How AI is Helping Me Conquer Portuguese Pronunciation
Explore the power of AI in language learning and see how it improved my Portuguese pronunciation and listening skills.
Let’s Face It – I’m Bad with Learning Foreign Languages
I've got to admit something: I’m terrible at learning foreign languages. Really, it's like my brain has a built-in filter that messes up pronunciations. Maybe it's because I have a lazy ear, making it hard for me to catch the right sounds. It’s the same with music. As a trumpet player (or at least I used to be), I can read and play the notes just fine, but when it comes to ad-libbing or picking up tunes by ear, I fall short.
Background
Over the years, I’ve tried my hand at a few languages. I’ve managed to converse in Bahasa Indonesian and Spanish because they’re phonetically close to English. Learning enough to get directions and order a meal was a must when I travelled for business to many different locations.
But Portuguese? That’s a whole different ball game. While the vocabulary comes easily, understanding native speakers and getting the pronunciation right is a real struggle for me.
Except for "Outra cerveja, por favor," of course! I can ask for another beer in a dozen different languages! But I’m determined to spend more time in Portugal, learning to make Portuguese tarts! After all, it was a Portuguese tart recipe in my crime triller, FALSE TRUST, that help solve a murder mystery and save the heroine!
Call to Action
So, what’s my secret weapon in this linguistic battle to speak Portuguese? AI, and specifically, HumanTalk. About a year ago, I discovered a Paul Ponna app called HumanTalk. This app has over 800 voices in numerous languages and includes TextWriter, a poweerful generative AI tool that can whip up everything from social media taglines to full articles.
Here's how I use HumanTalk (and Notion) to learn Portuguese:
In HumanTalk, choose a voice (a Portuguese one in my case and I chose Rafael as he spoke a little slower than the other male Portuguese voices).
Enter the English text and translate it to Portuguese (I copy both the English and Portuguese text into a two-column Notion page - this is important).
Name, save, and download the translated audio file and then upload the audio into Notion
In minutes, I have a complete set of lessons with English and Portuguese text side-by-side and audio files ready to play. My pronunciation has been improving remarkably quickly. I’m loving it!
Upcoming Blogs and Other Resources
In future posts, I'll dive into more of Paul Ponna’s AI apps. These tools aren’t just for language learning but also for creating speaking avatars with lip-syncing, generating images and videos from text, and much more. And the best part? They’re all available as lifetime deals.
Here’s a sneak peek at the apps I’ll be reviewing soon: But if you can’t wait, here’s a link and overview of each one to explore:
Most of these apps come with a $20 discount, bringing the price down to $49 each for a lifetime license. That’s a steal! Just a heads up, the upgrade bundles are tempting, so you might end up spending a bit more – I certainly did! The value is unbeatable.
And the best part? All Paul Ponna apps, including HumanTalk, come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. So, there’s no risk in trying them out.
If you’re struggling with learning to speak or understand a foreign language, HumanTalk might just be the solution you need. Stay tuned for more reviews and tips on using AI in everyday life, and let’s embark on this language-learning journey together!
Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments. Have you used any AI tools for language learning? How did they work for you? Share your thoughts or drop me a comment.
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