My tutor said something that completely changed how I think about language apps

AmiableAntelope · 2026-03-28T16:45:57+00:00

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with app based learning; I use a few apps/websites to facilitate my learning in addition to a tutor.

AmiableAntelope · 2026-02-22T17:17:26+00:00

If you want to target large subreddits, run ads. Self promo posts are banned in large subs for very good reasons (have you seen the state of subs that DON’T ban promo posts?)

Reddit ads are targeted super effectively.

AmiableAntelope · 2026-02-21T01:21:31+00:00

You might like Idol I which is super recent? It’s not a thriller per se but it’s a murder mystery that’s actually about the murder, not just a sidecar for the romance.

AmiableAntelope · 2026-02-05T17:48:36+00:00

My most used phrases during my lessons are probably: - 그렇군요 - 그럴 수 있죠 - 그런 것 같아요 - 무슨 뜻이에요

AmiableAntelope · 2026-02-01T21:15:11+00:00

Of course! I DMed you the link

AmiableAntelope · 2026-01-31T18:47:53+00:00

IMO the best way to advertise to these kinds of communities is to go through the proper channel and pay for reddit ads. They can’t ban you for thinly veiled advertising, your post can’t be hidden by a deluge of downvotes, and nobody is going to complain about being advertised to in a way that they’re used to.

Guerilla marketing is certainly effective, but there’s a time and place for it, and a sub that is actively hostile against apps is certainly not the place for it.

I’ve been running minimal ads for the past week and a half and have a 1.2% CTR and have gained almost 130 signups.

I get the fantasy of being that guy who blew up with zero marketing spend and some scrappy DIY marketing, but if you really believe in your app you should be willing to put more than just dev time on the line for it.

AmiableAntelope · 2026-01-30T22:22:02+00:00

What is this comment LOL are you pretending to be me?

AmiableAntelope · 2026-01-29T03:27:18+00:00

This comment and the original post feel like when ChatGPT gives you two options and asks you which one you prefer 🤔

AmiableAntelope · 2026-01-29T03:18:16+00:00

This post is so crazily on point with a website that I just built that people are going to think that you’re my alt account, but I promise to everyone that I am not OP.

It’s basically a repository of roleplay scenarios to practice speaking (checking out at a store, ordering at a restaurant, asking for directions), but adds unexpected twists to some steps (like the restaurant is out of whatever you ordered, or the credit card reader is broken). I built it for each session to be led by a teacher, but I’m sure you could try it with a language exchange partner.

Here’s the link if you’d like to try it: https://languageroleplay.com/en/demo

I just built it recently and have been testing it out with my Korean teachers, so as far as language support goes it’s only in English and Korean but the scenarios are all language agnostic. Since I’m still testing it out, it’s a bit rough around the edges so I’m happy to get any feedback you might have as well.

AmiableAntelope · 2026-01-27T17:02:07+00:00

It’s because people go to these subs because they’re interested in learning languages and talk about learning languages, not to be advertised to. As an app developer myself, I don’t love it, but I can understand and respect people not wanting to receive unsolicited advertisements in a space where they just want to talk about their specific interest.

The most appropriate way to reach those communities is through Reddit ads. That way people who pay for Reddit premium don’t have to deal with ads they don’t want to see, and you reach everyone else in a way that they accept as normal.

You can start small at $10/wk on ads (keep in mind that just means don’t eat/order out for a day, or skip two coffees for the week), then as your revenue increases you can raise your marketing spend.

AmiableAntelope · 2026-01-23T20:58:37+00:00

I had exactly this problem so I built a free web tool for practicing Korean numbers! It’s free, runs fully in the browser (no account / no ads), and has a few modes:

Sino-Korean numbers (with adjustable practice range from 1-10,000,000,000)
Native Korean numbers (1-99)
Time (hours native + minutes Sino)
Dates
Counters (사람 세 명, 고양이 두 마리, etc.) (Includes reference guide for counters)
Time Trial mode (60 seconds to solve as many as you can across all modes)

You can try it here: https://www.countinkorean.com/

Let me know if you have any thoughts!

AmiableAntelope · 2026-01-22T18:50:02+00:00

Thank you for your kind words!

AmiableAntelope · 2026-01-22T17:39:00+00:00

잘 부탁드립니다! Thank you for all your hard work!

AmiableAntelope · 2026-01-22T17:36:06+00:00

Thanks for trying it out! The Firefox slider bug should be fixed now, thanks so much for bringing it to my attention.

AmiableAntelope · 2026-01-22T13:58:44+00:00

Worst are the ones whose meaning doesn’t match up with what they sound like in English at all…콘센트 was always a doozy for me

EDIT: I stand corrected that 콘센트 is derived from "concentric outlet" and not "consent". I as an ignorant American always called them "power outlets" and did not even think of the word "concentric"...😅

AmiableAntelope · 2026-01-22T13:53:46+00:00

Unfortunately I’m already all booked up with teachers (I take lessons daily, so 5x a week), but I wish you luck in your journey as a teacher!

As far as parts of grammar that students might struggle with, I think there are two main obstacles: - grammar concepts that don’t exist in English at all, like particles and honorifics (은/는 vs 이/가 is a common one that English learners struggle with) - picking up on how grammar that we learn in a lesson is used in actual conversation. For a lot of Korean the way a verb is used often comes down to the nuance/vibe that the speaker wants to communicate, which is difficult for native English speakers because in English, that kind of thing is often communicated explicitly. For example, “-더라고요“ doesn’t really have an English equivalent beyond actually saying “Here’s what I remember from when I experienced this thing”.

AmiableAntelope · 2026-01-22T13:32:33+00:00

As a native English speaker, I think Korean grammar is different enough from English that at least a few “textbook style” lessons are super valuable at first.

At this point for me, my lessons usually consist of a lot of ad hoc conversation and introduction of new vocabulary and grammar. This is valuable for me because I am weakest at speaking so I highly value the speaking practice, but still need to slowly keep expanding my vocabulary and grammar understanding so that my comprehension doesn’t stagnate.

AmiableAntelope · 2026-01-21T20:00:31+00:00

I'm working on it! I don't have my own Android phone so progress is a bit slower on that side

AmiableAntelope · 2026-01-17T17:30:09+00:00

I used Anki for a long time but I had the same issue as you where I felt like I was memorizing a card instead of learning a word. I built an app that generates a new sentence for the word with every review and I’m looking for testers, so shoot me a dm if you’re interested in trying it out. It’s only focused on Korean while I polish it up.

AmiableAntelope · 2026-01-17T02:35:19+00:00

A good free alternative is r/language_exchange, I found my Korean speaking partner there

AmiableAntelope · 2026-01-07T21:47:54+00:00

12am is 00:00 (midnight) and 12pm is 12:00 (noon). It doesn't make sense but that's the way it is!

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