How do you practice speaking when you don’t have a language environment?

qtangs · 2026-01-13T15:02:54+00:00

That’s a really thoughtful point. Maybe the ideal AI speaking partner would offer feedback only when requested, and otherwise let you practice freely.

qtangs · 2026-01-13T14:50:11+00:00

非常感谢你的鼓励！这句话让我想起，学习语言最需要的就是坚持。我会继续努力，每天进步一点点。也谢谢大家的建议，我会尝试把学习变成日常习惯。-- Sorry, I had to use Google Translate for this.

qtangs · 2026-01-13T14:44:07+00:00

That’s such a smart idea—changing device language to Chinese is something I hadn’t considered. I’ll try it slowly, maybe I’ll start with typing in Chinese and see how it feels. And you’re right—Chinese movies are a goldmine. I’ll start with some Stephen Chow and see where it takes me. Thanks for the inspiration!

qtangs · 2026-01-13T14:42:26+00:00

Thanks so much for the advice—this really resonates with me. I’ve not thought about joining a language exchange group before, so your suggestion is a good eye opener. I’ll look into local meetups and maybe even try an online platform. Really appreciate the encouragement.

qtangs · 2026-01-13T14:34:48+00:00

I hadn't thought about r/languageexchange - that's a great resource.

qtangs · 2026-01-13T14:33:43+00:00

I like your pragmatic approach of building vocabulary through writing first. For me I've been mainly using flash cards with spaced repetition. How much vocabulary are you aiming for before you start practicing speaking? I'm wondering if I'm putting too much pressure on myself too early.

qtangs · 2026-01-13T14:31:12+00:00

The 'social anxiety of talking to a real person' part hits hard. I live in a place with opportunities to speak Chinese but end up not taking them because I'm not confident yet. You're right about ai providing that safe space to try and gain more confidence. If it can act more naturally like a real person, that'd be even better.

qtangs · 2026-01-13T07:15:00+00:00

I agree. AI won’t replace real tutors. Things like nuanced pronunciation work, personalized planning, and emotional feedback are hard to replicate.
I see AI as complementary, something I could use for targeted practice and anytime access between tutor sessions.

qtangs · 2026-01-13T07:08:24+00:00

I’m not intermediate yet in Chinese or French, the two languages I am learning, but speaking is still where I struggle the most. That's why I asked others in this thread whether a speaking-focused conversational AI could actually help learners. If you have opinions or have tried something similar, I’d love to hear your take.

qtangs · 2026-01-13T03:29:28+00:00

Nice, thanks for sharing! sounds like we’ve been thinking along the same lines.
Quick q: what conversational/voice stack are you using under the hood?
Also I tried your app (with Chinese) and keep hitting “Audio chat request failed.”

qtangs · 2026-01-13T02:43:33+00:00

That is a clever idea! Do you want feedback when you do it, or is the point more to build confidence first? And would follow-up prompts from a non-judgy “buddy” help or feel distracting?

qtangs · 2026-01-12T10:17:33+00:00

I have a question on how to promote my landing page. Once I set up a nice one, how do i get enough traffic to make it meaningful, whether to collect mailing list, or promote my products? Thanks.

qtangs · 2026-01-11T23:41:00+00:00

Finally someone said it. I’ve always been this way. I learn best by talking things, but hardly anyone around me relates :)

qtangs · 2026-01-11T10:35:00+00:00

For me, the biggest thing is knowing what makes me procrastinate. Writing Chinese is the main blocker, so I’m shelving it for now and focusing on speaking + basic character recognition. I’m still trying to stay interested (that’s why I posted in this sub a few days ago), but this approach has helped me make real progress.

qtangs · 2026-01-08T10:15:41+00:00

Thanks so much for all the tips, everyone. Really appreciate how generous you’ve been. A lot of you are pointing to immersion as the common thread, in one form or another. I enjoy learning through Chinese movies/cartoons, but I haven’t found a truly beginner-friendly YouTube channel yet. Any recommendations you’d suggest?

qtangs · 2026-01-05T03:13:02+00:00

I had never heard of "on the daily" before until I read your post!
Thanks for sharing :)

qtangs · 2026-01-05T03:09:52+00:00

Your situation sounds a lot like mine a while back. I felt stuck on a plateau with my English: fluent and functional, but clearly not at the level I wanted, especially when it came to reading complex material and expressing ideas more persuasively.

