A quick question: What do these four have in common? The native tongue of Mahatma Gandhi, a script that looks different from Hindi but shares the same roots, a language spoken by millions across India, the UK, and the US, and a language deeply tied to trade and commerce. Answer: the Gujarati language!
Gujarati is one of the top 25 languages spoken worldwide, with approximately 63 million speakers. This includes around eight million native speakers in India and significant populations in countries like the UK, the USA, Canada, Tanzania, Kenya, and Pakistan. Yet, there is a woeful shortage of quality resources for learning the Gujarati language.
Therefore, in this app roundup, I have tried to find the top apps to learn Gujarati among those handful of resources. I’ll share with you each app’s top features, the gaps they have, and how user-friendly and worthwhile these apps are.
Table Of Contents
The Top Apps To Learn Gujarati
Now, before we get started, let me remind you once more that this is not a comprehensive list of available Gujarati learning resources but an attempt at separating the wheat from the chaff.
1. Ling: Best Gamified App To Learn Gujarati
Hands down, Ling is the most effective way of learning Gujarati at the moment. Why? Because the entire language course is developed by Gujarati language experts, and the audio lessons are recorded by native Gujarati speakers. And this is something significant to note when you look at the substandard quality of Gujarati learning apps and tools available online and offline.
Not only that but the Ling app offers exercises in all four language skills, including writing the Gujarati alphabet through the finger-tracing method. So, you’ll learn to write and identify the Gujarati alphabet even without using a pen and paper. And the best part is that everything you learn in these lessons is useful in your daily conversations, unlike Duolingo, where sentences are sometimes impractical for the learner’s level.
Devices: Android, iOS, web.
Features
- Audio Lessons recorded by native speakers: This is probably the most advantageous feature of the Ling app. You can actually listen to how the language sounds – the sounds of vowels and consonants, the sounds of diacritics, which might not even exist in your native language. This immensely helps your pronunciation, as you’re not just reading the vocabulary or listening to an AI-recorded audio sound.
- AI-Chatbot feature: Another unique feature offered by the app is the AI-powered dialogue feature that helps you practice speaking skills. These dialogues use the vocabulary and phrases learned in the lesson exercises, thus helping you retain them via the spaced repetition technique.
- Gamified approach to language learning: Gamification works big time whenever you start learning something new. In the case of language learning, it works as a charm. The streak system keeps you committed and the rewards give you a sense of achievement, and together, these two bring you back to devoting some committed time towards your learning goals every single day.
Pricing
- 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
Transform Your Gujarati Language Skills in a Week – Get the Ling app Today!
2. Dinolingo: Best App For Kids
Yes, it’s not Duolingo but Dinolingo, which ranks second in the list. Duolingo is not even on the list. Although it is a Gujarati language learning course for kids, Dinolingo packs a solid punch with what it offers, of course, keeping in mind its target users (ages 2 to 14).
The Gujarati for Kids course offers cartoon videos and Gujarati videos, downloadable worksheets and flashcards, interactive games, and quizzes. Its solid user interface is highly engaging and charming for kids. Plus, parents can check their kids’ progress with a detailed report.
A user, Heidi B, found the lessons from Dinolingo heartwarming and engaging. “My kids loved the dinosaurs and were so proud of the words they learned. The animation was very cute, and everything was easy to follow,” she said in her review.
Devices: Android, iOS, web.
Features
- Age-appropriate content: Since its target users range from toddlers to middle/ high school children, the lessons that it offers are curated according to the age and requirements of the kids. However, the downside is that adults won’t find the learning material appealing since the course caters to only a niche segment.
- SSL encrypted: Again, since it is for children, the app is SSL encrypted. This means no ads, chat rooms, or pop-ups are allowed, ensuring child safety along with a focus on learning.
- Family subscription: Dinolingo offers a 6-user family subscription, with all users allowed individual progress tracking and customized learning. However, even with the family subscription, the adults in the family might not find the content interesting or appealing enough to continue.
Pricing
- Dinolingo is a subscription-based learning app that offers a 7-day free trial.
- Monthly family subscription: $19.00/ month (access to all 50 language courses)
- Annual family subscription: $199.00/ year (access to all 50 language courses)
3. Learn Gujarati Language App: Best Vocabulary Learning App
This Gujarati learning app by Lingo Diction is a simple and straightforward learning resource for beginners. But please be forewarned. The UI is clunky, and every audio lesson needs to be downloaded before the sound plays. Pretty archaic, if you ask me.
It offers you 3700+ words in 62 categories. It also offers grammar categories like adjectives, titles, pronouns, and verbs listed in alphabet brackets. The app is nothing more than a quick peek into what the Gujarati language sounds like. That’s it.
Devices: Android.
Features
- Gujarati vocabulary in 60+ categories: It starts with simple categories like colors, animals, and fruits, moves on to adverbs of time, place, manner, and frequency, and thereafter, to advanced topics like directions, office, body parts, tools, etc.
- Quick list: This feature allows you to learn the basic phrases and greetings in around 19 topics or categories. However, the phrases are not conversational at all. They are just stand-alone sentences to help you identify the vocabulary relevant to specific topics.
