Are you looking for some credible and authentic resources for learning Cantonese (廣東話 gwong2 dung1 waa2)? Well, you have landed on the right post! I have rounded up a number of apps to learn Cantonese so that decision-making becomes an easier task for you!
Yes, language learning might not come easily to many, and no one can learn a new language overnight. Many factors contribute to language learning, like learning style, learning resources, learning environment, native language, and more. Luckily, technology has made learning languages easier and smoother, as the options have become limitless.
There are many different platforms with special features that can develop your language skills. But, in a sea of language learning apps, which one to choose if you want to learn a not-so-easy-to-learn Cantonese language? This blog will talk about the best learning apps to learn Cantonese in order to help you speak like a native speaker.
Why Learn Cantonese?
Cantonese is not a commonly spoken language like Mandarin. If people want to learn Chinese, they opt to learn Mandarin Chinese, as it is the language spoken in Mainland China and other Chinese-speaking countries. On the other hand, Cantonese Chinese is mainly spoken in Hong Kong, Guangdong Province in Mainland China, and Macau. You can also hear people speaking Cantonese in other parts of the world, like the USA and Europe, brought by the immigrants from Guangdong Province.
Cantonese is not too easy to learn as it uses traditional Chinese characters and has many tones. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t learn the language. Even if it’s not as popular language as Mandarin Chinese, language learners from around the world still learn Cantonese because of the following reasons:
Job Opportunities
As one of the four Asian Tigers, Hong Kong is indeed a haven for job seekers. If you choose to work in Hong Kong or Macau, you’ll earn a living or build a career. To do that, learning Cantonese is one of the first things to do. Companies seek multilingual or bilingual employees who can be useful in dealing with international clients.
Exposure To Culture
Language and culture always go hand-in-hand. Learning the Cantonese language is also learning the history and culture of the country where it is spoken. It allows you to be more empathetic to Hong Kongers, especially if their culture and traditions are very different from yours.
Connect With The Locals
The goal of language learners is to build connections with native Cantonese speakers. Your Hong Kong experience will be more meaningful when you have talked to at least one native Cantonese speaker. More importantly, learning Cantonese while in a Cantonese-speaking country is a sign of respect for the people, language, and culture.
Fun & Smooth Travel
Before going on a trip to Cantonese-speaking countries like Hong Kong and Macau, it’s always a good idea to arm yourself with some basic Cantonese vocabulary lists like greetings, basic words and phrases, and more. Use it when going around the country, shopping, using public transport, dining, and more. It will really help you have a comfortable and fun adventure.
Vibing To Cantonese Music
Learning Cantonese is a no-brainer for fans of Canto-pop and other types of music in Hong Kong. Listening to their music will make you pick up words subconsciously. So, imagine how great it would be to dance or sing along with your favorite Cantonese music without any translations.
What Are The Best Apps To Learn Cantonese?
Cantonese is a challenging language to learn, and it’s a double whammy for a non-native speaker. Till some years back, it was indeed almost impossible to learn Cantonese if you were not residing in the native country or didn’t enroll in language courses or private lessons. But thanks to technology, studying Cantonese can be done online with the help of online platforms and apps.
So, here are some of the best apps to learn Cantonese.
| App | Price Starting At | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Ling | $6.67/ month (Free Trial Available) | Over-All Development |
| Simply Learn Cantonese | Free | Travel Phrasebook |
| Pimsleur | $14.95/ month | Learning Conversational Cantonese |
| Drops | Free | Learning Cantonese Vocabulary |
| Glossika | $30/ month | Learning Cantonese In Context |
| CantoneseClass101 | $4/ month | Improving Comprehension |
| iTalki | Varies | Finding Cantonese Teacher/ Tutor |
| Skritter | $14.99/ month | Learning Cantonese Writing System |
| Mango Languages | $7.99/ month | Beginners |
| Gus On The Go | $3.99/ language | Children |
| Clozemaster | $8/ month | Fun Activities |
1. Ling: Best For Over-All Development Of Language Skills
Ling is a language learning app on which you can learn 60+ languages in just one subscription, and Cantonese is one of them. What makes its millions of users fall in love with this app are the key features developed by real language experts.
The app has fun and interactive listening and writing exercises that make you feel like you’re just playing a game. It caters to all the essential language skills: reading and listening, writing, speaking, and grammar. Moreover, the app contains high-quality lessons about essential words and phrases that are practical and can be used in different situations and social contexts.
You’ll start by building vocabulary, then use it in meaningful sentences, and learn how it’s pronounced then, followed by short exercises and mini-quizzes to test what you have learned. The learning activities range from multiple-choice, sorting sentences, and dialogues. As a language teacher myself, this is an A!
