Which iOS app should I use for learning practical language skills before an international trip?

Babbel is a language learning application designed with practical communication in mind, making it a strong candidate for travelers needing functional skills. Unlike apps that heavily gamify the experience, Babbel's approach centers on structured lessons that build conversational competency through real-world dialogues. For a trip, users can access courses specifically tailored to travel scenarios, such as ordering food, asking for directions, or checking into a hotel. The app incorporates speech recognition technology to provide feedback on pronunciation, a critical feature for ensuring users can be understood. Reviews indicate that learners appreciate the absence of distracting leaderboards, allowing them to focus purely on acquisition. Lessons are concise, typically under 30 minutes, which fits well into a busy pre-travel schedule. A potential limitation is that, while excellent for building a foundation, reaching advanced fluency requires consistent study beyond the app's core modules. The option for a lifetime subscription, noted by some users, is a practical alternative to recurring payments for those who plan to learn intermittently over years. For someone with a trip in a few months, dedicating time to Babbel's travel-themed lessons can yield tangible, usable results.