Drops is an innovative language learning app designed to make vocabulary building fun, engaging, and effortless. Here’s a comprehensive overview of what the product does and its key features:
What Drops Does
Drops is a mobile app available for iOS and Android, created by Daniel Farkas and Mark Szulyovszky in 2015. It is tailored to help users learn new languages through a series of short, interactive, and gamified lessons. The app aims to integrate language learning into the user’s daily routine, making it an enjoyable and manageable part of their schedule.
Key Features
User Onboarding and Personalization
When users first open the app, they are prompted to choose the language they want to learn, their reason for learning, and their existing experience level. This initial setup helps tailor the learning experience to the user’s needs.
Gamified Lessons
Drops employs a fast-moving, game-like approach to visual learning. Lessons are structured into short, 5-minute sessions that include various micro-games such as dragging words onto associated images, matching images to words, and simple word games. These activities help build a quick association between words and images, enhancing the learning process.
Daily Reminders and Streaks
Users are encouraged to turn on push notifications to receive daily reminders to practice. The app also uses progress levels and streaks to motivate users and inspire continued use.
Language Voyage
A recent feature, Language Voyage, acts as a personalized guide for the user’s language learning journey. It provides a structured path through diverse topics, helping users navigate their learning more effectively and avoid feeling lost.
Repetition and Mnemonics
Drops relies on repetition and mnemonics to help users memorize vocabulary. Words are presented in text, visual, and audio formats at different intervals to optimize memorization. The app also allows users to skip words they already know, ensuring the learning process remains efficient.
Review Dojo
Once users have learned 50 words, they gain access to the Review Dojo. This feature uses a robust spaced repetition system to reinforce learning, focusing on the words that need the most practice. It tracks successes and adjusts the difficulty accordingly.
Additional Learning Tools
For certain languages, such as Japanese, Drops offers additional tools like practice writing characters (hiragana, katakana, and kanji) with numbered guides and stroke counts. Users can also turn on romaji transliterations for Japanese words.
Variety of Languages
Drops supports learning in 45 languages, including popular options like German, Chinese, and Spanish, as well as less common languages such as Ainu and Igbo.
Subscription Options
The app offers a free base program with daily 5-minute learning sessions. Premium content is available through a monthly subscription ($13/month), a yearly subscription ($69.99/year), or a lifetime access option ($159.99).
User Experience
Drops is known for its beautiful minimalist interface, consistent repetition-based vocabulary learning, and the ability to skip learned words. The app is highly user-friendly and has received praise for its engaging and effective learning approach.
