Hei, fellow language learners! Are you one of those nature lovers who have ‘watch the Northern Lights’ marked up on their Must-Do bucket list? Or maybe someone like me who once saw an enchanting picture of “Sognefjorden” in a magazine and spent an entire day learning to pronounce this tongue twister?
Back then, I was living in the Neanderthal era of no apps to learn Norwegian. But not anymore! Since teleporting myself to the modern era of technology, I’ve tried some of the popular language apps for learning Norwegian. like the Ling app, and it was great fun! Bumped up by this learning experience, I decided to look up for other similar apps.
So, together, we will be looking at some of the best buys out there to get you started on your Norwegian language expedition.
Quick Summary:
Best For
App
Ling
- Gamified learning experience
- Chatbot conversations and writing exercises
- Audio by native speakers and cultural insights
Duolingo
- Entire course for free
- Day-to-day phrases offered in the Story feature
- Gamified approach keeps the learner motivated
FunEasyLearn
- Learn the alphabet via finger-tracing technique
- Deaf Mode and Hands-Free Mode
- Enables native speakers of 62 languages to learn Norwegian
Why Learn Norwegian
Norwegian, spoken by around five million people in and around Norway, has a rich history dating back to the Viking Age. It’s part of the Germanic language family, so if you’re into languages like Swedish and Danish, you already have an added linguistic advantage!
But that’s not all. The Norwegian language plays a defining role in Norway’s cultural scene. It’s like unlocking a treasure chest of culture. Think about iconic writers like Henrik Ibsen and Jo Nesbø, or groovy music from artists like Kygo and A-ha. From gripping Nordic sagas to modern Scandi TV shows, understanding Norwegian lets you immerse yourself in a world of storytelling like no other.
Plus, it’s your ticket to connecting with Norwegians in their own tongue and getting a glimpse of their warm and cozy way of life. It’s a key that opens doors to breathtaking landscapes, quirky traditions, and a nation known for its welcoming vibe.
Best Apps To Learn Norwegian
So, whether you’re dreaming of exploring the land of fjords, or just want to impress your friends with a rad new language, Norwegian is your golden ticket. Get ready to say “Hei!” to a linguistic adventure like no other. Skål to learning Norwegian!
1. Ling: Best App For Interactive Lessons
Did you know that the Ling app is one of the fastest-growing language-learning apps in the world today? Its gamified approach and bite-sized lessons, audio lessons in native-speaker voice, and AI-powered chatbot feature for learning conversational skills in the target language make it a direct competitor to Duolingo.
Each language course features up to 200 core lessons, starting with an initial Norwegian lesson on basic vocabulary, followed by retention exercises, dialogues in the voice of native speakers, and so on. The app has a free version as well as a paid pro version. The free version offers you the first eight lessons free of cost with all the features intact so that after dipping your toes in the water, you can make up your mind to subscribe to the paid plan.
Stand Out Features
- The AI-powered dialogue/ interactive exercises are the biggest draw to this app. They allow learners to hone each of their language skills, making the best use of the app’s speech recognition technology.
- The app also offers individual lessons entirely devoted to developing writing and speaking skills.
- Learning languages is easiest with the Ling app thanks to its intuitive user interface, its gamified design, and cute-looking mascots.
Price
- Free version offers first eight lessons free for all the languages.
- $14.99 per month for monthly subscription.
- $39.99 for 6 months subscription.
- $79.99 per annum with a 7-day free trial period.
- $149.99 for lifetime subscription.
2. Duolingo: Best App For Beginners
Duolingo has become every language enthusiast’s go-to app; that’s a given. It is a popular language-learning app that offers courses in major globally recognized languages, especially the European and Scandinavian ones.
The best part about Duolingo is that it is a completely free app with all the features unlocked and up for grabs! The smooth and intuitive user interface and easy-on-the-eyes look and feel with a cute mascot, doesn’t hurt either. It probably has the most beginner-level subscribers because of all these reasons. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that Duolingo has become the face of the ‘language-learning via apps’ movement.
To get a detailed overview of learning Norwegian with this app, you can read up our Duolingo review on the Ling blog.
Stand Out Features
- Duolingo’s look and feel is very inviting, and it appeals to learners from all age brackets alike.
- Its gamified approach and reward system are immensely motivating and inculcate a habit of regular practice on the app. Daily reminders work in everyone’s favor.
- All the language courses on offer are free to use. The story feature works best to familiarize the user with the day-to-day phrases and vocabulary used in real-life conversations.
- Audio lessons recorded in native speaker voices are a plus too!
- Speech recognition technology works quite well for speaking exercises, helping the user get a taste of the language on their tongue.
Price
- Free version with full access to all the lessons.
- $7.99/ month for Super Duolingo with full access to all the lessons, ad-free learning, offline mode and track your progress feature.
3. FunEasyLearn: Best App To Develop Basic Skills
This is my go-to app for starting out on a new language. It allows you to dabble with a few initial lessons on learning the Norwegian alphabet and basic vocabulary and phrases, for free. Its gamified approach works well, integrating lessons on listening, speaking, writing, and reading together.
The review system in the form of assessment quizzes is well-placed within the course. In case you need to change your pace and direction of learning, the app allows you that flexibility. Not only that, one of the impressive features of the app is free video tutorials on language learning as well as app navigation. It works well for people who are not tech-savvy and require hand-holding.
Learn more about this engaging app in our detailed FunEasyLearn review.
Stand Out Features
- The app enables native speakers of 62 languages to learn Norwegian! This is the feature of this app that impresses me the most, as most other Norwegian learning apps mostly cater to English speakers.
- It allows you to learn to write the language via the finger-tracing technique. This is one of the best ways of teaching how to write a new language that very few apps provide.
