Duolingo's new course to let users learn English from Telugu

New Delhi: US-based language learning app Duolingo on Thursday launched a new Indian language course on its platform that will allow users to learn English from Telugu.

The fourth most spoken language in India, Telugu, joins the roster of Indian languages available on the app, alongside successful English courses already available for Hindi and Bengali speakers, the company said.

"Given the success of our courses for Hindi and Bengali speakers, we aspire to empower Telugu speakers with our new course, enabling effective communication and fostering opportunities that open doors to a world of possibilities," Karandeep Singh Kapany, Country Marketing Manager, Duolingo India, said in a statement.

With nearly 96 million speakers worldwide, Telugu is one of the top 20 most spoken languages globally.

Recognising the growing presence and influence of Telugu speakers not only in India but also beyond national borders, the company said that its latest offering is designed to empower Telugu speakers with a free and enjoyable platform to master English.

A recent survey conducted by Duolingo in collaboration with YouGov revealed that 90 per cent of Telugu speakers believe that English is quintessential for enhancing career prospects and accessing better educational resources.

Additionally, 81 per cent of the respondents mentioned that proficiency in English can bolster self-confidence and enable greater engagement within English-speaking communities.

India is Duolingo's fifth-largest market in terms of daily active users (DAUs) and the company's second-fastest-growing market among its top ten markets.

Along with English, other popular languages learned by Indians on the platform include Hindi, French, Korean, and Spanish.