The best Afrikaans vocabulary app depends on where your words come from. Bubblegum and LingQ save words from Afrikaans reading, Clozemaster puts each word in a sentence with a gap, uTalk and Tobo give you ready-made word sets, and Anki holds cards you write yourself. This page compares how each app collects words, keeps their sentences and brings them back for review. For courses, see our Afrikaans app comparison.
Bubblegum
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn Afrikaans. You learn from Afrikaans you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, your level and what you like, and she writes your Afrikaans lessons. If a sentence is hard to follow, ask Poppy to explain it.
With Regenerative Review™, words you save show up again in new lessons, so you review them in new contexts without flashcards.
- Afrikaans lessons are written at your level, and Poppy explains hard sentences in English.
- Saved Afrikaans words come back in new lessons through Regenerative Review™, and you can send them to Anki with their sentences.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- You can't turn an Afrikaans book into a lesson. But Poppy will explain a page you paste or photograph.
- Custom lessons cost us money to make, so you need Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons. Lessons Poppy wrote for other learners are free for everyone to read.
- Regenerative Review™
Mobile
LingQ
LingQ suits learners who choose their own Afrikaans texts. You import a text, tap the words you don't know and they join your review.
- The Afrikaans page offers lessons with matching audio and transcripts, plus a playlist you can play online or offline.
- Tap an unfamiliar Afrikaans word and save it. It comes back in review with its context.
- Flashcards
MobileWeb
Clozemaster
Clozemaster is the pick when you want the sentence around every Afrikaans word. Its word collections are sorted by how common the words are.
- Afrikaans words sit inside full sentences, and you pick or type the missing word.
- Built-in spaced review brings sentences back, so every word keeps its context.
MobileWeb
uTalk
uTalk gives you Afrikaans in topic groups with recall games. The word sets are its own, so you study them as they come.
- Afrikaans topics, words and phrases come with native-speaker audio.
- You can record yourself and compare your voice with the native recording.
MobileWeb
Other Apps We Looked At (5)
- Tobo: Learn Afrikaans WordsAfrikaans word cards and word games with English meanings. Swipe a word right when you know it and left to see it again. A subscription unlocks more content.
- Simply Learn AfrikaansSave favorite Afrikaans words and phrases and study them with spaced-repetition flashcards and a quiz. The Android listing offers 300+ free words and phrases, and more content is paid.
- AnkiMake your own cards with text, audio or images and review them with FSRS or SM-2. You add the Afrikaans word, the English meaning and a sentence yourself. Desktop and AnkiWeb are free, and AnkiMobile on iPhone is a one-time purchase.
- AfripraatAfrikaans word packs for South African school learners in Grade 4 to 12, shown with English meanings. It suits students who follow the school syllabus more than adult learners.
- ReadlangTurns text you import into translated words and flashcards with spaced review. Check that Afrikaans is on its language list before you sign up.
| App | Word source | Save and sentence | Audio | Review | English help | Free boundary | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | Lessons Poppy writes | Words appear in new sentences | Read-aloud voices | Saved words return in new lessons | Partly | Lessons by other learners are free to read; unlimited custom lessons need Pro | iPhone, iPad, Android |
| LingQ | Texts and audio you import | Saved word with its context | Matching audio | Spaced repetition | Yes | 20 saved words, 5 imported lessons | Web, mobile |
| Clozemaster | Sentences with a gap | Sentence kept in every review | Unconfirmed | Built-in spaced review | Yes | Free to start; Pro is paid | Web, iPhone, Android |
| uTalk | Topics made by uTalk | Words and phrases | Native-speaker audio and your recordings | Recall games | Yes | Free Starter Words and one topic unlocked by score; the rest is paid | iPhone, Android |
| Tobo | Word sets made by Tobo | Word cards | Pronunciation audio | Swipe known and repeat words | Yes | Free download; subscription unlocks more | iPhone, Android |
| Simply Learn Afrikaans | Words and phrases | Favorites | Recorded speech | Spaced-repetition flashcards and quiz | Yes | 300+ free words and phrases | Android |
| Anki | Cards you make | Only if the card includes the sentence | Only if you add it | FSRS or SM-2 | Your own cards | Desktop and AnkiWeb free; AnkiMobile paid once | Computer, iPhone, Android |
| Afripraat | Word packs for school | Typed answers | Unconfirmed | A word counts as mastered after ten correct answers | Yes | Teacher accounts free; learner subscription paid | Web and linked mobile apps |
| Readlang | Text you import | Translated words and phrases | Unconfirmed | Flashcards with spaced review | Yes | Unconfirmed | Web |
To meet Afrikaans words in reading and listening first, see our Afrikaans comprehensible input app comparison. For vocabulary methods in any language, see vocabulary apps compared.
Which Afrikaans vocabulary app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning Afrikaans, start with Bubblegum. Poppy, your AI tutor, writes lessons at your level about things you like. Or choose uTalk if you want ready-made topics to work through. Anki fits once you want cards from Afrikaans you came across yourself.
Can I keep the sentence an Afrikaans word came from?
LingQ saves a word with its context, and Clozemaster makes the sentence the exercise. An Anki card keeps a sentence when you include it in the card, by typing it or importing it.
Is there an Afrikaans vocabulary app for school?
Afripraat is built for South African Grade 4 to 12 school learners. Its packs ask you to type the Afrikaans answer, and a word counts as mastered after ten correct answers. Teacher accounts are free.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. Lessons Poppy wrote for other learners are free for everyone to read. Custom lessons cost us money to make, so you need Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons.
Sources
- LingQ: learn Afrikaans
- LingQ: what's free
- Clozemaster: Afrikaans vocabulary
- uTalk: Afrikaans course
- Tobo: Learn Afrikaans Words, Google Play listing
- Simply Learn Afrikaans: Google Play listing
- Anki: what's free
- AnkiMobile: iPhone App Store listing
- Anki: deck options and schedulers
- Afripraat: Afrikaans for Grade 4 to 12
- Readlang: about
- Bubblegum
