Apps that support endangered language learning give people the tools to reconnect with their heritage, discover voices they might never have heard, and keep fragile traditions alive.
From playful games for children to community-built courses created by native speakers, these apps are proving that digital tools can play a powerful role in protecting the world’s linguistic diversity.
This article explores why endangered languages matter, the challenges of learning them, and the apps helping ensure these voices continue to be heard
Why is preserving endangered languages important?
Imagine waking up one day to find no words left to describe your childhood, your traditions, or even the land around you. That’s the reality faced by communities whose languages are disappearing. Experts estimate that nearly half of the world’s 7,000 languages could vanish by the end of this century. With them, entire ways of seeing and experiencing the world.
Endangered languages carry stories passed down for generations, unique knowledge about the environment, and subtle ways of expressing feelings that no other language can capture. When a language disappears, it’s like losing a piece of humanity’s memory.
Preserving these voices isn’t just about saving the past. It’s about giving future generations the chance to inherit their culture, identity, and pride. Every time we protect a language, we keep alive a different perspective on what it means to be human.
What Are Endangered Languages?
An endangered language is one at risk of falling out of use, usually because younger generations are no longer learning it. Over time, as speakers shift to more dominant languages in search of education, work, or social opportunities, their ancestral tongue begins to fade. If this trend continues, the language can become extinct.
Endangerment doesn’t happen overnight. It’s often the result of centuries of cultural suppression, colonisation, migration, and globalisation. A handful of elderly speakers keep some languages alive, while thousands still speak others that are no longer passed on.
Current statistics on language endangerment
The scale of language loss is staggering. While it’s easy to think of languages as permanent fixtures, the reality is that many are slipping away at an alarming rate. Looking at the numbers puts this crisis into perspective and shows just how urgent it is to act before more voices are silenced forever.
- There are around 7,000 languages spoken in the world today.
- 40% of them are considered endangered, according to UNESCO.
- On average, one language disappears every two weeks.
- By 2100, experts predict that up to half of all languages could vanish.
- Millions speak some languages, while fewer than 100 people keep others alive
Why are language learning apps important?
Technology has become one of the most powerful tools in preserving and revitalising endangered languages. While traditional methods like community classes and oral storytelling remain vital, apps bring unique advantages that make learning accessible, scalable, and engaging in today’s digital world.
Challenges faced in learning endangered languages
Learning an endangered language isn’t always straightforward. Resources are often limited. There may be no textbooks, formal classes, or even standardised spelling systems.
Many of these languages are spoken by small, dispersed communities, making it hard for learners to find native speakers or immersive environments. This lack of accessibility has historically slowed efforts to pass endangered languages on to new generations.
Benefits of using apps for language learning
By digitising endangered languages, apps create resources that can be continually updated and shared, ensuring knowledge isn’t lost but instead strengthened with each new learner. Apps help fill those gaps. They can:
- Provide structured lessons where none existed before.
- Offer audio recordings from native speakers to preserve authentic pronunciation.
- Enhance practice through interactive quizzes, flashcards, and gamified progress tracking.
- Allow learners to study at their own pace, anywhere in the world.
How apps can reach a wider audience
One of the most powerful aspects of apps is their reach. A single app can connect learners across continents, from heritage speakers trying to reconnect with their roots to linguists and enthusiasts passionate about preserving diversity.
Apps also meet people where they already are, making endangered languages part of everyday life rather than something locked away in academic circles.
In this way, language learning apps not only preserve endangered tongues but also spark a global movement where anyone, anywhere, can take part in keeping these voices alive.
Top Apps for Endangered Language Learning
Learning an endangered language can be challenging when resources are scarce, but apps are helping to change that. They provide structured lessons, playful practice, and a way to connect with languages that might otherwise be inaccessible.
Some tools expand well-known platforms by adding endangered languages, while others are built specifically to support smaller language communities.
Here are four apps that you can start with to learn an endangered language: Duolingo, Memrise, IndyLan, and Gus on the Go. These apps are already changing the way people learn endangered languages.
