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Picking up a new language could be pretty daunting. But, with the right resources at hand, it could end up being pretty fun!
The best way to learn Serbian nowadays is through educational apps—the bad news, though, is that popular ones like Duolingo don’t have the course for it.
But don’t worry! You’ve still got a lot of alternatives to choose from and I’ve listed them below. But before getting to that, let’s find out the possible reasons why Serbian’s not on Duolingo.
Why is Serbian not on Duolingo?
Given how well-known and versatile the app is, it’s strange that there still isn’t a Serbian Duolingo course. With the shutdown of the Duolingo Incubator, it’s likely we won’t get an update soon.
While the company is yet to speak on the matter, we’ve come up with a few guesses as to why it hasn’t been considered yet:
It’s a less popular language for English speakers
One of the possible reasons why Serbian isn’t on Duolingo is because it’s not popular with their target audience.
As the official language of the Republic of Serbia, it’s mostly used there, alongside minorities in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Montenegro. (Statistically, about 10 million out of 11 million speakers come from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia itself!)
That being said, Duolingo tends to cater to English-speaking students, so their courses heavily rely on their demands.
Yet, on the contrary, the company has worked on smaller and/or endangered languages before, so Duolingo Serbian isn’t completely impossible.
Serbian could be hard to teach
Some would argue that Serbian is too difficult to adapt to Duolingo’s game-like standards. It uses both Latin and Cyrillic alphabets and also has a complex grammar system.
However, Duolingo isn’t the type to back down from teaching hard languages. They shouldn’t be!
In fact, according to the U.S. Foreign Service Institute (FSI), Serbian is classified as Category III (“hard”)—and lots of Duolingo courses come from that same ranking, if not higher.
Duolingo stopped working with volunteer contributors
As of 2021, Duolingo ended its volunteer contributor program due to financial and management concerns. In effect, their future courses will only be produced and moderated by the company.
Granted, Duolingo probably doesn’t have Serbian lessons because they lack the right instructors and/or native speakers for the job.
Apps to learn Serbian other than Duolingo
It’s a shame that Duolingo doesn’t have a Serbian course. Nevertheless, you’ve still got a couple of Serbian learning apps to try, should you want to get fluent fast.
1. Glossika
Learning Serbian on Glossika is a rather unique experience. Instead of going through random words and short phrases, you will be exposed to thousands of sentences on different topics and situations, covering grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and culture.
With Glossika, you can listen to native speakers and repeat after them, improving your listening and speaking skills. You can also see the sentences written in both alphabets, enhancing your reading and writing skills.
Glossika combines the method of contextual learning with the principles of spaced repetition to ensure that you learn what you need to learn and keep it in your long-term memory.
Key features:
- Learn thousands of full Serbian sentences
- High-quality audio recorded by native speakers
- Exercises targeting all core skills
2. uTalk
Phrasebooks are a must for beginners—and there’s no better place to start than uTalk!
Whether you’re a student or a traveler, this app’s bound to come in handy. Inside, you’ll find plenty of interactive exercises and audio recordings that cover basic words and expressions.
In fact, it’s got 60+ functional categories that cover all kinds of social situations—should you be commuting, shopping, or simply greeting someone.
Key features:
- More than 2,500 Serbian words and phrases to learn
- Includes a variety of practical topics
- Comes with native speaker audio
3. LingChat
Finding a Serbian practice partner can be tough, but LingChat bridges that gap by letting you chat with AI characters tailored to your level.
This app is perfect for practicing real-world scenarios, like ordering food in Belgrade or navigating a job interview, through interactive role-playing games. You can even design custom scenarios to focus on exactly what you need!
As you talk, LingChat provides instant grammar corrections and suggestions to improve your flow. To make sure new words actually stick, it uses spaced repetition and flashcards for effective review.
