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Does Duolingo have Tagalog?
The famous app has made its rounds among language students and enthusiasts, but for the longest time, Tagalog hasn’t been made into a course. (It’s a bit of a shame since this would’ve been pretty helpful during my high school days!) There’s no Tagalog on Babbel, either.
Tagalog was on the now-defunct Duolingo Incubator for quite some time and was rumored to launch in 2022. Sadly, it’s still not on Duolingo and there’s no news of any development.
While this may be a relief to some, know that newly-published courses are more prone to having bugs and errors. So, if you want to skip the hassle, luckily, there are Duolingo alternatives out there!
Why is there no Tagalog on Duolingo?
Tagalog is a widespread language used by 24 million speakers.
That being said, Tagalog courses are common to language apps. Yet it’s taken Duolingo some time to include it on theirs. Here are some reasons why that might be the case.
Tagalog is a difficult language to teach
Don’t get me wrong. Given the proper amount of effort, you can successfully master Tagalog, just like any language.
However, given its complex verb conjugations, unique pronunciation, and cultural differences, it’s probably more fulfilling to learn this straight from a native source. In fact, according to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), Tagalog is a Category III or “hard language” for English speakers.
Thus, if Duolingo fails to modify its approach, then, unfortunately, you’ll only get so far in studying this rich and meaningful language. This leads me to my second point.
Duolingo moderates its courses
Duolingo ended its Contributor program, instead choosing to rely on its employees. As a result, the Tagalog course might’ve been stalled due to the lack of native speakers or expert linguists on their development team.
Nevertheless, Duolingo has already taken on harder languages and has even made courses for fictional languages—so there’s no excuse to delay Tagalog even further.
But should you want more reliable lessons without having to wait, then it’s best to find an alternative platform.
Apps to learn Tagalog other than Duolingo
Can’t wait for Duolingo? Neither can we. But there are many great apps to learn Tagalog in the meantime. Check out the three alternatives below.
1. Mondly
Improve your Tagalog vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar with Mondly’s immersive app!
Learn as if you’re with native speakers. Featuring an array of practical courses, this platform will teach you how to use Tagalog in real-life situations—from the beginners’ level and up.
Complete with a competitive leaderboard, its lessons are both structured and engaging. Users get one free lesson a day, but with Mondly premium, you can have unlimited access to all of its wonderful content.
Key features:
- Has beginner, intermediate, and advanced lessons
- Simple and practical courses (with game-like integration)
- Convenient “hands-free” audio format
2. Ling
Duolingo isn’t the only interactive language app out there. Rather, Ling incorporates more, dynamic mini-games, flashcards, and quizzes into their courses to keep you motivated.
Here, you won’t get intimidated by Tagalog—as it’s all fun and games!
In order to polish your conversation skills (before consulting a native speaker), it also comes with a built-in chatbot. Simply read through its dialogues and type your response, and you’ll be proficient in no time.
Key features:
- Intuitive lesson interface
- Practice your vocabulary, grammar, and dialogue
- Comes with a Pro version for additional material
3. Pimsleur
Pure academics isn’t enough, for studying Tagalog in context is very important. You’ll be surprised at the range Tagalog is spoken—from its formal use in public affairs to the casual slang you’ll hear out from friends.
Pimsleur’s core audio lessons are backed by a known science to help you listen and speak Tagalog naturally. Complete with fun games, flashcards, and spoken exercises, this app is perfect for gaining long-term language retention.
Although it isn’t comparable to Duolingo’s playful interface, I’d say that this is a more substantial resource for learning conversational Tagalog.
Key features:
- Two Tagalog levels (with 30 audio lessons each)
- Focused on building conversation skills
- Based on the immersive Pimsleur Method
Other resources to learn Tagalog
Whether you enjoy learning Tagalog with the help of books, videos, games, or tutors, there’s something here to fit your preferred study style.
Preply: Finding Tagalog tutors that fit your budget and schedule is easy peasy with Preply. Simply filter your options based on their specialties, languages spoken, rates, and reviews to find the best fit. And if you don’t end up satisfied after the first lesson, you can even get a tutor replacement!
Glossika: Learn Tagalog through listening and speaking with Glossika. This app uses full sentence practice in context, meaning you learn vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar naturally. Glossika also handles all the repetition and study planning, so you can focus on learning without wasting time.
italki: For more tutoring options, italki has a wide range of affordable instructors to arrange online lessons with. You can also book conversational lessons for chit-chat in Tagalog.
Cudoo: With three levels to choose from, as well as a specialized business course, Cudoo’s Tagalog courses online will help you learn the language more effectively and quickly using smart technology, a responsive learning algorithm, and organized content.
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Barrios, Joi (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 384 Pages – 06/10/2011 (Publication Date) – Tuttle Publishing (Publisher)
Tagalog for Beginners: Written for native and heritage learners, this hefty book presents a practical guide to the Tagalog language and history. Includes online audio and exercises for self-teaching. Also available on BetterWorldBooks.
uTalk: A great platform for building conversational skills, uTalk focuses on everyday vocabulary with native speaker audio. The app features games to make lessons engaging, all while building your confidence in speaking.
Skillshare: As of writing, Skillshare has two Filipino/Tagalog courses, one for covering the basics and another specializing in grammar. Both are great for beginners!
Alison: Learn the fundamentals of the Tagalog language in just three to four hours with Alison’s beginner-friendly Tagalog course. Here, you get introduced to the Tagalog alphabet, numbering system, and important vocabulary for meals, animals, family roles, etc. By the end of the course, you’ll be more confident in expressing yourself in Tagalog.
FilipinoPod101: Practically a podcast, this platform features a wide audio and video library from which you may get your lessons. Download and stream from wherever!
Clozemaster: Play games and level up with this competitive learning app! Its intuitive lessons are best suited for intermediate and advanced learners.
Learn Tagalog by Dalubhasa: This handy app was designed by the college-preparatory Dalubhasa Review Center as an added reference. With its user-friendly interface, you’ll get a quick and easy guide to both academic and colloquial Tagalog grammar.
The Filipino Channel (TFC) YouTube: This channel imports entertainment and news media from the ABS-CBN network for Filipino audiences abroad. Feel free to listen and learn!
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Rubino, Carl (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 424 Pages – 11/01/2002 (Publication Date) – Hippocrene Books (Publisher)
Tagalog-English/English-Tagalog Standard Dictionary: This bilingual dictionary includes over 20,000 entries and covers Tagalog idiomatic expressions, slang, loan words, derivations, and more. It also features grammatical reviews and pronunciation guides so you’re not limited to learning vocab. Also available on BetterWorldBooks.
GMA Public Affairs YouTube: Immersion is the key! GMA is a popular Filipino news network, and watching their content can help you apply Tagalog in real-life scenarios.
Conclusion
Sure, the Duolingo Tagalog course is nowhere in sight yet, but don’t let that stop you. After all, there are still plenty of alternatives that you ought to consider, such as these three apps!
In essence, these won’t just teach you the academics, but will likewise give you enough exposure to speak Tagalog with confidence!
Tagalog is pretty well supported by Rosetta Stone too.
Check out Mango Languages too
The article says Tagalog due to launch in 2022…was this a typo?
Hi, Fiona! We’ve corrected that part, thanks for pointing it out! 🙂