Learning a new language can be fun, intellectually stimulating or even necessary for coursework in school, but today, with so many people communicating across boarders through our digitally connected world, it can also be an important skill to hone no matter where your interests lie. That's where Babbel comes in. With 14 language courses and more than 10,000 hours of content, Babbel's well-designed courses aim to be the shortest path to real-life conversations. The program works across desktop and mobile devices, though the internet is required. It also syncs your progress across your devices so that you can jump in from wherever is most convenient. You can get a lifetime subscription to Babbel Language Learning software for just $199 now through Jan. 26.

Babbel's extensive language software features Spanish, French, Italian, German, Russian, Swedish, Indonesian, Portuguese and more. The lessons are short and to the point, allowing you to practice in 10- to15-minute intervals that can fit into any schedule. Real-life topics include travel, family, business, food and more. There are also a variety of skill levels available, ranging from beginner to advanced, so the program can grow with you as you learn. Using the speech recognition technology will also help give you immediate feedback on pronunciation so that you don't just learn to read and write, but rather listen and speak as well. 

Having those transferrable skills in language immersion is key to truly becoming fluent in a way that can benefit real-life applications. Note that while you can access this program on an unlimited number of devices, this subscription is redeemable for new users only.