The Hard Way App | Language Tools Directory

Hello there, dear reader! This is not a list of features – it is a letter for you.

So: ever happened to you during a conversation in a foreign language, that by the time you understand a word, the topic changed *three times* already?

Sure, you might think, but that’s what language learning mobile apps are for, isn’t it?...

Well... *almost*.

The Problem

Your app lesson: “A bottle of water”. As clear as the image it describes.
The British: bo'oh'o'wa'er. Lovely once you understand it.

The Solution

Learn from the British, naturally. And all the people in the world. But unless your budget allows for worldwide travel, here is a more accessible alternative:

Build: Turn whatever catches your eye – books, web pages, podcasts, YouTube clips – into learning materials
Focus: Highlight any text to spawn flashcards enriched with native pronunciations, contextual examples, translations, and more
Practice: Review your flashcards with a Spaced Repetition engine optimized for language acquisition patterns

And that’s it! Instead of the usual flashcards or AI chatbots, The Hard Way App:

Handles the tedious work, then steps aside. ✓
Supports your learning journey in your unique style. ✓
Helps you build fluency through your own creativity. ✓

This is not marketing speech – but core principles of learning science! A small sample:

Comprehensive input: learn from content slightly above your level to push your boundaries
The self-generation effect: create your own materials to activate deep cognitive processing
The self-reference effect: study content that matters to you to forge stronger neural pathways

Or as Benjamin Franklin once told me:

“Teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn”

So here is a question for you: are you ready to embrace the fantastic challenge that is learning a language?

If so, I’d love for you to try The Hard Way App. And if you believe in a more meaningful way or learning, it would be awesome if you share it with other language learners in your network.

Whether or not The Hard Way App is your perfect fit, I wish you success on your language learning journey. Every language carries a unique culture, and by learning them, we keep them alive 💙 💛 ❤️ 💚 So keep learning, my friend!

—Juan