Your First Step to Thai with Ling
Personally, I’m not the type of person to use an application to learn a language. It just does not stick with me. I prefer real conversations, human interaction, and learning with context, as that’s the easiest way for me to learn Thai. Therefore, I’ve never been able to commit to any language app.
On top of that, language learning apps that offer Thai language courses are quite limited. I only discovered this app through a friend, and I was honestly skeptical about it at first. I just couldn’t see how it would make a difference. But, we can always give some things a chance and to try, and so I did, with Ling.
I’ve started using it for a week now, and I have to admit that this app made learning Thai easier. After reading this, I hope you can get a picture of this app, and hopefully I can convince you to start learning your preferred language too!
About Ling
The very first thing that you should know about Ling is that the website version will close on August 19 2026, and you can only access the mobile app going forward. Second thing here is that the app is free , but unfortunately only for one vocabulary lesson. Everything afterwards, including the advanced lessons that come with contexts or different settings, requires an upgrade and subscription. To only have one free lesson available is honestly disappointing. So, if you’re just learning Thai, you can get a quick exposure from Ling, but if you want a more intermediate or advanced level of lessons, you are always welcome to pay the price!
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Alright, are you still here? Great! Most would have left after learning the app requires subscription, but if you stayed, thank you!
What You See on Ling
The website is extremely easy to navigate, with a very straightforward design that gives you exactly what you need. The layout is well organised–from the fonts, illustrations to buttons, everything is balanced, neatly arranged without clutter. You can find the key sections easily as they are all kept in the side tab, which makes it easy to the eyes and just one click away.
However, here’s one friendly reminder during the lessons: If you want to go back to your previous question, that’s not possible. The moment you click backwards or retrace your step, you will lose all your progress and go back to the menu, all back to square one.
The layout is consistent throughout, and nothing appears visually overwhelming. Oh, and another good news is there are no ads! Ling provided a very easy to the eyes design overall, and nothing that’s distracting that could disrupt the user’s experience.
What Can Ling Offer that Makes Learning Fun?
I completed the lessons in just two days. The lessons are fairly easy to follow, and each activity is more than just a piece of cake!
- Select the correct word based on the pronunciation
- Match each word to its corresponding definition or translation
- Rearrange given words to form correct sentences
The most notable feature of Ling is its audio pronunciation for each word that comes with corresponding phonetic alphabets, translation and spelling displayed below. Additionally, a speed control function on the side that is represented by a snail icon, which allows us users to play the audio at a slower speed.
By the end of each lesson, you get a quick summary of what you’ve learned. They also provide a small badge as an achievement, to which it’s a kind reminder to acknowledge one’s progress and to help us to stay motivated. The types of activities are engaging enough for a beginner. Matching, selecting, and rearranging keep things varied without being overwhelming.
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While it’s true that I’m not the type of person who turns to apps for language learning, I do admit that I enjoy learning that comes with a gamification system or concept, and I believe that’s one factor that makes learning both effective and fun at the same time.
This article mentioned that “Gamification” is the use of game design elements in non-game contexts to promote expected behaviors. Gamified learning, then, is defined as the use of game design elements for educational purposes.
This approach is effective across all age groups. There is always something satisfying about earning a reward after completing a task. So many apps, including Ling has all that. Ling integrate gamification throughout the whole learning experience, where each correct answers earns points and getting a badge after each lesson. That’s already a form of gamification.
After each question, you will receive instant feedback, knowing right away whether the answer is correct or not. At the end of the lesson, a summary of all the vocabulary items covered is provided. Sure, while all these may seem like a minor feature, but it effectively reinforce user’s motivation, as they’re so convenient and easy to use, and made everything feel so much easier.
Downsides of Ling
Other than the limited free content, here are some issues I encountered. The most frustrating part was a glitch in this particular question about conversations. It just wouldn’t load at all, and I have no idea what to do or how to fixed it. I tried refreshing , which again, lost some of my progress and still it did not budged. I randomly clicked the answers, and I got it right, which was funny because I didn’t even know what’s the question was about. For a moment, this glitch made me doubt of the credibility of the app, but hah, I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt, since the rest of the app worked fairly well.
In my previous blog posts, you could probably tell that I enjoy interacting with human touch. I’ve always learn Thai by conversing with my mother, and honestly, it’s way more engaging that I feel no app could offer that. So, the app can feel a little boring after a while, especially when the free content is limited. But of course, you can always spice it up your way! Use the app as a tool and made it to the real conversations. Trust me, you will go further than you think.
Final Thoughts
While Ling is a decent app, I found the lessons to be limited, and not at all engaging for me personally. But, I still think it’s a great introduction for anyone interested in Thai language, or actually, any language you prefer. And if this isn’t your cup of tea? That’s totally alright. There are plenty of other apps and resources out there for you to explore. The most important thing is to start.
Learning My Heritage Language My Way!
What I’m about to introduce you to is the James Clear’s Four Laws of Behavior Change, a framework from his book Atomic Habits. My ultimate goal of is to speak Thai naturally with my family members, starting only with verbal communication first, before getting into learning the alphabet and writing. My target habit is to have a conversation in Thai with my family members for five minutes, or more, during a meal. I am getting there, not quite yet, but close; as I’m still using just very simple words and phrases. But hey, progress is progress, albeit a slow one. And now, I’m going to tell you how I plan to apply these laws to my heritage language learning.
The very first step is to make your learning habit obvious, something you put right in front of your face, or maybe not that dramatic actually. What I would do is to move the app to my home screen and right to the apps I used the most, like Whatsapp. Seeing it all the time can help as a visual reminder, whether you actually pay attention the app or not. Or if that’s not enough, feel free to set an alarm or reminders, or make a to-do-list on your phone or in real life, just for your to see and remind of your unfinished tasks.
2. Make It Attractive
Essentially, to make learning fun. I plan to listen to songs while I use the app. It could be any genre of your choice, as long as you don’t distracted and turned to a karaoke session. Put on some soft background and to relax your own mind. Or, you can always find a study partner to learn a language together. This increase the human touch and makes learning less lonely. You can always look for language community and made friends with the members, whether on Discord, Reddits or Facebook, or anywhere on your choice.
3. Make It Easy
Remember, consistency is key. My advice? Set the bar only at the level you can actually reach. While it’s great to challenge yourself, but we also have to learn our limits and always remember to start small, to avoid burn-outs. We can start by the learning the lessons for five minutes before or after bed. The lessons in Ling are less than five minutes long, so it’s super easy to squeeze in. Not only is it simple to maintain, but it also feels way less intimidating compare to the huge chunk of texts in those language books.
4. Make It Satisfying
Here’s my and everyone’s favorite part of all! While Ling gives you a badge after completing a lesson, you can also make the reward a physical thing. You can sit back and relax, treat yourself to a show or some entertainment. Or if you’re feeling up to it, watch it in your heritage language too!
These are my ways of learning Thai, and so far, it’s working out pretty well!
If you’re wondering whether this would work for you — honestly, I am truly not sure. It really depends on one’s attitude, mindset and characters, and not necessarily the tools we used. You can have the greatest app in the world, but without the effort and consistency, it’s not going to do much. Besides, not all methods or apps suit everyone; some work, some might not, and that’s totally fine. Like I mentioned before, the learning process takes a lot of trial and error, and eventually, we all find what works best for us. Most importantly, consistency is key, and that does not just applies to language learning, but in learning in general.
For this last post, I won’t be leaving any questions for you readers, but I sincerely hope my readers can pick up their heritage language again, just as you wish to, and I wish all of you the very best. With gratitude and love, I end. Thank you so much for reading.
