Learning a language by reading
Short, practical posts on reading in another language: choosing material, getting through it, and remembering the words.
German reading practice: free texts by level, A1 to C1
Free German reading practice sorted by level and checked in October 2026: easy news from Deutschlandfunk and DW, a kids' encyclopedia, then real papers.
ChatGPT for language learning: Voice, Study mode and prompts
How to use ChatGPT for language learning: which mode to use for speaking, quizzing and explanations, prompts that work, and what it still won't remember.
How to use AI to learn a language: 5 jobs to hand it
How to use AI to learn a language: five jobs AI does well, three it does badly, which kind of tool fits each job, and a simple week that puts it together.
How to think in English (and stop translating in your head)
How to think in English instead of translating: why your brain does it, small daily habits that train it, and why easy reading is the best place to start.
Language learning MCP servers: what each one adds to your AI
Language learning MCP servers for Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor, checked in October 2026: what each one adds, from audio to exercises to a word list.
Claude for language learning: what works and what it forgets
How to use Claude for language learning: what it does well, where it falls short, and the setup that fixes it, from Projects to a connected word list.
Sentence mining tools for video, web pages, books and phone
Sentence mining tools sorted by where your sentences come from: video, web pages, e-books or your phone. What each one costs, and which need Anki.
How to read an English newspaper: a guide for beginners
How to read an English newspaper for beginners. Which paper and section to start with, how headline grammar works, and a 20-minute daily routine.
Migaku vs Yomitan: paid system or free dictionary?
Migaku vs Yomitan, traced through one real lookup. What each does with a word you don't know, the setup and the bill, and when to run both.
Clozemaster alternative: when fill-in-the-blank stops working
Looking for a Clozemaster alternative? Figure out why the cloze grind stalled first, then pick the tool that fixes that problem instead of the one that repeats it.
How to immerse yourself in a language at home, one default at a time
How to immerse yourself in a language at home without a trip abroad. Swap the defaults you already have, add input you can follow, and skip the background noise.
How many words do you need to know to read a newspaper?
How many words do you need to know to read a newspaper in another language? The research figure, what 98% coverage feels like, and what to read before you get there.
WaniKani vs Anki: who should pick your kanji order?
WaniKani vs Anki comes down to one question: do you want a fixed 60-level path choosing your kanji, an empty box you fill yourself, or what you read?
FluentU alternatives: what you're actually paying for
Looking for a FluentU alternative? Break the subscription into its three layers — video library, interactive captions, review — and replace each one.
Migaku vs Anki: $10 a month vs free, and when you need both
Migaku vs Anki, checked Oct 2026: Migaku is $10/mo with its own SRS, Anki is free with FSRS. When one alone is enough, and the one case for running both.
Should you look up every word when reading?
Should you look up every word when reading in a foreign language? Sometimes yes. The deciding number, the real cost of a lookup, and which words earn one.
Spaced repetition without Anki: four routes that work
Want spaced repetition without Anki? Four routes compared — built-in SRS tools, readers that collect the words for you, paper, and other card apps.
Average reading speed in a foreign language (real numbers)
How fast should you read in a second language? Native benchmarks for 17 languages, what learners actually manage, and a two-minute way to measure yours.
Lingopie vs LingQ: TV or text, and what both leave out
Lingopie vs LingQ by what you'd actually do each day: watch shows with learning subtitles, or read and listen to text. Prices, Netflix extension, the gap.
Todaii alternatives: the same Japanese news, without the app
Looking for a Todaii alternative? Where its articles come from, how to read those sources directly with furigana and a dictionary, and what covers JLPT.
Can you learn a language just by reading? An honest answer
Can you learn a language just by reading? Mostly yes, and the gaps are predictable. What reading builds, what it can't, and how to make it carry more.
How to start reading in a foreign language (not with a book)
Want to read a book in another language? Don't start with a book. When you're ready, the five-rung ladder, and a two-week plan that gets you reading.
WaniKani alternatives, sorted by where you quit (and why)
Left WaniKani at level 5, 25 or 60? The right alternative depends on why. Free kanji SRS options, the frequency route, and when to stop drilling and read.
Japanese reading practice websites, sorted by level
Every Japanese reading practice website here was opened and checked in September 2026 — free graded readers, news, novels, and what changed at NHK.
How to learn Japanese by reading (the full path)
Learning Japanese by reading, from kana to real novels — the four gates, why lookups are the whole problem, and what to do about kanji along the way.
How to read manga in Japanese (and where to read it free)
Where to read manga in Japanese legally and free, why pop-up dictionaries fail on artwork, and the three real ways to look up a word inside a picture.
Language Reactor alternatives: 7 options, by what you need
Language Reactor down again, or missing something? 7 alternatives sorted by what you need: free and open source, Firefox, reviews that stick, or reading.
Language Reactor vs LingQ: free for shows, paid for reading
Language Reactor vs LingQ in one table, with prices checked in 2026: what each does with your saved words, where Migaku fits, and when to use both.
Read light novels in Japanese: free sites and first picks
Where to read light novels in Japanese free (Syosetu, Kakuyomu), which to start with by level, and how to finish a chapter without a dictionary tab.
How to read faster in a foreign language (no speed tricks)
Reading faster in a foreign language isn't about eye speed. It's about fewer stops. Five changes that cut the stalls, plus what not to waste time on.
LingQ vs Migaku: text library or video mining?
LingQ vs Migaku compared on what you read, what happens to saved words, price and languages — plus the case where a free browser reader beats both.
Migaku vs Language Reactor: which one is worth it?
Migaku vs Language Reactor for Netflix and YouTube learning — free vs paid, built-in reviews vs Anki export, depth vs breadth, and the gap both leave open.
Free Satori Reader alternatives in 2026 (manga too)
Free Satori Reader alternatives, sorted by why you're leaving: the price, running out of stories, or wanting real Japanese. Plus the one for manga.
Immersive Translate alternatives: translation vs learning
The right Immersive Translate alternative depends on one question — do you want the page in your language, or do you want to stop needing the translation?
Free Migaku alternatives in 2026, by why you're leaving
Free Migaku alternatives, checked Oct 2026: Yomitan + Anki, Language Reactor, Lute and more, sorted by why you leave: the $10/mo, the cards, or video.
Readlang vs LingQ: which one fits how you actually read
Readlang vs LingQ compared on price, library, review engine and mobile — plus the case where neither wins and a browser extension does the job better.
How to actually finish the English articles you open
You open ten English articles and finish none. It's not discipline — it's article choice, missing goals, and stopping for every word. Here's what works.
How to remember new words while reading (without stopping)
You look a word up, get it, and it's gone by tomorrow. Here's the mark–collect–review loop that makes new words stick without wrecking your reading flow.
How to learn Japanese by reading news (sites + a routine)
News articles are short, repetitive, and free — ideal Japanese reading practice. The news sites worth using, in level order, plus a routine that sticks.
Learn a language by reading: which kind of app fits you
Apps to learn a language by reading come in three kinds: story apps, import readers, browser extensions. What each does best, and how to pick one.
How to learn a language by reading: a 15-minute daily method
Learn a language by reading in three steps: pick text you can mostly follow, read without stopping, give new words a home. Plus a 15-minute daily plan.
LingQ alternatives: free ways to keep learning by reading
LingQ's method works — the price and the cluttered interface are why people leave. The free and low-cost alternatives, sorted by what you'd actually miss.
Readlang alternatives in 2026, sorted by what you miss
Readlang alternatives for when the web app feels dated, the phrase limit bites or you want a phone app. Six tools, which ones are free, who each suits.