*This article may contain affiliate links. For full information, please see the disclaimer here.
Cantonese is a sub-branch of the Chinese language, recognized by its tonal differences from Mandarin. It’s mostly spoken in the southeast corner of China and is likewise Hong Kong and Macau’s official language.
So, if you plan on traveling, studying, or working in those areas, mastering the Cantonese language would be extremely helpful!
But, before getting started, you ought to know that there is no Duolingo Cantonese course at the moment—or not for English speakers, at least.
Don’t let that bring you down though. Fortunately, there are many alternative apps out there that fill in that very gap.
Why is there no Cantonese on Duolingo?
There is actually a Cantonese course on Duolingo. But it’s only available for Chinese (Mandarin) speakers.
Cantonese Duolingo is yet to be available for English speakers—and many are wondering why. Since they’ve made no official statement on the matter, we’ve gathered the most common theories in an attempt to answer this.
Duolingo uses Mandarin Chinese
Duolingo currently uses Mandarin for its Chinese language course for English speakers. Since it’s widely spoken in Mainland China and Taiwan—hence, the “majority language” title—it’s possible that Duolingo chose this dialect for its popularity.
After all, Mandarin Chinese is the world’s second most spoken language, and has the largest number of native speakers in the world—tallied at around 1,170 million, as of 2021!
However, this shouldn’t be the sole reason, since Mandarin and Cantonese Chinese aren’t mutually intelligible. While it’s possible to convert and understand both languages’ written forms, nevertheless, their vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation greatly differ from one another.
Also read: 10 Key Differences Between Mandarin and Cantonese
Cantonese might be difficult to teach
Cantonese uses traditional Chinese characters, has more finals and tones, and doesn’t have a unified Romanization system. Not to mention, it’s one of the six less-spoken Chinese languages—meaning there might not be enough learning resources, to begin with.
Compared to Mandarin Chinese, these elements combined make the language much harder to teach—more so for English speakers.
Duolingo stopped collaborating with volunteer contributors
In 2021, Duolingo announced the end of volunteer course creation, because they intended to take full internal responsibility for their outputs, moving forward. That being said, they might not have an English-language Cantonese course for now because they haven’t assembled the right team for it.
On the other hand, they currently have experts working on this for Chinese speakers, which thus sheds an optimistic light on the subject.
Apps to learn Cantonese other than Duolingo
Duolingo Cantonese hasn’t been developed for English speakers at the moment, but you shouldn’t have to wait for so long to find apps to learn Cantonese.
Instead, take a look at these three Duolingo alternatives and start studying straight away!
1. Pimsleur
Try Pimsleur Cantonese absolutely FREE
Pimsleur is an immersive app that will help you learn a new language and put it to use quickly, easily, and naturally.
Based on the scientifically reviewed Pimsleur Method, its teaching process involves using 30-minute core audio lessons to polish your speaking and listening skills.
While Pimsleur’s tutorials are more concentrated on Cantonese conversation—as opposed to Duolingo’s gamified approach—I think you’ll gain a lot more ground by observing the language in real-life situations. Plus, courses even integrate digital flashcards and speed-round games.
Read more about Pimsleur with this detailed review.
Key features:
- Daily 30-minute audio lessons
- Focused on developing your conversation skills
- Highly-immersive approach
2. Glossika
Confidence is half the battle when aiming to speak a language. Glossika increases your confidence by helping you acquire vocabulary, grammar, listening, and speaking skills as naturally as possible.
Glossika uses a spaced repetition system and a massive sentence database to expose you to natural Cantonese expressions and structures. With the full practice mode, you can practice listening, speaking (via recording), reading, and writing (or typing) skills.
Commuting or exercising? You can opt for the listening-only mode (that still includes the recording option)!
Check out this comprehensive Glossika review for more details.
Key features:
- Thousands of sentences to practice Cantonese in context
- Effective SRS-based review method
- Hands-free option
3. Skritter
Skritter is an app that extensively teaches the Chinese writing system, particularly its simplified (Mandarin) and traditional (Cantonese) characters.
This is especially great for students who need introductory classes for reading and writing.
Here, you’ll be familiarized with the writing style associated with Cantonese. You can even study the stroke order, character decompositions, and tone practice on the platform itself, as it provides instant feedback to your outputs.
Key features:
- Has lessons on traditional Chinese characters
- Teaches the stroke order, decompositions, and tone practice
- Provides real-time feedback on your writing style
Other great resources to learn Cantonese
Top up your lessons with some of these learning supplements, from Cantonese learning books to games, media to online classes!
italki: Need a personal Cantonese tutor? You can find one on italki! Feel free to arrange online classes with community and/or professional teachers.
Preply: Finding a Cantonese tutor is one of the best ways to boost your conversational skills. Preply has lots of tutors specializing in Cantonese pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and even culture. Plus, you can set lessons at your preferred schedule and budget!
CantoneseClass101: For podcast enthusiasts, CantoneseClass101 hosts a vast library of video and audio material that is perfect for any fluency level. And, with a Premium PLUS subscription, you can even get a tutor of your own!
uTalk: Consider uTalk if you’re interested in a jumpstart to conversational Cantonese. Their app utilizes games and visuals to make learning engaging, focusing on practical phrases for travelers and beginners. You’ll benefit from audio pronunciations by native speakers, aiding you in developing a natural Cantonese accent right from the start.
Mango Languages: This platform uses a conversational methodology to break Cantonese down into color-coded building blocks. It focuses on how people actually speak, helping you pick up grammar and cultural nuances naturally through practical dialogue and helpful voice-comparison tools.
CantoDict Project: Filled with reference sheets, tests, and a unique Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese dictionary, this website is a neat collaborative project made for easy tutorial and translation.
FSI Cantonese Basic Course: Conceived in 1970, this course was created to educate U.S. diplomatic staff before visiting Cantonese-speaking areas. With its 30 lesson units and 23+ hours of audio, you can expect to see improvements soon.
- Hardcover Book
- Baker, Hugh (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 432 Pages – 03/01/2016 (Publication Date) – Teach Yourself (Publisher)
Complete Cantonese: Best suited for upper beginners and intermediate learners, this comprehensive textbook uses authentic conversations to help you improve your vocabulary and master grammar. It also features lots of review exercises and teaches Cantonese culture as well.
Clozemaster: Learn Cantonese through games on Clozemaster! Packed with flashcards, media, and its famous Cloze Test, this platform makes a fun and interactive add-on to your studies.
Sidney Lau Cantonese Books: Straight from Hong Kong, Sidney Lau’s Cantonese books are great for gaining an authentic understanding of the language. Despite their age, their tutorials remain as helpful as ever, starting with elementary vocabulary and grammar.
Conclusion
There’s no doubt that Duolingo’s competitive, game-like courses are as iconic as ever. And that’s precisely why its lack of Cantonese lessons could be disappointing.
However, you don’t have to rely on Duolingo for quality content because these three alternatives (and the additional suggested resources) are packed with fun and playful courses that will surely seal the deal!
Duolingo alternatives for learning Cantonese – Pin it!