Duolingo
Duolingo is best known for its playful, gamified approach to language learning, but in recent years, it has also taken steps to support endangered languages. The platform now offers courses in Hawaiian, Navajo, and Scottish Gaelic, among others.
These courses are often created in collaboration with native speakers, educators, and cultural organisations to ensure accuracy and respect for the traditions behind the words. While Duolingo can’t replace full immersion or community-based learning, it plays an important role in making endangered languages more discoverable.
Memrise
What makes Memrise different is its community spirit. Instead of only offering official courses, it lets you create your own. That means native speakers, language enthusiasts, or cultural groups can upload lessons, record audio, and share vocabulary lists. This gives endangered languages a space to live and grow – as long as people engage with them.
On Memrise, you can find courses in Welsh, Basque, Maori, Cornish, and more. Some are short introductions, others are quite detailed, but all are created with passion and a sense of purpose.
Similar to Duolingo, Memrise will gamify your experience. You can earn points, climb leaderboards, and use clever review systems that help words stick in your memory. The more fun the learning feels, the more likely people are to keep coming back.
IndyLan
IndyLan is an app designed with endangered and minority languages at its heart. Funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme, it was created to support the revitalisation of languages that often don’t appear.
The app offers beginner-friendly courses in languages such as Scottish Gaelic, Basque, Occitan, Galician, and Cornish. Each course includes vocabulary, phrases, and cultural notes to give learners not just the words, but also the context behind them.
Unlike more general apps, IndyLan works closely with language communities and educators to ensure accuracy and cultural sensitivity. It’s a resource that reflects collaboration with the very people who speak and protect these languages, making it both reliable and meaningful.
Gus on the Go
Gus on the Go takes a different approach to endangered language learning by focusing on children. The app turns vocabulary and simple phrases into playful, story-driven adventures where learners follow Gus the owl through games and interactive lessons.
Its real value lies in its wide range of language options, many of them endangered or underrepresented. You can find courses in Haitian Creole, Armenian, Navajo, Cantonese, and more, giving kids a fun way to connect with languages that often lack traditional learning resources.
Other Notable Apps and Resources
While Duolingo, Memrise, IndyLan, and Gus on the Go are among the most visible, there are plenty of other digital tools and communities working to keep endangered languages alive.
- Other Apps: Tools like Drops (which includes Hawaiian and Maori), LingQ (with community-shared content), and Clozemaster (for contextual learning) also feature endangered or minority languages.
- Online Resources & Websites: Platforms such as FirstVoices, Endangered Languages Project, and Living Tongues Institute offer dictionaries, recordings, and learning materials created in collaboration with native speakers.
- Community Forums & Social Media: Facebook groups, Reddit threads, and Discord communities connect learners directly with speakers and other enthusiasts. These spaces are invaluable for practising conversation, asking questions, and sharing resources—keeping the social side of language learning alive even when speakers are far apart.
The Future of Endangered Language Learning Apps
Apps have already shown how powerful they can be for bringing endangered languages to wider audiences, but their potential is still growing. New technologies, creative features, and deeper community connections will shape the future of these tools.
Trends in technology and language learning
Artificial intelligence, speech recognition, and immersive tools like virtual reality are starting to transform language learning.
For endangered languages, this could mean real-time pronunciation feedback, AI-powered chat partners, or virtual environments where learners can “visit” cultural settings tied to the language.
These innovations could help learners practice more naturally and feel closer to the culture behind the words.
Potential for new apps and features
There’s plenty of room for growth. Future apps might include features such as:
- Voice libraries where elders and native speakers can record stories and songs.
- Collaborative tools that allow communities to build and update content themselves.
- Offline access, ensuring learners in remote areas without constant internet can still engage.
- Integration with schools and cultural programs, making endangered languages part of formal education.
The importance of community involvement and support
No app can succeed without the voices of the communities that speak the language. Involving native speakers as teachers, storytellers, and content creators ensures that resources are accurate, respectful, and culturally rich.
The future of endangered language learning apps is not just about technology. It’s about people. With the right balance of innovation and community collaboration, these apps could play a vital role in ensuring endangered languages don’t just survive, but thrive.