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Bengali is the seventh most spoken language in the world. With about 299 million native speakers worldwide, it is primarily used in Bangladesh, along with the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam.
Those familiar with Hindi, Tamil, or Sinhalese may have an easier time studying Bengali, as these languages share a similar vocabulary and also hail some linguistic influences from Turkish, Persian, and Arabic.
But, if you’re completely new to the language, then worry not! From Mondly to italki, there are plenty of Bengali learning apps out there that can entice all kinds of students, from absolute beginners to advanced speakers.
That said, Rosetta Stone is one of such platforms that you may find on the market. But, before you hit install—or look up their Bengali course, for that matter—let’s explore some of its features.
What is Rosetta Stone?
If you haven’t already heard, Rosetta Stone is a well-known language platform developed for students new and old. It expertly combines interactive technologies with intensive training for an authentic learning experience.
It is best known for its Dynamic Immersion method, which helps learners naturally gain fluency in their target language. Instead of just using flashcards and memorization tactics, the app teaches using real-life contexts and reasoning to gradually develop your comprehension skills.
Rosetta Stone also comes with a fully-customizable plan, which allows users to modify their course load based on four categories: Basics & Beyond, Travel, Work, and Family. In essence, you’ll get content suited to your current level, goals, and personal schedule.
On top of that, its TruAccent speech recognition technology will do wonders for speaking and listening practice, as it checks your pronunciation and provides instant feedback, starting from day one.
All in all, this is a fine language app that we’d highly recommend—but unfortunately, there is no course for Bengali on Rosetta Stone. The good news, however, is that there are many other Bengali learning apps with similar features, starting with these three.
The best Rosetta Stone alternatives
While Rosetta Stone Bengali is yet to be created, you’ll find that these alternative apps are just as engaging and informative. Let’s have a closer look at them:
1. Mondly
Improve your Bengali vocabulary, grammar, and dialogue with Mondly, a fun and game-like learning platform.
On the app, you’ll find bite-sized courses, audio-supported exercises, and daily lessons suited to your proficiency level and interests. What’s more, it even has a special hands-free mode built in for learning on the go.
Mondly Bengali has tutorials for beginner, intermediate, and advanced-level students. By signing up, you can easily track your process and improve your skills by the day.
Key features:
- Lessons on how to read, write, and speak in Bengali
- Has courses for all levels of proficiency
- Features audio recorded by native speakers
2. Ling App
Studying a new language could be intimidating at times. Luckily, for Bengali, Ling brings in all the excitement!Â
Ling Bengali mainly teaches using flashcards, word games, and quizzes—keeping things light and fresh. Suited to all levels of learning, this app will polish your reading, writing, and listening skills quickly through its dynamic courses and playful exercises.
On top of that, it also includes an interactive chatbot for dialogue practice. Should you want more features, check out its premium version here.
Key features:
- Made for beginners and up
- Equipped with various gamified activities, such as picture matching and sentence sorting
- Has an interactive chatbot to test your conversation skills
3. Glossika
Featuring thousands of Bengali sentences, Glossika’s Bengali course is designed to help you internalize Bengali grammar and increase your vocabulary. The full-practice mode involves four skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. For learning on the go, you can take the hands-free listening-only mode.
Glossika offers courses for all skill levels but is ideal for learners who want to learn the language efficiently and naturally. Instead of learning individual words or short phrases, you’ll go through full sentences that help you naturally understand the language.
What’s more, you’ll be hearing audio recordings of native speakers, which can help you learn the correct pronunciation and accents.
Key features:
- Presents Bengali sentences for full context
- High-quality audio recordings featuring native speakers
- Uses a spaced-repetition learning system
Other great resources to learn Bengali
Apart from using an app, you can also consult different resources to study Bengali. From Bengali books to websites, there are surprisingly a lot of good places to find additional learning materials.
italki: This app connects you with both community and professional tutors at very affordable rates. Bengali lessons here start at $5/month.
Cudoo: Whether you want to focus on Bengali writing, grammar, vocabulary, or conversation skills, Cudoo’s self-paced video courses will prove handy. Choose from three levels or a Business course and you’re good to go!
BBC Bengali: Make reading a habit on BBC Bengali! Here, news articles are written using the Bengali script, which can help test your comprehension skills in day-to-day situations.
Supriyosen: This website will teach you how to read and write using the Bangla script. Simply register to gain full access.
Clozemaster: If you’re a fan of word games, then you’ll be in for a treat. Clozemaster is packed with close tests, quizzes, and other interactive content designed for intermediate and advanced-level learners.
Beginner’s Bengali: With comprehensive lessons, exercises, and a companion CD in store, Beginner’s Bengali is undoubtedly the perfect book to start with. It remains one of the best resources out there, as each unit is carefully structured, well-paced, and updated to suit present contexts.
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Colloquial Bengali: This textbook is best for learning conversational Bengali. Inside, you’ll find chapters, exercises (with an answer key), and dialogues that extensively discuss the matter.
Forvo: Forvo is an online pronunciation dictionary for the Bengali language. Free and user-friendly, this website houses audio files which you can easily listen to and download.
Conclusion
No doubt, Rosetta Stone would have been a wonderful platform to learn Bengali with. But since it currently does not have said lessons, you’d have to look elsewhere.
Nevertheless, it’s a good thing that you have many alternative apps and resources
to count on! Feel free to give them a try and tell us what you think.