Language Learning App Magiclingua Lets You Practice Speaking With an AI-Powered Smart Bot

Move over, Duolingo, Babbel, and Memrise: There’s a new language-learning app on the scene. Magiclingua bills itself as “the first language learning app built for your tongue, not your thumb”—and for good reason. The app, which is built for Android and iOS, uses a combination of video tutorials and artificial intelligence to get you speaking in full conversations (in a foreign language) from day one.

When you first start out, you’ll watch some videos to learn the basic grammar structure from a language instructor. Shortly after that, you’ll have the chance to talk to an AI-powered “smart chat companion,” which will correct your sentences in a safe, embarrassment-free environment. “Our smart conversation bot will be patient, won't judge you, and will let you practice as long as you want without any fear or awkwardness,” according to the company, which is headquartered in Munich, Germany.

Once you start to gain confidence, you can have an actual conversation with a native speaker via the app’s 30-minute tutor sessions. The app was created by a team of developers, designers, and language professionals, all of whom are fluent in at least three languages. It’s currently being developed for people who want to learn Spanish, French, German, Italian, and English, but there are plans to add additional languages in the future if the company’s fundraising goals are met.

The app hasn’t officially launched yet, but subscriptions to the beta version are currently up for grabs at discounted rates. Sign up on Kickstarter to get three months’ access for about $39 (the fee is displayed in Euros), six months’ access for $68, or lifetime access for $148.

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