DuolingoDuolingo has an Irish course, but Irish and Irish English are different. Irish, also called Gaeilge, is a separate language. Irish English is English as people speak it in Ireland, and Duolingo's Irish course isn't about it. Someone searching for it may want to understand a coworker in Dublin or get ready to move to Ireland. Our Irish English guide lists free classes and radio, and the Irish app comparison covers Gaeilge.
Bubblegum
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn English. You learn from English you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, your level and what you like, and she writes your Irish English lessons. If a sentence is hard to follow, ask Poppy to explain it.
With Regenerative Review™, words you save show up again in new lessons, so that you can review words in new contexts without having to use flashcards.
Try asking Poppy what craic means.
Bubblegum is mostly reading and listening, so see the tutors and partners below for speaking practice.
- Lessons are in Irish English, read aloud by voices picked for Dublin English.
- Lessons use the spelling used in Ireland, like colour, and keep Irish names with their fadas, like Seán.
- 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.
- Lessons teach everyday Irish English and don't cover every regional accent.
- 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
Preply
Practice the conversations you'll have at work or when you rent a home, like a call to a landlord.
- Filter English tutors by country of birth.
- Filter tutors by the other languages they speak.
MobileWeb
italki
Tell your teacher which county you're moving to, so the examples fit your life there.
- Choose an English teacher from Ireland.
- Book one-to-one lessons over video.
MobileWeb
Tandem
On Tandem, you help someone with your language while they help you with English.
- Find language partners who live in Dublin.
- Trade voice notes, or talk over video.
MobileWeb
The 16 Education and Training Boards teach English as a second language to adults, and places can be limited in some areas. Kilkenny and Carlow's board is one example. Fáilte Isteach is a second way: volunteers run free English conversation classes for people who are new to Ireland.
| App | How You Can Start |
|---|---|
| Preply | Each tutor sets their own price, and you pay per lesson. |
| italki | An account is free, and every lesson you book has a price set by the teacher. |
| Tandem | The app is free to join, and Tandem Pro costs extra. |
Which Irish English app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning English, start with Bubblegum. Poppy, your AI tutor, writes lessons at your level about things you like. Or start with a tutor on Preply or italki if you'd like to practice speaking with someone from Ireland from day one.
Is the Irish course on Duolingo Irish English?
No. It teaches Irish (Gaeilge), a separate language from English, so it isn't the place to learn how people talk in Dublin.
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
- Duolingo: course list
- Duolingo: Irish course for English speakers
- Wiktionary: craic (Ireland)
- Preply: English tutors (country of birth filter)
- italki: English teachers (Teachers from filter)
- Tandem: Learn English in Dublin
- Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board: free English courses for adults
- Fáilte Isteach: free volunteer-led English classes (The Irish Times)
- italki: home page (what is free)
- Tandem: current iPhone listing
- Bubblegum
- Tandem
