At Chatterbug, we are always looking for the most fun, engaging and effective ways to teach languages, for every type of learner. Some language learners have the time and resources to dedicate themselves to regular 1:1 lessons. Others are happy to flick through flashcards whilst waiting for their train. But what about the learners in between; the motivated language-lovers who find themselves stuck in a rut of repetitive flashcard apps with weird robot voices, making little progress – but aren’t quite ready to commit to full-length language classes? 

Does this sound like you? Well, we’ve got you covered. Introducing… Chatterbug Streams

Streams is a mobile app that teaches through video-based language learning, with encouraging native-speaking streamers (get to know them here!), a learning community and the opportunity to interact with both the video and your fellow learners. Learning a language takes time, something many people are pressed for. But with Chatterbug Streams, you just have to press play. (See what I did there?)

Want to learn German? Spanish? French? English? With Streams you can build your confidence and comprehension of all of these languages. Every day, we livestream new language lessons, which include quizzes, polls and games to encourage active learning. Additionally, our extensive library of on-demand 8-10 minute video classes is designed to prepare you for practical, real-life scenarios, as well as teach you interesting and unusual topics. Enjoy memorable classes on grammar, music, recipes, complaining to your landlord, sports, pronunciation, current events, etymology, online shopping disasters, organizing a barbecue, dissecting red carpet Oscar looks (pauses for breath)… you get the picture. 

Scott Chacon, CEO and Co-Founder of Chatterbug: “Language learning is 90% exposure, and is much more than just learning words from a flashcard. There’s nuance, context and culture to language that you need to learn from the start. Fluency can only be achieved with exposure to fluent speakers. With Streams, you’re watching videos from fluent speakers on topics you want to learn about, and none of that nuance is lost.”

The philosophy behind Streams is that the most effective way to learn a language is with real humans – hearing words in a sentence, hearing the grammar around it, hearing it in a story, hearing it in its cultural context.

Streams does more than teach you to memorize how to ask for directions to the town hall or say what you did on the weekend. Streams’ interactive, story-based learning approach promotes long-term retention of vocabulary and grammatical concepts, without having to see the same content over and over. Our native-speaking streamers won’t ask you to prove time and time again that you know the words for left and right (nor will they bombard you with messages about keeping up your daily streak…). 

Our streamers come from all over, so you’ll hear different speech patterns, colloquialisms and accents, rather than one creepy AI voice. While Streams teaches comprehension through listening, the classes are also interactive to promote activity-based learning – students can answer quizzes, participate in polls, and engage with the live streamers, and other learners in the chat function. 

Inda Härtlein, Chatterbug’s Chief Language Officer: “There is a persistent myth that some people are bad at learning languages, which is inadvertently reinforced by gamified flashcard apps that promise fluency within six months but don’t deliver. Anyone can learn a language with the right learning approach. Whether you are preparing to travel on vacation, living in a new country, or wanting to engage with colleagues from other countries, Streams is the perfect app for building confidence – the first step in language learning.”

Streams is affordably priced at 2.99€, or $2.99, per month for unlimited access to livestreams and the on-demand library. Streams draws from Chatterbug’s ever-growing content library of language lessons in Spanish, French, German and English, with nearly 500 on-demand language lesson videos and is adding more than 30 new lessons every week. 

So whether you’re a beginner, an upper-intermediate, or anywhere in between, enjoy your 7 day free trial today and start really learning a language, with real people, in real time. Just press play!

Download now on the App Store or Google Play.