12 Language Immersion Tools For Google Chrome

You might have used the Google Chrome web browser before. But did you know Chrome is actually a powerful tool for foreign language immersion?

You can chose from the thousands of “browser extensions” available, all of which can be installed at the click of a button.

Many of them are specifically designed to help you with language immersion, whether it's…

• Checking your grammar
• Providing instant translations
• Helping you read or pronounce a difficult Chinese character

You'll discover 12 of the best Chrome extensions for language learning in this post, but first, let’s do a quick rundown on how you can install Chrome extensions on your computer.

By the way, the best way to get immersion in your target language is to read stories. In my courses, which teach you through StoryLearning®, you get fluent fast thanks to stories, not rules. Find out more and claim your free 7-day trial of the course of your choice.

How To Install Chrome Extensions

#1: Start your Google Chrome browser

#2: In the upper right-hand corner of the window, click on the menu icon

#3: Click on “Settings” inside the menu

#4: In the menu bar on the left, click on “Extensions”

#5: Click on the “Open Chrome Web Store” link

#6: Click on the desired extension inside the Chrome Web Store, and then click on “Add to Chrome”

The extension will be inside the list, installed and ready to use.

Now that you know how to install extensions, let’s check out some of the most useful ones for language learning.

Specific Language Extensions

1. Japanese Kanji Quizzer

They say Japanese is one of the hardest languages to learn, especially when it comes to writing. It’s not hard to believe such a claim, because there are four different writing systems in Japanese: Hiragana, Katakana, Romaji, and Kanji.

Japanese Kanji Quizzer Chrome extension will help you learn all of the Katakana, Hiragana, and Kanji ideograms, so that you can get more language immersion and become fluent in Japanese. It will also present you with multiple choice questions shown in a random sequence.

2. QuizCards: German

If you are keen to expand your vocabulary in German, you may want to check out this Chrome extension. All you have to do is click on the app’s button inside your browser, after which you will be presented with an interactive flash card.

The clever part about this extension is that it keeps score of how well you have done, and focuses on testing you more on the words which give you the most trouble. You can also choose between three different ways of interaction:

• multiple choice question
• filling in the text box with autocomplete
• filling in the text box without autocomplete.

3.  Zhongwen (Chinese)

If you are interested in learning Mandarin Chinese, check out Zhongwen, which is the most popular Chinese dictionary for Chrome. Every time you hover your mouse over a Chinese word, it will display a translation. It is able to translate over 100,000 words.

4. Rikaikun (Japanese)

Rikaikun is a similar extension, but with one key difference: it is meant to help you learn Japanese. The principle is the same: you hover your mouse over the Japanese word in order to see the translation, along with info on the first Kanji.

5. French Conjugation

One of the best Chrome extensions for learning French. It allows you to conjugate every single verb properly, regardless of the tense, mode, and form.

In addition to that, you can look up synonyms and antonyms of the verb, and quiz yourself. There is also a feature which teaches you how to pronounce each verb.

6. Linguistic Spanish

Linguistic Spanish extension is able to help you learn around 150 Spanish words by simply replacing them in the text of the webpages you are currently browsing, which will help you memorise them. It is completely free. What better language immersion tool could there be?

Multiple Language Web Translators

7. Readlang

Readlang replaces the foreign word with its translation after you swipe or click on it. You can also create flashcards in order to refresh your memory and check how much you have learned. It’s an effective way to learn over 40 languages.

Grammar Checkers & Pronunciation

8. Grammarly

One of the most famous grammar apps is also available as a Chrome extension. You can easily check your work for grammar and spelling, and you can rest assured you won’t repeat the same grammar mistakes again, because Grammarly will spot them, and provide the correct solution.

9. Spell checker and Grammar checker by Ginger

If you are not too fond of Grammarly, but would still like an equally powerful grammar and spell-checking app, perhaps you should check out the Ginger extension for your Chrome, which will allow you to access its features with a simple click of a button.

10. Pronunciation Checker

If you are keen on developing the verbal aspect of your foreign language studies, you should check out Pronunciation Checker, because it has a voice recognition feature built into the extension.

In addition to that, you can also add whichever audio files you like in order to practice on them. Available in multiple languages.

Compelling Foreign Language Content

11. LingQ 

LingQ was my go-to resource for compelling input and progress tracking during the first month of my learn Italian project.

Their Chrome extension lets you import whatever you're working with on the web directly into LingQ. So you can use LingQ's study tools with that material.

12. Language Learning with Netflix

Who doesn't love sitting down with a good Netflix series of an evening? And if you watch a series or a movie in your target language, then it's a double win.

That said, understanding TV and foreign language movies can be tricky. That's where Language Learning with Netflix comes in. It allows you to add subtitles in 2 languages, slow down playback speed, and look up words in the pop up dictionary.

Foreign Language Immersion With Chrome

Learning a new language doesn’t have to be a boring and exhausting process if you rely on some of these apps for help!

If you use the computer all day, why not turn Chrome into a language immersion tool, so you can learn that little bit faster!

There are many more extensions besides the ones we've highlighted here. So take a bit of time to browse the Chrome Web Store, enter the language you're learning, and see what pops up!

Author’s Bio: Rachel Bartee is a devoted teacher and freelance writer at EduGeeksClub. She would prefer to go without her lunch just to make her thoughts into worthy writings. She is inspired by her morning yoga and the creative writing classes she is currently attending. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Olly Richards

Creator of the StoryLearning® Method

Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.

Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.

When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.