Juan Álvarez
@juanz.bsky.social
Learn languages meaningfully: thehardway.app
Pinned
Juan Álvarez
@juanz.bsky.social
· Dec 3
⚠️⚠️ Severely underrated learning resource por people with low motivation 🪫: Phrasebooks! (eg. from Lonely Planet)
-Super cheap 🫰
-Portable 🤏
-200% useful 🤌
-Simple explanations, to the point 🫵
-All substance, no fluff 🙌
You don't need to grind it.
Just short, light, but focused reads. 🙇♀️
#langsky
-Super cheap 🫰
-Portable 🤏
-200% useful 🤌
-Simple explanations, to the point 🫵
-All substance, no fluff 🙌
You don't need to grind it.
Just short, light, but focused reads. 🙇♀️
#langsky
Reposted by Juan Álvarez
En menos de 24h, #MeQA, la IA de AEMPS @sanidad.gob.es q supuestamente contestaba preguntas sobre medicación de forma clara y fiable,deja de estar disponible y @monicagarciag.bsky.social retira el post de lanzamiento. Una simple consulta a un lingüista hubiera servido para evitar este despropósito.
May 15, 2025 at 7:23 PM
En menos de 24h, #MeQA, la IA de AEMPS @sanidad.gob.es q supuestamente contestaba preguntas sobre medicación de forma clara y fiable,deja de estar disponible y @monicagarciag.bsky.social retira el post de lanzamiento. Una simple consulta a un lingüista hubiera servido para evitar este despropósito.
Reposted by Juan Álvarez
We shouldn’t ask kids what they want to be when they grow up. It encourages them to define themselves in terms of work.
Who we become is not a question of career—it’s a matter of character.
The highest aspiration is to be a person of generosity, integrity, humility, curiosity, and wisdom.
Who we become is not a question of career—it’s a matter of character.
The highest aspiration is to be a person of generosity, integrity, humility, curiosity, and wisdom.
April 8, 2025 at 4:05 PM
We shouldn’t ask kids what they want to be when they grow up. It encourages them to define themselves in terms of work.
Who we become is not a question of career—it’s a matter of character.
The highest aspiration is to be a person of generosity, integrity, humility, curiosity, and wisdom.
Who we become is not a question of career—it’s a matter of character.
The highest aspiration is to be a person of generosity, integrity, humility, curiosity, and wisdom.
A cool way to evaluate LLMs: have a bunch of models play Mafia together and track wining ratios.
Unsurprisingly Sonnet edges out, but conversations are still pretty awful...
mafia.opennumbers.xyz
Unsurprisingly Sonnet edges out, but conversations are still pretty awful...
mafia.opennumbers.xyz
LLM Mafia Game Competition
mafia.opennumbers.xyz
March 7, 2025 at 7:51 PM
A cool way to evaluate LLMs: have a bunch of models play Mafia together and track wining ratios.
Unsurprisingly Sonnet edges out, but conversations are still pretty awful...
mafia.opennumbers.xyz
Unsurprisingly Sonnet edges out, but conversations are still pretty awful...
mafia.opennumbers.xyz
Yearly reminder that in Mac you can keep a key pressed down to see a menu with diacritical variants, eg: e è é ê ë ě ẽ ē ė ę
Great for many European languages!
#langksy
Great for many European languages!
#langksy
January 29, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Yearly reminder that in Mac you can keep a key pressed down to see a menu with diacritical variants, eg: e è é ê ë ě ẽ ē ė ę
Great for many European languages!
#langksy
Great for many European languages!
#langksy
#langsky, do you think on how your language input and production ratio evolves over time?
Ironically, I think that the less I know, the more I try to produce: during first baby steps it really helps to write down and spell out words
Then I'm just happy with reading & listening :)
What about you?
Ironically, I think that the less I know, the more I try to produce: during first baby steps it really helps to write down and spell out words
Then I'm just happy with reading & listening :)
What about you?
January 27, 2025 at 9:01 AM
#langsky, do you think on how your language input and production ratio evolves over time?
Ironically, I think that the less I know, the more I try to produce: during first baby steps it really helps to write down and spell out words
Then I'm just happy with reading & listening :)
What about you?
Ironically, I think that the less I know, the more I try to produce: during first baby steps it really helps to write down and spell out words
Then I'm just happy with reading & listening :)
What about you?
Reposted by Juan Álvarez
Papua New Guinea has 840 living languages — more than any other country.
