This article may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For full information, please see the disclaimer here.
Croatian is the official language of the Republic of Croatia, is one of the official languages in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is a minority language in Serbia. This Indo-European language is also one of the official languages of the European Union.
If you plan on working or traveling to any of the above countries (or just in Europe, in general), it’s a good idea to learn Croatian.
However, if you’re looking for a Duolingo Croatian course, you won’t find any. It’s also not available on popular apps like Rosetta Stone and Babbel. Instead, we’ve cooked up another solution for you—so just sit back and hang tight, as we explore the many Duolingo alternatives out there!
Why is there no Croatian on Duolingo?
The Duolingo Incubator is where the magic happens—meaning, every upcoming Duolingo course is monitored on this very website. However, this program has been shut down and there are no sure signs yet whether they’ll be making a Croatian one.
If you’re itching to know why that’s the case, we’ve theorized a couple of reasons:
There isn’t a large demand outside Croatia
Based on recent statistics, Croatian is spoken by approximately 6 million people. But, if you take a closer look, you’ll find that 5 million of them come from the Republic of Croatia itself—leaving about 100,000-200,000 speakers based in foreign countries.
Having said that, Duolingo might not be providing Croatian lessons at the moment because the language isn’t very popular internationally.
Yet, it’s worth mentioning that the company has also made courses for “small” languages, as well as endangered ones—so, suffice it to say, Duolingo could act on its own accord.
It is a hard language to teach
Another possible reason why Duolingo Croatian hasn’t been made yet is that it’s hard to teach.
As a Slavic language, its writing system, grammar, and pronunciation could be complex for a new learner, and condensing it into a short and playful course might not be the most ideal.
However, Duolingo has provided lessons for more difficult languages—some of them even going up an FSI Category, such as Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin Chinese—so it’d be strange for them to back down now.
Duolingo ended their volunteer contributor program
In 2021, Duolingo announced that they will no longer be collaborating with volunteer contributors due to management and financial concerns. As a result, future courses will solely be moderated by Duolingo employees.
Going with this reasoning, it could be that Duolingo Croatian probably hasn’t been developed because they lack a professional tutor and/or native speaker on their team.
Apps to learn Croatian other than Duolingo
While Croatian is still in the works on Duolingo, there are other Croatian learning apps out there that can give you the help you need—starting with these three!
Here, you won’t just learn the basic steps, but you’ll also have a blast playing with their interactive features:
1. Mondly
Mondly’s lessons are quick, light, and easy, making it the perfect spot for students new and old!
Whether you’re an absolute beginner or an advanced returnee, for sure, you’ll never get bored learning, as this app contains courses for all fluency levels. Moreover, it’s filled with tutorials, mini-games, and audio recordings to keep you busy.
Plus, with its sweet hands-free integration, you could practice speaking on the go.
Check out this in-depth Mondly review to learn more.
Key features:
- Bite-sized and interactive lessons
- Teaches vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation for all skill levels
- Comes with a hands-free learning feature
2. Pimsleur
Last but not the least, Pimsleur’s Croatian lessons are simply the best of their kind!
Based on the scientifically-backed Pimsleur Method, its core audio lessons won’t just teach you the basics, but they’ll likewise help you use Croatian in real-life situations. So, should you want to read, converse, and understand a new language effectively, then look no further.
On top of that, the app comes with digital flashcards and speed round games—making this a pretty well-rounded course, overall. If anything, it’s just the right thing to polish your conversation skills.
Find out more about Pimsleur with this comprehensive review.
Key features:
- Audio-based Croatian lessons
- Has digital flashcards and speed round games
- An intensive approach based on the Pimsleur Method
3. uTalk
Jumpstart your Croatian journey by playing your way through the essentials with uTalk. This app uses fun games that get progressively more challenging as you improve.
uTalk is a vocabulary powerhouse, packing over 2,500 words and phrases into 60 practical categories—think topics like food and drink, transport, and shopping. Plus, every entry is paired with high-quality audio from both male and female native speakers, so you can hear exactly how the language sounds in the real world.
While there are no grammar lessons to be found, it’s a fantastic, low-pressure way to build a massive word bank and sharpen your listening skills before your next trip to the Adriatic coast.
Know more from this detailed review of uTalk.
Key features:
- Fun, game-based learning
- Massive vocabulary bank
- Native speaker audio teaching pronunciation
Other great resources to learn Croatian
Have a look at these Croatian books, games, and media we’ve gathered for your convenience:
italki: Find community and professional instructors on italki, an online tutoring platform. Upon selecting your Croatian teacher, you can personalize your lesson plan and schedule regular meetings!
Mango Languages: This platform breaks down real-world Croatian conversations into color-coded building blocks. It focuses on conversational methodology, helping you naturally grasp grammar patterns and cultural nuances while using a voice-comparison tool to perfect your pronunciation and accent.
Clozemaster: Best for intermediates, this app will help you learn Croatian online and for real-life situations through interactive games, quizzes, and media files.
Preply: Want to learn Croatian straight from a native speaker? Preply’s Croatian tutors can help! Browse tutor profiles to see their specialties, rates, availability, and reviews from former students.
Glossika: Tired of memorizing random words and short phrases? Glossika uses full sentence practice in context, so you can improve your vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar at the same time and in the most natural way possible. Without flying to Croatia, that is.
TED Talks Croatian: Love TED Talks? Well, you’re in luck—for this website has several videos in the Croatian language. From history to science, these recordings won’t just entertain you, but they’ll likewise polish your listening skills!
Cudoo: Whether you’re learning Croatian for travel purposes, business, or for fun, Cudoo has the right course for you. Available in three levels and a Business Croatian course, Cudoo’s Croatian courses include tons of vocab, pronunciation lessons, grammar tips, and cultural insights worth knowing. Plus, after completing a course, you get a certificate.
Simply Learn Croatian: Packed with vocabulary flashcards and authentic audio recordings, this Croatian phrasebook app will make your studies and travels significantly easier!
Hippocrene Beginner’s Croatian: In just 15 lessons, this neat, and interactive book will thoroughly introduce you to Croatian vocabulary, grammar, and dialogue. Comes with 2 CDs. Also available on BetterWorldBooks.
LingChat: This AI-powered app teaches Croatian through immersive, real-time conversations. You’ll practice speaking and listening while receiving instant feedback on your grammar and pronunciation, making the learning process feel like a natural, low-pressure chat.
Croatian 101 Lesson YouTube: YouTube is an underrated study buddy, and it’s high time you take advantage of it! This channel tackles the basics of Croatian vocabulary and grammar. Although it’s been 5 years since its last update, its videos remain as timeless as ever.
Conclusion
Learning Croatian on Duolingo would, indeed, be a fun experience. After all, who doesn’t love the joy of ranking first on their leaderboards?
However, since this course isn’t available right now, it’s best to look elsewhere.
Luckily, these three alternative apps—coupled with these additional resources—can do more than make up for Duolingo’s absence. Having been equipped with lessons, mini-games, and bonus features to keep you immersed, these will surely give you a grand time studying Croatian.
Duolingo alternatives for learning Croatian – Pin it!
