Welsh vocabulary apps differ in where the words come from. Some give you a ready-made list, some give you sentences with a missing word, and some leave the cards to you. This page compares seven apps on that point and on what each does with a word after you meet it. Welsh changes the first sound of many words, so a word can look different from the one you saved. For courses, tutors and Welsh to watch, see our best apps to learn Welsh.
Bubblegum
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn Welsh. You learn from Welsh you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, your level and what you like, and she writes your Welsh 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 can review words in new contexts without having to use flashcards.
Welsh lessons are read aloud, so you hear a saved word in its sentence. If a passage confuses you, paste it into the chat and ask Poppy about it.
- The Welsh dictionary has about 19,700 entries with English meanings.
- The Welsh grammar notes cover 257 topics in English.
- Words you save from a Welsh lesson come back in new lessons.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- Regenerative Review™
Mobile
Clozemaster
Clozemaster shows a Welsh word inside a sentence. The audio uses device or browser text-to-speech, not recordings of people.
- You fill in the missing Welsh word in a sentence that comes with its English translation.
- Sentences you studied come back on a spaced schedule.
MobileWeb
Drops
In Drops you play through a topic, and each Welsh word arrives with a picture and audio. Sessions are short, so it fits in between other study.
- Welsh words are taught with pictures, in short games.
- Words and phrases are grouped by topic.
Mobile
uTalk
A uTalk topic is a set of Welsh words and phrases with games that get harder as you go. Download a topic and you can practice offline.
- Each Welsh word and phrase has a recording of a native speaker.
- Record your own voice and compare it with the recording.
MobileWeb
Anki
Whatever you put on the card, a Welsh word, its English meaning or a sentence, is what you review. Write the form you met, such as a word with a changed first sound, next to the dictionary form.
- Make cards for the Welsh words you want, with a sentence or audio if you add them.
- Review follows SM-2 or FSRS scheduling.
- Flashcards
MobileWeb
Other Apps We Looked At (2)
- blas.Built for Welsh and the other Celtic languages. It uses FSRS spaced repetition, tracks word and grammar progress separately, and has drills for the sound changes. Its Welsh voices are synthetic, and you can start without a credit card.
- QuizletMake a set of Welsh words and meanings, or use a set another learner shared, then study it as flashcards.
| App | Where words come from | How you save them | How they come back | Free part |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | Lessons Poppy writes for you | Save a word in a lesson | In new lessons | Lessons Poppy wrote for other learners are free to read |
| Clozemaster | Sentence collections | Choose a collection | Spaced schedule | Free sign-up, essential play |
| Drops | Topic word lists with pictures | Choose a topic | Games | 5 minutes every 10 hours |
| uTalk | Topic words and phrases | Choose a topic | Games that get harder | Starter words |
| Anki | Cards you make | Write a card or import a deck | SM-2 or FSRS | Computer and web free, iPhone paid |
| blas. | Welsh vocabulary and drills | Choose a set | FSRS | Free to start |
| Quizlet | Sets you make or share | Make or pick a set | Flashcards, Learn and Test modes | Free to download, Plus is paid |
Which Welsh vocabulary app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning Welsh, start with Bubblegum. Poppy, your AI tutor, writes lessons at your level about things you like. If you want pictures, start with Drops, which groups the first words by topic.
How do I handle Welsh sound changes when I review words?
blas. has separate drills for the sound changes. In Anki, put the changed form on the card as well as the dictionary form. Clozemaster and Bubblegum show a word in a sentence, so you see the form it takes there. For card setup, see Anki alternatives.
Can I use Welsh voices from these apps to copy North or South Welsh?
blas. says its Welsh voices are synthetic, and uTalk has recordings of native speakers. For a dialect you want, ask a tutor or hear Welsh from people in the region. Our Welsh app guide lists courses where you can choose North or South.
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
- Bubblegum: Welsh and English language pair
- Drops: Welsh course
- Drops: free and Premium
- uTalk: Welsh course
- Clozemaster: learn Welsh online
- Clozemaster: frequently asked questions
- blas.: Welsh and the Celtic languages
- Anki: manual
- AnkiMobile: iPhone App Store listing
- Quizlet: studying with flashcards
- Bubblegum
- Clozemaster
- Anki
