Why we built it
Somali has more than twenty million speakers and one of the richest oral traditions in Africa. It also has almost no presence in the apps children use every day. Duolingo, Babbel and Rosetta Stone do not teach it; the few apps that do were built for adult travellers. Meanwhile, in Minneapolis, London, Toronto and Stockholm, a generation of Somali children understands their grandparents but answers in English.
Luuqad started as a side project to fix that for one family and grew into an app used by families across the diaspora. The idea has not changed: short lessons a child will actually finish, real Somali voices, pictures that look like Somali life, and games that make coming back tomorrow feel like a reward rather than a chore.
How the content is made
Every one of the 250 words and phrases in Luuqad is recorded by a native Somali speaker, reviewed for standard spelling and pronunciation, and paired with an illustration. We teach Standard Somali, the variety used in schools and media, and note regional alternatives where families are likely to hear them. When a recording and its spelling do not match, we fix it rather than ship it. You can browse every entry, with the audio, in our free online dictionary.
What we believe
- Real voices, always. Somali vowel length changes meaning, and computer voices get it wrong. We record people.
- Culture is content. Canjeero, ayeeyo, the aqal, the market. A child learning Somali should see Somali life.
- Ten minutes beats an hour. Streaks, XP and short sessions exist to protect the habit, not to hook children.
- Honesty about the competition. Our comparison pages say clearly when another app is a better fit.
Who makes Luuqad
Luuqad is built by Duraan Ali, a Somali software developer in the diaspora, with Somali voice artists, illustrators and the parents and teachers who send feedback every week. It is published on the App Store as "LUUQAD: Learn Somali Language" and is currently at version 1.8.2.
Get in touch
Questions, corrections, a Saturday school that wants to use Luuqad in class: write to support@luuqad.com or use the contact page. Corrections to Somali content are especially welcome; they make the app better for every family.