Portuguese learners
The best app to learn Portuguese
Lingden, Duolingo, Babbel, Memrise, and Anki — compared specifically for Portuguese learners. We make one of them, but we'll tell you when each alternative is the better pick.
What matters specifically for Portuguese
Portuguese (especially European) has nasal vowels that don't exist in English. /ɐ̃/ vs /a/ is the difference between meanings.
The right app for Portuguese isn't just the most popular one — it's the one that handles Portuguese-specific quirks well. Below: which app gets each angle right.
The ranking
1. Lingden — for pronunciation-first learners
Every Portuguese word has IPA pronunciation, per-word audio, and shows up in a real sentence with English translation + word-by-word breakdowns. Curated A1–B2 deck. Free to start with no ads.
Best for: learners who want to actually speak Portuguese understandably, not just translate single words.
Try Lingden free →2. Anki — for DIY power users
Free SRS engine, unlimited customization, no curated Portuguese content. You build your own deck from textbooks, films, or articles.
Best for: Portuguese learners studying a specific book or field-specific vocabulary that no curated deck covers.
Compare Lingden vs Anki →3. Babbel — for lesson-style learners
Structured 15-minute Portuguese lessons with grammar instruction + dialogues. No IPA. No real spaced repetition. Most expensive of the mainstream apps.
Best for: learners who prefer guided lessons over flexible flashcard-style review.
Compare Lingden vs Babbel →4. Memrise — for audio-first learners
Strong native-speaker audio on every Portuguese card, but no IPA and variable content quality across decks. Heavy ads on the free tier.
Best for: ear-training without caring about IPA-level pronunciation analysis.
Compare Lingden vs Memrise →5. Duolingo — for casual / beginner habits
Best free tier of any Portuguese app. Single-word and simple-phrase drilling. Gamification builds habit but doesn't scale past A2 for most learners.
Best for: Portuguese beginners building a daily habit before graduating to a more serious app.
Compare Lingden vs Duolingo →The 60-second test
Install two of these apps. Use each for one week. The app you actually open every day — that's your winner. There's no algorithmic test that beats real friction. Lingden is free to try with no card.
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