Some Somali tools stay free, and some stop after a start. Daariz says its lessons, games, stories and tests are free, and Baro says learning is free. Geeljire gives you its foundation lessons and charges for the rest. uTalk starts you with a few words, and Anki lets you write your own cards. Bubblegum has free library lessons. This page shows where each one stops. For courses and tutors, see our Somali app comparison. For word lists, see Somali vocabulary apps.
Bubblegum
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn Somali. You learn from Somali you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, your level and what you like, and she writes your Somali 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.
- Library lessons in Somali are free to read.
- Poppy's grammar notes cover 128 Somali topics in English.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- Unlimited custom Somali lessons need Pro. You also can't turn a Somali book or video you own into a lesson, but Poppy will explain a page you paste in.
- 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
uTalk
uTalk suits learners who want practical Somali words by topic.
- uTalk has a Somali course of topic words and phrases.
- You can download a course and use it offline.
MobileWeb
Other Apps We Looked At (5)
- DaarizA Somali app for iPhone and Android that says its lessons, games, stories and tests are free. It teaches Somali reading and writing, and the listing does not say whether the explanations are in English.
- BaroAn iPhone and iPad app that says learning is free and sign-in is optional. Its words and sounds come in Hargeisa and Mogadishu settings. The listing does not say whether the explanations are in English.
- GeeljireA website with free foundation lessons. Full lessons, books, poetry and stories are Premium. It separates Standard Somali from Northern and Southern Somali.
- AnkiFree flashcards on a computer and on Android, where AnkiDroid is a separate free app. The iPhone app is a paid one-time purchase. You make your own Somali cards or import shared decks.
- QuizletFree basic flashcards on the web, iPhone and Android. You build the Somali sets yourself, and Quizlet Plus is the paid plan.
| App | What stays free | Where the limit is | Paid plan | English help | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | Library lessons | Unlimited custom lessons | Pro | Partly | iPhone, Android, web |
| uTalk | Starter words, plus one topic you unlock in the games | Other topics | Subscription or single purchases | Yes | iPhone, Android, web |
| Daariz | Lessons, games, stories and tests, says its publisher | Not listed | None listed | Unconfirmed | iPhone, Android |
| Baro | Learning, says its publisher | Not listed | None listed | Unconfirmed | iPhone, iPad |
| Geeljire | Foundation lessons | Full lessons, books, poetry and stories | Premium | Unconfirmed | Web |
| Anki | Computer and Android apps | The iPhone app | One-time purchase | Partly | Computer, web, iPhone, Android |
| Quizlet | Basic flashcards | Plus features | Plus | Partly | Web, iPhone, Android |
Which free Somali app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning Somali, start with Bubblegum. Poppy, your AI tutor, writes lessons at your level about things you like. Or try Baro, which says learning is free, and Geeljire's free foundation lessons.
Is a free Somali download the same as a free Somali course?
No. uTalk is free to install, and after the starter words and one topic you unlock in the games, its Somali topics are paid. Geeljire's free part is the foundation lessons only. Daariz and Baro say their learning is free.
Do the free Somali apps cover Northern and Southern Somali?
Geeljire names Standard Somali, Northern Somali and Southern Somali. Baro offers Hargeisa and Mogadishu settings. Neither one lists the Maay dialect, so check a lesson before you rely on it.
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.
