Back in 2022, I packed my bags and moved here to Madrid, without really knowing how to speak Spanish. I had played around with Duolingo and some online courses about a year before, but it didn’t exactly get me conversation-ready. So once I got here, I knew I needed something more. A few more months later I stumbled across Mondly.
In this blog, I’m sharing my honest Mondly review — what worked, what didn’t, and whether I’d recommend it if you’re trying to learn Spanish too and hoping to someday speak it fluently, or at least hold a real conversation.
Quick Summary
Mondly´s Pros and Cons
Pros
- Short, effective lessons focused on real conversations
- Easy to navigate with a colorful, engaging design
- Ideal content for beginner and mid-beginner learners
- Covers speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills
- Hands-Free Mode makes it great for practicing conversations
- Progress tracking and streaks help build daily habits
- Voice recognition is generally reliable for pronunciation
- Affordable pricing, especially with lifetime deals
Cons
- Doesn’t explain grammar rules or mistakes clearly
- Weak spaced repetition system for long-term retention
- Not suitable for advanced learners or fluency goals
- Audio lacks variety in speed, accent, and tone
What is Mondly
Mondly is a language learning app that helps you pick up a new language through quick, interactive lessons. It’s available on mobile and desktop, and it covers 33 languages — including Spanish.
How it works
Mondly is designed around short, daily lessons that build up your vocabulary, grammar, and conversation skills little by little. Each lesson usually follows the same flow: you learn new words, practice them through matching exercises, then use them in simple sentences and short conversations.
The app teaches through repetition, visual cues, and quick interactions — so you’re not just memorizing words; you’re seeing them in action. Mondly also uses speech recognition to help you practice speaking and corrects you if your pronunciation is off.
How the lessons work
Lessons are bite-sized (about 10 to 15 minutes each) and focus on real-world topics like ordering food, traveling, or introducing yourself. Activities include:- match words to pictures
- listen to conversations
- spell words
- translate words and phrases
- practice speaking with voice recognition.
Special features
Mondly offers some cool extras like chatbot conversations, augmented reality (AR) lessons if you want a more immersive experience, and weekly and monthly challenges to help you stay motivated. It also features a leaderboard where you can see how you stack up against other learners.
Pricing
Mondly has a free version with limited access. If you want the full experience, you’ll need the paid version:- €9.99 per month for access to 1 language
- €47.99 per year for access to 1 language
- €99.99 for a lifetime subscription, which unlocks all 33 languages — and sometimes they offer a 50% discount on this, so it’s worth keeping an eye out.
What I like about Mondly
1. Easy and Fun to Use
- Mondly is super easy to navigate. It’s not confusing at all — very instinctive, even for beginners.
- The design is clean, colorful, and honestly fun to look at. I personally like their choice of images, visual and sound effects — especially when I’m using the app on mobile.
- Even when the app needs to download extra lessons later on (which makes it a bit heavier), it doesn’t really affect the smoothness of the lessons themselves.
2. Lessons are Short but Effective
- I really like how Mondly structures its lessons. It follows a grammar-based instruction with contextual vocabulary — meaning it teaches you the structure first, like yo bebo (I drink), and then builds on it with useful words like agua (water), té (tea), or café (coffee). So instead of memorizing random words, you’re already forming real, useful phrases like yo bebo agua, té o café (I drink water, tea, or coffee).
- Each lesson only takes about 5 to 8 minutes, which to me is a big plus. It makes learning feel lighter and more doable — unlike other apps where a single lesson can drag on and feel like it takes forever to finish.
- Lessons are focused on real conversations, not just random vocabulary lists — which makes it way more practical if you actually want to use the language.
3. Solid Content for Beginners
- The topics Mondly covers are exactly what beginners need: self-introductions, ordering at a restaurant, daily activities, likes and dislikes, and so on.
- It really focuses on everyday Spanish you’ll actually use — which is important when you’re just starting out.
4. It Helps You Build All Language Skills
- Mondly covers all four essential skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
- One of my favorite features — and honestly the main reason I use Mondly — is the Hands-Free Mode. It lets you just listen and speak without needing to type anything. Since my goal is to improve my conversational skills, this feature helped me a lot in practicing how to listen to someone and respond naturally, just like in a real conversation.
