There's no point in denying it. Learning a language requires 'flight hours', but the real question is how to get the most out of those hours. The Language Reactor extension proposes adopting a nearly foolproof method: combining audio, video, and text. In other words, Language Reactor helps us learn languages with Netflix and YouTube, taking advantage of thousands of hours in movies, series, and documentaries, while performing simultaneous translation with double subtitles.
In the past we have shared a wide range of resources for learning languages. English remains a priority because of its usefulness, and our list of online sites is still perfectly valid. However, there are also other alternatives such as learning English by listening to music, or even better, using series and movies.
Why is it important? Because it allows us to analyze and understand the context in which a word or phrase is used. Rigid translations and traditional mechanisms completely ignore this detail, causing unintentional errors or the original expression losing its meaning. Fortunately, Language Reactor doesn't fall into that trap. Compatible with Google Chrome, this extension allows us to learn languages with Netflix and YouTube, adding several secondary functions that are very useful.
How to Learn Languages with Netflix and YouTube Using Language Reactor
Language Reactor requires some adjustments when we first activate it. For example, if we create an account, the extension will enable the selection of levels in the Highlight Vocabulary field for the words that appear in the subtitles (the levels are defined by their frequency), but this is not strictly necessary.
In general, the most important settings are the subtitle language (what we are trying to learn) and the translation language, that is, our natural language. Translations can be automatic, or as an alternative, we can ask Language Reactor to load a human translation (as long as it is available).
Things get much more interesting when we return to the video and click on a word. This opens a special menu that pronounces it in a clear and correct accent, and presents examples of alternative uses. Most of those examples are based on the Tatoeba portal, but we also find links to high-profile dictionaries such as Cambridge Advanced, WordReference, or Wiktionary.
Language Reactor's controls have some differences when we load the extension on Netflix or YouTube. At first glance, the number of options seems identical, but on Netflix additional controls are enabled for the audio language, and the possibility to show an extra reference about the position of the subtitles below the video.
In summary, learning languages with Netflix or YouTube has never been so easy. For now, Language Reactor is only compatible with Google Chrome, but the version for Firefox is on its way.
Language Reactor for Chrome: Click here
