Did you know that Bengali is the seventh most-spoken language in the world in 2023? Yep, this South Asian language is the mother tongue of a whopping 265 million people around the world! No wonder there are a plethora of apps to learn Bengali coming up regularly.
One of those apps to learn the Bengali language is the Ling app with its winning features like AI chatbot for pronunciation practice and native speaker audio. That’s because Bengali being the official language of Bangladesh and one of the 22 official languages of the Republic of India has various dialects and it is necessary to hear the Bengali sounds to be able to grasp it better.
Best Apps To Learn Bengali
Quick Summary:
Best For
App
Ling
- Chatbot exercises and gamified quizzes
- Audio recorded by native speakers
- Grammar and speaking focused exercises
Learn Bengali Quickly
- Fast-paced learning approach
- Native speaker audio recording
- Offers accurate speaking ability
Simply Learn Bengali
- Audio pronunciation by native speakers
- 1000+ real-life phrases
- Relevant and commonly used language
Why Learn The Bengali Language?
Bengali, also known as Bangla, is an Indo-Aryan language with a fascinating genealogy. It evolved from the ancient Sanskrit language, which is considered the root of many Indo-Aryan languages. Over time, Prakrit dialects influenced Bengali, eventually giving rise to the medieval form called Apabhramsha. From Apabhramsha, modern Bengali emerged around the 12th century CE. The language further evolved through interactions with Persian, Arabic, and English, thanks to historical influences and colonial rule. Today, it stands as a distinct and vibrant language, boasting a rich literary and cultural heritage.
By learning Bengali, you’ll open the door to a rich and colorful culture that has produced renowned poets, writers, and artists. With the knowledge of Bangla, you can dive into the world of celebrated Bengali poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore’s poetry collection – Gitanjali – which won him the Nobel Prize in literature in 1913. Bengali literature is vast and illustrious, with numerous classics waiting to be read. The knowledge of the Bengali language helps you unravel the works of legendary filmmakers like Satyajit Ray and authors like Sharatchandra Chattopadhyay in their original language.
Moreover, exploring West Bengal or traveling to Bangladesh becomes so much more rewarding when you can communicate with locals in their native language. Speaking Bengali with friends, family, or colleagues who are native speakers fosters a deeper connection. It shows respect for their culture and allows for more heartfelt conversations.
And if you have even intermediate-level knowledge of Hindi, learning Bengali becomes so much easier! That’s because both languages have a common ancestor, and they both share similar vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure. Even the Bengali script, or Gaudi script, traces its roots to the Brahmi script, which gave rise to the Devanagari script of Hindi.
And the best part? Unlike Hindi and other Indo-Aryan languages, Bengali words or nouns don’t have a gender, so you wouldn’t be rendered confused assigning gender to inanimate objects! So come, let’s explore some of the ‘Learn Bengali’ apps that can help you reach your goal of being a fluent Bangla speaker.
1. The Ling App: Best For Improving Speaking Skills
With the Ling app, Bengali learners can access easy lessons in the form of fun mini-games. Apart from these lessons, they’ll find vocabulary exercises and cultural insights. The app’s most defining feature is its intelligent chatbot, which enables users to practice real-life conversations with artificial intelligence. Ling’s gamified approach, structured course, personalized learning paths, and speech recognition software make language learning a smooth ride.
Stand Out Features
- The Ling app tailors learning paths based on individual goals, proficiency levels, and preferences.
- Ling’s advanced speech recognition technology allows learners to practice pronunciation and receive instant feedback, helping them refine their speaking skills and achieve better language fluency.
- The app’s winning feature is it’s AI chatbot which is the most helpful tool for the learners to practice speaking the language along with the native Bengali speaker audios.
Price
- Free with beginner lessons and an introductory Chatbot.
- Monthly: $14.99
- Six Months: $39.99
- Yearly: $79.99 (7-day free trial)
- Lifetime: $149.99
2. Learn Bengali Quickly: Best For Beginners
Learn Bengali Quickly is a fast and efficient way to learn Bengali online. The app is designed to help users grasp Bengali essentials swiftly. With its user-friendly interface, the app offers a range of vocabulary and phrases to improve conversation skills. It utilizes audio recordings by native speakers to ensure accurate pronunciation.
The app, like many others, also includes interactive quizzes and exercises to make learning Bengali fast, engaging, and effective. Learn Bengali Quickly provides a convenient platform for beginners to dive into the basics of this captivating language.
Stand Out Features
- The standout feature of the Learn Bengali Quickly app is its fast-paced learning approach. By focusing on essential vocabulary and phrases, users can quickly grasp fundamental language skills, making it ideal for travelers or those with limited time to spare.
- The app’s use of native speaker audio recordings is another remarkable feature. Learners can listen to authentic pronunciation and intonation.
- The app also helps the learner develop a more natural and accurate speaking ability, which is crucial for effective communication with native Bengali speakers.
Price
- The app offers a free version for the entire content.
- $2.99 in-app purchase to go ad-free.
3. Simply Learn Bengali: Best For Travelers
Simply Learn Bengali is an interactive language-learning app designed to teach Bengali in a user-friendly manner. With comprehensive lessons and engaging exercises, it caters to beginners and travelers looking to grasp the basics of the language through its traveler-friendly phrasebook. The app offers audio pronunciations by native speakers, Bengali vocabulary building, and real-life phrases to enhance conversational skills.
The free content consists of three categories for beginners – numbers, time and date, and basic conversation, and eight basic categories for travelers, namely greetings, direction phrases, directions words, eating out, sightseeing, shopping, emergency, and accommodation. The paid subscription unlocks advanced lessons on topics like health, border crossing, banking, post office, business talks, feelings, family, and hobbies.
