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I speak 9 languages. Most apps didn't work for me. So I built lairner.

by simonpolyglot·Feb 20, 2026·2 points·3 comments

AI Analysis

●●●BangerSolve My ProblemBig BrainNiche Gem

Spaced repetition + reading + AI phone calls. Fixes what Duolingo broke.

Strengths
  • Respects SLA research (spaced repetition, comprehensible input) instead of gamification theater
  • 70+ languages including minority/endangered ones — genuine coverage gap vs Duolingo/Babbel
  • AI phone call mode removes tutor cost bottleneck for speaking practice
Weaknesses
  • Founder credibility is anecdotal (9 languages) not scientific validation of method
  • No data on retention/fluency outcomes vs established competitors yet
Category
Target Audience

Polyglots, serious language learners, and people learning minority/endangered languages

Similar To

Duolingo · Babbel · Anki (spaced repetition)

Post Description

I speak Hebrew, Russian, Czech, Spanish, French, German, Arabic and Italian.

I didn’t learn most of them through apps. I learned by talking to people, reading things I actually cared about and repeating words until they stuck.

Whenever I tried language apps, something felt off. They were good at making me finish lessons, but not necessarily at making me speak. Too much game logic, not enough real exposure.

So together with a small team, we built Lairner around what actually worked for me:

You start with high-frequency, practical phrases. Vocabulary gets repeated a lot. You read short stories and can tap any word to see it instantly. There’s also an AI “phone call” mode to practice speaking without a tutor.

I used it myself to seriously improve my Italian, which was the first time I learned a language in a more structured way instead of just picking it up organically.

We support 70+ languages, including some minority and endangered ones and you can learn from different base languages, not just English.

It’s still evolving. Not claiming this replaces immersion - nothing does.

Still very much a work in progress. Feedback welcome.

Happy to answer questions.

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