Bulgarian is the official language of Bulgaria, and about 8 million people speak it around the world. It is written in the Cyrillic alphabet, which scholars trace to a school in medieval Bulgaria in the 890s. Few big language apps teach Bulgarian, and fewer still give you things to read and listen to once you know the basics.
Here are the apps and services that teach Bulgarian, grouped by what they help you do. You can start with one and add another when you need it.
Custom Lessons Made for You
Bubblegum
Bubblegum suits learners who want Bulgarian built around their own lives. Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, what you want to learn. She writes lessons for your level and helps you understand the words and grammar. You can read and listen, and ask her about anything that is unclear. News and stories give you more Bulgarian to read about music, food, family, and other things you care about.
The trade-off is that Bubblegum does not replace real Bulgarian voices or a fixed course. For recorded speakers, Glossika and uTalk are the better fit. For a step-by-step path, try Ling, and for conversation, try the apps in Learn With People.
- Read Bulgarian lessons for free.
- The Bulgarian Cyrillic course teaches all 30 letters, like Ж, Ш, and Ъ, from the first letter.
- Lessons fit your level, interests, and goals.
- Read and listen to news and stories in Bulgarian about things you care about.
- Ask Poppy about a sentence while you read.
- Regenerative Review™ brings saved words back in new lessons, so you review them by reading instead of using flashcards.
- Lesson audio uses AI voices, not recordings of Bulgarian speakers.
- You cannot import your own books or articles.
- The free plan includes one new custom lesson each day.
- Regenerative Review™
- Teaches Cyrillic
Mobile
Follow a Bulgarian Course
If you want someone to choose what comes next, start here.
Ling
Ling's Bulgarian lessons are quick games with speaking practice. The course covers the alphabet, vocabulary, and speaking.
- Short lessons and quizzes with audio from native speakers.
- A conversation practice called Dialog, and flashcards for new words.
- Flashcards
- Teaches Cyrillic (partly)
Mobile
Practice Speaking and Listening
Glossika
Glossika trains your ears and your mouth with Bulgarian sentences. You can take a placement test or start from zero, then listen, repeat, and type what you hear.
- More than 5,000 words and sentences, from A1 to C1.
- Sentences are voiced by native speakers, and you can record yourself to compare.
- Doesn't teach Cyrillic
MobileWeb
Build Vocabulary
Clozemaster
Clozemaster asks you to fill in the missing word in a Bulgarian sentence, by choosing from a list or typing it. Sentences come back for review right when you are about to forget them.
- Every Bulgarian word you learn appears inside a real sentence.
- Sentences are sorted by how common the missing word is, so you meet useful words first.
- Doesn't teach Cyrillic
MobileWeb
uTalk
uTalk starts with greetings and common words, then moves on to topics such as transport, food and drink, and doctors. Games help the words stick.
- More than 2,500 words and phrases in over 60 topics.
- Audio from native speakers, not computer voices.
- Doesn't teach Cyrillic
MobileWeb
Read and Listen to Bulgarian
LingQ
LingQ is a library of lessons to read and listen to, sorted by level. You can save new words as you read and review them later.
- A beginner Mini Stories series, plus lessons built from Bulgarian news and songs.
- Import your own Bulgarian videos, books, and songs to read and listen to.
- Flashcards
- Doesn't teach Cyrillic
MobileWeb
Learn With People
Choose a tutor if you want teaching and correction. Choose a language exchange if you want a practice partner and are happy to help with English in return.
italki
italki lists Bulgarian tutors in Sofia, Plovdiv, and other places, and some of them have taught thousands of lessons.
- Choose a Bulgarian tutor and book lessons around your schedule.
- Get feedback while you speak.
MobileWeb
Preply
Preply lists 57 Bulgarian tutors. Read profiles and reviews to find a tutor who fits your level and goals.
- Compare tutors by profile, reviews, and price.
- Tutors can explain Cyrillic, grammar, and pronunciation in English.
MobileWeb
Tandem
Tandem lists Bulgarian among its supported languages, and it has language exchange pages for Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, and other Bulgarian cities. Agree with your partner on how to split time between your two languages.