Play Store review: “Fairly nice app for getting started with the language for total beginners. The interface is easy to use and above all, it’s ad free.” — Vishal Singh (4 stars)
Stand Out Features
- One of the key features of the Simply Learn Bengali app is its provision of audio pronunciations by native speakers. This ensures learners develop authentic pronunciation and intonation, enhancing their ability to communicate effectively with Bengali speakers.
- The app offers a collection of 1000+ real-life phrases and conversations, making it highly practical for learners.
- By using relevant and commonly used language, learners can quickly adapt to everyday situations and gain confidence in their ability to navigate directions, modes of transport, ticket prices, restaurant menus, and similar easy but important conversations for a traveler.
Price
- The app offers a free version for the entire content.
- $0.99 in-app purchase to go ad-free.
4. Learn Bengali Letter Writing: Best For Learning Bengali Alphabet
The Learn Bengali Letter Writing app is a valuable tool for mastering the art of writing in Bengali script. The simplistic app is dedicated to learning to write the Bengali alphabet and numbers through the tracing method. Lessons include Bengali vowels, consonants, and numbers. These lessons guide learners through various letter forms and their correct strokes.
Users can practice writing letters in order to gradually improve their penmanship and understand Bengali characters. The app’s user-friendly interface and step-by-step guidance make it suitable for learners of all ages. Whether for educational purposes or simply for the joy of learning something new, this app provides an essential platform to hone Bengali writing skills effectively.
Stand Out Features
- The standout feature of the Learn Bengali Letter Writing app is its comprehensive approach to teaching Bengali script.
- It provides simple and straightforward lessons on various letter forms.
- The app also offers lessons on stroke order, and connecting characters, along with their Bengali pronunciation.
Price
- The app offers a free version for the entire content.
- $1.83 in-app purchase to go ad-free.
5. 50 Languages: Best App For Learning Vocabulary
50 Languages app is an extensive language-learning platform that caters to learners worldwide. Yes, it caters to native speakers of more than 50 languages! With its user-friendly interface and audio-supported lessons, users can quickly grasp essential Bengali phrases and vocabulary.
Its vast library of vocabulary pertaining to diverse topics is absolutely amazing and works well with the audio lessons. The app’s diverse range of interactive exercises and quizzes is a treasure trove of learning material that enhances language proficiency and retention, without compromising on the entertainment feature even for a second.
“This app is seriously amazing! I think it’s one of the best apps I have ever used. It has so much learning material with many different forms of learning games and tests. It’s so easy to use and great for beginners. This app makes me so happy. Learning Bengali is so easy. I can’t wait to gain amazing skills,” reads one of the reviews on the Google Play Store shared by a happy learner, along with a 5-star rating.
Stand Out Features
- The standout feature of the Learn Bengali – 50 Languages app is its audio support, allowing users to hear native speakers pronounce words and phrases. This feature ensures accurate pronunciation and improves listening skills, crucial for effective communication with Bengali speakers.
- The app offers a wide array of essential Bengali phrases and vocabulary, covering various topics and real-life situations.
- Learners can quickly build a practical foundation for conversational fluency, making it ideal for travelers or those seeking to connect with Bengali-speaking communities.
Price
- Free version offers with the entire content, with ads and locked tests.
- Silver plan: $3 for 1 month, ad-free, tests locked.
- Silver plan: $6 for 6 months, ad-free, tests locked.
- Silver plan: $8 for 12 months, ad-free, tests locked.
- Gold plan: $5 for 1 month, ad-free, tests unlocked.
- Gold plan: $8 for 6 months, ad-free, tests unlocked.
- Gold plan: $12 for 12 months, ad-free, tests unlocked.
6. iTalki: Best App To Find Bengali Tutors
iTalki is a language-learning platform that connects students with qualified teachers for personalized online lessons. The app’s interactive video chat functionality enables students to practice speaking, listening, and cultural immersion in a supportive environment. Flexible scheduling, affordable lesson prices, and a global community of language enthusiasts make iTalki a convenient and effective tool for anyone looking to enhance their language skills and connect with people from around the world.
Stand Out Features
- The standout feature of iTalki is its extensive pool of qualified teachers from around the world. Learners have the flexibility to choose instructors based on their language goals, preferred teaching style, and expertise, ensuring a personalized and effective learning experience.
- The app’s interactive video chat functionality is another remarkable feature.
- Students can engage in live, one-on-one lessons with their chosen teachers, enabling real-time practice of speaking and listening skills.
Price
- You can go for a trial version with average starting price of $1 per hour.
- For the paid version, the cost varies from $7 to $15 per session depending upon the tutor.
Apps To Learn Bengali: Round Up
Learning a new language can be challenging when you don’t know where and how to start. Hopefully, this list of best apps could prove to be a good starting point for your ‘Learn Bengali’ expedition. You can also opt to watch YouTube videos and Bengali movies on Netflix, with English and Bengali subtitles, to complement your Bengali course and improve your listening comprehension skills. All the best for your learning journey!
Learn Bengali With Ling
Now that you have gone through a concise list of apps to kick-start your Bengali language learning, which one did you zero down? We would suggest you give the Ling app a fair shot. With the Ling app, you can immerse yourself in an interface that transforms language learning into an exciting adventure thanks to its interactive games. Its bite-sized, interactive modules will fit perfectly into your busy schedule.
Not only that, but you can also challenge yourself with fun quizzes that reinforce your skills and keep you motivated on your language journey at your own pace. You can also enhance your pronunciation with audio exercises delivered by native speakers, ensuring you sound like a local.
And once you are done learning Bengali, you can then choose over the other 60 languages to explore new cultures and connect with people from all corners of the globe. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity! Join millions of language enthusiasts and download Ling now from either Google Play Store or App Store. Start your linguistic adventure today!
