I know a bunch of people that want to learn the Slovak language. Because of that, I am very disappointed because there is no Slovak on Duolingo. So I decided to look into this a bit more and find out the real reason for that situation.
This is not some obscure request either. Slovak is spoken natively by around five million people and is one of the 24 official languages of the European Union.
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Why Is There No Slovak on Duolingo?
That’s a mystery to me and to many people that are writing to Dualogo’s staff on forums. In my opinion, there’s a serious problem with Duo not respecting its own users enough to reply to their questions. That’s a big problem. I really don’t know what is the criteria while chooses which course it wants to let come into life.
I mean, if there’s a valid reason why Duolingo won’t even start a Slovak incubator and yet do have Klingon language lessons, I’d like to at least know it.
What Are The Alternatives To Duolingo?
Ling
I am glad you asked. There is one very obvious recommendation that can be made here, and that is the Ling Slovak app. Ling uses native Slovak speakers to help you learn Slovak, just like it will sound in the country.
Through the gamification of learning, it also makes the whole process much more engaging. You can see yourself progress as you make your way through the different topics and tests that come along with it.
Then there is the chatbot feature that simulates conversations and makes for great practicing your Slovak language skills. For an introvert like me, it helps to build up my courage to eventually feel confident enough to use it when out and about.
While these mobile apps do share a common goal of making language learning fun and accessible, what sets Ling apart is the focus on practical vocabulary, sentences, and phrases that you will use in everyday speech.
FunEasyLearn
FunEasyLearn builds Slovak up from vocabulary, with a library of around 15,000 words and phrases split across everyday topics and taught through short games. You can learn Slovak from any of 62 starting languages, and it works offline, which matters if you are practising on a commute.
It covers reading, listening, speaking and writing in bite-sized pieces. What it will not give you is much sense of how Slovak grammar holds together, so treat it as vocabulary drilling rather than a course.
LinGo Play
LinGo Play leans hard on competition. Alongside the standard Slovak lessons it runs duel games where you play vocabulary rounds against other learners, with leaderboards and rewards for keeping a streak going.
If the thing that keeps you coming back to Duolingo is the streak and the scoreboard rather than the teaching, this scratches the same itch for a language Duolingo does not carry.
Other Resources
There are quite a few different apps and websites that work great with helping you to learn Slovak. Each one goes about its own way to replace the hole made by the lack of Slovak in Duolingo. Ultimately, it is a case of finding which option works best for your case.
One free option worth knowing about is slovake.eu, which runs full A1 to B2 courses with exercises, tests and dictionaries at no cost, and can be used from 16 different interface languages. Slovak is not the only Eastern European language Duolingo skips either, and we have rounded up the Duolingo alternatives for Eastern European languages separately.
Like we said before, it is good to make a language learning plan and mix things up if you are serious about learning Slovak. If you are just looking for a more casual experience to learn a few phrases before traveling, then apps like the Ling Slovak app might be the best option for you. Even something as small as knowing your Christmas greetings in Slovak goes a long way with the people you are visiting.
What Are The Chances Of Slovak Appearing In Duolingo?
It’s a fact that many people would like to see Slovak In Duolingo. However, I would advise them not to get their hopes high. I doubt that the English/Slovak course will ever happen on Duolingo.
Like in any other international service, Slovakia is a totally unpopular and overlooked country. Netflix stopped adding Slovak subtitles back in 2017 and gave Slovak viewers access to Czech-language content instead. The most common answer to those situations is that Slovaks understand Czech, and the two languages genuinely are highly mutually intelligible, so they can use Czech in conversation with foreigners. I am so discouraged since in language learning it does not work that way: being able to follow Czech does not teach anybody Slovak.
Duolingo has proven to be pretty a disappointment in this regard. So, maybe you should consider using Ling App for learning the Slovak language.
Why Is There No Slovak On Duolingo?
Duolingo has never opened a Slovak incubator, and it has not answered the users asking about it on its own forums. The criteria it uses to pick new courses are not public, which is why Slovak is still missing while a constructed language like Klingon has lessons.
Will Duolingo Ever Add A Slovak Course?
It looks unlikely. Slovakia is often overlooked by international services, and Netflix stopped creating Slovak subtitles. The usual argument is that Slovaks understand Czech, but that does not help anyone who actually wants to learn Slovak.
What Is The Best Duolingo Alternative For Slovak?
The Ling Slovak app. It uses native Slovak speakers so the language sounds the way it does in the country, tracks your progress through topics and tests, and includes a chatbot that simulates conversations for speaking practice.
Learn Slovak With Ling
Waiting on Duolingo is not a plan. Ling already has the Slovak course Duolingo never built, with native-speaker audio so you hear how the language actually sounds, lessons that track your progress, and a chatbot you can practise talking to before you try it on a person.
Start to learn Slovak language with Ling today and stop waiting for a course that is not coming.
