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Comparison & review

Duolingo doesn’t have Thai — here’s the best free alternative

One of the most common questions from new Thai learners is whether Duolingo teaches Thai. The short answer is no. Here is the full picture, and a free alternative that does teach Thai.

Does Duolingo teach Thai?

⚠️ No Thai course available
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Duolingo does not offer a Thai course for English speakers, and with its volunteer contributor program shut down there is no sign one is coming. The only Thai on Duolingo runs the other way — for Thai speakers learning English. If you want to learn Thai for free with a similar bite-sized, gamified feel, ThaiLanguageSystem.com teaches the script, vocabulary and reading in your browser.

ThaiLanguageSystem.com vs Duolingo: side by side

FeatureThaiLanguageSystem.comDuolingo
Teaches Thai at all✓ Yes✕ No
PriceFreeFree / paid (no Thai)
Thai script & reading✓ Yes✕ No
Native audio & pronunciation✓ YesNo Thai
Gamified practiceYes (streaks, decks)Yes (other languages)
Vocabulary by theme✓ YesNo Thai
Reading & listening articles300+ articles✕ No
No account required✓ Yes✕ No

👍 What Duolingo does well

  • Fun and gamified, with streaks that build a daily habit.
  • Generous free tier and a very polished app.
  • Strong for major world languages such as Spanish, French and German.

👎 Where Duolingo falls short

  • No Thai course at all for English speakers.
  • No announced plans to add Thai.
  • The contributor program that built smaller courses has been ended.
  • So it teaches none of the Thai script, vocabulary or reading.
TypeLanguage app
MethodBite-sized, gamified lessons with streaks and XP — for the languages Duolingo offers. Thai is not one of them.
PriceDuolingo is free with ads, with Super/Max subscriptions (roughly $7–13+/month) for its supported languages. None of its plans include Thai.

Duolingo is best for…

Learners of major world languages (Spanish, French, German and similar) who love gamified daily practice.

ThaiLanguageSystem.com is best for…

Anyone who specifically wants to learn Thai — the script, vocabulary and reading — for free.

Try it free →

Does Duolingo have Thai?

No. As of 2026 Duolingo does not offer a Thai course for English speakers. If you search the app’s course list, Thai simply is not there.

The only Thai-related content goes in the opposite direction: Duolingo offers courses for Thai speakers who want to learn English and a few other languages. For an English speaker wanting to learn Thai, that does not help.

Will Duolingo add Thai?

It is unlikely in the near term. Duolingo built many of its smaller courses through a volunteer contributor program, and that program has been wound down as the company focuses on aligning existing courses with CEFR levels. With no contributor pipeline and no announcement, a Thai course is not on the horizon.

The best free Duolingo alternative for Thai

If what you liked about Duolingo was the free, gamified, do-a-little-every-day feel, ThaiLanguageSystem.com is the closest free stand-in for Thai. It runs in the browser, needs no account, and turns learning into short flashcard sessions with streak-style progress.

Crucially, it teaches what Duolingo never could here: the Thai script, vocabulary by theme with audio, spaced repetition and hundreds of short reading-and-listening articles.

The verdict

There is no Thai on Duolingo and probably will not be soon. The good news is you do not need to wait: ThaiLanguageSystem.com gives you a free, gamified way to learn Thai — script included — right now.

Frequently asked questions

Does Duolingo have Thai?

No. Duolingo does not offer a Thai course for English speakers in 2026. It only offers courses for Thai speakers learning other languages.

Will Duolingo add a Thai course?

There are no announced plans. Duolingo ended the volunteer contributor program that built smaller courses, so a Thai course is unlikely in the near term.

What is the best free Duolingo alternative for Thai?

ThaiLanguageSystem.com is a free, browser-based alternative that teaches the Thai script, vocabulary by theme with audio, spaced repetition and reading — no account needed.

Can I learn the Thai alphabet for free?

Yes. ThaiLanguageSystem.com shows every word in the Thai script with a phonetic transcription and audio, so you learn to read as you build vocabulary — for free.

Is there a Duolingo-style app for Thai?

ThaiLanguageSystem.com offers a similar bite-sized, gamified, free experience for Thai, including the script and reading that a general app would not cover.

Ready to learn Thai for free?

Practise the most common Thai words, the script and reading — in your browser, at your own pace, no account needed.

Start practising →