FAQ

Common Questions

How ToApr 20263 min

What Is the Best Sentence Mining Tool?

The best sentence mining tool should support local files, instant audio slicing, and direct Anki export. Compare Language Reactor, browser tools, and SubSmith.

How ToApr 20263 min

How Do You Start Sentence Mining?

Start sentence mining in 4 steps: pick level-appropriate content, generate subtitles, mine one unknown word per sentence, and export directly to Anki.

How ToApr 20263 min

What Is the 4-Sentence Rule in Sentence Mining?

The 4-sentence rule helps keep mining efficient: one target sentence, plus enough surrounding context to understand meaning and tone without overload.

How ToApr 20263 min

How Do You Sentence Mine Effectively?

Effective sentence mining means choosing i+1 sentences, limiting daily new cards, keeping clean audio clips, and reviewing consistently without burnout.

Anki IntegrationApr 20263 min

How Many Anki Cards Per Day Is Optimal?

Most language learners should start with 10-25 new Anki cards per day. 40+ often causes burnout unless review habits and card quality are strong.

Anki IntegrationApr 20263 min

When Should You Not Use Anki?

Do not rely on Anki alone when you lack input, context, or motivation. Anki works best as support for immersion, not as a complete language strategy.

Anki IntegrationApr 20263 min

Is Anki Just Memorization?

Anki is memorization, but effective learners pair it with immersion. Use Anki to retain high-value patterns from real input, not isolated word lists.

Anki IntegrationApr 20263 min

Can You Learn a Language With Only Anki?

Anki alone can build vocabulary retention, but fluent listening and reading usually require native input, sentence context, and real exposure.

Anki IntegrationApr 20263 min

Best Anki Card Templates for Sentence Mining

The best sentence mining template is simple: sentence plus audio on the front, one key meaning on the back, and optional screenshot context.

Anki IntegrationApr 20263 min

Is Anki Free? Complete Pricing Guide

Anki is free on desktop and Android, sync through AnkiWeb is free, and the main paid app is AnkiMobile on iPhone and iPad.

Anki IntegrationApr 20264 min

Best Anki Japanese Settings for Anime Sentence Mining

A practical Japanese Anki setup: conservative new-card limits, audio-first sentence cards, and review settings that stay sustainable.

Switching from...Apr 20263 min

Can Duolingo Make You Fluent?

Fluency reality check: Duolingo builds beginner foundations, but real fluency requires sustained native input and review workflows.

Switching from...Apr 20263 min

What Is Replacing Duolingo for Serious Learners?

What replaces Duolingo in practice: immersion stack with native content, sentence mining, and Anki-based spaced repetition.

How ToApr 20263 min

What Is the Best Way to Learn a Language?

The best language learning method is input-first: comprehensible native content, focused review, and steady speaking practice over time.

How ToApr 20263 min

Can You Become Fluent in 6 Months?

You can make major progress in 6 months with focused daily input, but full fluency depends on language distance, hours, and consistency.

How ToApr 20263 min

How Many Hours Per Day Should You Learn a Language?

For most learners, 45-90 minutes daily is the sustainable range. 30 minutes works for gradual progress, while 2+ hours accelerates fluency.

How ToApr 20263 min

Is N3 Enough to Live in Japan?

N3 is a useful intermediate milestone for daily life, but most jobs and paperwork-heavy environments still push learners toward N2.

How ToApr 20263 min

What Is the 80/20 Rule in Japanese?

The 80/20 rule in Japanese means prioritizing the highest-frequency vocabulary, grammar, and kanji that unlock the most comprehension first.

How ToApr 20263 min

Can You Learn With Just Comprehensible Input?

You can make major progress with comprehensible input alone, especially in listening and reading, but most learners still benefit from review and some output.

How ToApr 20263 min

Do Polyglots Have High IQs?

Polyglots do not need unusually high IQs. Their edge usually comes from systems, time on task, consistency, and repeated exposure.

How ToApr 20263 min

Active vs Passive Input: Which Works Better?

Active input drives faster language gains than background passive exposure, but both have value when used deliberately.

How ToApr 20263 min

How Many Words Do You Need for B2?

Many learners reach practical B2 with roughly 4,000 to 6,000 word families, but listening range and collocation depth matter as much as raw counts.

Switching from...Apr 20263 min

Does Language Reactor Work on Amazon Prime or Any Website?

Compatibility-focused answer: Language Reactor is limited to supported browser contexts and does not universally work across all websites or local files.

Switching from...Apr 20263 min

Language Reactor Pricing: Is It Worth It?

Language Reactor pricing depends on free vs paid features. Compare recurring subscription value against your workflow and local-file needs.

Switching from...Apr 20263 min

Is Language Reactor Legal to Use?

Language Reactor legality depends on jurisdiction and platform terms. Users should review service ToS and local laws before relying on extension workflows.

How ToApr 20263 min

What Are the Limitations of Whisper AI?

Whisper AI is strong, but common limitations include hallucinations on silence, weak speaker diarization, and lower accuracy in noisy or accented audio.

How ToApr 20263 min

Is Whisper AI Free? (Local vs API)

Whisper model weights are open-source and free to run locally. Hosted API usage is typically paid per minute or per token.

How ToApr 20263 min

Is Whisper Good for General Transcription?

General ASR quality answer: Whisper performs strongly for multilingual transcription, especially with clean audio and larger model variants.

Switching from...Feb 20263 min

Is Anki Like Duolingo? (Quick Answer)

Anki and Duolingo solve different problems. Quick answer for beginners choosing between app gamification and spaced-repetition workflows.

Switching from...Feb 20263 min

Why Are People Getting Rid of Duolingo?

Many users hit a wall around the 365-day streak. Here's why serious learners are switching from Duolingo to Anki and immersion methods.

How ToFeb 20263 min

What is the 10,000 Sentence Method?

The 10,000 sentence method is a language learning strategy for achieving fluency through mass sentence mining. Here's how it works and how to speed it up.

How ToFeb 20263 min

Does Sentence Mining Actually Work?

Yes, sentence mining works when you use i+1 sentences, clean audio, and a sustainable review load. Learn the workflow that avoids burnout.

How ToFeb 20264 min

How to Setup AnkiConnect for SubSmith: Step-by-Step Guide

Learn how to connect SubSmith to Anki using the AnkiConnect add-on. Fix connection issues and enable one-click sentence mining.

How ToJan 20265 min

Watch MKV with Dual Subtitles + Transcription

Browser extensions fail on MKV and HEVC files. Learn how SubSmith plays them natively and overlays AI transcription on top of existing subtitles. No conversion required.

How ToJan 20266 min

Whisper vs Auto-Generated Subtitles: Why Large Wins

Whisper AI subtitle accuracy: compare results vs auto-captions, learn when edits are needed, and choose the right model for reliable subtitles.

How ToJan 20265 min

Turn Video into Text Transcript (SRT/TXT)

Convert video to transcript and export SRT or TXT for study. Create readable transcripts from local files without cloud upload delays.

Switching from...Jan 20267 min

Desktop Alternative to Language Reactor

Language Reactor alternative for local files: SubSmith works offline with any MKV or MP4. No browser extension, no streaming-platform dependency.

Local File WorkflowsJan 20268 min

Sentence Mining from Local MKV Files

Mine sentences from local MKV files with dual subtitles, accurate transcription, and direct Anki export. Offline workflow with no cloud upload.

Anki IntegrationJan 20266 min

Stop Recording Audio for Anki. There's a Better Way.

Auto-slice Anki audio from video with precise timestamps. Skip manual recording and export sentence cards with clean clips in one click.