On October 15, 2026, Duolingo offered Chinese (Simplified) from 28 languages, and its course list had no course for the Chongqing dialect. Duolingo's blog says the course teaches Mandarin, also known as Standard Chinese, which is based on the Beijing dialect.
Chongqing speech is a kind of Sichuanese, which about 120 million people speak, mostly in Sichuan and Chongqing. People in Chongqing say 没得 for "there isn't any", and a guess becomes a question when they put 迈 at the end. Our Chongqing dialect app comparison lists more apps and videos.
Custom Lessons Made for You
Bubblegum
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn Chongqing dialect. You learn from Chongqing dialect you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes lessons that sound like people from Chongqing, at the level you choose and about the things you're into. Ask for a hotpot dinner with friends, and you'll read how they order and tease each other at the table. If a line doesn't make sense, ask Poppy what it means.
To speak with someone from the city, use the tutors and partners below.
- Chongqing speech is its own journey, written in Simplified characters at six levels.
- Grammar cards explain local forms, from 啷个 for how and why to 遭 for something bad that happened to you.
- Stories and news are written in Chongqing speech too.
- Regenerative Review™ sends your saved words back in new Chongqing lessons.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- You can't 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 Chongqing speech
- Teaches Pinyin
- Traditional characters
- Zhuyin
Mobile
Use Duolingo for Standard Mandarin
Duolingo
If you already use Duolingo, keep it for Standard Mandarin, and use Chongqing lessons and a tutor or partner from the city for the local speech.
- Its Chinese lessons are bite-size.
- Every Duolingo course is free.
- Standard Mandarin, not Chongqing speech
MobileWeb
Practice With People From Chongqing
italki
A tutor from Chongqing can point out which words people there use with friends and which ones you'd hear on the news.
- You meet one on one with a Chinese tutor over video.
- You can try three classes for less than $5 each.
MobileWeb
Tandem
Start from Tandem's page for learning Chinese in Chongqing, and tell your partner you'd like to hear the local speech.
- Send voice notes or make a video call.
- In-app translation helps you read a message or write one.
MobileWeb
How to Start With Each App
| App | How You Can Start |
|---|---|
| Duolingo | Every course is free, and Super Duolingo has a 14-day free trial. |
| italki | Signing up costs nothing, and each lesson is paid. |
| Tandem | Many features are free, and Tandem Pro adds the rest. |
Common Questions
Which Chongqing dialect app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning Chongqing dialect, start with Bubblegum. Poppy writes lessons at your level about things you like. Or use Duolingo for your first Standard Mandarin words and add a tutor from Chongqing on italki once you can hold a short conversation.
Is there an app just for Sichuanese words?
Sichuanese - Chinese Dialect is a small paid app for iPhone and iPad. It teaches basic everyday Sichuanese words, each recorded by a real person and given an English meaning. Everything is stored on your phone, so it works offline.
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
- Duolingo: course list (read October 15, 2026)
- Duolingo: Chinese (Simplified) course for English speakers
- Duolingo Blog: What Kind of Chinese Does Duolingo Teach?
- Duolingo: current iPhone listing
- Wikipedia: Sichuanese dialects (a branch of Southwestern Mandarin spoken by about 120 million people)
- italki: Chinese teachers
- italki: current iPhone listing (three trial classes for less than $5 each)
- Tandem: Learn Chinese in Chongqing
- Tandem: current iPhone listing
- Sichuanese - Chinese Dialect on the App Store
- Bubblegum
- Duolingo
- Tandem
Checked on October 15, 2026 against each app's own pages.
