The best way to learn a foreign language is to surround yourself with native speakers, but if you don’t have a visa to, say, Japan (or thousands in airfare handy) the next best thing might be your broadband connection.

Language learning over the Internet has grown much more sophisticated in the last decades. Instead of memorising a list of “common” phrases in Finnish, one can now interact live with a native Finlander, simulating the experience of “being among the natives”. And, best of all, these services are free.

Livemocha.com is perhaps the most successful of the social language-learning websites. The online programme allows students to become tutors and vice versa. With webcams and speakers handy, you as an English speaker could connect with a native Brazilian and have her correct your Portuguese as you speak. If she’s speaking too fast for you, she could always type in what she’s trying to say. You in turn could help her with her English. Finding a dedicated partner may take some time, but it’s worth the search. For those who don’t want to bother with the hassle of “building a relationship”, livemocha.com offers premium services that allow users to connect with a certified tutor. Those services attract fees, though.

Lingorilla.com also allows users to connect with native speakers of a foreign language over the Internet. Lingorilla has a more didactic approach than livemocha, however, incorporating, among other things, instructional videos that demonstrate how the language is spoken while playing out entertaining scenarios.

Even though the interactive aspect of these new language-learning websites are novel and helpful, that’s not to say traditional learning methods are obsolete. Indeed, when done right, they re-affirm why such methods have been a cornerstone of teaching methods in the classroom for centuries.

BBC Languages (bbc.co.uk/languages) is one such sturdy example. Its core programme offers weekly updates of a formulated foreign-language lesson for 12 weeks — a 12-week course in effect. It is also a great website for travellers who want to be able to say more than just “hello”, “until me meet again” and “where is the discotheque?” For instance, its Quick Fix Phrases tab lets you get a list of commonly used phrases in 36 different languages. Better yet, the site will play the spoken phrase for you.

Another nifty “traditional site” is Mangolanguages.com, a Best of Reference selection by New York Public Library. The site allows visitors to learn common words and phrases in 12 different langauges — like how to find the library — by using text and audio lessons recorded by native speakers. Registration is free and it offers users free access to basic lessons in more than 10 languages. There’s also an interactive feature that offers help with pronunciation and assessment quizzes. That’s a premium service, however, which means it attracts a fee.

Keep in mind, though, that no matter how helpful these new interactive features are, good study materials and constant practice is indispensable to truly mastering a language. These websites offer fun, modern ways to make the journey less burdensome and immensely more inviting.