Key features:
- AI role-play with realistic settings
- Instant feedback on grammar plus speaking tips
- Effective review methods
Other great resources to learn Serbian
Add more Serbian language resources to the mix! Whether you want to watch some videos or pick up a good book, there are certainly enough materials for you to go on:
Preply: If you want to improve your Serbian pronunciation and conversational skills, you can’t go wrong with a Serbian tutor. Here, you can easily find native (and non-native) Serbian tutors who can help boost your skills at affordable rates and flexible schedules.
Serbian Alphabet for Students: Remember how Serbian uses both the Latin and Cyrillic alphabet? Well, this free app teaches all 30 letters using clear examples, images, and—best of all—audio recordings!
Hippocrene Beginner’s Serbian: As the title suggests, this textbook is great for new learners. Inside, you’ll find simple tutorials, dialogues, and exercises that introduce you to beginner’s Serbian. (It even comes with 2 CDs!)
Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian – A Grammar: If you like deep linguistic study, then this grammar book is where to look. While it tackles three language systems, it also contains socio-linguistic commentary about post-Yugoslavia which might pique your interest!
Cudoo: Designed by experts, Cudoo’s Serbian courses cater to learners of all levels. There’s even a special course for learning business-related terms and customs. These self-paced courses come with certificates too!
Simply Learn Serbian: This free app uses flashcards with spaced repetition to effectively drill vocabulary into your memory. Phrases and words are presented in both Serbian script and phonetic writing, making pronunciation a breeze for beginners. Comes with native speaker recordings too!
Talkpal: This app uses GPT-powered AI to help you master Serbian through immersive, real-time conversations. You’ll practice speaking and listening while receiving instant feedback on your grammar and pronunciation, much like a natural, low-pressure chat.
Belgrade Language School: Welcoming and reputable, this website features a wide array of Serbian online lessons. Should you want a private session, group course, or self-study material, it’s all here!
Serbonika: Learning Serbian from scratch? This YouTube channel has lots of fun vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation tutorials, coupled with some videos on Serbian culture!
Liz Learns Serbian: Check out the adventures of Liz, a fellow language student! Filled with personal insights, beginner-friendly tutorials, and engaging vlogs on Serbian life and culture, this channel makes a lovely introduction to the basics.
Clozemaster: This is one of my top picks for intermediate and advanced-level learners. Over here, you’ll gain access to Serbian-language games and activities that mainly test your reading comprehension skills.
italki: Of course, we can’t end this section without italki! This platform lets you connect with Serbian-language instructors, schedule online classes, and get 1-on-1 lessons at affordable rates.
Mango Languages: This awesome platform uses a conversational approach to break Serbian into color-coded building blocks. By focusing on how locals actually speak, it helps you naturally grasp grammar, culture, and pronunciation through practical dialogues and native speaker audio.
Conclusion
Sadly, a Serbian course on Duolingo isn’t in the making. But luckily, you’ve got a lot of aces up your sleeve…or should I say Duolingo alternative apps!
Paired with the right books, videos, games, and other learning aids, you’ll get about the same, playful lessons—with less wait and more fun!
Duolingo alternatives for learning Serbian – Pin it!
What if there were no Serbian courses on DUOLINGO for political reasons ?
Hello Angeline,
Thank you for writing this article and for mentioning our YouTube channel.
The best alternative, a superior version of Duolingo for Serbian, is the Serbian learning platform at Serbonika.com – try and see 🙂
Best regards,
Magdalena
Hello,
You seem to ignore the existence of SerboVerb app. SerboVerb is a free app which conjugates in all tenses thousands of Serbian verbs in a friendly way. It can be used as a web app (https://serboverb.com), or as iOS or Android apps, available on App Store and Google Play. It also provides a dictionary module allowing users to translate the most frequent verbs into about fifteen languages of the World.
The SerboVerb conjugator exploits an extensive database with more than 20000 Serbian verbs, constantly growing. You can find both regular and irregular verbs conjugated in all tenses, persons, numbers and genders. A powerful search engine with the autocomplete feature help you find the verb form you are looking for.
The friendly designed interface is in English, with ergonomic display providing quick access to the searched form. Try it, conjugate and enjoy.
drops also has serbian language. It is pretty good for learning a lot of words.