- Practice with messages, voice notes, and video calls.
- Correct each other's writing.
- It can take a few tries to find a partner who matches your interests and time.
MobileWeb
More Ways to Learn Bulgarian
Few apps give you Bulgarian to read and listen to beyond lessons. Bubblegum's news and stories are one way. BNR is Bulgaria's public radio, and its app plays live radio, podcasts, and news in Bulgarian. BNT is the public television broadcaster. Chitanka is a free online library of Bulgarian books, and you can download them as EPUB and other e-book files.
For a free course with audio, the Peace Corps' Bulgarian lessons are on Live Lingua. Sofia University's Department for Language Teaching and International Students has taught Bulgarian to foreign learners since 1952. When you meet a new word, Slovored and Rechnik are free online dictionaries.
Learn Bulgarian in Your Language
These counts cover menu-language choices, including script variants. Other apps’ counts and full lists come from their iPhone listings. Lesson explanations and other platforms may differ.
| App | Supported Display Languages | Full List |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | 74 | Full list
|
| Ling | 67 | Full list |
| Glossika | 2 | Full list |
| Clozemaster | 37 | Full list |
| uTalk | 1 | Full list |
| LingQ | 17 | Full list |
| italki | 19 | Full list |
| Preply | 19 | Full list |
| Tandem | 14 | Full list |
Other Apps We Looked At (10)
- MondlyShort lessons with audio from voice actors, grammar and conjugation tables, and a switch between Cyrillic and Latin letters while you learn.
- BulgaroAn online course with 25 levels that starts with reading Cyrillic and moves on to grammar and vocabulary. Each lesson opens with an explanation and ends with quizzes, and the first few classes are free.
- BulgarianPod101Audio and video lessons from beginner to advanced, with word lists, flashcards, and an option to learn with your own teacher.
- BluebirdAudio lessons with bilingual subtitles, quizzes, and PDF study guides. Bulgarian is one of its 163 languages.
- Memrise word listsBulgarian word lists made by other learners, such as Bulgarian Vocabulary in 50 Categories, which you can study in the Memrise app.
- ReadlangLets you read Bulgarian web pages and books with one-click translation, then review new words with flashcards. Bulgarian is one of its supported languages.
- Language ReactorAdds subtitles you can tap for meanings to Bulgarian videos on Netflix and YouTube. Bulgarian is one of its supported languages.
- HelloTalkConnects you with language partners in Bulgaria for chat, voice, and video practice.
- TalkpalAn AI tutor you can write or speak with in Bulgarian, with feedback on your pronunciation.
- BGLingoInteractive lessons on grammar, phrases, conversations, and vocabulary built around real-life Bulgarian scenes. It is new and growing.
Common Questions
Which Bulgarian app should a beginner choose?
Start with Ling if you want short lessons that cover the alphabet and speaking, or Glossika if you want to hear and repeat sentences. Bubblegum suits learners who want lessons around their own interests. Bulgarian is written in Cyrillic, so look for a course that teaches the letters first.
Can I learn Bulgarian for free?
Yes. The Peace Corps' Bulgarian lessons on Live Lingua are free, and Ling and Glossika each have a seven-day free trial. Chitanka's online library has free books in Bulgarian. Bubblegum's lesson library is free to read too.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. You can read the free lesson library and ask Poppy for one new custom lesson each day on iPhone and Android. Become a Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons and to support our team.
Sources
- Constitution of Bulgaria (1991, rev. 2007), Article 3
- Wikipedia: Bulgarian language
- Wikipedia: Early Cyrillic alphabet
- Britannica: Bulgarian alphabet
- Ling: Learn Bulgarian
- Glossika: Learn Bulgarian
- uTalk: Learn Bulgarian
- Live Lingua: Peace Corps Bulgarian language lessons
- Sofia University: Bulgarian language for foreigners
- Chitanka: free online library
- Bubblegum
- Clozemaster
- LingQ
- italki
- Preply
- Tandem
Checked on October 4, 2026 against each app's own pages.
