A look back at the special offers Forvo has run for its pronunciation apps, from reduced pricing to promo code giveaways shared with the community.
These promotions took place in 2010 and 2011. They are recorded here as part of the blog's history of Forvo's mobile apps.
Forvo reduced the price of its apps until the end of 2011. The apps for Spanish, English, French, Chinese, Portuguese and German were completely free during that period.
The Full Forvo Pronunciation App, with all the languages and more features, was priced at $0.99.
Ten promo codes were given away worldwide for the Forvo Pronunciation app, shared with readers of the blog.
The first Forvo iPhone app was released on the Apple iTunes Store in June 2010, opening the door to the promotions that followed.
What the December 2011 promotion covered, as described on the blog at the time.
| Item | Price during the promotion |
|---|---|
| Spanish, English, French, Chinese, Portuguese and German apps | Free |
| Full Forvo Pronunciation App (all languages and more features) | $0.99 |
These prices applied to the 2011 promotion only and are listed here for reference.
Forvo's mobile apps let you listen to, learn and record pronunciations of words in over 325 languages, and they work with forvo.com accounts.
For the story of the apps themselves, including the 2016 Android release, visit the Apps section of the blog.
A language lives in the way it is spoken, and pronunciation is often the first thing a learner reaches for and the last thing they feel confident about. Forvo exists to make that reach easier, gathering recordings from native speakers so that anyone can hear how a word truly sounds in everyday use rather than guessing from a dictionary's spelling. That simple idea, a community of voices shared openly, sits behind everything the blog returns to: the small discoveries, the surprising words, and the quiet pleasure of finally getting a sound right.
Over the years the project has grown alongside the technology people carry with them, moving from desktop searches to mobile apps and the many ways travelers, students, and curious minds now look up a phrase in the moment. Promotions and special offers have been part of that story, a way of inviting more people to try the pronunciation apps and explore languages beyond their own. Looking back at those past campaigns is less about the offers themselves and more about the community they brought together, one listener and one recording at a time.
What stays constant is the warmth of hearing a language from someone who grew up with it, with all its rhythm, accent, and character intact. Whether the word is a familiar one or an unfamiliar name from a distant place, the goal is the same: to make pronunciation feel approachable rather than intimidating. The blog follows that spirit, sharing news, reflections, and gentle guidance for anyone learning to speak with a little more confidence, and for anyone simply curious about the sounds that shape the languages around us.