- Games: The games feature offers exercises in three segments: text, image, and audio. However, the annoying part is that every time you access a new exercise, it downloads to your phone’s cache, which made me a bit apprehensive about using the app further.
Pricing
- You can use the free version as a guest.
- One-time purchase premium account: Rs 210 or $2.50 (full access without ads)
- One-time purchase premium account: Rs 80 or $0.95 (ad-free)
- One month prepaid access: Rs 140 or $1.67 (ad-free access to all premium words, no free trial, auto cancellation after 30 days)
4. iTalki: Best Platform To Learn Gujarati Online
iTalki is a trusted language learning platform belonging to the old-school way of learning with a tutor. You can find a Gujarati tutor by using the filters of price, availability, country, and so on.
But I would say that it is better to invest money in iTalki after you’ve had a beginner-level understanding of the Gujarati language. This is just a suggestion based on my learning style. Since you are paying by the hour, it saves you a lot of time and effort if your teacher doesn’t have to start from scratch introducing you to the very basics of the language.
Devices: Android, iOS, web.
Features
- Customizable learning style: You can request lessons from vetted teachers based on your level of advancement. It’ll save you both time and effort if you do not have to start from a level that you are not suited for. Plus, you can also tell your Gujarati learning goals to your tutor to make your learning more customized.
- Flexible classes: The best thing about this platform is that lesson times can be conveniently booked based on your availability, unlike a physical class.
- Choose according to your pocket: iTalki has certified tutors on its panel who offer classes at different payment rates based on their own expertise, efficiency, and experience. This way, you can choose how much you want to spend per class, thus taking control of your investment in learning Gujarati.
Pricing
*The price varies from tutor to tutor.
However, the price range is from $4.00/ hour to $80.00/ hour.
5. HelloTalk: Best Community Learning
HelloTalk’s Gujarati learning feature connects you with native speakers for real-time language exchange. The platform offers you text, voice, and video chat options to interact with the real person across the screen.
The idea behind this learning approach is to improve your conversational skills while learning essential vocabulary and grammar. But does it really help? Unlike iTalki, the people you are interacting with on HelloTalk are not necessarily language tutors or teachers. Thus, to use this platform, you need to be at least at an intermediate level of learning Gujarati.
Devices: Android, iOS, web.
Features
- Built-in translation tools: The app also includes translation tools and social features to enhance engagement with the language and culture. It also helps you make on-the-spot corrections in pronunciations and transliterations as well.
- Connect with natives: You can choose whom you connect to, looking at their proficiency level.
- Moments feature: With this feature, you can engage with the entire community by posting public posts. These posts are seen by all native Gujarati speakers on the platform and are an easy and ideal way to ask questions and open conversations.
Pricing
The basic HelloTalk app is free.
- HelloTalk VIP monthly subscription: $12.99
- HelloTalk VIP annual subscription: $79.99
6. Cudoo: Best For Flexible Learning
With Cudoo’s adaptable platform, busy professionals can easily incorporate language learning or skill development into their daily routines. The app is designed for self-paced learners, enabling users to study Gujarati or any other language in their free time.
Its structure supports flexible, personalized learning, letting individuals set goals, choose courses that match their skill level, and progress at their speed. Cudoo also allows learners to tailor their educational journey, offering customized learning paths to suit their unique needs and interests, making it ideal for those with packed schedules.
Devices: Web.
Features
- Built-in progress tracker: The Gujarati courses include a built-in progress tracking tool that continuously monitors learner performance, providing feedback on completed lessons, quizzes, and assessments. This tool helps learners track their advancement and identify areas for improvement.
- Engaging and interactive learning materials: Resources like videos, quizzes, assessments, and exercises enhance the learning experience and encourage active participation, making the process more dynamic and enjoyable.
Pricing
- Monthly subscription: $25.00
- Yearly subscription: $250.00
- Individual courses: $4.99 to $24.99
- Language bundles: Up to $199.00
- Cudoo PRO: $999 (one-time payment)
Other Resources For Learning Gujarati
Language Curry is an India-based app offering language courses in 11 major Indian languages, including Gujarati. Although its UI is somewhat simplistic compared to Ling and Dinolingo, Language Curry makes up for the lack by offering a great chance to dip into Gujarati culture and connect with native speakers.
Coming back to the UI, it is indeed chunky and slow. It took me a good one minute to navigate the new user account. However, at the time of writing this review, the app’s makers restricted access, so I could not review it thoroughly.
Which App Should I Choose For Gujarati Language Learning?
Well, the answer depends on what your objective is for learning the Gujarati language. If you wish to simply get started, any of the basic apps will do. If you are not too keen on learning Gujarati grammar and just want to become a basic conversationalist, you may go for HelloTalk.
But for an all-round, exhaustive learning experience, choose Ling. It caters to every learning proficiency level by offering exercises and lessons in all four language learning modalities. You can speak, write, listen and, read Gujarati with ease with Ling.
So, without wasting any more time, download the Ling app from the Play Store and App Store, and see why it’s the best among the top apps to learn Gujarati in this list!
