I’m a beginner / I only have a very basic level in my target language. Is Langua a good choice for me?

Whilst Langua is most popular with basic and intermediate level learners, it can still be a powerful tool if you’re a beginner - assuming you like a challenge!

If you have Langua Pro, you can practice conversations with AI characters that sound like native-speakers.

If you set your level to Beginner, the AI will repeat everything in your native language to help you understand without having to constantly translate. If you prefer to translate manually, change your level to Basic.

Of course, replying is still tricky as a beginner, but remember there is no pressure and you'll learn from your mistakes. Here are some tips:

1) You can talk in your own language when stuck and the AI will still usually understand you. Feel free to mix the languages during a sentence when needed. You can then check for written corrections via the pencil icon, or turn on verbal corrections (available in certain chats) and the AI will ask you to repeat in the target language.

2) Via the lightbulb button at the bottom, you can read and listen to suggested replies and then repeat one of them to send it.

3) You can translate individual words by clicking on them, or translate the whole message via the button below it.

4) By default, the voice speed will be set to 'Slower' for you, but if you want to hear certain replies slower than that, you can replay the audio slower via the turtle button.

Of course, the lack of known vocabulary makes it challenging. One option is to start by doing flashcards to build your vocab before chatting. On the Vocab/Cards page, you can select 'Create with AI' (or 'Generate' on web) to create lists of words related to your interests, as well as example sentences that use those words. Then learn these with the flashcards exercises. When you've learnt them, try to use them in a conversation (ask the AI to cover the same topic, or use the 'vocab chat' option that'll incorporate your saved words into the conversation).

For more advice on how to use Langua as a beginner, you can watch this video from popular YouTuber QrooPaul (our platform has changed a bit since the video but the explanations are still helpful):

If you still find it too hard, you may find it better to use Langua's other features, described below. And/or try taking some lessons with one of our talented tutors.

Using Langua's other features as a beginner

If you'd like to browse the videos or podcasts, you can select your level at the top to see content that’s suitable for you. If you can’t find something that’s right for you, there’s also the option to search for other podcasts we have not featured.

By showing you transcripts that highlight each word as it’s spoken, as well as enabling you to translate words and sentences easily, we make content more comprehensible.

Plus, you can go to ‘Build my vocab’ and click on Most Common Words. There, you can access flashcard packs that contain words in order of how frequently they're used, together with translations and usage examples. You can quickly add these words and learn them efficiently using our carefully designed flashcard system. Note that currently the common words packs only exist for certain language combinations, but you can also generate custom lists based on your interests using AI.