In the 2021 Census, 538,300 people in Wales said they could speak Welsh, and the Welsh Government wants a million speakers by 2050. Learners have plenty of help, but much of it is not in an app store. Many big language apps do not teach Welsh, and Duolingo's Welsh course has not been updated since 2023.
Here are the apps and services Welsh learners use, grouped by what they help you do. Most learners mix a course, some speaking practice, and Welsh to watch or listen to.
Custom Lessons Made for You
Bubblegum
Bubblegum suits learners who want extra Welsh to read about their own interests. 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.
The trade-off is that Bubblegum is not a course with a teacher. For structure and real Welsh voices, Learn Welsh and SaySomethingin are the better fit.
- Read Welsh lessons for free.
- Lessons fit your level, interests, and goals.
- Read and listen to news and stories in Welsh 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.
- Lessons and audio are made with AI, so pair them with a course or a tutor.
- You cannot import your own books or articles.
- The free plan includes one new custom lesson each day.
- Regenerative Review™
Mobile
Follow a Welsh Course
Learn Welsh
Learn Welsh is the National Centre for Learning Welsh, and its courses are what most learners recommend first. It is a course with a tutor rather than an app. Learners join its online classes from all over the world.
- Courses from beginner to advanced, led by a tutor, in a classroom or online.
- Choose North Walian or South Walian Welsh.
- Free online taster courses let you start straight away.
Web
Duolingo
Duolingo paused its Welsh course in 2023 but kept it free. Learners still use it for a few minutes a day alongside a course, rather than as their main way to learn.
- Free, short lessons that are easy to fit into a day.
- A gentle way to build a daily habit.
MobileWeb
Practice Speaking and Listening
SaySomethingin Welsh
SaySomethingin is the self-study tool Welsh learners recommend most. You hear how to say something, say it yourself, and then hear a Welsh speaker say it. It builds speaking quickly, so many learners pair it with a course that covers grammar.
- You speak Welsh out loud from the first lesson.
- Courses for both North and South Welsh.
- The Welsh Government offers it to adult learners in Wales.
MobileWeb
BBC Sounds (Pigion and Pont)
BBC Sounds has a collection of podcasts for Welsh learners, alongside Radio Cymru.
- Pigion and Pont are BBC podcasts made for Welsh learners.
- Radio Cymru lets you hear Welsh at natural speed.
MobileWeb
Build Vocabulary
Memrise
Memrise teaches Welsh words and phrases, and shows them in short videos of people using them. Learn Welsh lists it among its recommended resources.
- Welsh vocabulary with short videos of native speakers.
- Lessons based on your interests.
MobileWeb
Clozemaster
Clozemaster helps you meet many words in context once you know the basics. Learners like it as a step up from Duolingo.
- Fill in the missing Welsh word in real sentences.
- Listening practice alongside the sentences.
MobileWeb
Anki
Anki suits learners who want to manage their own review. Many Welsh learners make decks from the word lists in their Learn Welsh coursebooks.
- Make cards for the words or sentences you want to learn.
- Review is scheduled, so you come back to cards over time.
- Flashcards
MobileWeb
Watch and Read Welsh
S4C Clic
S4C Clic is the free app of S4C, the Welsh-language TV channel. Watch with Welsh subtitles to read and listen at the same time.
- Welsh subtitles on nearly every programme.
- A section of shows for learners and new speakers.
MobileWeb
For reading, the Amdani graded books follow the levels of the Learn Welsh courses, and Lingo Newydd is a magazine with articles for learners at every level.
Look Up Words
Ap Geiriaduron
Ap Geiriaduron comes from Bangor University, and many Welsh learners keep it on their phone.
- Search a Welsh-English dictionary and standard term dictionaries.
- Free on iPhone and Android.
- It is a dictionary, so pair it with a course for grammar.
Mobile
Learn With People
Most learners get a tutor through a Learn Welsh course. For one-to-one lessons, these sites list Welsh tutors.
italki
italki lists 10 Welsh tutors. Read profiles to find one who teaches the dialect you want.
