Macedonian is the official language of North Macedonia, and the constitution says it is written in the Cyrillic alphabet. In the 2021 census, more than 1.1 million people there named it as their mother tongue. The alphabet has 31 letters, including Ѓ, Ќ, Ѕ, Љ, and Њ. Few big language apps teach Macedonian, and only a few give you much to read and listen to once you know the basics.
Here are the apps and services that teach Macedonian, 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
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn Macedonian. You learn from Macedonian you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Bubblegum builds Macedonian lessons around your own life. 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 Macedonian to read about music, food, family, and other things you care about.
The trade-off is that Bubblegum is not a fixed course or a person to talk with. For audio lessons with recorded speakers and a step-by-step path, Ling and uTalk are the better fit, and for conversation, try the apps in Learn With People.
- Lessons fit your level, interests, and goals.
- Read and listen to news and stories in Macedonian 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.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- You cannot import your own books or articles.
- A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn.
- Regenerative Review™
- Teaches Cyrillic
Mobile
Follow a Macedonian Course
If you want someone to choose what comes next, start here.
Ling
Ling has a Macedonian course for English speakers. Lessons take about 10 to 15 minutes and mix listening, speaking, and reading, with practice conversations and flashcards.
- 50 units and 200 lessons, with every word and phrase recorded by native speakers.
- Words show in Cyrillic, and you can switch a Latin transcription on or off.
- Flashcards
Mobile
50LANGUAGES
50LANGUAGES teaches short phrases for situations such as a hotel, a restaurant, and the doctor. You can follow the lessons online or use its mobile apps.
- 100 basic lessons with text and native-speaker audio.
- Download the audio files free from its website.
MobileWeb
Build Vocabulary
Clozemaster
Clozemaster asks you to fill in the missing word in a Macedonian sentence, by choosing from a list or typing it. Sentences come back for review when you are about to forget them.
- Every Macedonian word you learn appears inside a real sentence.
- Sentences are sorted by how common the missing word is, so you meet useful words first.
MobileWeb
uTalk
uTalk helps you learn Macedonian words through games and audio. You can say each word and compare your pronunciation with a native speaker's. Topics run from restaurants to emergencies.
- More than 2,500 words and phrases.
- Every word is voiced by male and female native speakers.
MobileWeb
Read and Listen to Macedonian
LingQ
LingQ is a library of lessons to read and listen to, sorted by level. Pick lessons that match what you can follow now, and move up as they get easier.
- A 62-lesson Mini Stories series for beginners.
- Import your own Macedonian videos, books, and songs to read and listen to.
- Flashcards
MobileWeb
For more Macedonian you can read, watch, and listen to at your level, see our Macedonian comprehensible input comparison.
Practice Speaking and Listening
Bluebird
Bluebird teaches words, phrases, and conversations through audio lessons. Its spaced review brings back material you have heard before.
- Listen-and-repeat audio lessons with captions.
- Choose the narration language you learn through.
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 lets you browse Macedonian tutor profiles and book a lesson around your schedule.
- Choose a Macedonian tutor and book lessons around your schedule.
- Get feedback while you speak.
MobileWeb
Preply
Preply has a Macedonian tutor directory. Compare profiles, reviews, and prices to find a teacher who fits your level and goals.
- Compare tutors by profile and reviews.
- Many tutors are native speakers from North Macedonia.
MobileWeb
Tandem
Tandem lists Macedonian among its supported languages, and it has members in Skopje. 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 Macedonian
To learn the letters, Ling's blog has a Macedonian alphabet guide. Macedonian Language Corner has videos for each level, a podcast of slow Macedonian called Makedonkast, and beginner lessons on the alphabet and pronunciation. MRT, the public broadcaster of North Macedonia, streams its channels online through MRT Play.
For a textbook, Macedonian: A Course for Beginning and Intermediate Students, by Christina Kramer and Liljana Mitkovska, is built for a year of intensive study. In Skopje, the International Seminar for Macedonian Language, Literature and Culture at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University runs summer and winter schools. The EU Academy has a beginner course called Learn Macedonian with OLS, which you can join with an EU Login account. To look up words, makedonski.gov.mk hosts the six-volume Interpretive Dictionary of the Macedonian Language online, with meanings written in Macedonian. Andrew Sponsler's write-up describes learning Macedonian in Skopje with private lessons twice a week and pre-made Anki decks.
Learn Macedonian 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 |
| Clozemaster | 37 | Full list |
| uTalk | 1 | Full list |
| LingQ | 17 | Full list |
| italki | 19 | Full list |
| Preply | 19 | Full list |
| Tandem | 14 | Full list |
| Bluebird | 1 | Full list |
| 50LANGUAGES | 58 | Full list |
Other Apps We Looked At (6)
- Memrise word listsMacedonian word lists made by other learners. Check the current community-course access before choosing a list.
- LinGo PlayMacedonian vocabulary practice through flashcards and games, with tests and online play.
- Macedonian - Listening SpeakingVideo lessons from real Macedonian videos where you tap any word to see what it means, plus mini-games. It is new and growing.
- 17 Minute LanguagesA travel course with about 450 key words and phrases recorded by native speakers, plus a verb trainer and a conversation trainer.
- ReadlangClick any word on a web page, article, or book to see a translation and save it as a flashcard. It added Macedonian in 2024.
- TalkpalAn AI tutor with conversation practice and pronunciation feedback for Macedonian.
Common Questions
Which Macedonian app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning Macedonian, start with Bubblegum. Poppy writes lessons at your level about things you like. Or start with Ling if you want a step-by-step course, and add uTalk for words recorded by native speakers. Add Clozemaster once you can read simple sentences. Macedonian is written in Cyrillic, so learn the letters early with one of the alphabet resources above.
Can I learn Macedonian for free?
Yes. The Macedonian Language E-Learning Center offers free beginner self-study tutorials and games. It also sells learning material and offers paid classes. 50LANGUAGES has 100 Macedonian lessons with MP3 downloads on its website, and Live Lingua hosts the free Peace Corps Macedonian course. Bubblegum's lesson library is free to read too.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn. It holds lessons that other learners asked Poppy for. A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons.
Sources
- Constitution of North Macedonia (1991, rev. 2011), Article 7
- State Statistical Office: Population by mother tongue and sex, Census 2021
- Omniglot: Macedonian language, alphabet and pronunciation
- Wikipedia: Macedonian alphabet
- 50LANGUAGES: Learn Macedonian for free
- Live Lingua: Peace Corps Macedonian language lessons
- Bluebird: current iPhone listing
- 50LANGUAGES: current iPhone listing
- Bubblegum
- Ling
- Clozemaster
- uTalk
- LingQ
- Bluebird
- italki
- Preply
- Tandem
Checked on October 10, 2026 against each app's own pages.