Features
- The app has an appealing and smooth interface and is very easy to navigate. Users dig for apps that are easy to use and aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. It also allows self-directed learning wherein you can choose the topic you want to learn.
- It uses smart flashcards with a built-in spaced-repetition system for language activities.
- It has in-depth listening and writing activities. Developing these language skills is very important for a complicated and tonal language like Cantonese.
Pricing
- Free trial version
- $8.99 for a month
- $6.67/ month
- $149 for a lifetime subscription
2. Simply Learn Cantonese: Best As A Travel Phrasebook
Simply Learn Cantonese is another language app developed by Simya Solutions that can be used to learn Cantonese. It is also one of the language apps recommended by many users for learning Cantonese because it is pretty affordable and effective. Though the free app may be distracted by ads, you can disable them by subscribing to a paid plan.
Features
- In Simply Learn Cantonese, you’ll learn Cantonese using a travel phrasebook with 10,000+ essential and relevant vocabulary.
- Every word and phrase has high-quality audio recorded by real native speakers.
- The app makes learning more challenging and varied by providing pre-made cards to answer the tests and quizzes.
- The app also has a built-in spaced repetition system to help transfer what you have learned from short-term to long-term memory.
- It is best for travelers who want to learn some essential phrases on the go.
Pricing
The app is free to use, with ads popping up every now and then. The in-app purchase option allows you to go ad-free.
3. Pimsleur: Best For Conversational Cantonese
The next app that is part of the best apps for learning Cantonese is Pimsleur. The greatest goal of every language learner is to use what they have learned in conversations. So, if you want an app that will develop your conversational and speaking skills, this app is one to consider. Pimsleur Cantonese is an audio course made up of 30-minute audio lessons.
So, how does Pimsleur work? Cantonese phrases are taught word by word and syllable by syllable in each class. Then, just like in a genuine discussion, you’ll be expected to respond and ask questions on the spot.
Features
- Language immersion starts from step 1, so you’ll learn how to speak Cantonese as soon as you start.
- Since it’s an audio course, do not expect it to develop your other language skills like reading or writing deeply. Though, you might learn grammar along the way but not too in-depth.
- Its hand-free mode allows you to learn Cantonese depending upon your ease of availability.
- The platform provides an alphabet learning booklet guide to help you read and write the language at the end of each course level.
Pricing
- The app subscription is $14.95/ month for one course and $20/ month for all language courses.
- Pimsleur Chinese (Cantonese) Level 1 Premium costs $150.
4. Drops: Best App For Learning Cantonese Vocabulary
Drops is an app known for its superb visuals and gamified approach to learning Cantonese. It has an excellent animation that encourages users to learn. But, aside from having amazing visuals and animations, it stands out because it focuses on teaching learners new words and phrases. However, since this is more of a vocabulary-building app, you can’t expect it to teach Cantonese grammar.
There’s also a blog review about Drops that you can read to know more.
Features
- The app helps learners remember new words, review vocabulary over time, and transfer it to their long-term memory.
Pricing
- Free trial allows you 5 minutes/ day on the app.
- The paid subscription plan is for $13/ month.
5. Glossika: Best For Learning Cantonese In Context
For a more straightforward approach to learning and developing your Cantonese speaking and listening skills, Glossika is an app that you should try. In Glossika, there are no actual lessons to learn because it focuses on repeating words, phrases, and sentences pronounced by a native speaker. You need to listen to and mimic the sound aloud, and upon doing this over and over again, you’ll learn the vocabulary, grammar, and speaking rhythms.
Pricing
- $30/ month
- $299.88/ year
6. CantoneseClass101: Best App For Improving Comprehension
CantoneseClass101 is one of the language apps that has the most updated Cantonese lessons. Each week, there’s a new and fresh lesson to learn that is timely and relevant to their culture.
With CantoneseClass101, you can learn Cantonese through a thousand lessons available in podcast form. These lessons are designed like an actual conversation between two Cantonese speakers that typically occurs in real-life daily conversations. CantoneseClass101 will help you improve the Cantonese language skills that will eventually help you reach fluency.
Feature
- The platform allows you access to their vocabulary dictionary, where you can simply search for the word you are looking for. This feature is super handy when building your own word bank.
- Listening to audio lessons recorded in native speaker voices is a huge plus when it comes to learning by imitation. Simply imitate their pronunciation and intonation for better speaking skills.
Pricing
- The free trial version allows access to the initial few lessons in all the pathways.
- The basic monthly subscription is $4.
- Premium subscription that allows one-to-one lessons with a tutor costs you $10/ month.
