Does Babbel have Romanian? No. Babbel does not offer a Romanian course, and neither do Rosetta Stone or Busuu. As a native Romanian tutor who has taught over 260 students from 44 countries in the past six years, I hear this question a lot from learners who already use Babbel for another language and want to add Romanian. In this guide, I explain which big apps skip Romanian, which ones actually teach it, and how to choose the right one for your level.
Key Takeaways
- Babbel: no Romanian course. Its language list covers Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Turkish, Russian, Indonesian and English.
- Rosetta Stone: no Romanian course.
- Busuu: no Romanian course. It teaches 14 languages, none of them Romanian.
- Apps that do teach Romanian: Duolingo, Mondly, Pimsleur, Ling and RomanianPod101.
- Best path: combine one app with structured grammar practice and real conversation with a native speaker.
Does Babbel Have Romanian?
No. Babbel does not have a Romanian course in 2026. When you open Babbel’s language selector, you can choose from Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Turkish, Russian, Indonesian and English. Romanian is not on the list, and there is no Romanian option for English speakers or for speakers of any other language.
This surprises many learners because Romanian is a Romance language, close to Italian, Spanish, French and Portuguese, which Babbel all teaches. If you already studied one of those with Babbel, the good news is that a lot of your vocabulary will transfer. You simply need another tool for Romanian itself.
Does Rosetta Stone Have Romanian?
No. Rosetta Stone does not offer Romanian. Its catalogue covers more than 20 languages, such as Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Greek, Turkish and Dutch, but Romanian is not one of them.
Does Busuu Have Romanian?
No. Busuu teaches 14 languages: Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Turkish. There is no Romanian course on Busuu, including in its live lessons.
Which Language Apps Teach Romanian?
Here is a quick overview of the popular apps and whether they include Romanian:
| App | Romanian course? | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Babbel | No | Not available for Romanian |
| Rosetta Stone | No | Not available for Romanian |
| Busuu | No | Not available for Romanian |
| Duolingo | Yes | Free daily habit, absolute beginners |
| Mondly | Yes | Speaking practice and everyday phrases |
| Pimsleur | Yes | Audio learning and pronunciation |
| Ling | Yes | Short gamified lessons |
| RomanianPod101 | Yes | Audio and video lessons with cultural notes |
The Best Babbel Alternatives for Learning Romanian
Duolingo: The Free Starting Point
Duolingo has a full Romanian course for English speakers, and it is free. It is a good way to build a daily habit and learn your first few hundred words. Its limits show quickly though: grammar explanations are thin and you rarely produce your own sentences. I wrote a full Duolingo Romanian review if you want the details.
- Price: free, with an optional paid plan
- Level: beginner
- Best for: getting started without spending money
Mondly: Made in Romania
Mondly is the closest thing to a Babbel experience for Romanian. It was founded in Brașov, Romania, so its Romanian content is recorded by native speakers and feels natural. Lessons are organised around real situations like ordering food or travelling, and speech recognition lets you practise saying full phrases out loud.
- Price: free trial, then a subscription
- Level: beginner to intermediate
- Best for: learners who liked Babbel’s dialogue-based lessons
Pimsleur: Learn by Listening
Pimsleur’s Romanian course is audio-first. Level 1 has 30 lessons of about 30 minutes each, built around spoken conversations you repeat and answer. Reading lessons start from lesson 11. It is excellent for pronunciation and for learning while commuting, but it covers only one level of Romanian, so it will not take you far beyond the basics.
- Price: subscription, free trial available
- Level: beginner
- Best for: pronunciation and listening on the go
Ling: Short Gamified Lessons
Ling offers a dedicated Romanian course with bite-sized lessons, vocabulary games and chatbot conversations. It works well as a daily vocabulary companion next to a more structured method.
- Price: limited free version, then a subscription
- Level: beginner
- Best for: short daily sessions
RomanianPod101: Audio and Video Lessons
RomanianPod101 is a large library of audio and video lessons, from absolute beginner upwards, with notes on Romanian culture. It is more of a lesson library than a guided path, so it suits learners who like to pick their own topics.
- Price: free basic access, paid plans for full content
- Level: beginner to intermediate
- Best for: learners who enjoy podcast-style lessons
For a wider comparison, including vocabulary apps like Drops and reading platforms like LingQ, see my guide to the best apps for learning Romanian.
What Apps Will Not Teach You About Romanian
Whichever app you choose, keep in mind what apps do poorly with Romanian specifically:
- Grammar in depth: Romanian has noun cases, the definite article attached to the end of the noun (casă becomes casa, “the house”) and verb forms that apps rarely explain properly.
- Real conversation: speech recognition checks your pronunciation, but it cannot correct how you build a sentence or answer a real question.
- Listening to natural speech: most app audio is slow and scripted, while Romanians speak fast and shorten words.
The Foreign Service Institute places Romanian in its easiest category for English speakers, alongside Spanish and Italian, with an estimated 24 to 30 weeks of study to reach professional working proficiency. That is achievable, but only with more than an app. If you want to know what to expect, read how long it takes to learn Romanian.
How I Recommend Combining Tools
With my students, the combination that works best looks like this:
- One app for daily vocabulary: Duolingo or Mondly, 10 to 15 minutes a day.
- Structured grammar practice: a workbook with exercises and answers, such as my Essential Romanian Grammar Workbook for A2 to B2 learners.
- Listening to real Romanian: the free I Learn Romanian podcast, with transcripts at three levels.
- Speaking with a native tutor: even one lesson a week makes everything you learn in apps usable in real conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Babbel Romanian course coming?
As of October 2026, Romanian is not listed among Babbel’s languages and Babbel has not published a release date for it. If you want to start now, use one of the alternatives above.
What is the closest app to Babbel for Romanian?
Mondly. Its lessons are built around dialogues and everyday situations, much like Babbel, and it was created by a Romanian company.
Can I learn Romanian with a free app?
Yes, you can start for free with Duolingo and the free versions of Ling and RomanianPod101. To go past the beginner level, you will need structured grammar practice and speaking time with a native speaker.
Try a Free Lesson With a Native Tutor
Babbel may not teach Romanian, but you do not need it. If you want a clear plan for your level and real speaking practice from the first day, book a free 30-minute Romanian trial lesson with me. You can also browse all my Romanian courses.
