The 11 Best Apps to Learn Farsi (Persian) Quickly and Effectively
Chad Emery
Published on November 29, 2021
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There are many reasons to learn Persian, also referred to as Farsi in this article. But, there aren’t really a lot of resources to help you do it. That’s why this article combines the best options available to help you find the best apps to learn Farsi quickly. By using the best tools available, you’ll become conversational in the language in no time!
Persian is a language with a rich history and is also an important language today, both politically and culturally. It’s one of the most spoken languages in the world with over 77 million speakers. Learning it not only opens doors to new people and regions, but it can also make learning other languages easier. Arabic heavily influenced the Persian language, and the Persian vocabulary shares a lot of similarities with some European languages.
To start off your language learning journey on the right foot, let’s take a look at the best apps to learn Persian!
What Are The Best Apps To Learn Farsi?
I tested a lot of different language apps to find the best ones. In addition to trying them myself, I also read reviews on other websites and user comments across the internet. Then I compared the features each app offers. Using one (or more) of these apps to learn Persian will help you make the most of your study time.
| Best Overall App to Learn Farsi | ||||
| Best Persian App for Beginners | ||||
| Most Flexible Persian App | ||||
| Best Immersive Persian App | ||||
| Best Farsi App to Find Tutors | ||||
| Best App to Learn Persian Culture | ||||
| Most Comprehensive Farsi App | ||||
| Best for Learning Words in Context | ||||
| Best App to Learn Persian Alphabet | ||||
| Best for Learning Farsi for Free | ||||
| Best App to Learn Farsi Vocabulary |
Mondly
Best Overall App to Learn Farsi
If you’re just starting to learn Persian, Mondly is the best app to use. The lessons start at zero and help you build a solid foundation in the language. I recommend Mondly because it helps you practice all communication skills – reading, writing, listening, and speaking. It’s important to practice all of these, especially as a beginner.
Mondly is a flexible app. It lets you choose which lessons you want to complete. There are different activities that help you practice what you learn in the lessons. Try Mondly for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this Mondly review.
Key Features
- Best choice for complete beginners
- Flexible and easy to use
- Lessons are short and not overwhelming
Pricing
A Mondly subscription costs $9.99 per month but the price goes down if you choose a longer subscription. To make sure you like it, you can access the first few lessons of the Mondly Farsi course for free. Give it a try and see if it’s a good fit for you!
Pimsleur
Best Persian App for Beginners
Pimsleur is one of the most popular language learning apps to learn Farsi. It focuses on helping you become conversational as quickly as possible, and it does a good job of it. You start speaking Farsi in your first lesson and learn enough vocabulary and phrases to have everyday conversations.
I love using the Pimsleur app because the lessons are audio-only and you can listen to them anywhere. They’re simple and straightforward and you always build on what you learned in previous lessons. Try Pimsleur for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this Pimsleur review.
Key Features
- Audio lessons focus on conversations
- Learn from native speakers
- Convenient and easy to use
- Lessons are easy to follow
Pricing
A subscription to the Pimsleur Farsi course costs $14.99 per month. You can also access all Pimsleur courses for $20.99 per month. If you prefer lifetime access to the Pimsleur Farsi course, you can get the complete course for $230.00. Pimsleur offers a free 7-day trial to all of its courses as well as a 30-day money-back guarantee. There’s no risk to give it a try!
PersianPod101
Most Flexible Persian App
Doing the same lessons over and over again can get a little boring. If you want some variation while you study, PersianPod101 can be a fantastic choice. You can choose between text, audio, and video lessons. And there are so many to choose from!
PersianPod101 is helpful for all levels (beginner to advanced). I enjoy it because you can focus on the skills you want to improve. There are also a lot of additional features that come with the premium subscriptions.
Key Features
- Hundreds of lessons to choose from
- Practice with text, audio, and video
- Build vocabulary while you learn
- Current and interesting topics
Pricing
A PersianPod101 subscription can be as low as $4.00 per month or as high as $47.00 per month. The price depends on the length of your subscription and the features you want. To get a taste of what PersianPod101 has to offer, you can sign up for free weekly lessons. There’s also a free 7-day trial that gives you access to the premium features.
Rosetta Stone
Best Immersive Persian App
One of the most effective ways to learn Farsi is to immerse yourself in it. Not everyone can just pack up and go live in a Farsi-speaking area. The Rosetta Stone app imitates full immersion though, and it does it pretty well.
It can be a little intimidating to use Rosetta Stone at first because it doesn’t work like most other apps. Most apps teach you to translate and guide you through learning the language. Rosetta Stone forces you to think in Farsi, even from your first lesson. It’s a powerful way to learn, but it’s not for everyone. Try Rosetta Stone for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this Rosetta Stone review.
