Bhojpuri is spoken by about 50 million people in India's Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, and in Nepal, Mauritius and other countries, and it is written mostly in Devanagari. Duolingo, Ling and LingQ don't teach Bhojpuri, so this page lists the few apps that do.
Bubblegum
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn Bhojpuri. You learn from Bhojpuri you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Bubblegum teaches the Bhojpuri of Ara, Chhapra and Siwan in Bihar, in Devanagari. Say you want to talk with your grandmother in Siwan. Ask Poppy, your AI tutor, for a lesson on what you would say when you visit, and she writes it at your level, with audio. Poppy explains any line you ask about.
- Poppy writes each lesson for your level, on topics you pick.
- Each lesson plays AI audio while you read.
- Tap a word to see what it means, or ask Poppy to explain a whole line.
- The Bhojpuri Letters course teaches the Devanagari letters, and you can read Bhojpuri in Roman letters while you learn them.
- Regenerative Review™ brings saved words back in new lessons, and you can export them to Anki.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- You can't turn your own Bhojpuri books into lessons. However, you can paste a page 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
italki
italki has a few Bhojpuri teachers for video lessons. Each profile shows the other languages the teacher speaks, such as Hindi and English, so you can pick one who explains in a language you know.
- Pick a Bhojpuri teacher and book a video lesson.
- Each teacher lists the price of a trial lesson.
MobileWeb
HelloTalk
HelloTalk has a page for Bhojpuri. It is a language exchange app, so you chat with Bhojpuri speakers, and they practice your language with you.
- Chat with Bhojpuri speakers who want to learn your language.
MobileWeb
Other Apps We Looked At (1)
- Bhojpuri - Listening SpeakingAn iPhone and iPad app made only for Bhojpuri, with video and audio lessons built around conversations and everyday scenes. Tap a word to see its meaning, and practice conversation with Bhojpuri speakers. It is free to download, with paid premium plans, and it is new, with no ratings yet on the App Store.
StoryWeaver has 15 free Bhojpuri books, and 10 of them are in its easiest level, Level 1. Try हम नाहीं डेरनी! (I wasn't scared), about a little girl who goes out alone in the dark.
The Bhojpuri Wikipedia has 9,383 articles written in Bhojpuri, in Devanagari. Read one on a topic you already know once short books feel comfortable.
| App | Free? | What's Free |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | Free version | 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. |
| italki | Paid | You pay for each lesson, and each teacher sets their own price. Practicing with the community and taking the level test are free. |
| HelloTalk | Free version | Chatting with language partners is free. HelloTalk VIP removes ads and adds unlimited translations and more new partners each day. |
| Bhojpuri - Listening Speaking | Not stated | It is free to download, with paid premium plans. Its page does not say which lessons are free. |
Check that a lesson explains Bhojpuri in a language you know before you pay.
| App | Languages You Can Use It In | Full List |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | 74 | Supported language pairs |
| italki | 19 | Full list |
| HelloTalk | 16 | Full list |
| Bhojpuri - Listening Speaking | Not stated | App Store page |
Which Bhojpuri app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning Bhojpuri, start with Bubblegum. Poppy, your AI tutor, writes lessons at your level about things you like. If you'd rather talk with a person from the start, book a trial lesson with a Bhojpuri teacher on italki. The best way to learn Bhojpuri has a plan for each week.
Does Duolingo teach Bhojpuri?
No. Duolingo's course list has Hindi but no Bhojpuri course. Bubblegum teaches Bhojpuri and Hindi as two separate languages.
Do I need to learn Devanagari first?
Yes, if you want to read books or the Bhojpuri Wikipedia, which are written in Devanagari. Bubblegum's Bhojpuri Letters course teaches the letters, and you can read Bhojpuri in Roman letters while you learn them.
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
- Outlook India: Bhojpuri had about 5.05 crore speakers in the 2011 census, and the demand for its own recognition is pending
- Wikipedia: Bhojpuri language (Devanagari is the main script)
- Bubblegum: Bhojpuri
- Duolingo course list (no Bhojpuri course)
- Ling: languages (Bhojpuri is not listed)
- LingQ: languages (Bhojpuri is not listed)
- Bhojpuri - Listening Speaking on the App Store
- italki: Bhojpuri teachers
- italki: home page (what is free)
- italki on the App Store
- HelloTalk: Learn Bhojpuri online
- HelloTalk: what's free
- HelloTalk on the App Store (languages you can use it in)
- StoryWeaver: Bhojpuri books (15 books, 10 at Level 1)
- Bhojpuri Wikipedia (9,383 articles, in Devanagari)
- HelloTalk: what's free