5. Motivation and Progress Tracking
- The app tracks your daily streaks and clearly shows you what lessons you’ve completed and what’s coming next.
- It even counts how many phrases and words you’ve learned, which to me is super motivating to see.
- Plus, there’s a leaderboard where you can see how other learners are doing. It adds a little friendly competition that keeps things interesting without feeling stressful.
6. Voice Recognition is Mostly Reliable
- I’ve seen mixed reviews about Mondly’s voice recognition, but for me, it works well about 90% of the time.
- Sometimes it doesn’t catch what I’m saying perfectly, but overall it’s helped me practice my pronunciation and get more comfortable speaking Spanish.
7. Good Pricing
- Compared to other apps, I find Mondly’s pricing very reasonable. In case you missed the pricing list above, here’s a quick breakdown of what they offer:
- Free version – limited access to lessons
- €9.99 per month for access to 1 language
- €47.99 per year for access to 1 language
- €99.99 for a lifetime subscription, which unlocks all 33 languages — and sometimes they offer a 50% discount on this, so it’s worth keeping an eye out.
What I don´t like about Mondly
1. Grammar Weaknesses
- It introduces basic sentence structures, but doesn’t dive deep into grammar rules.
- When you make a mistake, the app doesn’t explain why your answer is wrong — it just marks it incorrect.
- There aren’t any grammar tips or exercises to help reinforce the rules.
2. Spaced Repetition Doesn’t Seem Effective
- Mondly claims to use Spaced Repetition (SRS), but I don’t really see this in action. I often have to track what I’ve learned on my own and manually go back to old lessons for review.
3. Limited Learning Depth
- Although Mondly says it covers A1 to B2 Spanish, I think it realistically only reaches up to mid A2 level.
- It’s great for learning how to introduce yourself, order food, or talk about daily routines — but it doesn’t help with expressing opinions, handling longer conversations, or understanding fast, native-level speech.
- There’s also no exposure to slang or idiomatic expressions.
4. Feedback Is Too Basic
- The app lets you know when your answer is wrong, but it doesn’t explain why it’s wrong or show you how to improve your mistake.
- As an adult learner, I find understanding why something is right or wrong helps more than just memorizing patterns.
5. Not for Advanced Learners
- This app is great for mid-beginners, and even good for casual intermediate learners — but not for serious learners aiming for fluency.
- It’s not ideal if you’re looking for in-depth grammar explanations, advanced topics, or personalized learning paths.
My own experience with Mondly
Why I chose Mondly
I started with the free version of Mondly to see what it could offer and how it worked. I quickly warmed up to it for a few reasons:- It helped me review vocabulary and verb conjugations that I felt were essential for building conversations, especially as a beginner.
- I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to form a habit of learning Spanish with this app. The lessons are quick, the visuals and sound effects are engaging, and it has a solid gamified experience that makes learning feel less like a chore.
- As someone who’s pretty careful with my budget, I love that Mondly offers great value for the price. It gives me a lot for what I’m paying, and I feel like I’m getting my money’s worth.
How often I use it
I use Mondly every day, usually fitting in 3 to 5 sessions that last 10 to 15 minutes. Hands-Free mode works great during walks, breaks, or before bed. The quick lessons and streak rewards make it easy to stay consistent.
What features I used most
The Hands-Free mode quickly became my go-to. At this point, I already had an A2 level in Spanish, but I struggled with using what I knew in real conversations. Hands-Free let me listen and speak while walking, doing chores, or winding down at night—so I could practice without needing to sit down or stare at a screen. It made it easier to stay consistent, and it gave me the chance to actually use Spanish daily, not just review it.
What it helped me improve
Mondly helped me move from just memorizing Spanish to actually using it. I already knew basic grammar and vocabulary, but what I lacked was confidence. The app gave me a space to practice daily, especially through quick conversations that made me think in Spanish. Over time, I started speaking more in Spanish and with fewer doubts. Now, I feel a lot more sure of myself when I speak with native speakers, especially at work.
