Is Latvian on Duolingo?
Short answer: not at the moment. Duolingo doesn’t offer a Latvian course yet, but you can still learn effectively by combining a beginner-friendly book with a few online apps. The trick is to keep what Duolingo does best—tiny goals, streaks, and quick wins—while using tools that actually teach Latvian.
Set a 10–15 minute daily target, turn on reminders, and track a streak in your calendar. Then pick one vocabulary app for bite-sized drills, one pronunciation resource, and one structured course or book for grammar and dialogues.
- Drops (Latvian): visual vocab; fun micro-sessions
- Memrise community Latvian courses: spaced repetition
- Clozemaster (Latvian): sentence-based practice
- Anki: custom decks; free SRS flashcards
- YouTube: search “Latvian for beginners” lessons
First Steps for Absolute Beginner Learners
Start with pronunciation and the alphabet. Latvian stress is almost always on the first syllable. Pay attention to long vowels and special letters: ā, ē, ī, ū, č, ģ, ķ, ļ, ņ, š, ž. Latvian spelling is largely phonetic—great news for beginners.
Next, learn a handful of high-frequency phrases and the basic sentence pattern (Subject–Verb–Object). Don’t worry about all seven cases on day one; at A1 you mainly need the nominative (dictionary form), accusative (for direct objects), and locative (for places). Keep it simple and repeat out loud.
- Labdien! – Good day/hello
- Paldies. – Thank you
- Lūdzu. – Please/you’re welcome
- Es esmu… – I am…
- Es gribu kafiju. – I want coffee
Free and Online Resources That Work
You can get far with free tools if you use them intentionally. Pair a vocabulary app with real audio and simple reading. For pronunciation, listen closely and mimic short clips. For reading, pick ultra-short texts so you can finish them in a minute or two.
Build a mini routine: 5 minutes vocab, 5 minutes listening and shadowing, 5 minutes reading one short paragraph. Small, consistent wins beat marathon sessions for any beginner.
- Forvo: native audio for Latvian words
- Tatoeba: simple example sentences
- Anki shared decks: A1 Latvian vocab
- Clozemaster: quick context repetitions
- YouTube searches: “Latviešu valoda A1”
Best Beginner Book + Structured Courses
If you want clear explanations and dialogues, use a book alongside your app. A standout choice is Colloquial Latvian (Routledge) by Dace Prauliņa and Christopher Moseley. It’s designed for beginners, includes audio, and moves at a steady A1–A2 pace. Do one short section per day and read the dialogues aloud.
As a reference, Latvian: An Essential Grammar (Moseley) helps answer quick questions about cases or endings. Combine your book with light daily vocab practice (Drops/Memrise) so you learn and recycle words in context.
- Colloquial Latvian (Dace Prauliņa, C. Moseley)
- Latvian: An Essential Grammar (reference)
- Optional phrasebook for travel essentials
A 30-Day Latvian Study Plan (Duolingo-Style)
Aim for 15–20 minutes daily. Keep a streak chart and celebrate every five days. The goal is steady A1 progress, not perfection. Speak out loud daily, even if it’s just two sentences.
Week 1: sounds, alphabet, greetings, I am/you are, numbers 1–20. Week 2: food, days, simple questions (Kas? Kur? Cik?), want/like. Week 3: directions, family, present tense practice. Week 4: daily routine, time, simple past vs. present exposure. Review every 7th day.
- 5 min: app vocab (free)
- 5 min: shadow audio dialogue
- 3 min: read a short text
- 3 min: write two new sentences
- Speak: one mini monologue
- Weekly: quick review quiz
FAQ
- Is Latvian on Duolingo?
- Not currently. You can still learn Latvian online by pairing a beginner book with free apps like Drops, Memrise community courses, Clozemaster, and Anki, plus short YouTube lessons.
- Which app should I use to learn Latvian for free?
- For free, combine Memrise community Latvian courses or Clozemaster for spaced repetition with Anki flashcards. Add YouTube for explanations and Forvo for pronunciation of tricky words.
- How long to reach A1–A2 in Latvian?
- With 20–30 minutes daily, many beginners reach A1 in 8–12 weeks and A2 in 6–9 months. Consistency, a good book, and frequent speaking out loud make the biggest difference.
- Is Latvian hard for English speakers?
- It’s manageable. Cases and diacritics are new, but spelling is phonetic and pronunciation is regular. Keep sessions short, use an app for review, and rely on a clear beginner textbook.
- Which beginner book do you recommend?
- Colloquial Latvian by Dace Prauliņa and Christopher Moseley is a solid starter with audio. Use one lesson per day and reinforce it with a free app for spaced repetition.
- How do you pronounce the Latvian name “Dace”?
- Roughly “DAH-tseh.” The “c” sounds like “ts,” and the final “e” is like “eh.” Stress the first syllable: DA-ce.