If you’ve ever set out to learn a new language, you know how hard it can be to stay motivated. Apps like Duolingo have made the process more fun by turning lessons into games. Now, Google is stepping into the world of language learning with its own set of creative, AI-powered tools designed to make learning more natural and enjoyable.
The new feature, called Little Language Lessons, is part of Google Labs and uses its Gemini AI technology to power a series of interactive experiments. These tools help you learn useful words and phrases based on real-life situations, such as ordering at a café or finding help during travel troubles.
Try bite-sized lessons based on real-life moments
The first tool is called Tiny Lessons, and it’s all about giving you quick and helpful language tips. You start by choosing the language you want to learn and your situation — catching a flight or trying to find your hotel. From there, the tool offers you a set of vocabulary words and phrases tailored to your scenario.
You’ll also get small tips on using phrases politely or correctly for that situation. At the end of each section, you can press the See More button to explore extra phrases and words, giving you a broader understanding of how to speak in that context.
Learn slang and speak like a local
The second experiment, called Slang Hang, helps you go beyond textbook learning. It creates pretend conversations between two native speakers and focuses on casual, everyday language. This includes slang and phrases that locals use, often not covered in standard lessons.
Each dialogue includes a translation feature, so if you encounter an unfamiliar phrase, you can easily check its meaning. This tool is handy to sound more natural and confident in everyday conversations.
Point, snap, and learn with Word Cam
Word Cam is the most exciting tool in the set. It uses your phone’s camera to identify objects around you and instantly shows you their names in the language you’re trying to learn. This turns your surroundings into a real-time vocabulary list.
For example, in a kitchen, you can snap photos of items like a spoon, plate, or oven, and the app will tell you how to say each in your chosen language. It’s a fun and practical way to quickly build your word bank based on what you see daily.
At the moment, the number of supported languages is still limited. Depending on your tool, you can choose from Chinese, French, Spanish, German, English, Portuguese, and Russian. Some languages also allow you to pick specific dialects — such as Austrian German or Argentinian Spanish — to learn common phrases in particular regions.
You can find Little Language Lessons by heading over to Google Labs. Keep in mind that this is still an early-stage experiment. Since AI powers it, Google advises users to double-check any information they learn against trusted sources, just to be sure.
With this new set of tools, Google is entering the language learning space—and it might just give Duolingo some competition.
