Learn a language with your Nokia Lumia smartphone

Having a smartphone in your pocket means that you’re just one click away from a wealth of information, thanks to the Internet. Use this tool to understand the world around you, especially when it comes to translating different languages.
Learning a new language is useful for many reasons. You may be going on holiday and want to be able to order a meal, you might be looking for work in another country, or you may work with a bunch of people that speak another language and you just simply want to be able to join in the conversation. Whatever the reason, it’s always a good idea to learn a new language.

The Windows Phone Marketplace is full of apps to help you communicate with different people from the far-reaches of the globe and we’ve picked out just a few you might find useful.

English Idioms – £Free

If English isn’t your first language, you’ll probably be confused by some of the phrases English speakers use. This app is on hand to translate bizarre, yet common, sayings.

‘Make money hand over fist’, ‘as crooked as a dog’s hind leg’, and ‘cut one’s losses’ are just some examples of what’s explained in English Idioms.

Learn Hindi – £1.49 / $1.99 / €1.99

In India, many people speak English. That means if you’re fluent in English; you’ll probably get along just fine. However, sometimes it’s nice to be able to speak to people in their own language, so why not make a start by trying to learn to Hindi, one of the most common languages?

Learn Hindi takes you through some common phrases by showing you the word in English, showing you it in Hindi and then saying the word for you.

Once you’ve got a grasp of the basics, you can challenge yourself using the Quiz or Flash cards. You’ll be fluent in Hindi in no time.

Translator – £Free

This is Microsoft’s Bing translation tool on your smartphone. With it, you can select a few methods to translate. If you know how a foreign word is spelt, then you can type it into the keyboard section. Otherwise, you can just say the word to the voice feature. It’ll then hit you back with the translated word.

Alternatively – and we think this one is cool – if you use camera option, you can just point your camera at the foreign text and Translator will change the words on screen into your language. This is particularly useful when looking at a menu, figuring out road signs or maybe newspaper articles.

Write Japanese – £3.99 / $4.99 / €4,99

This is exactly what the name suggests. If you’ve ever wanted to write in Japanese, this app will help you.

Starting with letters and words, you’ll be asked to draw the Japanese equivalent into the bottom section of the screen. For help and advice, the question mark symbol will show you how to write the words. The challenge then is remembering it.

SignLanguage – £Free

Language isn’t just about audible words; it’s also about communicating with people in a broader sense. Deaf people use sign language to communicate with the people around them, and now you can talk with them, too.

SignLanguage shows you the basics, like being able to gesture different letters of the alphabet, some action words and phrases. It should be enough to get you through the most basic conversation.

All of these language apps are available for the Nokia Lumia 610, Nokia Lumia 710, Nokia Lumia 800 and the Nokia Lumia 900.