7. iTalki: Best For Finding A Cantonese Teacher or Tutor
Study tools and technology can aid learning, but they can never replace teachers in the teaching and learning process. With iTalki, you can find a teacher or tutor that will help you learn a new language like Cantonese. If you’re a teacher, this is also an app that can help you teach Cantonese. Basically, Italki is a marketplace for finding a teacher or tutor that suits your needs and learning style.
You should know that there are two types of teachers that you can find in iTalki, Professional Teachers, those who have degrees and teaching certificates, and Community Tutors, those who are native speakers or near-native speakers. The rates of the teacher vary based on different factors like the type of teacher and the proficiency level of the tutor in Cantonese.
If you need more than this description, you can read the iTalki review.
Features
- iTalki offers 30-minute trial lessons with teachers. You can also check the reviews from their students or watch a short introduction video that they provide to learn more about them.
- Once you find a Cantonese teacher or tutor, fixing a session and paying for it is a pretty easy process.
- The lessons are usually 30 minutes to 1.5 hours. The format allows you greater flexibility as you can directly communicate with the teacher to agree upon a mutually beneficial time slot.
- iTalki also has a huge community where you can post and interact in Cantonese with other learners and let native speakers comment, discuss, or correct it. It is a good way to practice your knowledge of Cantonese.
Pricing
- The trial session cost starts from $5 and can go up to $8.
- The per-session charges range anywhere between $10 to $40 per hour, depending upon the tutor’s expertise.
8. Skritter: Best App For Learning Cantonese Writing System
Cantonese uses a complicated writing system because it uses traditional characters, unlike Mandarin, simplified characters. So, to develop your writing skills, such as stroke order, Skritter is one of the best apps to use. You can also develop writing style corrections to character decompositions and tone practice, which are significant in learning Chinese.
Pricing
- $14.99/ month
- $59.99/ 6 months
- $99.99/ year
9. Mango Languages: Best App For Beginners
If you’re a total beginner in learning Cantonese, the Mango Languages is an app to consider. This app will guide you to a series of chapters of guided courses that build your communication skills from zero in a logical way. Each chapter has conversational goals and grammar goals which are important factors in learning a new language like Cantonese.
If you need more information, you can read the Mango Languages review.
Features
- The best feature of the app is the lessons which are conversational and topical, providing a lot of cultural immersion.
- The app uses your prior knowledge to help you review and learn new material simultaneously.
Pricing
The app provides its Cantonese language course for $7.99 per month.
10. Gus On The Go: Best App For Kids
If you want a child to learn Cantonese, start at the earliest stage possible. During their formation years, a child’s brain is more open to acquiring new languages. Gus On The Go has engaging and interactive games and activities to learn vocabulary. It also helps children master Cantonese pronunciation by mimicking the sounds recorded by a native speaker. With this, children will be able to develop basic language skills slowly.
Pricing
The app offers its Cantonese language learning course for $3.99/ month. It doesn’t offer any free trial.
11. Clozemaster: Best App For Fun Activities
Clozemaster is a Cantonese language-learning app that is completely free. It has many sentences to practice that you can learn through multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions. However, this is not a beginner-friendly app because it uses traditional Chinese characters. So, in order to use this app, you’ll need a beginner-level understanding of the language. But, for a free language app, Clozemaster offers some pretty decent stuff.
Features
- The app uses sentences in the target language rather than isolated vocabulary words. This helps learners understand words in context, leading to better retention and comprehension.
- It also uses a spaced repetition algorithm to schedule the review of words at optimal intervals. This ensures that learners encounter words they’re struggling with more frequently.
Pricing
- $8/ month
- $60/ year
- $140 for a lifetime subscription
Which Is Your Preferred App?
Just like what a Chinese proverb says, “To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world.” Learning Cantonese is a tough decision to make because of the technicalities behind it, but once you do, it will slowly open you to a world you have never been to before. To do that, you’ll need to use different resources and tools, such as Ling.
There’s no such thing as a perfect language app for everyone, but this list of best apps to learn Cantonese will help you discover the perfect app that fits your learning style. When you are up for the challenge of learning on your own, you should try downloading the Ling app on the Play Store or App Store. There’s no harm in discovering things on your own because it’s part of your language-learning journey. All these hardships will lead you to your success.
Updated by Punya
One Response
Hi, thank you for the useful reviews. I have been learning Cantonese for the last four months. By far the best resource I have found so far is the “5 Minute Cantonese” course on YouTube with Amanda. It’s free (although she appreciated any Patreon support) and her lessons are excellent. I generally watch each lesson once, then revise notes from previous lessons, then the next day watch the same lesson again stopping & starting whilst making notes.
I have also tried the Drops app. It’s is a good tool, but the Jyutping romanisation often doesn’t display so I get stuck as I cannot read the Chinese characters!