There’s no Farsi on Duolingo, and there’s no sign of this changing anytime soon. If you want to learn Farsi (Persian) today, the Ling app is the best possible alternative. It offers a complete Farsi course built for real conversations with useful vocabulary.
Below, we’ll take a look at why Duolingo still skips Farsi, break down exactly how the Ling app fills this gap, and why it’s become the go-to Duolingo alternative for Farsi learners in 2026.
Why Is There No Farsi On Duolingo Yet?
Duolingo has never publicly confirmed why it doesn’t offer Farsi. Based on its past course decisions and community discussions, the likely reasons come down to demand and course economics. Duolingo tends to build new courses around projected learner demand and available course experts, and Farsi hasn’t been prioritized yet.
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That reasoning is hard to square with Farsi’s reach. According to WorldAtlas, around 110 million people speak Farsi worldwide across Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan — plus a large global community drawn to Persian poetry, art, and culture.
Difficulty isn’t a real barrier, either. Farsi’s grammar skips gendered nouns and vowel-length distinctions, making its script far more approachable once you already know Arabic, Pashto, or Urdu.
Given its reach and somewhat beginner-friendly grammar, Farsi is long overdue for a spot on Duolingo’s course library.
Is Farsi Hard To Learn?
Farsi is considered a moderately difficult language for English speakers. The U.S. Foreign Service Institute places it in the medium difficulty category, equating roughly to 1,100 class hours to reach professional working proficiency. Hindi and Russian broadly compare to the amount of effort necessary.
What makes Farsi more approachable is that it has no gendered nouns and a simple verb conjugation system, with a consistent sentence structure. The script will be the obvious hurdle for most learners, but those with prior experience of Arabic, Urdu, or Pashto will recognize much of it by default.
What Common Mistakes Do Beginners Make When Learning Farsi?
The most common early mistakes when learning Farsi come from applying established English habits to a new language:
- Ignoring the script: transliteration will slow down long-term learning, and picking up the Perso-Arabic alphabet early on will be a huge advantage.
- Mixing up formal with informal speech: Farsi has distinct polite and casual registers, which early learners might not figure out.
- Word-for-word translation: Farsi uses the Subject-Object-Verb word order, which differs from what English speakers are used to. Direct translations cause unnatural-sounding language.
What Makes The Ling App The Best Alternative To Duolingo For Learning Farsi?
The Ling app is the best Duolingo alternative for Farsi because it offers a complete Farsi language course: something that Duolingo does not have at all. This course offers comprehensive native-speaker audio, real conversation practice, and structured lessons.
Here’s what sets the Ling app apart:
- Game-like exercises that make practice feel fun, instead of a chore.
- Native-speaker audio that lets you hear exactly how the language really sounds.
- A voice-recognition feature that checks your pronunciation and flags mistakes as you go.
- Option to adjust playback speed and sound settings to fit your pace.
- Farsi grammar notes that explain the rules clearly, with real examples to back them up.
- The Ling app’s Dialog feature, which lets you practice real conversations, like speaking with a local.
- A 7-day free trial, so you can try its core features before subscribing.
The Ling App Vs Duolingo: Which One Supports Farsi?
We know there’s no Farsi on Duolingo and the Ling app does have a Farsi course, but let’s compare both apps for a quick guide on their main features:
| Features | Duolingo | The Ling App |
|---|---|---|
| Offers Farsi (Persian) language course | No | Yes |
| Interactive lessons | Yes | Yes |
| Points, leaderboards, and achievements | Yes | Yes |
| Ideal for beginners and intermediate learners | Yes | Yes |
| Native-speaker audio | No | Yes |
| Grammar explanations | Very limited | Includes detailed Farsi grammar notes |
| Pronunciation practice exercises | Not Available for Farsi | Offers native-speaker audio and voice recognition to help you master accurate pronunciation |
| Supported platforms | iOS, Android, and Web | iOS and Android |
Quick takeaway: Duolingo has no Farsi course, whereas the Ling app offers a full Farsi curriculum with native-speaker audio, voice recognition, and detailed grammar notes, available on iOS and Android.
The Ling App Vs Duolingo: Pricing
| Plan | Duolingo | The Ling App |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Most of the content (with ads) | 7-day free trial |
| Monthly | ~$12.99/month | $16.99 |
| Annual | ~$83.99-$95.99/year | $89.99 |
| 6-Month | – | $64.99 |
| Free Trial | Yes | Yes |
Quick takeaway: Duolingo has no Farsi course available at all, whereas the Ling app comes with Farsi learning options at every price point, making it the best app to learn Persian.
