Hausa vocabulary apps differ in where the words come from. Some give you audio lessons, some save words from videos and articles you pick, and some are games or flashcard sets. Three apps get a closer look below and four more get a short note. Each one says how it saves and reviews words, and how much help is in English. For courses and tutors, see Best Apps to Learn Hausa.
Bubblegum
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn Hausa. You learn from Hausa you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, your level and what you like, and she writes your Hausa 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 that you can review words in new contexts without having to use flashcards.
- The Hausa dictionary has more than 5,000 entries with English meanings.
- Poppy's Hausa grammar notes cover 116 topics in English.
- Hausa words you save from a lesson come back in new lessons, in new sentences.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- You can't import a Hausa word list or a book as lessons. However, you can paste a passage in the chat, and Poppy will explain it.
- 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
NKENNE
NKENNE teaches African languages, and you pick the Hausa course.
- Hausa audio lessons have captions that follow the recording, and you can play them offline.
- Digital flashcards and a Quick Match game practice the Hausa words.
- Flashcards
Mobile
uTalk
uTalk shows each Hausa word with English, so you can learn from English from the first topic.
- Hausa topics list practical words and phrases with native-speaker audio.
- You record yourself and compare, then play memory games that focus on the words you find hard.
MobileWeb
Other Apps We Looked At (4)
- DuoCardsSave Hausa words from videos, subtitles, articles or notes into your own sets, or choose public decks. Adaptive flashcards show them again on a schedule, and you can review offline. The download is free, with in-app purchases.
- NaijaTonguesHausa words, phrases and examples in a structured course, with flashcards, quizzes and a Sentence Builder. The Hausa page shows the hooked letters ɓ, ɗ, ƙ and ƴ and plays native-speaker sample recordings. It is free to start.
- Gida WordsHausa word games on Android: word search, scramble, proverbs and daily challenges. The listing shows ads.
- Learn HausaHausa chapters with flashcards and quizzes on Android. You can bookmark cards or make your own with images and audio, and text-to-speech supplies the sound. The listing has in-app purchases.
| App | Usable in | Learning help in | Words come from | Saved and reviewed | Free |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | Yes | Partly | Lessons Poppy writes | Words return in new lessons | Lessons written for others |
| NKENNE | — | — | Audio lessons | Flashcards, Quick Match | Starter lessons |
| uTalk | Yes | Yes | Topics | Memory games, review of hard words | Starter words |
| DuoCards | Yes | — | Videos, articles and notes you choose | Adaptive flashcards | Free download |
| NaijaTongues | — | Yes | Course topics | Flashcards, quizzes | Free to start |
| Gida Words | — | — | Word games | — | Ads |
| Learn Hausa | — | Yes | Chapters and your own cards | Flashcards, quizzes | In-app purchases |
A dash (—) means you should check it in the app.
Which Hausa vocabulary app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning Hausa, start with Bubblegum. Poppy, your AI tutor, writes lessons at your level about things you like. If you learn best by ear, NKENNE's audio lessons show each word as you hear it.
Do Hausa apps show the hooked letters?
Hausa spells some sounds with the hooked letters ɓ, ɗ, ƙ and ƴ. NaijaTongues shows them on its Hausa page. For the other apps, open a lesson and check the letters before you commit.
Can I save Hausa words from what I watch or read?
DuoCards saves words from videos, subtitles and articles into your own sets. Bubblegum saves words from the lessons Poppy writes. For Hausa to listen to and read, see our comparison of Hausa reading and listening apps.
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.