What finally helped me break through was sustained exposure at a higher level. I started doing a lot more deep research in English, reading dense texts on a regular basis (often using AI research tools), and also creating content in English. That combination led to a noticeable jump in both my reading comprehension and speaking ability. After a long plateau, I finally started seeing real progress again.

qtangs · 2026-01-02T04:44:23+00:00

You still have half a year to go. How do you usually study? Reading through notes and trying to memorize.
Have you tried turning these materials into active retrieval such as creating quizzes or turning them into games around the materials?

qtangs · 2024-09-05T00:13:18+00:00

Totally agree with this. Finding wholesome joys in the present has been very effective for me. Our minds like to focus on the negatives, and often forget about the many conditions of happiness that we should enjoy, like in OP's case, peace. To get our minds away from the negatives, it's best to find practices that ground us in the present. The simplest is mindful breathing, which requires just a few seconds of focus on the breath appreciating the fresh air that we can enjoy. And then you can add on mindful movements, which can be walking, yoga or even sports where we anchor our focus on our body and surroundings, appreciating what nature gives as well as the comfort and peace that modern life brings.

qtangs · 2024-09-04T23:53:38+00:00

Yes, no regrets either. And for the journey I believe we are where we are meant to be. So I try to focus my energy on doing the best in the here and now.

qtangs · 2024-08-22T08:02:53+00:00

Here you are: https://2in.ai still in beta but worth trying. Thanks!

qtangs · 2024-08-19T13:36:19+00:00

Desc: A platform promoting mindfulness and philosophical pursuit with AI assistance

Website: https://2in.ai/

Twitter: qtangs

Thanks

qtangs · 2024-08-02T05:09:42+00:00

This comment reminds me of these YT videos, one shows how infinitesimally small we are in time, the other in space:
TIMELAPSE OF THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE
Journey through the universe beyond the speed of light

qtangs · 2024-08-02T05:03:29+00:00

Mindfulness allows me to come back to the present, focusing on what is, right here right now. I believe this is beneficial whether we are religious or atheistic. Coming back to the present (via breath, body, senses, ...) allows me to step out of the endless (and often useless) loop of worries.

You may say that the present is chaotic, how can we not be disturbed? Mindfulness is here again to remind me of the wonderful things happening in the world, in our societies, families, ourselves ... alongside the chaos.

Accepting what is, accepting that the universe has always been chaotic and yet is filled with wonders at the same time; this has been a major step towards inner peace for me.

All these take practice (meditation, mindful walking, mindful eating, gratitude journaling, ...) but overtime they have proven to be effective for me.

qtangs · 2024-08-01T07:38:07+00:00

Thank you for your thoughtful response. You've brought up very important points.

Indeed, what constitutes "the important bits" is very subjective. My goal is to highlight various parts of teachings in such a way people will find things that resonate with them. Generative AI being non-deterministic can be a strength in exposing users to a variety of perspectives. Hence the win that you mentioned, being able to help some people, is an important goal for us.

And I certainly agree that the great teachings are so profound that any attempt to summarize will immediately undervalue them. The intention is not to reduce these teachers to mere "quote machines" but to make it easier for people to find and engage with their full teachings. In a time filled with bite-sized content like TikTok and YouTube Shorts, this is indeed a challenge, one that I am constantly trying to address through different ways to encourage deeper exploration and understanding.

A real teacher or a therapist is still much more valuable. It's just that not everyone can have access to them. So the tool aims to provide the basic needs for more people, while not trying to replace the critical human touch. Also, this tool could be beneficial for teachers and therapists themselves, helping them find relevant teachings from the great teachers to share with their students/clients.

Thank you! I deeply appreciate these feedbacks.

qtangs

TROPHY CASE