Learn the language that already feels like home.
The Desi Dictionary is for anyone who has ever understood the family group chat but panicked when it was time to reply, wished they knew more of their mother tongue and ever been shamed for their accent.
for however you got here.
whether you’re reconnecting with your mother tongue, learning for your partner, hoping to speak with your grandparents, or passing the language on to your children — our app helps you learn the words you’ll actually use in real life.
speak first. script optional.
Choose a speaking-first pathway using easy-to-follow transliteration, or learn to read and write the script alongside it. Explore practical lessons built around family, food, weddings, everyday conversations and the moments that make our languages feel like home.
a peek inside the app.
real screens from The Desi Dictionary app — swipe through to see how it feels to learn.
no single “right” order.
Once you’re subscribed, lessons aren’t locked behind finishing everything before it. Got a wedding next week? Go straight there.
beginning with.
This is the first version of a much bigger vision: making South Asian languages feel accessible, welcoming and relevant to the diaspora — with more languages and scripts on the way.
The Desi Dictionary app is being built independently by our founder, Tanvee — shaped by the experiences and feedback of the diaspora community it was made for.
Every lesson comes from a real question someone asked: how do I say this to my grandmother, what do I say at the sangeet, how do I not freeze in the group chat. This is just the first version. There’s a lot more coming.
Connection over perfection.
Because this isn’t about sounding perfect. It’s about feeling connected.