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Did you know that Lithuanian is the oldest Indo-European language?
Coming from the Baltic language family, it retains most of its original form and is used by 5 million speakers! Those facts alone make it a language worth learning.
But—I hate to break to you—the bad news is that there isn’t a Duolingo Lithuanian course.
Might you be willing to consider some alternatives, you’ll be happy to know that there are many Lithuanian learning apps to keep you company, starting with these three!
Why is there no Lithuanian on Duolingo?
Is Lithuanian on Duolingo? Unfortunately, no. (To save you a search, there’s no news of a Lithuanian course on Duolingo, nor is Lithuanian on Babbel or Rosetta Stone.)
This could be a problem for students accustomed to Duolingo’s game-like standard of learning, let alone their streaks and competitive leaderboard.
As of this writing, they still haven’t released an official statement on the matter. With that, here are some reasons I’ve considered:
Lithuanian isn’t popular among English speakers
Over three million people speak Lithuanian, with the majority being native speakers from Lithuania. In a way, it can be assumed that there aren’t enough foreign language learners—particularly English speakers—to form demand and catch Duolingo’s attention.
However, Lithuania’s presence in the European Union could likely increase people’s awareness of this language. Plus, if Duolingo can make content for less-known languages, what’s stopping them from making a Lithuanian course despite these numbers?
Lithuanian is hard to teach
Lithuanian is the oldest Indo-European language. That being said, it can be challenging to teach, since a number of core resources are outdated and aren’t necessarily made for foreign students.
On top of that, its complex grammar rules (such as grammatical gender, declension, and dual-form nouns) can be difficult to understand when taught poorly.
This leads me to the next point:
Duolingo ended their volunteer contributor program
Due to internal developments, Duolingo ended its volunteer contributor program. In short, the company sought to rely on its employees instead.
Because of this, they might not have Lithuanian Duolingo since they currently lack a professional and/or native speaker on their team. As mentioned, the language is old and complex, and thus, requires the right expertise.
It’s a shame that Duolingo is short of Lithuanian courses. But luckily, that’s nothing to worry about—because you’ve got three great alternatives readily available!
Apps to learn Lithuanian other than Duolingo
Like Duolingo, these alternatives teach you Lithuanian in an interactive manner. But each app has a unique approach that makes learning Lithuanian all the more productive and exciting!
For even more options, check out the full list of apps to learn Lithuanian.
1. Mondly
Study simply with Mondly, an app that offers bite-sized Lithuanian lessons.
Based on your current skill level, the app customizes your daily lessons to fast-track your Lithuanian fluency and help you memorize the essentials. It even comes with a competitive leaderboard, should you need a little push!
Apart from this, you can also use its hands-free format for conversation practice.
Key features:
- Practical courses on vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation
- Audio recorded by native speakers
- Get lessons from your native language
2. Master Ling
Master Ling is all about fun and games! Packed with beginner, intermediate, and advanced lessons, this interactive app mainly teaches Lithuanian using mini-games and activities.
Be it through its flashcards, word quizzes, and built-in chatbot, Ling’s got everything you’ll need to stay sharp!
(And, psst—by subscribing to its Premium version, you’ll get access to even more content!)
Key features:
- Game-like interface for all fluency levels
- Interactive chatbot for conversation practice
- High-quality audio
3. Pimsleur
Aiming to be conversational in Lithuanian? Pimsleur can help improve your speaking and listening skills quickly and effectively!
Pimsleur’s approach to language learning is unique in that it focuses on teaching the language through conversation, rather than memorization of vocabulary and grammar rules. It hones your pronunciation and accent so you sound like a local.
My favorite thing about Pimsleur is its method of increasing recall through graduated interval recall. This method lets you hear words and phrases at well-timed intervals so you remember them longer.
Key features:
- Focuses on improving your conversational skills
- Features voices of native speakers
- Hands-free option for learning on the go
Other great resources to learn Lithuanian:
Want more Lithuanian content? I’ve got your back!
Should you want to expand your resources, look no further than here. Here are just some of the excellent apps, websites, and books to learn Lithuanian that you can check out to advance your studies:
italki: Should you want a Lithuanian tutor, then this is the best place to look! Through the italki Virtual Classroom and/or Skype, you can arrange classes and get personal tips.
uTalk: This app serves bite-sized lessons packed with games and dialogues that will equip you with foundational vocabulary and pronunciation. Visual learners will benefit from the pictures that link words to their meanings, aiding memorization. While uTalk won’t make you fluent, it’s a great resource for building confidence in basic Lithuanian conversations.
Glossika: This platform uses a spaced repetition system to help learners memorize full sentences in Lithuanian. It offers high-quality audio, personalized content, and a tracking system to motivate you and monitor progress.
Preply: Want more tutor options? Preply only has a handful of Lithuanian tutors as of writing but all of them are native speakers — just the kind of teachers to help bolster your skills. Find one who can fit your requirements, schedule, and budget by browsing the profiles.
Clozemaster: Game on! Closemaster is a competitive, fun-filled platform that levels up your skills through activities, tests, and media. Best for intermediate and advanced learners.
Cudoo: Featuring effective self-paced online courses, Cudoo exposes you to real-life Lithuanian vocabulary, grammar, language structure, and pronunciation. By the end of each course, you’ll have more confidence than when you started, and you have a certificate of completion to boot!
Talk Like Atanas: From courses to video lessons, 1-on-1 sessions to exercises—this website is filled with Lithuanian tutorials. I’d say beginners would enjoy this most!
- RamonienÄ—, MeilutÄ— (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 480 Pages – 07/01/2015 (Publication Date) – Routledge (Publisher)
Colloquial Lithuanian: Comprehensive, engaging, and realistic, this book presents a clear guide to written and spoken Lithuanian. Contains extensive lessons, exercises, and online audio.
Complete Lithuanian: Teach Yourself’s Lithuanian book will effortlessly develop your vocabulary, grammar, and speaking proficiency. Loaded with tutorials and exercises, it’ll improve your skills right on!
Lithuanian Out Loud: Love podcasts? Well, this one’s packed with 300 entertaining episodes, each covering a different lesson. While it isn’t being updated anymore, it’s still a valuable source to look back on!
LithuaniaForYou: Your studies won’t be complete without these YouTube videos! Covering basic and advanced topics, these shows will teach Lithuanian vocabulary and grammar in context.
Conclusion
Whether or not Duolingo plans on updating its courses, you don’t have to halt your studies for them. In any case, these three alternatives will get you started on Lithuanian quickly and easily!
In fact, there are plenty enough Lithuanian language apps, books, media, and games that can make your studies dynamic and enticing. Just balance these different tools, and you’ll have no problem moving forward!