Duolingo is one of the most popular language-learning apps and also one that offers the greatest variety of languages you can learn
What languages can you learn on Duolingo?
For me, that is a huge consideration when choosing the best language-learning solution – whether they have the languages I’m interested in.
Since I’ve been reviewing Italian and Turkish, I’ve been lucky. Most language-learning apps offer these two popular languages, but if you want to start learning Zulu, Hawaiian, and Navajo, for example, you aren’t spoilt for choice (though, Duolingo has you covered).
So let’s find out exactly what languages you can learn on Duolingo!
What Are the Most Learned Languages on Duolingo?
Duolingo publishes a Duolingo Language Report every year detailing the latest language trends and learner behaviors. The report analyzes data from millions of Duolingo’s students.
Here are the highlights from the 2023 Duolingo Language Report about the most learned languages on this app:
- English
- Spanish
- French
- German
- Japanese
- Korean
- Italian
- Hindi
- Chinese
- Portuguese
English continues to be the most popular language. Students in 122 countries were studying English in 2023 – that’s 3 more countries (Malta, the Maldives, and Afghanistan) than the previous year. English continues to be essential for economic and educational success.
The #6 and #7 top languages for 2023 swapped places. In 2022, Italian took the #6 spot, but with Indian students loving the Korean language so much (there’s been a 75% increase in learning Korean here every year), it’s no surprise that Korean came in at #6 (and Italian fell to #7).
Russian finished off the top 10 in 2022, but Portuguese rose in popularity in 2023. There are three main reasons for this:
- More travelers are interested in Portugal and Brazil. (But, Duolingo teaches Portuguese … Brazilian Portuguese or “Portugal” Portuguese because the two are similar but not the same).
- In light of the war in Ukraine, fewer students are interested in learning Russian.
- Brazil’s Spanish-speaking neighbors (Uruguay, Paraguay, Venezuela, and Bolivia) want to learn Portuguese.
What Additional Languages Are Available on Duolingo?
You can learn a total number of 42 languages on Duolingo!
Here’s a list of languages that Duolingo offers according to region:
Africa
- Zulu
- Swahili
Asia
- Japanese
- Korean
- Hindi
- Mandarin Chinese
- Cantonese
- Vietnamese
- Indonesian
Europe
- English
- Spanish
- Finnish
- Danish
- French
- Czech
- German
- Italian
- Russian
- Portuguese
- Dutch
- Greek
- Polish
- Romanian
- Swedish
- Latin
- Irish
- Norwegian
- Ukrainian
- Welsh
- Scottish Gaelic
- Hungarian
- Catalan
- Yiddish
- Esperanto
Middle East
- Arabic
- Turkish
- Hebrew
Latin America
- Haitian Creole
North America
- Hawaiian
- Navajo
However, the languages available to you depends on what language(s) you are most proficient in.
For example, if you are a native English speaker or speak it really well, you have access to 39 languages. The only ones excluded are:
- English
- Cantonese
- Catalan
But if you speak Indonesian, Czech, Polish, Romanian, Tagalog, Greek, Ukrainian, Hindi, Telugu, Thai, or Korean, you can only learn English.
Students who natively speak Japanese or German, for example, can learn 4 languages, while Chinese speakers can learn 7 languages.
Luckily, it’s easy to choose the language you want to learn (based on your most proficient language) and to toggle between your target language studies.
Simply go to My Courses (the country flag of the language you are studying) on the Duolingo website or app, and “Add a new course”.
Excited to learn more? Explore my rewievs listed below:
Which "Exotic" Languages Are Offered on Duolingo?
Duolingo is the only multi-language-learning app that offers exotic languages.
For LARPing, Comic-Con, and other fan-activities, you can learn:
- Klingon from Star Trek
While Klingon is currently in its beta phrase, you can get started in mastering the art of this fascinating, intergalactic language.
- High Valyrian from Game of Thrones
If you also want to speak the language of nobles, dragons, and poetry, then High Valyrian is the language for you.
Our Superior Alternatives to Duolingo: Babbel and Mondly
While Duolingo has a freemium version of the app and offers a multitude of languages, there are superior alternatives.
Consider Babbel or Mondly for your language-learning journey.
Babbel
Babbel, a German-headquartered language-learning solution, launched in 2008. It was the first online platform that you could use back then to learn a language of your choice.