- Choose a Welsh tutor and book lessons around your schedule.
- Get feedback while you speak.
MobileWeb
Preply
Preply lists 6 Welsh tutors. For practice with other learners, look for a Paned a Sgwrs group near you or online.
- Compare tutors by profile and reviews.
- Practice the Welsh you need with a tutor.
MobileWeb
Learn Welsh in Your Language
These counts cover menu-language choices, including script variants. Other apps’ counts and full lists come from their iPhone listings, except Learn Welsh (its website). Lesson explanations and other platforms may differ.
| App | Supported Display Languages | Full List |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | 74 | Full list
|
| Learn Welsh | 2 | Full list |
| Duolingo | 32 | Full list |
| SaySomethingin | 1 | Full list |
| BBC Sounds | 2 | Full list |
| Memrise | 22 | Full list |
| Clozemaster | 37 | Full list |
| AnkiMobile (iPhone) | 25 | Full list |
| S4C Clic | 2 | Full list |
| Ap Geiriaduron | 1 | Full list |
| italki | 19 | Full list |
| Preply | 19 | Full list |
Other Apps We Looked At (18)
- blas.Built for the six living Celtic languages, with drills for Welsh mutations, conjugation, reading, and listening. It is new and growing.
- DringoFind Welsh tutors by price, dialect, and availability, play daily games, and chat with other learners. It is new and growing.
- SpelioPractice Welsh spelling and sounds by hearing a word and spelling it, with North and South Wales pronunciation. It is new and growing.
- Croeso: Beginners' Welsh (Open University)A free four-hour starter course on greetings, introductions, numbers, and days.
- BBC Bitesize WelshGCSE Welsh second-language lessons for learners, parents, and teachers.
- GlossikaFree Welsh sentence practice with audio from native speakers, from A1 to C1.
- uTalkMore than 2,500 Welsh words and phrases across 60 topics, with native speakers to compare your pronunciation with.
- DropsFive-minute sessions where every Welsh word comes with a picture.
- Y PodWelsh podcasts, including The News for Learners, a weekly round-up of the news for learners.
- BBC Cymru FywThe BBC's Welsh-language news app, with a section of content for people learning Welsh.
- Lingo NewyddA magazine with articles for Welsh learners at every level, in print and online.
- Amdani graded readersBooks for learners, levelled to match the Learn Welsh courses, in print, ebook, and audiobook.
- Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru (GPC)The largest Welsh dictionary, which finds mutated forms of words automatically.
- Y GweiadurA Welsh-English dictionary with definitions, pronunciation audio, and a thesaurus.
- Geiriadur yr AcademiThe standard English-to-Welsh dictionary.
- CysgliadWelsh spelling and grammar checking for Windows that catches wrong mutations.
- Tandem and HelloTalkLanguage exchange apps that list Welsh, for finding someone to message and talk with.
- Cywion BachFirst Welsh words from S4C for children up to three, and for parents learning alongside them.
Common Questions
Which Welsh app should a beginner choose?
Start with a Learn Welsh course for structure, and add SaySomethingin to practice speaking. Duolingo works as a short daily habit on top. Bubblegum suits learners who want extra reading and listening about their own interests.
Should I learn North or South Welsh?
Both are Welsh, and speakers understand each other. Pick the one you will hear most. Learn Welsh courses and SaySomethingin let you choose, and learners say Memrise follows South Welsh.
Is Duolingo Welsh still available?
Yes. Duolingo paused updates to its Welsh course in November 2023 and said it would stay free. Learners still use it, usually alongside a course.
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
- Welsh Government: Welsh language in Wales (Census 2021)
- Welsh Government: Cymraeg 2050 action plan 2025 to 2026
- Nation.Cymru: Duolingo to pause updates to its Welsh course (2023)
- Learn Welsh courses
- Bubblegum
- Duolingo
- SaySomethingin Welsh
- BBC Sounds (Pigion and Pont)
- Memrise
- Clozemaster
- Anki
- S4C Clic
- Ap Geiriaduron
- italki
- Preply
Checked on October 4, 2026 against each app's own pages.