Key Features
- Full immersion during lessons
- The content is easy to understand
- Learn to think in Farsi, not translate from English
Pricing
A Rosetta Stone subscription starts at $36.00 for 3 months. There are also longer subscriptions available that offer a cheaper monthly price. You can also buy lifetime access to the Rosetta Stone app for $179.00. To see if you like it, you can take advantage of Rosetta Stone’s free 3-day trial to test out its different features.
italki
Best Farsi App to Find Tutors
Another way to immerse yourself in the Farsi language is to take lessons with an online Farsi tutor. And italki is one of the best places to do it. italki is a platform that connects Persian students and teachers around the world.
You can filter tutors based on different characteristics and find the perfect match for you. italki also offers additional features to help you learn outside of your lessons. It’s a safe and secure platform, so your payments will be proctected. Try italki for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this italki review.
Key Features
- 150+ Persian tutors to choose from
- Safe and secure to use
- Tutors that fit every budget
- Personalized learning plan
Pricing
italki tutors set their own prices, and online Persian lessons usually cost between $7.00 to $12.00 per hour. Most tutors also offer discounts on trial lessons, so you can try a few different tutors to see which one you like the most. Trial Farsi lessons cost around $4.00 per 30 minutes, but you can find them as low as $1.00 per 30 minutes.
LingQ
Best App to Learn Persian Culture
It’s important to study culture along with the language. And unfortunately, not all apps help you learn both. But LingQ does, and that’s why it’s included in this list.
LingQ helps you learn Farsi online by immersing you in native Farsi content. From YouTube videos to podcasts and books, you have a lot to choose from. If you find something that’s not already on LingQ, you can import it and create your own lessons automatically, too! Try LingQ for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this LingQ review.
Key Features
- Immerse yourself in native content
- Easily create flashcards while you study
- Import your own content
- Make new lessons automatically
Pricing
You can access quite a bit of content for free on LingQ. If you want access to all content and additional features, subscriptions start at $14.99 per month. It’s worth signing up for a free account and giving LingQ a try. It can be a powerful way to learn.
Mango Languages
Most Comprehensive Farsi App
Mango Languages is the perfect choice if you want a structured and complete Farsi course. Using Mango Languages to learn Persian online is similar to taking a traditional course in a language school.
The Mango Languages Farsi course has lessons that take you through a wide variety of topics. Each unit has its own goals, from teaching you sentence structure to mastering the tenses and using the subjunctive. Try Mango Languages for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this Mango Languages review.
Key Features
- Well-rounded course
- Focuses on conversations
- Learn about useful and everyday topics
- May be available for free
Pricing
A subscription to Mango Languages costs between $6.67 and $17.99 per month depending on the length of your subscription and how many languages you want to learn. Mango Languages partners with a lot of public libraries and institutions, so you may be able to access the course for free through these.
Clozemaster
Best for Learning Words in Context
Clozemaster is an app that uses fill-in-the-blank exercises to teach you words in context. It’s easy to learn new vocabulary, but using it correctly in different situations will make you sound like a native speaker.
Clozemaster offers thousands of sentences that have missing words. You can choose multiple choice activities or type in the words yourself once you’re more familiar with them. Clozemaster also offers activities to improve your grammar and listening. Try Clozemaster for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this Clozemaster review.
Key Features
- Thousands of practice sentences
- Uses spaced repetition to help you remember new vocabulary effectively
- Grammar exercises to practice conjugating verbs and using prepositions correctly.
- Leaderboard to keep you motivated
Pricing
You can study 30 sentences per day for free. To access unlimited content and additional features, you’ll need to subscribe to the premium version, Clozemaster Pro. It costs $8.00 per month, but there are discounts if you purchase a longer subscription.
Lili and Lola
Best App to Learn Persian Alphabet
One of the most difficult aspects of learning Persian is writing. You can’t really learn the language without mastering the Farsi alphabet, and Lili and Lola is an app that can help you learn it quickly.
It’s an app for kids, but it’s helpful no matter how old you are. It uses a series of games and activities to help you identify the different letters of the Persian alphabet. You also trace the letters using your fingers to practice writing them yourself.
Key Features
- Simple and easy to use
- Helps you master the Persian alphabet
- Quickly identify and write all of the letters
Pricing
The Lili and Lola app is free to use!
Memrise
Best for Learning Farsi for Free
Memrise is a popular app that helps you grow your vocabulary with flashcards. It’s not as sleek as Drops, but it does stand out in one particular way. Instead of the app having a set amount of flashcard sets, users can create their own flashcards and share them with others.