Where it fell short
Mondly doesn’t explain grammar well. As someone who needs to understand why something is correct, I found the lack of detailed explanations frustrating. It’s fine if you already know the basics, but total beginners might struggle without more guidance.
How it compares to other tools I’ve tried
Mondly stands out as a language app that focuses on conversational beginner practice. Unlike other apps that dive too deep into grammar or vocabulary alone, Mondly helped me practice practical usage. Plus, its shorter, more focused lessons make it easier to stick with compared to other apps that have longer, more overwhelming sessions.
Would I recommend Mondly?
I can’t provide a blatant yes or no for this question. Quite frankly, I like using Mondly and it served me well. But that’s just me. So here´s a gist of my Mondly review to help you decide if this app fits your language learning journey.
I Don´t Recommend Mondly if You are a Total Beginner
- Limited grammar explanations – While Mondly introduces sentence structures, it doesn’t explain grammar deeply. Total beginners might struggle to understand why an answer is right or wrong.
- Lack of feedback – When you make a mistake, the app tells you you’re wrong but doesn’t explain why or how to fix it. This can be confusing if you’re just starting out.
- Too focused on memorization – The app often teaches through repetition and vocabulary matching, which might help you remember phrases, but not fully understand how the language works.
- Spaced repetition is weak – It claims to use spaced repetition to help with long-term retention, but in practice, you might have to manually review past lessons on your own.
- Good for phrases, not deep understanding – It helps you say useful sentences quickly, but it won’t give you a strong foundation for building your own sentences from scratch.
I Don’t Recommend Mondly if You are Achieving Fluency
- It only covers up to A2-level content – Even though the app claims to teach up to B2, in my experience, it only goes as far as mid-A2. You’ll learn basic conversations but not more advanced language needed for fluency.
- Lacks natural, flowing conversations – Most dialogues feel scripted and short. There’s not enough focus on how real conversations flow, especially with nuance, tone, or slang.
- No deep grammar training – Fluency often requires understanding grammar well enough to express yourself freely. Mondly introduces sentence structures but doesn’t go deep or offer clear explanations when you make mistakes.
- Limited support for spontaneous speaking – Fluency means being able to think in the language and respond naturally. Mondly doesn’t challenge you enough to build that skill.
- Not enough listening variety – Real fluency requires exposure to different accents, speeds, and informal speech. Mondly’s audio is clear but limited and often predictable.
I Recommend Mondly If You Already Know the Basics
- Best for mid-beginners, not total beginners – I wouldn’t recommend this app to someone with zero knowledge of Spanish. It’s more suitable for learners who already know some basics — maybe you’ve been learning for 3 to 5 months and want to review or reinforce beginner-level topics.
- Great as a supplemental tool – Mondly works really well as a side resource. If you’re already taking a structured course (like a textbook, class, or tutor), Mondly is great for casual practice and reinforcing what you’ve learned — kind of like a fun review app that keeps you engaged between study sessions.
- Covers essential A-level topics – It includes useful topics that every A1–A2 learner should know, like greetings, daily routines, ordering food, etc.
- Gamified and habit-forming – One of Mondly’s strengths is its design. It encourages you to come back daily and stick to your routine, which is key for language learning.
- Hands-Free Mode helps with speaking – I mostly use Mondly for this. The Hands-Free Mode lets me listen and respond out loud, so I can immediately turn the lesson content into speech.
- Short, bite-sized lessons – Each lesson only takes about 5–8 minutes, which makes it easier to stay consistent even if you’re busy.
- Visually engaging – The interface is colorful and fun, and the little touches like sound effects and visuals make it more enjoyable to use.
- Pricing is reasonable – Compared to other apps, I find Mondly’s pricing very fair:
Conclusion: Mondly Review
If you’ve been learning Spanish for a few months and want an engaging way to review and reinforce what you’ve learned — especially through speaking — Mondly is a fun, helpful tool to keep the habit going. It’s not meant to replace a full course, but it works great as a side app to support your main learning method, plus it´s affordable too.I hope my honest Mondly review has given you enough insight to help you decide whether it’s the right choice for your Spanish learning journey. If you´re still unsure try the free version today and see for yourself if Mondly fits your style of learning.
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