uTalk and Lingofly: how they differ and which to choose
uTalk is the one app we checked that carries almost all our rare languages: Armenian, Georgian, Kazakh, Serbian, Slovenian, Sinhala, Tamil and Basque are in its store, and so are Greek, Turkish, Spanish and Catalan. The difference is not the language list but the genre: uTalk gives you sets of words and phrases with recordings, and does not teach the script or explain grammar. Maldivian is missing here too.
The languages side by side
| Language | uTalk | Lingofly |
|---|---|---|
| Armenian | yes | 4060 words, with audio, the script explained |
| Georgian | yes | 4042 words, with audio, the script explained |
| Kazakh | yes | 4039 words, with audio, the script explained |
| Serbian | yes | 4047 words, with audio, the script explained |
| Slovenian | yes | 4051 words, with audio, the script explained |
| Maldivian | no | 4066 words, with audio, the script explained |
| Sinhala | yes | 4049 words, with audio, the script explained |
| Tamil | yes | 4052 words, with audio, the script explained |
| Greek | yes | 4008 words, with audio, the script explained |
| Basque | yes | 3960 words |
| Catalan | yes | 3960 words |
| Valencian | no | 3960 words |
| Turkish | yes | 4057 words, with audio, the script explained |
| Spanish | yes | 4061 words, with audio |
- A hundred and sixty languages — nearly all the rare ones are there. No course at all: Maldivian and Valencian.checked against the primary source
How the approach differs
Genre, not size
uTalk is a set of topics with words and phrases, every one of them recorded: pick a topic, listen, repeat. That works well on a trip. What it does not contain is the script taught from zero, grammar explained, or texts to read — the parts you learn a language with rather than refresh it.
Writing
Armenian, Georgian, Sinhala and Tamil begin with unfamiliar signs. Here every sign has its own page with audio, a breakdown and the words it appears in, plus a tracing drill and a check on what you wrote. A phrase set cannot have that; the genre does not allow it.
Maldivian and Valencian
The language of the Maldives is missing here as well — and uTalk carries a hundred and sixty languages. Valencian is a different case: there is no set of its own, but its name sits in the search synonyms of the Catalan set, so typing “Valencian” lands you on Catalan. We record that as it stands rather than decide it for them: a course of its own exists in none of the seven.
Where uTalk is stronger
On language count uTalk is out of reach, every item in the set is recorded, and for many languages it remains the only app in existence. For a two-week trip, a set of recorded phrases is often exactly what is needed and nothing more.
Which to choose
A stock of phrases for a trip — uTalk is an excellent choice. Reading signs and understanding the answer you get — that needs a course with an alphabet and grammar.
Frequently asked
Is Maldivian in uTalk?
No. As of September 18, 2026, uTalk’s catalogue has no such course at all, from any language. We have Maldivian in full: 4066 words, with audio, the script explained, a phrasebook and grammar in plain words.
Is Valencian in uTalk?
No. As of September 18, 2026, uTalk’s catalogue has no such course at all, from any language. We have Valencian in full: 3960 words, a phrasebook and grammar in plain words.
What to use instead of uTalk?
A stock of phrases for a trip — uTalk is an excellent choice. Reading signs and understanding the answer you get — that needs a course with an alphabet and grammar. This site has 14 languages: every one with an audible alphabet, words by topic, a phrasebook and grammar — free, with nothing to install.