Why I Built This

The Reality

Learning a language once you are out of the official schooling system can be a challenge. If you are learning it for professional or legal reasons while juggling other things, the hill can at times feel insurmountable. Whilst I understand that the multitude of problems associated with language learning has made it a ripe market for a multitude of learning tools (a "saturated market" as business people call it), I find most of these tools to be focused on casual learners. If anyone tells you that you can master a language (grammar, vocabulary, fluency, etc.) just by completing a few 'fun' exercises on the go, I'd be a tad wary of that promise.

My experience

Sprachelo is a direct result of a problem that I faced. Having attended evening German classes and having learnt it the "traditional" way, I still found myself incapable of holding even a simple conversation. There were several reasons for this: my brain couldn't hold the vocabulary that I was learning, using grammar correctly was akin to mental arithmetic (Where does the verb go? Which case should it be?) and, although I live in Berlin, German wasn't exactly something I used on a day-to-day basis. This was partly because I never found the confidence to initiate something in German. The structure of most language school classes doesn't help either; it generally seems to be optimised to get you through a standard book with little time for speaking practice.

"Looking back, the confidence was a major factor; if you didn't find a safe space where you could practise frequently with good-quality feedback, it can be challenging to fit all the different moving parts correctly into speech and, to be honest, practicing with feedback is key."

Looking back, the confidence was a major factor; if you didn't find a safe space where you could practise frequently with good-quality feedback, it can be challenging to fit all the different moving parts correctly into speech and, to be honest, practicing with feedback is key. Of course, you can get this if you have a private tutor but this can easily set you back €60-80 for a two-hour session. Finding people to practice with can offer an alternative, but finding someone who is at your level, is committed, is available frequently…well, you get the picture. And generally, while practicing with someone can be fun, it can be a story of the blind leading the blind.

Don't get me wrong; I still think you need some traditional classes to get your foundation right. However, the gap between learning the fundamentals and speaking feels like a massive one.

Our approach: Smart Speaking Gym

Sprachelo focuses on one element of language learning: speaking confidence. We are therefore structured around conversation scenarios that reflect real-life as well as speaking tasks from mainstream exam bodies such as TELC and Goethe. We view our product as a smart personal trainer that gently nudges learners towards their target language level, helping them avoid a false sense of progress. It provides real-time, non-intrusive feedback, preventing you from making the same mistakes for weeks, and introduces new vocabulary in context so that you absorb words naturally as you speak. Our detailed end-of-conversation feedback helps you understand precisely where you stand in relation to CEFR-level requirements and what to focus on to reach the next level.

I call Sprachelo smart—not only because AI powers it but because it learns from your specific mistakes and naturally weaves correct examples of those patterns into future conversations, so you hear them appropriately used in context and accelerate improvement in your particular weak areas. In addition, you can use our progress dashboards to evaluate how your performance on various language areas has changed over time and identify exactly what needs more focus (especially before something high-stakes like an exam).

What Makes Us Different

We differentiate ourselves from others in the marketplace by pinpointing and reinforcing areas where you need improvement, while maintaining a focus on CEFR standards. Given our emphasis on grammar, vocabulary, conversation scenarios, and gentle guidance, we cater to individuals who've studied German but still struggle with conversations. If you've taken classes but struggle to speak confidently, or you're preparing for exams like TELC or Goethe, our product is designed for you. We're not a beginner course - we assume you know basic grammar and vocabulary but need practice putting it all together in real conversations.

Sprachelo offers no magic solution. No learning tool ever does, contrary to what their landing pages might claim. When it boils down to it, learning a language (or learning anything for that matter) requires grit, patience, practice and sometimes even old-school learning techniques like post-it notes and memorisation. Sprachelo assumes that you already have some basic grammar foundation for your target level (either via classes or independent learning) and that you actively work on retaining the vocabulary you encounter.

I didn't build Sprachelo to be just a learning tool that corrects your grammar as you speak or reminds you of vocabulary you encountered a few days ago. Ultimately, I'd like Sprachelo to be your confidence booster, revision tool, and speaking partner until you feel ready to thrive in the German-speaking world.