Benkyou Studio

Learning a new language is easier than ever, but, naturally, it still involves a lot of work. However, things get a lot easier if you have a specialized application to help you out.
Benkyou Studio is a powerful program designed to provide users with a complete solution for studying various foreign languages. It consists of multiple learning modules and offers several other useful tools.

Translate words between multiple languages

The application includes a comprehensive dictionary that can help you find the meaning of certain words. While the application was originally designed for learning Japanese, a lot of other languages are now supported as well.
Of course, the application also displays each word’s definition, and you can run them through a speech engine to get a good idea of how they should be pronounced.

Learn new words while performing other activities, and then test your knowledge

If you enable the Mouse Flash function, the program displays a word next to the cursor, followed shortly by its English equivalent. You can even listen to the words as they are listed, as well as configure their position and transparency.
When you wish to assess your progress, you can launch the multi-choice quiz and try to get as many words right as possible.

Offers an extensive toolkit for advanced users

Aside from the standard learning modules, the application includes a text processor, Unicode converter, currency calculator, international time chart and character map.
While these tools are not particularly useful for those who simply wish to improve their language skills, they may prove to be handy in certain situations.

Powerful application that features an outdated user interface

Sadly, when it comes to looks, Benkyou Studio leaves a lot to be desired. There are several color themes to choose from, and it is possible to customize the program’s layout, but, on the whole, the interface looks very out-of-date.
All in all, Benkyou Studio is a versatile software utility that packs a lot of useful features and can help you learn various foreign languages. It also includes multiple tools for advanced users, but the UI needs some major improvements.