November 2, 2018 — Drops today launched Scripts for iOS and Android, becoming the first multi-language app to teach language learners how to write character-based language systems. With just a few swipes of a finger, learners will be able to write Japanese Kana, Korean Hangul, and traditional Hanzi characters. In the coming months, Scripts will add simplified Hanzi, Thai, Kanji, Arabic, Hebrew, Russian Cyrillic, and Hindi. The launch of the Scripts app doubles down on the company’s visual learning approach.
In the past few years, Americans have expressed significant interest in learning Asian languages – a trend many attribute to Asian countries’ growing global influence. Even languages spoken in American homes are shifting, with Chinese now the second most popular language spoken at home after Spanish.
Yet, for many beginners who want to get started with learning character-based languages, the writing system, lack of an alphabet, lack of cognates, and status as a tonal language prove to be difficult. There is a high barrier to entry for many Asian language learners.
For the first time, Drops is offering a new, intuitive way to learn how to write character-based language systems through Scripts. Learners will be able to learn each character through a mix of fun games where they will be shown step-by-step instructions on how to draw the character with their finger on a smartphone. The physical act of drawing a character makes it more fun and realistic for the learner, while also increasing retention.
“As the world becomes more interconnected than ever, Asian languages in particular have grown in popularity. However, we haven’t seen a multi-language app that teaches how to write character-based scripts – a crucial step toward mastering these languages. Through Scripts, we are hoping to introduce even more learners to character-based languages, in a way that is effective, enjoyable, and less stressful,” said Daniel Farkas, co-founder and CEO, Drops.
Drops has exploded in popularity, recently surpassing 7.5 million downloads and on its way to 5x user growth in 2018 alone. Drops’ short, visual games make language learning a fun part of millions of users’ daily routines. The company has been adding underserved languages, such as Hawaiian and Icelandic, with plans for more niche languages in the future. They’ve also significantly expanded their content slate, and now have thousands of words across 31 languages.
“Learning a new language is often seen as an impossible challenge for many, especially when foreign characters are involved. Drops was built around the teachings of visual learning, so we are uniquely equipped to remove traditional challenges from character drawing, helping people learn, stick with it, and also have fun,” said Farkas.
About Drops
Drops is a new way to learn a language that combines short, engaging word puzzles with mnemonic association. Drops has developed a cult following and has become the fastest-growing language learning app in the world. Like an online game, the Drops app is fast and fun, and quickly becomes an integral part of your daily routine, thus making it easy to learn one or more of Drops’ 30+ languages. Drops has an auxiliary app, Scripts, that helps you learn how to write character-based languages, including Japanese, Korean, Chinese, with more to come. Although simple in their approach, these beautifully designed apps are built off years of research into how to help you learn more effectively and easily. Drops (iOS, Android) and Scripts (iOS, Android) are available for free, with premium versions available for $9.99 monthly, $69.99 yearly, or $199 for lifetime access to both apps.
