Planning a trip to Laos? Picking up some essential words and phrases with a language app can make your experience even more enjoyable. It’ll help you communicate better with the locals and explore the country’s beautiful temples, villages, and historic French-style buildings.
However, with so many apps to learn Lao available, choosing the right one can be challenging. That’s why we’ve tested the best apps to help you navigate the options and find the perfect Lao course for you.
Quick Summary:
Our Top Picks for Apps to Learn Lao
Best For
App
Overall
Ling
Rated 5 out of 5
- Dialog feature
- Finger tracing
- Interactive games
Language Exchange
Tandem
Rated 4.3 out of 5
- Cultural exchange
- No third-party software
- Safe interaction
Finding Tutors
iTalki
Rated 4.8 out of 5
- Native speakers
- Unique classes
- Easy navigation
Why Learn Lao With Language Apps?
Learning Lao? Language apps can really help. Here’s why it’s a good mix:
- Culture in Your Pocket: Apps to learn Lao show you Lao culture. You learn about Laos’ history and how people live, right from your phone.
- Chat Like a Local: These apps for learning Lao teach you everyday Lao words. Perfect for talking with people in Laos, like in shops or on the street.
- Good for Work: Knowing Lao can help in jobs, especially if you work with Southeast Asia. Lao language apps let you learn when you’re free, even on busy days.
- Smart and Fun Learning: Using language learning apps makes your brain work better. They tell you right away if you make a mistake, so you learn faster.
- Meet New People, Save Money: You can make friends who speak Lao using these apps. They are cheaper than normal classes but still teach you a lot.
Now, you’re here to find out which of the Lao language apps and online courses is the right one for you. So, let’s look at a few of the best courses to help you learn your new language.
1. Ling – Best App For Complete Lao Learning
The Ling app is a great all-rounder for those looking to learn a new language. As it helps you learn using multiple topics as well as vocabulary, the Ling app helps you get quickly up to speed with your grammar, speaking, and writing. Those who like games will love the Ling app, as there are plenty of quizzes and mini-games to help you assess how well you are doing.
Devices: Android, iOS, Web
Features
- Courses for all Lao fluency levels, from absolute beginner to advanced. Don’t worry if you have no previous knowledge of Lao; the Ling app will get you up to speed in no time.
- Dialog feature to practice daily conversations, speaking exercises to improve your pronunciation, and finger tracing via your smartphone screen to become familiar with writing the Lao script. Because the script is initially rather bewildering, finger tracing is a great way to get your brain used to all the curls and swirls.
- Learn helpful grammar tips in Lao while playing fun, interactive games. The Ling app really wants you to have fun while learning Lao. There are plenty of games, quizzes, and other activities to keep you smiling.
- Mini-games, flashcards, challenges, and interactive games to help you learn Lao faster and more effectively.
Customer Review
“This is an incredible app. I consider myself to be language-challenged (even in my native tongue, sometimes!), but the programmers have made this app fun and challenging but possible. I don’t plan on mastering Thai by any means, but this will help me understand and speak better if I have my way and get to visit someday. Thank you, Ling app developers, for your time spent creating this fun application.” – Megan Kizer
Pricing
- Monthly price: $16.99
- Six month price: $64.99
- Annual price: $89.99 (with 7-day free trial)
2. Simply Learn Lao
Simply Learn Lao is an app designed to help you learn Lao vocabulary and phrases efficiently. It offers over 300 useful phrases and words, all recorded by native speakers, to help you get the pronunciation right. The app uses spaced repetition to help you remember what you learn, and other features include slowing down audio, searching for phrases quickly, and customizing quizzes to match your learning style.
Devices: Android, iOS
Features
- Interactive quizzes allow you to test their knowledge and reinforce learning. Multiple-choice or fill-in-the-blank questions provide a fun way to check progress and improve comprehension.
- Learners can save phrases and words they find challenging or useful for future review. This helps create a personalized study list for easy access to key content.
- The app features high-quality audio recordings by a native Lao speaker to ensure authentic pronunciation. This allows learners to listen to accurate intonation and speech patterns.
Customer Review
“I really like this app. An improvement they could make would be to have the individual breakdown of words for each phrase in addition to the entire phrase. This would help a person slowly start to build their own sentences and see how sentences are built grammar-wise in Lao. Otherwise, great for learning phrases and such, but not necessarily for if you hope to become a fluent speaker.” Amy Vue
Pricing
- Free
- Simply Learn Laos Pro: $8.99
3. iTalki – Best App For Finding Lao Tutors
iTalki is one of the most popular apps to learn Lao for finding language teachers available today on the internet. For those looking for 1-on-1 tutoring, iTalki provides a safe and secure way to get in contact with language tutors to suit your budget. Learning with a native speaker has always been one of the best ways to learn a new language, and iTalki has tutors lined up around the globe.
Devices: Android, iOS, Web
Features
- It is an easy-to-navigate online platform with a host of native Lao speakers available. iTalki is a fantastic app for those who want to practice their Lao language skills with other people. Because the platform is so popular, there is always someone there to talk to and help you improve.
- A wide range of unique classes allows you to learn all aspects of the Lao language, whether you need to brush up on your linguistic skills for a business meeting or learn how to get a better bargain at the local market.
Customer Review
“Easy to navigate, found a great teacher to suit my needs. The system works well. Highly recommend.” – Lily Scott
Pricing
- Prices vary depending on the tutor, starting at $5 per hour.
