HelloTalk app
I've been using the HelloTalk app for the last few months. The app allows you to find language exchange partners, and has inbuilt translation and correction tools. You can both translate and (for Chinese) see the Pinyin transliteration too. I've found this invaluable for seeing how people actually speak to each other, about everyday topics.
If I had more time, I would keep up with conversations with individuals. It can be a bit tough though, as conversations often peter out after the standard 'where are you from' type exchanges (even these are great at the beginning). If you put in a bit of effort though, these one-on-ones are really great. I've mostly just typed, though it's possible to also send audio messages (my level is generally not yet good enough to understand all of a voice message, there are no handy translations!).
Lately I've found myself just using the 'Moments' feature (kind of like a Facebook wall).
In particular, choosing the 'Learn' filter, so you're only presented with posts in your foreign language. This is much less interactive, but fun and very interesting. Apart from the language, I've started to understand some parts of the culture too. E.g. you start seeing many people suddenly posting about something, usually a holiday / festival. In may (the twentieth) there was a lot of '520' going around - saying '520' in Chinese roughly sounds like '我爱你’， ‘I love you'. More recently the Autumn festival, interesting to see how people celebrate / go back to their home towns etc.
This app is most useful when you already have learnt many characters / words, and have learnt from some other resource like a textbook for a while, but would like to see more casual language being used.
The app is built pretty much exclusively for mobile, and works really well. There is a desktop version (like WhatsApp web), but as of now the functionality isn't great, and is limited to conversations you've already started with other individuals.
If I had more time, I would keep up with conversations with individuals. It can be a bit tough though, as conversations often peter out after the standard 'where are you from' type exchanges (even these are great at the beginning). If you put in a bit of effort though, these one-on-ones are really great. I've mostly just typed, though it's possible to also send audio messages (my level is generally not yet good enough to understand all of a voice message, there are no handy translations!).
Lately I've found myself just using the 'Moments' feature (kind of like a Facebook wall).
In particular, choosing the 'Learn' filter, so you're only presented with posts in your foreign language. This is much less interactive, but fun and very interesting. Apart from the language, I've started to understand some parts of the culture too. E.g. you start seeing many people suddenly posting about something, usually a holiday / festival. In may (the twentieth) there was a lot of '520' going around - saying '520' in Chinese roughly sounds like '我爱你’， ‘I love you'. More recently the Autumn festival, interesting to see how people celebrate / go back to their home towns etc.
This app is most useful when you already have learnt many characters / words, and have learnt from some other resource like a textbook for a while, but would like to see more casual language being used.
The app is built pretty much exclusively for mobile, and works really well. There is a desktop version (like WhatsApp web), but as of now the functionality isn't great, and is limited to conversations you've already started with other individuals.
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