Digital Backpack: the best tools for globetrotters to learn languages

Discovering the world has never been easier. Flights can be booked with just a few clicks, accommodations can be found spontaneously via smartphone – and even language barriers are becoming less of a threat. Those who travel today no longer pack just sunscreen and a passport, but also a well-stocked arsenal of digital gadgets.

But which tools are really worth it when traveling? And how can you be linguistically prepared – without spending hours memorizing vocabulary?

Travel app instead of guidebook: navigate, book, understand

Whether you're navigating a bazaar in Marrakech or searching for your accommodation late at night in Bangkok, apps like Google Maps, Booking.com, or mobile translators have become indispensable. Applications that work offline or combine multiple functions are especially useful. With a little planning, you can manage most travel situations with just a few tools.

Besides the classic apps, there are also specialized ones that make traveling even easier. Budget apps like Splitwise or TravelSpend help you keep track of expenses – especially handy if you're traveling with friends and want to split the costs fairly. For organizing itineraries, apps like TripIt or Roadtrippers offer clear planning that combines flights, accommodations, and activities in one place. And when it comes to spontaneous adventures, platforms like Couchsurfing or Meetup ideal for meeting new people and discovering local events.

Another advantage of many travel apps is the ability to use them offline. Especially in regions with poor internet connectivity (which even exist in Germany!), offline maps or translator apps like Google Translate invaluable. With the right preparation, you can navigate and communicate safely even without constant network coverage.

Language as the key: Learning at your own pace

While translator apps are helpful in certain situations, language skills allow you deeper access to a country and its people – whether it's small talk in the hostel kitchen or ordering at a street café. But how can you effectively learn a language while traveling?

Many travelers use classic language learning apps that rely on gamification : short lessons, game-like elements, and a high fun factor. The downside: speaking practice is often neglected.

Another approach is online courses with real teachers . Providers like lingoda.com offer interactive language lessons around the clock – in individual or group formats. This is ideal, especially for frequent travelers: The courses are flexible, CEFR-certified, and demonstrably enable rapid progress.

Those who regularly participate in group lessons (approximately 16 hours per month are recommended) can, according to experience, reach a solid B1 level within 3 to 6 months. Particularly interesting: Taking such a course online is not only beneficial for native German speakers who want to learn English, for example. Lingoda also offers special programs for non-native speakers who want to learn German specifically before a stay in a German-speaking country. Such an online German course is ideal for preparing specifically for everyday situations or professional requirements – and all this flexibly from anywhere.

Between hostel kitchen and virtual Lingoda.com classroom: Which suits whom?

Of course, there's no one-size-fits-all method. If you have plenty of time and a desire for interaction , you can engage in tandem conversations while traveling or experience targeted language immersion – entirely without an app, but with authentic exchange. Or do you prefer more structured learning methods, especially if you have professional goals or specific timeframes?

A realistic combination: apps for beginners, an online German course for more in-depth learning, and practical application on the go. This keeps learning varied, motivating – and above all, flexible.

Conclusion: smarter travel = smarter learning

Today, your digital backpack is more than just a piece of tech gear – it's your personal assistant for everyday life, navigation, and communication. By preparing thoughtfully and choosing the right tools, you can travel more relaxed, safely, and more immersed in the local experience .

An online German course and other language training programs like those offered by Lingoda.com are examples of modern, location-independent learning that doesn't just teach you, but empowers you. And that's precisely what travel is all about: not just seeing, but also understanding. 

Joachim Rodriguez y Romero

Owner and Managing Director of Kunstplaza. Journalist, editor, and passionate blogger in the field of art, design, and creativity since 2011. Successful completion of a degree in web design as part of a university study (2008). Further development of creativity techniques through courses in free drawing, expressive painting, and theatre/acting. Profound knowledge of the art market through years of journalistic research and numerous collaborations with actors/institutions from art and culture.

www. kunstplaza .de/