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Melodic, pleasant, and seemingly “elvish”, Estonian is a fascinating language that’s just about angelic to listen to. The official language of Estonia, it’s used by 1.2 million speakers globally—and perhaps, even you could add to that count!
Like most people nowadays, installing a language app will help you get lessons to start. However, if Duolingo is the first thing that comes to mind, then you should know that they aren’t offering an Estonian course…for now, at least.
If you want to study Estonian right this second, then have a look at these three awesome Duolingo alternatives.
Why is there no Estonian on Duolingo?
Does Duolingo have Estonian? Currently, Duolingo shows no signs of an Estonian course being developed. Furthermore, the company also closed its user forums, so now there’s no telling whether there’s a significant demand for it.
Nevertheless, instead of leaving you empty-handed, we’ve investigated the reasons why Estonian hasn’t been made available yet.
Estonian has a smaller number of speakers
Duolingo tends to make language courses based on user demand, as well as international popularity.
On the contrary, Estonian only has 1.2 million speakers, with the majority coming from the Republic of Estonia itself. Because of this, Duolingo Estonian might’ve been put on hold.
Yet, if they’re able to produce courses for small or “endangered” languages, then popularity shouldn’t be the main reason.
Estonian is a difficult language to learn
According to the U.S. Foreign Service Institute (FSI), Estonian is a Category III or “hard” language for English speakers. This is likely because of its different alphabet system, complex grammar rules, and unique pronunciation.
That being said, Duolingo might’ve delayed their Estonian course because they lack the right resources and/or experts on their team (a point which I’ll elaborate on later).
However, this shouldn’t be an excuse, since Duolingo has already taken on Category IV languages (such as Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin Chinese) in the past.
The language has similarities to Finnish
“Smaller” languages have the tendency to be overlooked when they’re similar to their neighbors.
In this case, Estonian’s closeness to Finnish might’ve dissuaded Duolingo from creating a separate course. Both languages come from the same family (Uralic), share some vocabulary and grammar rules, and use a similar alphabet system.
Yet, it’s important that you know they aren’t mutually intelligible—and substituting Estonian lessons for Duolingo Finnish wouldn’t be as fulfilling as taking a fully-fledged course.
Duolingo stopped working with volunteer contributors
In 2021, Duolingo ended its volunteer contributor program, for they sought to handle all of their course creation internally.
Going back to my point earlier, Estonian Duolingo probably isn’t being developed because they don’t have a native speaker and/or trained professional on their team at the moment. (But in fairness, given how difficult the language can be, this might be the best move for them.)
Apps to learn Estonian other than Duolingo
Duolingo might lack an Estonian course, but there are certainly many Estonian learning apps available. Get started quickly with these three alternative learning platforms:
1. Ling
Master the Estonian language with Ling, a handy, dynamic app filled with games, lessons, and activities.Â
With courses for all fluency levels, you can kick off your language studies from any point you wish—whether you’re a beginner, an intermediate, or a pro!
This app’s equipped with flashcards, word quizzes, and mini-games to teach you all the right skills. In addition, it even comes with an interactive chatbot where you can practice conversing with!
Key features:
- Courses for all fluency levels
- Light and simple lessons on vocabulary, grammar, and dialogue
- Practice conversation with its built-in chatbot
2. Glossika
Glossika helps you learn Estonian not by dumping random words on you but by exposing you to lots of complete sentences. Sounds daunting? A little bit, maybe, but this method definitely gives you context for growing your vocabulary and conversational skills.
The app also lets you train all four skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) with full-practice and listening-only modes. You’ll also benefit from the natural audio from native speakers, and the spaced repetition system that ensures you never forget a word.
Key features:
- Learn thousands of Estonian sentences
- Covers all kinds of topics, such as vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation
- Challenges you by giving exercises that are one step beyond your current level
3. uTalk
uTalk focuses on practical words and phrases you’d use in everyday situations, like greetings, ordering food, and shopping. This can be a good confidence booster as you begin to navigate basic communication in Estonian.
uTalk’s strength lies in its engaging and interactive approach. Through games and activities, you’ll practice pronunciation by recording yourself and comparing it to native speakers. The visual aids with pictures also help solidify your memory of new vocabulary.
Additionally, uTalk allows you to learn offline, so you can practice Estonian on the go during your commute or breaks.
Key features:
- Learn over 2,500 Estonian words and sentences
- Covers everyday situations through games
- Includes native speaker audio
Other great resources to learn Estonian
Aside from the above three resources, there are many more tools that can help you advance in your Estonian studies. From Estonian learning apps to Estonian books and websites, here are our recommended materials.
italki: Learn Estonian straight from native speakers on italki! In this app, you can choose between community and professional tutors and schedule online classes straight away.
Clozemaster: Get your head in the game with Clozemaster, a competitive and interactive learning platform. Filled with quizzes, media, and its popular Cloze Test, you’ll progress from intermediate to advanced-level Estonian in a jiffy!
Cudoo: Offering online courses that you can access anytime, anywhere, Cudoo is one of the best platforms for sharpening your Estonian skills. Choose from various course levels and a specialized Business Estonian course to boost your conversational skills and general knowledge of Estonian.
Simply Learn Estonian: This phrasebook app makes a handy add-on to your Estonian lessons, as it’s packed with the essential words and phrases. On top of that, it’s pretty convenient to use when traveling!
Keeleklikk: Keeleklikk is a government-run Estonian course that is best suited for beginners. Composed of exercises, animation sequences, and real-life examples, its tutorials are pretty much cohesive, if not engaging!
- Kingisepp, Leelo (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 368 Pages – 05/19/2020 (Publication Date) – Teach Yourself (Publisher)
Complete Estonian: This Estonian textbook and audio course covers lessons on vocabulary, grammar, reading, listening, and writing. The course is divided into lessons that are categorized into everyday situations, making it fun and engaging.
Eesti keel (“Estonian Language – Practice Makes Perfect”): Featuring 130+ Estonian language exercises, this website features 2nd-grade lessons that vary in subject and difficulty. These are perfect for independent study!
Loecsen Estonian: Learn Estonian vocabulary through short courses, audio, and fun quizzes. Whether you’re studying at home or you’re on the go, this website will guide you through day-to-day interactions.
Drops: Given its stunning visuals and playful user interface, students will practically have no trouble memorizing the different words and phrases on Drops. The app offers dailys lessons for five minutes for free!
Lastekas: Primarily developed for toddlers and children, Lastekas hosts a variety of Estonian-language content—such as games, media, and quizzes—for young students. Give it a try!
Omniglot: If you need an extra reference for learning the Estonian alphabet, then you’ve come to the write place! This wonderful website compiles several tutorials on the matter.
Conclusion
Duolingo might’ve kept you waiting, but these three apps are just about ready for you to use!
Honing the same, game-like spirit during lessons, these Duolingo alternatives will surely keep you motivated to study. All the best and happy learning!