A living language is one that is spoken by at least one person as their first language. The chart shows the ten countries with the most living languages as of 2024.
A living language is one that is spoken by at least one person as their first language. The chart shows the ten countries with the most living languages as of 2024.
January 24, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Papua New Guinea has 840 living languages — more than any other country.
A living language is one that is spoken by at least one person as their first language. The chart shows the ten countries with the most living languages as of 2024.
A living language is one that is spoken by at least one person as their first language. The chart shows the ten countries with the most living languages as of 2024.
Dear #langsky, today I’m laying bare all my insecurities and clumsiness with my 1st product launch ever!
Despite the negligible impact it will have, I feel all 🧘🧘
All said, if you feel like helping me with shares, upvotes and clicks, I will be so grateful! 🤗 🙏 💚
www.producthunt.com/posts/the-ha...
Despite the negligible impact it will have, I feel all 🧘🧘
All said, if you feel like helping me with shares, upvotes and clicks, I will be so grateful! 🤗 🙏 💚
www.producthunt.com/posts/the-ha...
The Hard Way App (beta) - Learn the languages humans speak, not chatbots | Product Hunt
The Hard Way App is a Note-Taking and Spaced Repetition System for language learners who want to dive into the rich, messy, and beautiful world of authentic human language. With a bit less of AI, and ...
www.producthunt.com
January 24, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Dear #langsky, today I’m laying bare all my insecurities and clumsiness with my 1st product launch ever!
Despite the negligible impact it will have, I feel all 🧘🧘
All said, if you feel like helping me with shares, upvotes and clicks, I will be so grateful! 🤗 🙏 💚
www.producthunt.com/posts/the-ha...
Despite the negligible impact it will have, I feel all 🧘🧘
All said, if you feel like helping me with shares, upvotes and clicks, I will be so grateful! 🤗 🙏 💚
www.producthunt.com/posts/the-ha...
#langsky, what is your language learning pet peeve?
Mine: when I don't understand a recording, but I later look at the transcript and it turns out that I actually know all words.
I hate when this happens! Does this happen to you too?
January 22, 2025 at 9:28 AM
#langsky, what is your language learning pet peeve?
Mine: when I don't understand a recording, but I later look at the transcript and it turns out that I actually know all words.
I hate when this happens! Does this happen to you too?
Not sure all of these count, but...
1. French & Java
2. Greek, Icelandic & Python
3. C & Standard Musical Notation
4. Italian & Python
5. Galician & Lisp
1. French & Java
2. Greek, Icelandic & Python
3. C & Standard Musical Notation
4. Italian & Python
5. Galician & Lisp
Here’s another language challenge for you!
1. A language you studied but have mostly forgotten
2. A language you find most melodic
3. A language you wish you learned as a kid
4. A language that feels like home (besides your native one)
5. A language you'd love to teach someone someday
#LangSky
1. A language you studied but have mostly forgotten
2. A language you find most melodic
3. A language you wish you learned as a kid
4. A language that feels like home (besides your native one)
5. A language you'd love to teach someone someday
#LangSky
January 20, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Not sure all of these count, but...
1. French & Java
2. Greek, Icelandic & Python
3. C & Standard Musical Notation
4. Italian & Python
5. Galician & Lisp
1. French & Java
2. Greek, Icelandic & Python
3. C & Standard Musical Notation
4. Italian & Python
5. Galician & Lisp
Anyone played neal.fun/stimulation-... ?
What a piece or art, worth to complete til the end (takes 30 mins or so)
And their Duolingo version is more representative of their "philosophy" that the real Duolingo!
What a piece or art, worth to complete til the end (takes 30 mins or so)
And their Duolingo version is more representative of their "philosophy" that the real Duolingo!
Stimulation Clicker
Stimulate your senses
neal.fun
January 10, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Anyone played neal.fun/stimulation-... ?
What a piece or art, worth to complete til the end (takes 30 mins or so)
And their Duolingo version is more representative of their "philosophy" that the real Duolingo!
What a piece or art, worth to complete til the end (takes 30 mins or so)
And their Duolingo version is more representative of their "philosophy" that the real Duolingo!
