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Ask HN: Conversational AI to Learn a Language

85 points edweis | 5 comments | 17 May 25 07:02 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source

Hi all,

I want to learn Dutch and by experience I know I learn better when talking with native speakers.

From your experience, is there a good AI I can converse with in Dutch? It would be even better if I could see the transcription in Dutch.

Gliglish (https://gliglish.com) looks good but is more for speaking than for learning. I'd like to be able to set a situation (negotiating a job offer, calling a supplier ...).

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dankwizard ◴[19 May 25 01:51 UTC] No.44025889[source]▶
If you have a ChatGPT subscription, set up your own GPT with prompting around your level, how you want it to respond, how to correct mistakes etc. Then you can use it for anything - Generate tests based on words you know, roleplay like ordering in a restaurant, write stories and have it correct grammar.

This is what I have to supplement my Chinese and it is incredibly helpful.

Look at the comments already - Everyone is building a simple wrapper to do this very thing but charge you $20 per month for the privelege. These are souless, most likely vibe coded garbage. Avoid.

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SchemaLoad ◴[21 May 25 02:32 UTC] No.44047789[source]▶
You don't even need a subscription, just start the conversation with something like "I'm trying to learn x, I'm at a beginner skill level. Can you have a conversation with me and correct my mistakes." and it works superbly.

The Duolingo CEO copped a lot of criticism for it, but I think he is right that LLMs play a huge role in the future of education, though he probably ragebaited everyone by overselling it and calling teachers babysitters. But ChatGPT as it is now is a better language learning tool than their hand crafted app is. Rather than clicking on word blocks, you can actually have a free form conversation and get feedback like "Yes your sentence is understandable but sounds unnatural, you could try ___"

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1. huhtenberg ◴[21 May 25 06:36 UTC] No.44048866[source]▶
Duolingo CEO just went on record to say that all future language teaching will be AI, but physical schools and teachers will continue to exist "to provide childcare".

That is a very polarizing way to phrase it.

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2. jajko ◴[21 May 25 07:21 UTC] No.44049112[source]▶
Luckily for teachers and schools in general, (foreign) language skills are just a small part of overall school curriculum and the higher you go the more this becomes true. LLMs not taking that part away anytime soon.
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3. ◴[21 May 25 09:36 UTC] No.44049746[source]▶
4. rahimnathwani ◴[23 May 25 12:14 UTC] No.44072139[source]▶
Imagine public schools in San Francisco were to offer parents a deal: we'll increase the median student's rate of academic progress by 30%, but we'll also cut school hours by 30%.

Do you think people would vote overwhelmingly for that deal?

My suspicion is that they would not. For politicians, 'providing childcare' and 'providing employment for unionized government employees' are both more important than student learning.

5. rahimnathwani ◴[23 May 25 12:18 UTC] No.44072163[source]▶
Why is it lucky for schools? Are you suggesting that school leaders should care more about their institutions' continued existence than about student outcomes?