- The app allows for a Deaf Mode and Hands-Free Mode as well, delivering all the lessons in audio format.
- The Premium version features an offline mode and is a total game changer in case you are on the go, without much network.
Price
- Free version available with some features locked.
- $3.99 for a month.
- $2.49/ month for 6 months.
- $1.79/ month for 12 months.
- $49.99 for a lifetime.
4. Memrise: Best For Learning Everyday Conversation
Memrise is easily one of the best apps to learn Norwegian through cultural exchange. It features audio and video clips from native Norwegian speakers, talking and holding conversations in their routine lives. This approach not only introduces you to the language but also to its speakers, culture, and linguistic traditions. And this is one thing that works best for this language-learning app.
The app has various subscription plans to suit your budget, but it also offers you a free trial version to get a feel of the learning experience it offers. Moreover, it has a thriving community of learners where you can find more language lessons offered by the learners themselves.
You can read the Memrise review on the Ling blog to get more in-depth information on this app’s efficiency.
Stand Out Features
- The most striking and standout feature of Memrise is its AI chatbot conversation feature. It allows language learners to practice pronunciation and improve their listening, speaking, and comprehension skills.
- It offers opportunities to practice conversations in real-life situations, like ordering coffee in a café, having a little chat with your neighbor, introducing yourself to a new colleague, and so on.
- The grammar lessons on verbs, adjectives, and related phrases are delivered in an engaging manner, without letting them be a drag.
Price
- Free version available with basic content.
- $8.49/ month for premium content.
- $5/ month for 12 months.
- $119.99 for lifetime subscription.
5. Babbel: Best Overall Experience
Nothing like the Babbel app for an immersive Norwegian experience. It gives you a good opportunity to learn vocabulary and daily-use phrases. It is also a great tool for learning how to construct basic sentences without falling for the much easier but often wrong translation method.
Babbel has a very neat and clean look to it – whether you use the desktop version or the mobile version. However, there is a slight difference when it comes to using the two. To use the desktop version, you don’t have to subscribe to get started with the first free lessons. However, to use the Babbel mobile app, you are required to get a subscription using a payment method.
Stand Out Features
- The flexibility and freedom to create your own learning pathway is the biggest plus that the app offers. You can either choose to follow the pre-set pathway depending on your Norwegian language proficiency level or create your own by choosing the courses by theme.
- Its engaging games, like Phrase-Maze and Word Trax are engaging and efficient to keep you hooked on for more.
- It offers you culturally sensitive content that helps you understand not only the linguistic but also the cultural aspect of the Norwegian language.
Price
- Free trial period available.
- The 6-monthly subscription costs $8.45 per month.
- The annual subscription costs $6.95 per month.
- The lifetime subscription costs $299.99.
6. Drops Norwegian: Best App To Learn Norwegian Vocabulary
This Norwegian learning app is your go-to app when you simply want to learn basic vocabulary. Drops teaches an exhaustive list of vocabulary, ranging from basic, day-to-day words to advanced-level vocabulary. However, it’s a pretty unidimensional app with the sole focus on providing an extensive list of Norwegian words. So, it works well as a complementary app to run alongside your main Norwegian courses.
If you are looking for an in-depth Drops review, head straight to the Ling blog for a crisp and honest analysis.
Stand Out Features
- The app’s vibrant user interface is pleasing to the eyes and easy to navigate.
- Its use of fun images and illustrations for flashcards work really well to pique user interest.
- The app features ultra-short lessons and activities, emphasizing its ‘5 minutes is all you need’ philosophy.
Price
- Free version allows five minutes free session on the app everyday.
- $13/ month subscription offers you premium content.
- The annual subscription is priced at $69.99/ year.
- $159.99 for lifetime access.
7. Pimsleur: Best For Podcast Learning
Pimsleur is the Godfather of learning a language through audio lessons. It definitely follows the old-school approach of teaching a language via podcast style, but whatever Pimsleur offers comes with a solid foundation.
The Pimsleur Method is developed using proven research on memory and learning. This results in a well-developed spaced repetition technique being used in the course to enhance vocabulary retention among learners. Its Norwegian course is divided into 30 core lessons, each one running for 30 minutes. All the audio lessons are recorded in the voice of native language speakers.
Here is our review of Pimsleur. Do take a look!
Stand Out Features
- The app offers immense flexibility with its striking ‘learning on the go’ feature deployed in the form of portable and hands-free lessons.
- It offers compatibility with audio devices such as Amazon Echo, allowing you a greater degree of flexibility and ease of learning.
- The Pimsleur Norwegian course also includes an integrated Reading Booklet with 60-minute reading instruction to introduce you to written Norwegian and help you learn correct pronunciation and accent.
Price
- Free trial allows you one free lesson.
- Pimsleur Norwegian Level 1 Premium (30 Core Lessons) is priced at a one-time price of $150.
Round-Up: Apps To Learn Norwegian
So, what do you think of this lineup for learning Norwegian? Ready to dip your toes in the linguistic waters? Imagine chatting with locals while hiking in the fjords or feasting on lutefisk at a traditional Norwegian gathering. Plus, if you’re a language polyglot, Norwegian might be your next exciting challenge! And now, after reading this round-up article on the best apps to learn Norwegian, you are well-versed to make an informed choice!
Learn Norwegian With Ling
Want to try the Ling app to see what this hullabaloo is all about? You won’t regret it, that I can promise! The Ling app is definitely one of the best apps out there to help you kick-start your language learning journey with minimum fuss and much fanfare. Its interactive features and bite-size lessons ensure maximum flexibility and ease of learning throughout your journey.
So, without wasting much time, head straight to either Play Store or App Store and download the Ling app now!