Icelandic
Portuguese
Greek
Portuguese
Greek
French,
Brazilian Portuguese,
Japanese
Brazilian Portuguese,
Japanese
#langsky
What is your Top 3 most beautiful languages (to listen to)??? (you don't need to speak them)
my top 3:
🇷🇺 Russian
🇧🇷 Brazilian Portuguese
🇸🇪 Swedish
What is your Top 3 most beautiful languages (to listen to)??? (you don't need to speak them)
my top 3:
🇷🇺 Russian
🇧🇷 Brazilian Portuguese
🇸🇪 Swedish
January 8, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Icelandic
Portuguese
Greek
Portuguese
Greek
#langsky do you think language learning can alter the way you think or see the world?
If skeptical, read this amusing story from a Tibetan learner: www.lionsroar.com/learning-tib...
If skeptical, read this amusing story from a Tibetan learner: www.lionsroar.com/learning-tib...
How Learning Tibetan Changed the Way I Think
Translator Estefania Duque shares her journey studying Tibetan, revealing how language shapes the mind, influences perspective, and offers spiritual inspiration.
www.lionsroar.com
December 13, 2024 at 9:55 AM
#langsky do you think language learning can alter the way you think or see the world?
If skeptical, read this amusing story from a Tibetan learner: www.lionsroar.com/learning-tib...
If skeptical, read this amusing story from a Tibetan learner: www.lionsroar.com/learning-tib...
I put all AI-heavy products into 2 boxes:
-A: before AI this was impossible.
-B: before AI this was better; now it is cheaper.
I'm finding most language apps on box B, replacing curated content for AI-blablablaness.
What do you think? And what do you prefer? Do you know any on box A?
#langsky
-A: before AI this was impossible.
-B: before AI this was better; now it is cheaper.
I'm finding most language apps on box B, replacing curated content for AI-blablablaness.
What do you think? And what do you prefer? Do you know any on box A?
#langsky
December 9, 2024 at 1:46 PM
I put all AI-heavy products into 2 boxes:
-A: before AI this was impossible.
-B: before AI this was better; now it is cheaper.
I'm finding most language apps on box B, replacing curated content for AI-blablablaness.
What do you think? And what do you prefer? Do you know any on box A?
#langsky
-A: before AI this was impossible.
-B: before AI this was better; now it is cheaper.
I'm finding most language apps on box B, replacing curated content for AI-blablablaness.
What do you think? And what do you prefer? Do you know any on box A?
#langsky
December 7, 2024 at 8:34 PM
⚠️⚠️ Severely underrated learning resource por people with low motivation 🪫: Phrasebooks! (eg. from Lonely Planet)
-Super cheap 🫰
-Portable 🤏
-200% useful 🤌
-Simple explanations, to the point 🫵
-All substance, no fluff 🙌
You don't need to grind it.
Just short, light, but focused reads. 🙇♀️
#langsky
-Super cheap 🫰
-Portable 🤏
-200% useful 🤌
-Simple explanations, to the point 🫵
-All substance, no fluff 🙌
You don't need to grind it.
Just short, light, but focused reads. 🙇♀️
#langsky
December 3, 2024 at 9:24 AM
⚠️⚠️ Severely underrated learning resource por people with low motivation 🪫: Phrasebooks! (eg. from Lonely Planet)
-Super cheap 🫰
-Portable 🤏
-200% useful 🤌
-Simple explanations, to the point 🫵
-All substance, no fluff 🙌
You don't need to grind it.
Just short, light, but focused reads. 🙇♀️
#langsky
-Super cheap 🫰
-Portable 🤏
-200% useful 🤌
-Simple explanations, to the point 🫵
-All substance, no fluff 🙌
You don't need to grind it.
Just short, light, but focused reads. 🙇♀️
#langsky
Butterflies stubbornly refuse all familiarity.
Latin:
🇪🇸 Mariposa
🇫🇷 Papillon
🇵🇹 Borboleta
🇮🇹 Farfalla
🇷🇴 Fluture
Germanic:
🇬🇧 Butterfly
🇩🇪 Schmetterling
🇳🇱 Vlinder
🇸🇪 Fjäril
🇩🇰 Sommerfugl
Uralic:
🇭🇺 Pillangó
🇫🇮 Perhonen
🇪🇪 Liblikas
Only slavic languages agree on some variation of Motyl. What your favorite?
