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Did you know that Catalan is spoken by about 10 million people? That might not sound like much compared to Spanish’s 548+ million speakers or the 280 million French speakers.
But if you have any plans to visit Barcelona, Ibiza, Valencia, Alghero (in Sardinia, Italy), or Andorra (where Catalan is the sole official language), knowing this Romance language will serve you well.
If you’ve decided to learn Catalan only to be dismayed because there’s no Pimsleur Catalan course, fret not. There are apps you can use to learn Catalan and I’m here to tell you about three of them. Som-hi!
What is Pimsleur?
First things first: what’s Pimsleur? Why do so many language learners turn to this platform?
I have a whole review of Pimsleur’s features but in a nutshell, this audio-based language learning program uses 30-minute audio lessons to teach essential vocabulary and grammar. There are many audio-based programs these days but what makes Pimsleur unique is its use of graduated interval recall.
What this means is that you are reminded of new words at gradually increasing intervals. This method helps you remember the learned vocabulary longer than the time before until it becomes part of your long-term or permanent memory.
This is great for learners of Arabic, Chinese, German, Japanese, and about 50 other languages that Pimsleur covers. Unfortunately, Catalan is not part of the list. In fact, Catalan is also not on Rosetta Stone.
But while Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone are great language learning apps, that doesn’t mean they’re the only tools you can use.
The best Pimsleur alternatives
When learning Catalan, I recommend starting with these three:
1. Mondly
Many users have demanded Catalan to be part of Mondly’s roster and in 2020, their voices were finally heard.
Mondly features bite-sized lessons on over 35 topics such as greetings, food, travel, sports, and more. What’s great is that you can skip topics that don’t particularly excite you — no need to strictly follow the route on the app.
You can learn essential vocabulary through various exercises on Mondly, from fill-in-the-blank quizzes to speaking drills. You can also improve your Catalan conversational skills by using the Chatbot option. There are also grammar units and conjugation charts, which should give you relevant grammar knowledge.
Learn more about Mondly with this review. Or check the latest Mondly here and try it for yourself!
Key features:
- Short and fun lessons reinforced with lots of review exercises
- Weekly and monthly challenges for competitive learners
- Hands-free mode and Chatbot for conversation practice
2. Ling
Ling Catalan ditches the traditional textbook approach, opting for gamified exercises that make learning fun. It reinforces vocabulary through engaging matching games or mastering sentence structure by sorting jumbled words. The best part? You need only ten minutes per day to practice!
But Ling isn’t all about entertainment. It takes a well-rounded approach, ensuring you develop all the essential language skills. Bite-sized lessons, delivered in manageable chunks, introduce new vocabulary and grammar concepts.
Audio from native speakers helps you perfect your pronunciation, while the integrated chatbot provides a safe space to practice conversation and gain fluency. With Ling, you’re not just memorizing words — you’re actively building the confidence to speak Catalan in everyday situations.
Key features:
- Build vocabulary and learn grammar through games
- Native speaker audio
- Improve your conversational skills through the chatbot
3. Glossika
Unlike many apps that train you with random individual words or short phrases, Glossika teaches you Catalan with thousands of full sentences, with essential vocabulary and a strategic range of grammar structures to help you naturally grasp the language.
Glossika’s method focuses on two things: listen and repeat. When you sign up, you tell Glossika what you’re interested in, and you’re mainly learning things that are relevant to you. Then, by listening to and repeating the thousands of Catalan sentences included in the course, you will quickly become accustomed to the sounds and common patterns of the language.
The app also features speaking drills, as well as reading and writing exercises that make the journey holistic.
Key features:
- Lots of Catalan sentences to learn from
- Correct pronunciation and accent from native speakers
- Option to learn hands-free
Other great resources to learn Catalan
Besides apps, you can also learn Catalan from books, podcasts, YouTube channels, and more fun resources. Here are some of my favorites:
Preply: Need coaching and guidance in your Catalan learning journey? You’re in luck; there are well-reviewed, native-speaking Catalan tutors on Preply! Sessions cost $18 on average but you can get discounts here.
Italki: For more tutor options, check out italki. Here you can find tutors who can walk you through Catalan pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and more. Some tutors even offer Catalan courses for business. Rates and schedules are flexible too!
Complete Catalan Beginner to Intermediate Course: This aptly named book is structured in thematic lessons that feature useful vocab, grammar tips, lots of sample dialogues, pronunciation guides, and innovative exercises. With regular studying, you can achieve CEFR level B2.
uTalk: Using fun games, you can learn over 2500 words and phrases, across 60+ topics covering everyday situations. You can also practice your speaking skills by listening to native speakers and having a go yourself.
Colloquial Catalan: A Complete Course for Beginners: This book teaches Catalan the way it’s written and spoken today. This means no dated expressions, no unrealistic dialogues, and no jargon. Just reader-friendly stuff that helps you communicate in Catalan as confidently and effectively as possible.
Clozemaster: This app features cloze tests, which require you to fill in a missing word in a sentence to make it both grammatically and contextually correct. Do this for thousands of sentences and you’ll soon expand your Catalan vocabulary and comprehension.
Cudoo: Whether you need to have basic conversations with locals or want to learn the local customs, customary meals, and cultural practices in Catalonia, Cudoo’s self-paced Catalan courses will do the trick. They’re short, engaging, and insightful regardless of your skill level.
Duolingo: Duolingo offers Catalan courses but only for Spanish speakers. Alternatively, you can check out Duostories, a collection of Duolingo Stories translated into Catalan, but note that this project is run by volunteers and is unlikely to be adopted by Duolingo.
Tandem: Not ready to hire a tutor? You can still talk to Catalan speakers by finding a language exchange partner on Tandem. Chat with people via Tandem’s messaging features, use the correction and translation tools, and practice your target language together!
Easy Catalan: This YouTube channel helps you learn Catalan by showing you interviews of people in the streets of cities where Catalan is spoken. From technicalities in the language to travel tips and everyday life, you can find authentic content subtitled in both Catalan and English. Videos are released regularly and they have a podcast too!
Conclusion
Even though there’s no Catalan on Pimsleur, there are alternatives that can help you navigate this language just fine. I suggest mixing the app of your choice with a reliable coursebook and/or classes for a Catalan tutor.
Expose yourself to more Catalan content from streaming sites, YouTube, or Spotify, find language partners, and join a community of learners. Soon enough, you’ll see yourself improving and speaking Catalan.
‘Til then, embrace the process and happy learning!