The app offers 14 languages, from Brazilian Portuguese, English, and German to Turkish, Italian, Polish, and Norwegian.
Babbel’s Pricing
Babbel has a free trial, so you can check out the first couple of interactive lessons of each of the 14 languages. You can also join 2 live classes (read also: How Much Does Babbel Cost?).
If you enjoy learning on Babbel, you can sign up for one of the main subscription options. Remember, one subscription gives you access to learn one language.
Babbel Live
With Babbel Live, you get access to unlimited online classes and interactive lessons.
For a monthly Babbel Live subscription, expect to pay US$99.00 per month.
There are also the 3, 6, or 12-month subscriptions, which often have a discount.
Babbel Self-Study
Babbel Self-Study only includes the online interactive lessons.
The cost for a Babbel Self-Study subscription is US$13.95 per month.
You can choose to pay monthly or opt for the 3, 6, or 12-month subscriptions. These often come with a discount.
There is also the Lifetime subscription, which allows you to access all of Babbel’s languages.
App Functionality of Babbel
There is no learning curve when you use Babbel. Once you have signed up (and subscribed), you’re ready to start learning. The instructions for each lesson are simple and clear, and together with the translations, you can learn and progress with a 5-10 minute commitment every day.
The review function is great.
I didn’t enjoy the live classes, but I can see how they could be beneficial for a complete newbie.
Why Babbel Is Better Than Duolingo?
- Clean interface, which is highly appealing to teens and adults.
- Immersion features like visual association with images, listening, reading, and writing exercises.
- Simple grammar explanations in the exercises (Duolingo only offers basic info in the Unit Guidebooks, so you need to access the info before or after a lesson, which isn’t very user-friendly).
- Toucan, the Babbel podcasts, the Babbel Magazine, interactive stories, and videos to help you learn.
- The option to join live group lessons to practice what you learned and improve your pronunciation.
- Consistent and authentic pronunciation in the target language since the audio is recorded by native speakers (compared to Duolingo’s animated voices).
Excited to learn more? Explore my rewievs listed below:
Mondly
Mondly, headquartered in Romania, is a Pearson-owned language-learning platform. It was founded in 2014.
Mondly offers 41 languages, from English, German, Afrikaans, and Russian to Japanese, Arabic, and Turkish.
It is also a very popular language-learning solution, having won the “Editor’s Choice” award in Google Play and the “Best New App” in the App Store (2017 & 2019).
Mondly’s Pricing
You can try Mondly for free. The freemium version gives you access to a daily lesson, a chatbot lesson, and the first 6 lessons of your target language, and one vocab section.
If you want to try the premium features, you can access a free trial.
Or subscribe to the monthly plan for US$9.99 or the yearly plan for US$47.00 (excluding discount offers). Like with Babbel, one subscription equals access to one language.
Or, you can get Lifetime Access for $1,999.00 (undiscounted), and then you can access all the languages.
If you want to use Mondly’s other apps, like Mondly VR, you’ll pay extra.
App Functionality of Mondly
Mondly also has the gamification features of Duolingo, like the colorful and very interactive interface and catchy visuals. You can use the flashcards, track your progress, and even compare your progress with other users via the Leaderboard.
The lessons are also short, so you can practice daily without feeling overwhelmed by the time commitment needed.
It is easy to start using Mondly, and the VR and AR features are novel ways to learn. These enhance your learning experience.
Why Mondly Is Better Than Duolingo?
- Learn via “standard” Mondly (ideal for teens and adults), Mondly kids (so the littlies can have fun while learning), Mondly AR (so you can learn through augmented reality), and Mondly VR (so you can learn via virtual reality).
- Access phrasebooks (featuring 40+ languages) with real-life examples and native pronunciations to help you learn.
- There are grammar and conjugation tables with pronunciation.
- You can also learn 40+ languages (like with Duolingo), but you can learn even more “exotic” languages, such as Afrikaans, Croatian, Lithuanian, Urdu, Bengali, and Slovak on Mondly.
- The app uses more natural sentences than Duolingo. While the silliness of Duolingo is fun, Mondly’s accuracy is better for learning.
- There’s a chatbot to help you practice conversing with natives.
- You can use resources to target specific skills, like vocabulary, listening, grammar, speaking, and pronunciation skills.
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Disclaimer: I select and review independently. If you buy through affiliate links, I may earn commissions that help support my testing at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure for more information.
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