Latin:
🇪🇸 Mariposa
🇫🇷 Papillon
🇵🇹 Borboleta
🇮🇹 Farfalla
🇷🇴 Fluture
Germanic:
🇬🇧 Butterfly
🇩🇪 Schmetterling
🇳🇱 Vlinder
🇸🇪 Fjäril
🇩🇰 Sommerfugl
Uralic:
🇭🇺 Pillangó
🇫🇮 Perhonen
🇪🇪 Liblikas
Only slavic languages agree on some variation of Motyl. What your favorite?
"Mariposa" (butterfly) has been my absolute favourite Spanish word since long before I could speak the language and "maripostear" as a term for posting on Bluesky is simply too cute! 🦋
#langsky
#langsky
🦋 En @elpais.com ya tenemos botoncico para maripostear 🦋
December 3, 2024 at 8:23 AM
Butterflies stubbornly refuse all familiarity.
Latin:
🇪🇸 Mariposa
🇫🇷 Papillon
🇵🇹 Borboleta
🇮🇹 Farfalla
🇷🇴 Fluture
Germanic:
🇬🇧 Butterfly
🇩🇪 Schmetterling
🇳🇱 Vlinder
🇸🇪 Fjäril
🇩🇰 Sommerfugl
Uralic:
🇭🇺 Pillangó
🇫🇮 Perhonen
🇪🇪 Liblikas
Only slavic languages agree on some variation of Motyl. What your favorite?
Latin:
🇪🇸 Mariposa
🇫🇷 Papillon
🇵🇹 Borboleta
🇮🇹 Farfalla
🇷🇴 Fluture
Germanic:
🇬🇧 Butterfly
🇩🇪 Schmetterling
🇳🇱 Vlinder
🇸🇪 Fjäril
🇩🇰 Sommerfugl
Uralic:
🇭🇺 Pillangó
🇫🇮 Perhonen
🇪🇪 Liblikas
Only slavic languages agree on some variation of Motyl. What your favorite?
Advice from Cal Newport (I recommend his book, if you don't know him) on last newsletter:
"remove all apps from your phone where someone makes more money the more you use it"
How many language learning apps would you have to remove if follow this advice? (reminder: ads = money too)
#langsky
"remove all apps from your phone where someone makes more money the more you use it"
How many language learning apps would you have to remove if follow this advice? (reminder: ads = money too)
#langsky
December 2, 2024 at 2:46 PM
Advice from Cal Newport (I recommend his book, if you don't know him) on last newsletter:
"remove all apps from your phone where someone makes more money the more you use it"
How many language learning apps would you have to remove if follow this advice? (reminder: ads = money too)
#langsky
"remove all apps from your phone where someone makes more money the more you use it"
How many language learning apps would you have to remove if follow this advice? (reminder: ads = money too)
#langsky
Optimist: The cup is half full
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Language learner: The cup is kæn jʊ lɜːn tuː ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒɪz æt ðə seɪm taɪm?
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Language learner: The cup is kæn jʊ lɜːn tuː ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒɪz æt ðə seɪm taɪm?
Optimist: The cup is half full
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Game design: The cup is half full if the number of fillingpoints exceeds the number of emtypoints by at least one. In case of a tie the type of filling wins, that is closer to the starting cup in turn order.
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Game design: The cup is half full if the number of fillingpoints exceeds the number of emtypoints by at least one. In case of a tie the type of filling wins, that is closer to the starting cup in turn order.
Optimist: The cup is half full
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Animation: This youtube video essay about cups is the only thing keeping us going on this project
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Animation: This youtube video essay about cups is the only thing keeping us going on this project
November 24, 2024 at 7:31 PM
Optimist: The cup is half full
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Language learner: The cup is kæn jʊ lɜːn tuː ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒɪz æt ðə seɪm taɪm?
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Language learner: The cup is kæn jʊ lɜːn tuː ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒɪz æt ðə seɪm taɪm?
Underrated learning method: pick a 500-word piece in your TL (a news article, linkedin post, or what have you), and read it *fast* with web translation. When done, read it again in original version (TL).
If too easy, make it a 2000-word piece. If too hard, chop it down into flashcards.
#langsky
If too easy, make it a 2000-word piece. If too hard, chop it down into flashcards.
#langsky
November 22, 2024 at 12:06 AM
Underrated learning method: pick a 500-word piece in your TL (a news article, linkedin post, or what have you), and read it *fast* with web translation. When done, read it again in original version (TL).
If too easy, make it a 2000-word piece. If too hard, chop it down into flashcards.
#langsky
If too easy, make it a 2000-word piece. If too hard, chop it down into flashcards.
#langsky