· 6 min read
Best App to Learn Hindi: What to Check
By Language Lab editorial team
Best app to learn Hindi: seven things to check before you choose, what Hindi asks of an app, official material to pair it with and a one-week test.
The best app to learn Hindi is the one that teaches the Devanagari script early and makes you speak in full sentences. Hindi takes time for an English speaker: the US State Department places it in Category III, hard languages, and allows about 44 weeks, or 1,012 class hours. The script is on your side, because Hindi is written as it is pronounced. Check seven things before you choose: the script taught from the start, native audio, spoken practice with a response, self-testing, spaced review, real-life situations, and clear levels. An app that keeps you in Latin letters hides the language's main convenience. Pair it with the Indian government's LILA courses and the BBC's archived guide to Hindi, and try it for a week before you pay.
What Hindi asks of an app
- The script early. Hindi is written as it is pronounced, so reading Devanagari pays off quickly.
- Verb-final sentences. In Hindi the verb goes at the end, and the app should drill that order from the first sentences.
- Gender with every noun. Adjectives and verbs change to match, which the BBC's guide calls one of the most difficult steps.
- Familiar words. Hindi and English share many words, and a good course uses them.
Seven things to check
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Speaking | You say sentences aloud and get a spoken or written response, in situations you will meet. |
| Audio | Recordings by native speakers for every sentence. |
| Writing system | Devanagari from the first lessons, with audio for each character. Avoid apps that stay in Latin letters. |
| Self-testing | The app makes you produce the answer before it shows it. |
| Spaced review | Old material comes back after days and weeks, not only in the lesson where you met it. |
| Real situations | Lessons are built on things you will do: meeting people, shopping, travelling, working. |
| Levels | Stages are named, and you can see how they relate to an official scale or exam. |
Why testing and spacing come first
A 2013 review of ten learning techniques, led by John Dunlosky, rated two as high utility: practice testing and distributed practice. Rereading and highlighting were rated low. So an app that makes you produce an answer, and brings items back after a gap, is using your time better than one that lets you tap through and move on.
Test an app in one week
- Day 1: do the first lesson. Did you speak aloud, or only tap?
- Day 2: start a new lesson. Did the app bring back yesterday's material?
- Day 3: check the audio. Is every Hindi sentence recorded, and can you replay it?
- Day 4: look for the level map. Can you see where the course ends?
- Day 5: try to say five sentences from memory. If you cannot, the app is not testing you enough.
- Day 7: decide. Keep the app only if you spoke every day.
Pair it with official material
- LILA, from India's Department of Official Language: courses called Prabodh, Praveen and Pragya, accessed by registering on the official site.
- A Guide to Hindi, from the BBC: archived pages with key phrases and audio.
- The Central Hindi Directorate's correspondence courses, for learners who want a certificate.
Aim at a level
India's Central Hindi Directorate runs a Certificate Course and a Diploma Course in Hindi, each lasting one year from July, and an Advance Diploma. If you want a formal qualification, use an app for daily practice and one of these courses for the certificate.
A note on our own app
Language Lab is our app, so judge it by the same list. Language Lab's Hindi course is built around voiced real-life scenarios with an AI tutor. Use the one-week test above on it as you would on any other.
Frequently asked
What is the best app to learn Hindi?
The one that makes you speak Hindi aloud, tests you before showing the answer, brings old material back for review and shows you clear levels. Try it for a week before paying.
Should I learn the Hindi script or use Latin letters?
Learn the script. Hindi is written as it is pronounced, so Devanagari makes reading reliable. Choose an app that teaches it from the start.
How long does it take to learn Hindi?
The US State Department places Hindi in Category III and allows about 44 weeks, or 1,012 class hours. An app does not shorten that; it helps you use the time well.
Are free Hindi apps enough?
Official learning material is a strong start: LILA, from India's Department of Official Language is one example. Whatever you use, check that you are speaking and being tested.
What features matter most in a language app?
Practice testing and spaced review, the two techniques a 2013 research review rated as high utility, and spoken practice with a response.
Can an app make me fluent in Hindi?
An app can carry your daily practice. You will also need conversation with people and a structured course or exam target for the higher levels.
Sources: US Department of State, National Foreign Affairs Training Center, Foreign Language Training; BBC Languages, A Guide to Hindi (archived); Department of Official Language, Government of India, LILA; Central Hindi Directorate, correspondence courses; Dunlosky et al., Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2013. Checked on 13 October 2026. Photo: Courtyard of Amber Fort, Jaipur, Jakub Hałun / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