4. Cudoo – Best App For Flexible Learning
Cudoo empowers people through education. With an impressive number of language courses, Cudoo provides a solid foundation for language learners of all abilities and provides something for everyone. Interactive exercises keep you engaged, and you have the opportunity to learn on your own or with a friend. The video tutorials are easy to follow, and the practice exercises help cement what you have learned. Fun quizzes and tests are a great way of gauging how well you are progressing.
Device: Web
Features
- Real-time feedback on your Lao pronunciation efforts makes it easy to perfect your pronunciation in not just Lao but multiple languages.
- Experienced language instructors are teaching Lao from beginner to advanced levels. You don’t have to worry about being a newbie to the Lao language, as Cudoo has you covered, whatever your skill level.
- Interactive exercises that allow you to study Lao on your own or with a friend. With today’s hectic lifestyle, Cudoo helps you learn at a pace that suits you, whether you need to practice your Lao with another person or by yourself over a cup of tea when you get a spare moment.
Customer Review
“Cudoo is an incredible platform. I really enjoy listening to the audio and watching the colorful illustrations. It’s very easy to navigate and learn new languages. Absolutely love the fact that Cudoo gives free courses to charities. What an awesome initiative!” – Ulrike D.
Pricing
- Course (level 1): $12.99
5. HelloTalk – Best Lao App For Cultural Immersion
This ultimate language exchange aims to help people make new friends around the world while exploring new cultures and learning new languages. The Hellotalk app is ideal for those who wish to practice a new language, but it is probably not the best app for beginners, as it is more of a language exchange than an actual teaching tool. It does have some nice features to help you improve your language skills after you have the basics under your belt, though.
Devices: Android, iOS, Web
Features
- Built-in intuitive language tools to help correct things like translation and pronunciation to allow you to chat freely in Lao.
- The ‘Moments’ feature allows you to post public messages that will be seen by other Lao speakers. Posting Moments is a great way to share your updates with other users and ask questions to the wider Laotian community.
- Aside from being able to communicate by text, voice, and video, HelloTalk allows you to practice your Lao speaking and listening skills in the app’s Voicerooms, which other members can join for free.
Customer Review
“Addictive in the best way. I never imagined how much I’d be hooked on HelloTalk. I post in Spanish and get edits/comments instantly from native speakers!” – Dallascar2016
Pricing
- Free version (limited features)
- Monthly package: $12.99
- Yearly package: $79.99
6. Brainscape – Best App For Memory Retention
Brainscape is known for being ‘the world’s smartest flashcard app’ and allows Lao learners to create their own learning path through customized flashcards. Brainscape relies on its spaced repetition algorithm to make sure you retain what you’re learning and adds additional features that make it stand out from other language-learning apps.
Devices: Android, iOS, Web
Features
- Ensures maximum memory retention by repeating harder Lao language concepts to optimize your studying.
- Brainscape’s scientifically proven methods ensure you will learn twice as much Lao in half the time.
- Allows you to sync your metrics and flashcards across the web and mobile apps.
- Brainscape’s revolutionary flashcard app takes a time-honored language learning process and updates it in a fun, interactive way that really does mean the Lao words and phrases you learn stick in your head.
Customer Review
“In days, my Lao has gone from elementary to conversational; incredibly in-depth & easy to use.” – Sophie Parker
Pricing
- Free with basic and limited features.
- Monthly premium: $19.99
- 6 months premium: $59.94 ($9.99/month)
- Yearly premium: $95.88 ($7.99/month)
- Lifetime premium: $199.99
Quick Overview Of The Lao Language
Lao, or Laotian, belongs to the Tai family of languages native to Southeast Asia. It is used by around 7 million native speakers within the borders of Laos, where Lao is the official language, as well as some 23 million people across the border in the Isan region of Thailand.
Although Lao is the lingua franca in Laos, around 90 other languages and Lao dialects are spoken, but we won’t worry about those just yet. Additionally, a closely related language, often referred to as Isan, is spoken by a significant number of people in the Isan region of Thailand.
Similarities With The Thai Language
The Lao language is a tonal language that has similarities to other languages in the Tai language family, as well as with neighboring Vietnamese and Chinese. Those with a decent grasp of Lao phrases will find it easy to learn Thai because they are linguistically similar. The split between the two languages came during the latter half of the last century when the Vientiane dialect was taken as the de facto language in Laos, and the Khonkaen dialect was adopted over the border in Isan.
Written Forms And Tonal Qualities
Because Thai and Lao are closely related, their written forms follow a remarkably similar system. The same goes for the Thai and Lao tones. For English speakers, the tonal qualities of Lao can be difficult to grasp, but with the right Lao online lessons, you will soon get the hang of the gorgeous sing-song qualities of the language.
To Sum Up
In this article, we’ve explored some of the best apps to help you learn Lao, covering a range of tools that suit different learning styles and needs. From beginner-friendly options to more advanced courses, we’ve highlighted the top choices available.
With so many language-learning apps to choose from, it can be hard to keep track of them all. Since new tools are constantly being released, we’ll keep this guide updated to ensure you have the latest recommendations and can find the perfect app for your learning journey.
Become Fluent In Lao
If you are just getting started or are keen to improve on a language you are already learning, why not give the Ling app a try? The app has more than 60 languages available, lessons created by native speakers, and a dialog (chatbot) with which to practice your skills. The Ling app is the perfect springboard for you to dive into a new language or improve on the one you are currently wrestling with. Try the Ling app today by downloading it from the App Store and Google Play.
