Coming From Duolingo: What Changes When You Read Real Books

In short: if a lesson-by-lesson course got you started, pimReader is a good next step once you can follow simple sentences and want the real thing. You choose the text. Words you don't know get a small translation above them, and the ones worth keeping become flashcards. It is not a replacement for a beginner course.

pimReader runs on Android phones and tablets. You can learn English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Polish or Portuguese.

What is the same

• A short daily habit. A few minutes of reviews a day, with a reminder notification if you want one.
• Words that come back. Cards return on a schedule, so you meet a word again before it fades.
• Speaking practice. You say a phrase and get a pronunciation score from 0 to 100 and tips (AI).

What is different

• You pick the text. A novel, a news site, a film with subtitles, your own EPUB or PDF. Nothing is written for the app.
• Translations sit above the words you don't know, so you keep reading. Tap a word for the full dictionary entry.
• No fixed path. If you want one, ask the AI Mentor for a course for your goal and level (AI). You steer it.
• No points, no streak counter, no leagues. There is a reminder to review, nothing more.
• Your words come from what you read. Tap the word, tap its translation, tick Memorize, and it becomes a flashcard that comes back when you're likely to start forgetting it.

A good first week

1. Choose the language you learn and your own language, and let the dictionary download.
2. The vocabulary estimate opens (its title is Estimation of Vocabulary). If you know no words yet, leave Word Count at 0 and tap OK. If you can already read a little, scroll the list of common words to the point where they stop looking familiar, stop a little early, and tap OK: everything above that point is marked as known. You can redo it later in Settings → Languages → Estimate Your Vocabulary.
3. Pick a short text you want to read: a chapter, an article. If almost every line has a coloured word, choose something easier: a graded reader (an easy book written for learners), or a fairy tale or children's story from ＋ → Free books.
4. Keep five to ten words a day with Memorize, and tap the Exercise card on Home each day for reviews.
5. Once, try Ask AI → Speaking practice.

What it won't do

• It has no built-in beginner course. Use the AI Mentor to write one, or a textbook.
• It won't import your progress or word list from another app.
• It has no streaks, leagues or points. If those keep you going, a course app may still suit you for that.
• It is less of a game: the first days take more effort, because you choose your own material.
• Only seven languages can be learned: English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Polish and Portuguese.
• pimReader is a personal app; it has no class or teacher features.
• iPhone, Mac and Windows versions are coming soon.

If you want structure, start with Start a New Language From Zero. If you can already read simple sentences, try Your First Novel in a New Language.

Reading, translations and daily reviews (the Exercise card on Home) are free; the AI course, Ask AI and Speaking practice use AI, which is part of pimReader Plus. When you open an AI feature, pimReader offers Try free for a month: no card, no account, nothing renews. Tap Not now to carry on without AI.