Getting started
Sound and pronunciation
Audio is not synthesised on your device when you tap play: the pronunciation is recorded in advance and kept on the server as a separate file per word. Your device downloads it, plays it, and then stores it locally so the next time needs no connection.
Why it is recorded in advance
A prepared recording sounds the same for everyone and does not depend on which voices your device has installed. For a tonal language that matters: device-side synthesis easily distorts a tone, and a wrong tone is a different word.
It follows that the first playback needs an internet connection. Offline, only what is already stored on your device will play.
What is stored on your device
Audio you have loaded once stays with you and plays instantly without a connection afterwards. That is why sound usually works offline in material you have already covered, but not in new material.
If there is no sound
Check in order, from the most common cause to the rarest:
- Volume and silent mode — the switch on the side of a phone mutes apps too.
- Internet — audio you have not loaded before needs it.
- The app’s permission to play sound, and the sound settings inside the app.
- Another part of the app: sound working in one section but not another is a useful detail for support.
Choosing a voice
Study settings let you choose a word voice. Beginners can also use learning voices with clearer pronunciation; the selection depends on level. Word examples can use the chosen voice when a recording exists. Dialogues and long texts have their own audio.
When audio is prepared for the first time
Audio for a new text or sentence may be prepared after the first tap. If Safari asks you to tap again, retry playback; the ready recording does not need to be generated again. A loading error and a browser playback block can look similar, so tell support what happened after you tapped.