Games to Learn English: 5 Free Online Games to Play Now

Games to learn English help you learn new words and real phrases while you play. Here are 5 free English games for teens and adults. They work on your phone and your computer, and you don't need to sign up. New to English? Start with Jewel Quest English (level A1). Know some English already? Pick a game for your level in the table below.

Which game should I play?

Game	What you learn	Level
Jewel Quest English	Words with pictures: food, animals, the home and more	A1–C2
Idiom Rush	English idioms, from emoji clues	A2+
Say It Right	What to say at work, the doctor, the bank and more	A2–B2
Civics Rush	The US citizenship test questions	A2+
Word Power	Words to describe people, work and feelings	B1–C1

Our 5 free games to learn English

1. Jewel Quest English: learn words with pictures

Jewel Quest English, a match-3 game: match pictures of an apple, a fish and a banana to learn the words

Match 3 pictures in a row, like in a jewel game. Each time you match, you see the picture and hear the English word. After the level, a short quiz checks the new words. There are more than 15 topics with 10 levels each, from your first words (apple, dog, shirt) up to advanced words.

You learn: everyday words with pictures and sound Level: A1 to C2 Good for: beginners, 5-minute breaks, teens and adults

▶ Play Jewel Quest now

Or start with a topic:

2. Idiom Rush: guess the idiom from emojis

Idiom Rush picture cards: a happy woman sitting on a cloud (on cloud nine), a man looking at a big blue moon, and a woman working late at night by a lamp

An idiom is a group of words with a special meaning, like on cloud nine (very happy). In Idiom Rush you see 3 emojis and pick the right idiom. Answer fast to get more stars. Then you see a picture, a simple meaning and an example for every idiom. There are more than 100 idioms in over 20 topics, from money and work to love and animals.

You learn: idioms that native speakers use every day Level: A2 and up Good for: a quick, fun game with friends or a class

▶ Play Idiom Rush now

Or study the idioms of a topic first:

3. Say It Right: practice real conversations

Say It Right: a job interviewer in an office gives a thumbs up

What would you say? A person talks to you, you read and hear the line, and you pick the best reply. Then you see why a reply works or sounds wrong. Every situation is from real life in the US, and each one has 3 levels.

You learn: polite, natural phrases for real life Level: A2 to B2 Good for: adults who use English at work and in daily life

▶ Play Say It Right now

Or pick a situation:

4. Civics Rush: practice for the US citizenship test

Civics Rush: the question What is the supreme law of the land, with the answer The U.S. Constitution

Getting ready for your US citizenship interview? Civics Rush asks you the official civics questions, one by one, with 4 answers to choose from. You hear each question, and every answer has a short, simple explanation. When you feel ready, try the mock test.

You learn: all 128 civics questions of the 2025 test (and the 100 questions of the 2008 test) Level: A2 and up Good for: people who will take the US citizenship test

▶ Play Civics Rush now

5. Word Power: words to describe people

Word Power: pictures of a pilot, a woman who gives a talk at work and friends at dinner

A match-3 game for adults who know some English. Every 3 matches, you get a new word card with a picture, a simple meaning and an example, like reliable, generous or ambitious. The words come back later in the game, so they stay with you.

You learn: words for people, work, feelings, money and health Level: B1 to C1 Good for: intermediate and advanced learners

▶ Play Word Power now

See all our games, with every topic and level, on the free English games page.

Click Here for Step-by-Step Rules, Stories and Exercises to Practice All English Tenses

How to learn English with games

Games work because you see a word, hear it and use it again and again. This is how new words stay in your head. Here are 4 easy tips:

Play a little every day. 5 or 10 minutes a day is better than one hour on Sunday.
Say the words out loud. When the game says a word, say it too.
Play a level again. The second time is easier, and the words stay with you longer.
Use the new words. After you play, write one sentence with a new word or idiom.

For teachers: English games for your class

All our games are free for you and your students. Nobody needs to sign up or log in. Each game and each topic has its own link, so you can share it in Google Classroom or any LMS. The pictures, buttons and text are big, so the games work on a projector for the whole class.

Two ideas for your next class

Say it first (Jewel Quest, A1–A2). Put a level on the projector. One student plays. The class says the English word for each picture before the game says it. Change players after every level.
Vote for the best reply (Say It Right, A2–B2). Show one line on the projector. Students show 1, 2 or 3 fingers for the reply they like. Ask two students why, then click the answer and read the tip together.

Want games with no screens? See our vocabulary games for teachers, ESL vocabulary games and ESL speaking games for adults.

Questions about games to learn English

What is the best game to learn English?

It depends on your level. For your first English words, play Jewel Quest English: you match pictures and hear each word. If you know some English, try Idiom Rush for idioms or Say It Right for real conversations. If you are at level B1 or higher, play Word Power.

Are these games to learn English free?

Yes. All 5 games are free. You don't need to sign up or download an app. They work in the browser on your phone, tablet or computer.

Can you learn English by playing games?

Yes. In a good game you see a picture, hear the word and use it many times, and this helps you remember it. Games are also fun, so you play more often. Use games together with reading, listening and speaking practice.

Are there English games for adults?

Yes. Our games are made with adults in mind. Say It Right is about work, the doctor, the bank and other real-life situations. Civics Rush is for the US citizenship test, and Word Power teaches words to describe people at work.

Which games can I use in my ESL class?

All of them. Jewel Quest works well for beginners and teens. Idiom Rush is a fun team game. Say It Right is great for speaking classes with adults. Share the link, or play on the projector with the whole class.

Do the games work on a phone?

Yes. We made every game for phones first. You can also play on a tablet or a computer, and the game saves your stars.

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