A note-taking app in Somali, built around WhatsApp
Qoraal is a free notes and to-do app with a full Somali interface. You can write in the app at qoraal.com, or simply send a WhatsApp message and Qoraal saves it as a note, a task or a reminder.
Open Qoraal — it is free Message Qoraal on WhatsApp
What Qoraal is
Qoraal is a note-taking and task app made for Somali speakers in Somalia and the diaspora. The name means "writing" in Somali. Qoraal's whole interface is available in Somali (af Soomaali) and English, and its assistant reads and answers in both languages.
Qoraal is different from most note-taking apps because it does not need to be opened. A message sent to Qoraal's WhatsApp number becomes a note or a task in your account, and reminders arrive back as WhatsApp messages on the phone you already carry.
What you can save in Qoraal
| You send or write | Qoraal saves it as |
|---|---|
| "Fikrad: dukaanka cusub magaciisa" | A note |
| "Beri 10-ka subaxnimo wac Axmed" | A task with a reminder tomorrow at 10:00 |
| "Remind me every day at 8 to take my medicine" | A repeating daily reminder |
| A photo, a PDF or a voice message | A note with the file attached |
| "title: Shopping list" and the list on the next line | A note with its own title |
Why a Somali note-taking app matters
Most note-taking apps, such as Google Keep, Notion or Evernote, assume English and assume the app will be opened every day. Qoraal was built the other way round: Somali first, WhatsApp first, and working on an inexpensive phone with a weak data connection. Somali dates and times — "maanta", "beri", "caawa", "8 habeenimo", "5 daqiiqo kadib" — are understood exactly, including the Somali way of counting hours.
Who uses Qoraal
- Shop owners and small businesses keeping track of orders, debts to chase and calls to make.
- Teams that hand out work over WhatsApp and want to know when it is done.
- Students saving lecture notes, deadlines and exam dates.
- Families in the diaspora remembering transfers, appointments and errands.
Questions people ask
Is there a note-taking app in the Somali language?
Yes. Qoraal is a note-taking and to-do app with a full Somali interface. It is free, runs at qoraal.com, and also works entirely through WhatsApp: a message to Qoraal's number is saved as a note or a task.
Is Qoraal free?
Yes. Qoraal is free to use today. If that ever changes, existing users will be told before it does.
Does Qoraal need a smartphone app?
No. Qoraal works in any modern browser and through WhatsApp. It can be added to a phone's home screen like an app.
Can Qoraal understand Somali dates and times?
Yes. Qoraal understands words such as maanta (today), beri (tomorrow), caawa (tonight), subaxnimo (morning) and habeenimo (night), relative times such as "5 daqiiqo kadib", and the Somali clock, in which "saddex caawa" means 21:00.