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Using Glossika: General
[iOS/Android] How can I use Glossika to learn a new language?
[iOS/Android] How can I use Glossika to learn a new language?
We recommend that you make use of the "full practice' mode in order to learn actively.
Tess Yang avatar
Written by Tess Yang
Updated over a week ago

This guide will explain:

  • How to add a new language course on Glossika

  • Getting accurate results from the placement test

  • Starting your first session

  • To see this content for the desktop, click here.


Glossika curates and optimizes the language learning process: all you have to do is log in each day and work through the content we've prepared for you.

Currently, we offer two main study modes:

  • Full-practice Mode: typing, dictation, listening, recording, and recall exercises for an intense training session

  • Listening-only Mode: listening exercises that can be done hands-free or even in the background (on iOS), with an option to also do recording exercises

  1. Use full-practice mode to have a more intense and active learning experience

  2. Work through your review items before going on to learn new content — reviews add up!


To add a new language course:

1. If you are new to the Glossika iOS/Android app, you'll be automatically directed to the course list and asked to select a language to learn.

2. If you’d like to add another language later on, simply click the "arrow’’ button located in the upper-left corner.

3. This is your course list. Click the “plus” button to add a new language.

4. After clicking the “plus” button, you will be prompted to select a ''base language'' and a ''target language''. First, set your base language — your native language or a language that you are fluent in. Translations will be given in this language.

5. Next, select your target language — the language you wish to learn.

6. Next, you’ll see a page entitled “What best describes you?”

If you’re totally new to the language, select ‘’I’m a complete beginner.’’ You’ll be placed in the “A1 low” level.

7. If you already know some of the languages, click the ‘’Test my level’’ button to take a placement test.

To get the most accurate results, you should know that:

  1. Our test is on the honor system — cheating or guessing will cause you to miss out on several thousand useful learning items

  2. This is intended to be a production test — most people can understand better than they can speak, but you should only mark an answer as correct if it's something you're confident you could spontaneously express yourself in a real conversation

  3. Our test tends to place people above their actual level — if you're on the fence with a question, select "start from this level" instead of guessing

  4. Our A1 content is actually pretty difficult, grammar-wise — you'll probably encounter some new stuff there even if you've worked through a beginner textbook already


To switch between learning modes:

1. Once you are on the "Course" page, click on the “Learn New Items” or ''Review'' button located in the top/bottom region of your screen

2. Once in session, please click on the "wheel'' button located in the top-right region of your screen.

3. flip the “switch” located in the top right corner of your screen. If you see a “headphone” icon, you are in listening-only mode. If you see a “flash” icon, you are in full practice mode.

Note: Glossika separates new items from review items, and your settings are unique to each set of items. We think this separation of settings is important because we, as learners, approach new and old content differently. (Perhaps, for example, you would like the audio for old content to play at one speed and the audio for new content to play at another.) If you wish to have universal settings, you will have to make changes to both sets of settings.

And you're set! Our algorithms will guide your learning from here on out. 😉

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