQ Coupon Codes and get a 40% discount on your annual membership.
What Do I Think Yabla Could Improve For A Better Experience?
1. Choice of languages
Currently, Yabla only offers six languages to learn from, limiting your choices too —French, German, Italian, Chinese, Spanish, and English.
You are in luck if one of these languages is what you were looking for, if not you would have to shift to another learning platform.
But let’s hope Yabla adds more languages to the list.
2. Subscription
A monthly/annual subscription to Yabla entitles you to learn only one language at a time. For every new language you wish to learn, you have to pay additional charges for a new subscription.
Personally, as I was learning a new language as an added skill and was stuck between French and Spanish, I would have liked access to both languages so I could have decided better with the experience that sparked my interest more.
According to me, Yabla should let you access at least two languages of your choice, if not more.
Yabla’s Alternatives
If you are here after the 15-day free trial and are not satisfied with Yabla or you wish to learn languages that are not available on Yabla yet. Here is something similar to Yabla that you can try for yourself
1. FluentU
- Languages offered: Spanish, French, Italian, German, English—Russian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese.
- Cost: $30/month if you choose to pay monthly and $20/month if you pay annually
- About: FluentU is quite similar to Yabla and makes use of videos for teaching as well. It focuses on vocabulary building and listening skills, the same as Yabla. The major difference between Yabla and FluentU is that FluentU has more languages to choose from and also lets you access all of them with a single subscription.
2. CaptionPop
CaptionPop serves as an alternative to Yabla, particularly for those seeking language learning through video content. Here’s an overview of what CaptionPop offers:
- Video Captions in Multiple Languages: The core feature of CaptionPop is its ability to provide videos with captions in various languages. This is similar to the offering of Language Learning with YouTube, where the focus is on enhancing language learning through captioned video content.
- Content Discovery: One of the main advantages of CaptionPop is that it actively finds videos with captions in the user’s target languages. This feature saves time and effort in content discovery, making it easier for users to find relevant language-learning materials.
- Flashcard Function: CaptionPop includes a basic flashcard function to assist users in reviewing and reinforcing the vocabulary and phrases learned from the videos. This feature adds an interactive element to the learning process, allowing users to engage with the material actively.
- Pricing and Accessibility: CaptionPop offers a free version, making it accessible to a wider audience. There is also a paid version available for $10/month, which might offer additional features or content.
- User Experience: The user interface of CaptionPop has been noted to be somewhat difficult to use, and some users have reported challenges in finding enough good content. This suggests that while the platform has useful features, the overall user experience might require some improvement to match the ease of use found in other language learning tools like Yabla.
FAQs About Yabla Review
💁 Can I try Yabla before subscribing?
Yes, Yabla often offers a free trial, allowing users to test the platform before committing to a subscription.
🙋♂️ Which language is best to learn with Yabla?
Yabla has a lot of content in whichever language you choose. So, any language that you choose to learn through Yabla promises you a rich experience.
🤟 Is Yabla's app available on Android?
Currently, Yabla is available only for IoS users.
🙋♀️ Is my computer compatible with Yabla?
You can try the free demo version if no problem persists it means you are good to go.
👀 Is Yabla suitable for all age groups?
Yabla is primarily geared towards adult learners and older teenagers, given the nature of its authentic video content.
Also, read:
Conclusion: Is Yabla Any Good?
If Learning new languages is your forte, then Yabla is surely here for your rescue. As mentioned, its plans are good enough to excite you to start with it as soon as possible.
You can have different options other than Yabla, as mentioned above. Still, my personal opinion is that Yabla should be considered the first preference because of its advantages over the others.
So choose wisely, and enjoy your language learning.