It’s important to note that there isn’t an official Farsi course on Memrise, but the community is very active and there are a huge number of user-generated Farsi flashcards available. You can learn about essential words, collocations, and even news and media vocabulary. User generated content is only available on the Memrise website, not the app. You can learn more about it in this Memrise review.
Key Features
- Thousands of flashcards available
- Active community of members
- Quick to sign up and start learning
Pricing
Since there isn’t an official Farsi course on Memrise, all the user-generated courses are available for free on the Memrise website.
Drops
Best App to Learn Farsi Vocabulary
Drops is by far my favorite app for learning new vocabulary. I’ve used it for a few different languages and it has always helped me learn words and phrases quickly. To start, you pick which topic you want to study (family, politics, household items, etc.). Then, you play a few different games to learn the words and practice using them.
Each word also comes with a cool illustration to help you remember it. The main feature of Drops I like is that it doesn’t just teach you to translate. You can toggle your native language on and off. This helps you learn more naturally. Try Drops for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this Drops review.
Key Features
- Thousands of useful words and phrases
- Sleek design and excellent user experience
- Games are fun and engaging
- Easily track your learning progress
Pricing
You can subscribe to Drops for $13.00 per month, but there are discounts if you get a longer subscription. If you’re not sure you want a subscription, you can use Drops for free for 5 minutes every day. You’ll see quite a bit of progress even by using the free version!
Why You Should Use Apps To Learn Farsi
There are many ways to learn Farsi, and using apps is one of the best. Using apps to learn Farsi will give you the perfect blend of traditional study methods combined with interactive activities. Farsi apps are also flexible and let you choose what you want to learn. They don’t waste your time teaching complex grammar or obscure vocabulary you’ll never use.
How To Use Apps To Learn Farsi
You can use this list to find a few apps that fit your learning goals. Since most apps have a free trial you can check out a few to see which one(s) you like best. Next, you can create a learning routine. Most apps encourage you to practice a little bit every day to make steady progress. There are also helpful features like leaderboards and forums that can motivate you to continue learning.
Best Apps To Learn Farsi: Final Thoughts
By using these apps to learn Farsi, you’ll be surprised how quickly you learn the language. They can help you go from complete beginner to conversational in a matter of months. Each of these apps helps you improve different skills, so using the combination of them is the best option. Most offer a free version or at least a free trial, so try out a few of them to see which ones help you learn more effectively. Before you know it, you’ll be speaking Farsi like a pro!
Best Apps To Learn Farsi: FAQ
The best app for learning Farsi is Pimsleur because it focuses on conversations. By using Pimsleur, you’ll be able to communicate in Farsi quickly and effectively. No other apps teach you to speak Farsi as quickly as Pimsleur does.
Unfortunately, Farsi is not available on Duolingo (as of April 2023). There is a lot of demand for it, but as of now, Duolingo has no plans to develop a Farsi course. There are other excellent apps available to learn Farsi like Pimsleur, Mondly, and Rosetta Stone.
Farsi is worth learning if you have friends or family who speak it or you want to travel to a Farsi-speaking region. The language also has a rich history and culture, and it can be a gateway to learning other languages, like Arabic.
To see how long it will take you to learn Farsi, you can check out this Fluency Calculator.
You can learn Farsi for free with apps like Clozemaster, Drops, PersianPod101, and Memrise. To access all of the content, you’ll need a paid subscription, but they do have daily free content you can study. There are also a lot of websites where you can learn basic Farsi vocabulary and grammar for free, although these may not be very high-quality.
Rosetta Stone is a good app for learning Farsi because the lessons are completely in Farsi, providing an immersive experience. This may be a little intimidating for some learners, but it’s the best way to master Farsi. By using Rosetta Stone, you’ll be comfortable communicating in Farsi in a short amount of time.
Table of Contents
Mondly Pimsleur PersianPod101 Rosetta Stone italki LingQ Mango Languages Clozemaster Lili and Lola Memrise Drops
3 Comments
saeed davoudi says:
Dear Chad:
Thanks for your useful information which you have shared here, i’m iran student who is passing master degree of teaching Farsi. I needed a list of applications which can be used for learning Farsi and i could find it here.
you can find my book in Amazon too: The Fragrance of the Purple Grass
wish you the best.
Butterfly says:
Pod Persian also provides hundred percent free Farsi/Persian lessons. https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/podpersian
Vladimir says:
Well, it you are looking for speaking and reading practice I may recommend Lingolette. They have recently added Farsi in test mode. Speech recognition for Farsi is not yet perfect but is probably worth trying anyway.