Who Is The Ling App Best For?
The Ling app is best for beginner and intermediate-level learners who want a structured language-learning experience. It’s an excellent fit for travelers preparing for a trip, heritage learners reconnecting with Farsi, and busy people who look for short, gamified lessons to fit into their daily routine.
Advanced learners aiming for full native-level fluency will find that the Ling app might not be best suited for them, but for those who need excellent functional knowledge of Farsi, there’s no better fit.
Why Do Serious Learners Choose The Ling App?
Serious learners choose the Ling app because it combines structured lessons, native audio, and real conversation practice, producing steady, measurable progress. The reviews say it best:
“I’ve only had the app for a day and have been learning faster than any other app in a very challenging language. I was definitely surprised and impressed. They teach you how to say it, it is easy to understand pronunciation, matching games to learning and hearing. Love it.”
Tennille Kinney
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“5 stars for supporting Persian language, and a very great way in teaching the language.💌“
حسين عكرمة
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What You’ll Learn In A Week Of Using The Ling App
As you know, Ling offers a 7-day free trial. Let’s see what you can achieve in just a week of learning Farsi with the Ling app:
| Days | What You’ll Learn | Examples from the app |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Basic Everyday-Used Words | I am twenty-five years old. – meri umar pachies saal hai. (۔میری عمر پچیس سال ہے.) |
| Day 2 | Simple Phrases and Greetings | I eat rice. – mein chawal khati hon. (میں چاول کھاتی ہوں.) |
| Day 3 | Numbers and family-related vocabulary | We are a family of four. – hum chaar logon ka khandan hain. (ہم چار لوگوں کا خاندان ہیں.) |
| Day 4 | Basic Persian Grammar | Grammar Note: “Personal Pronouns” |
| Day 5 | Listen to native speakers to learn accurate pronunciation | |
| Day 6 | Take a quick exam to check where you stand | Translate this sentence: in dokhtare šomâ ast. (این دختر شما است.) |
| Day 7 | Engage in your first real-life conversation using the Ling app’s Dialog feature |
Since Farsi is listed as a Category III language by the US Department of State, complete newcomers are likely to have a hard time with it early on. That’s not the reason to be discouraged from learning it, however, as the Ling app is built specifically for new and intermediate learners, and it’s the perfect companion for this kind of task.
No Farsi On Duolingo: Frequently Asked Questions
Is Farsi Available On Duolingo?
No, Duolingo doesn’t offer a Farsi course, and it hasn’t announced plans to add one. Learners looking for a structured Farsi course can use the Ling app, which offers a complete Persian curriculum.
Does Duolingo Offer Courses For Dari And Tajik?
No. Duolingo doesn’t support any Persian-language variety, so there’s no Farsi, Dari, or Tajik course available on the platform.
What’s The Best App To Learn Farsi?
The Ling app is one of the best apps for learning Farsi, offering native-speaker audio, voice-recognition practice, and Farsi grammar notes built for beginners. It covers the fundamentals through structured, gamified lessons and includes a 7-day free trial.
Can I Learn Farsi By Myself?
Yes. With a structured app like the Ling app, consistent daily practice, and native audio for pronunciation, you can build a solid Farsi foundation on your own: no classroom or tutor required to get you started.
Can Farsi Be Added To Duolingo In The Future?
It’s possible that Farsi may be added to Duolingo at some point, but there’s no current indication that it is coming. Duolingo has not listed Farsi among its planned or mid-development courses, so alternatives like the Ling app are crucial.
How Long Does It Take To Learn Farsi?
It depends on your goal. Reaching basic conversational ability can take a few months of consistent daily practice, while the U. S. Foreign Service Institute estimates around 1,100 hours for full professional proficiency.
Start Learning Farsi With Ling!
So, even if there’s no Farsi on Duolingo, you already know how to solve that problem.
The Ling app is the best choice for learning Farsi today, and the numbers back it up. Ling has 10M+ downloads and is rated 4.7/5 by learners across the Play Store and App Store for its gamified approach and intuitive interface.
Why wait? Download the Ling app and start learning Farsi (Persian) today!
