Podlingo

an AI-powered tutor and podcast-based English speaking learning app

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Inspiration

As a non-native English speaker, I’ve always struggled to find a practical, engaging way to improve my speaking skills. Traditional apps often felt disconnected from real conversations or native speaker flow. I wanted something that combined the immersive experience of TikTok, the structured learning of Anki, and the personal touch of a native teacher — all in one place. That’s how Podlingo was born: a way to learn English naturally, just like we listening podcast on Spotify or scroll TikTok, but designed for language growth.

What it does

Podlingo helps English learners practice and improve their spoken English through short podcast videos, AI-powered flashcards, and 24/7 conversations with a native-like AI teacher. The app allows users to:

  • 🎥 Scroll through short, engaging podcast videos (like TikTok, but for language learning)
  • 🗣️ Tap on any word or phrase to instantly see meaning, sound
  • 🧠 Save words as flashcards and review them with spaced repetition
  • 🧑‍🏫 Practice speaking through AI-native roleplay conversations
  • 🎯 Session with AI Expert to get your speaking score (IELTS mock test)

How we built it

We built Podlingo as a mobile app using:

  • Expo for cross-platform development
  • Supabase for DB, storage, edge function
  • Lingo.dev for words translation
  • Tavus provide 1:1 Session feature
  • ElevenLabs text to speech (podcast audio), speech to text (subtitle and highlightin word), conversational ai (daily practice feature)
  • RevenueCat subscription and in app purchase

Challenges we ran into

  • Generating high-quality, engaging podcast content at scale (limited GPU resource)

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

  • 🚀 Building an immersive, modern way to learn English
  • 🔗 Seamless integration of multiple AI tools into one flow
  • 🧠 Making learning contextual — from real content, not boring drills
  • 🗣️ Creating an AI that feels like a human tutor
  • 👨‍💻 Shipping a working MVP solo during the hackathon

What I'm learned

  • 🧩 Context-based learning > rote memorization
  • 🤖 AI + good UX = magic for education
  • 🎨 Multimodal formats (video + audio + flashcards) increase engagement
  • ⚙️ Low-code platforms like Supabase + Lingo.dev help move fast
  • 🔄 Personalization is key for long-term learning motivation

What's next for Podlingo

  • 🌍 Expand support to other languages (Spanish, Japanese, etc.)
  • 🎙️ Let users record their own mini podcasts for peer review
  • 📲 Launch fully on Android
  • 🏫 Partner with ESL schools and educators worldwide

✨ With Podlingo, we’re reimagining English learning — fun, fast, and fluent. ✨

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