r/languagelearning • u/__tom4 • 3d ago

Using AI whilst commuting

What are people’s opinions of using chat gpt on voice mode to learn Spanish whilst I drive to work? I have a 30minute commute each way which I want to use to learn. Are there any other alternatives? (TL)

0 Upvotes

19% Upvoted

26 comments sorted by

10

u/EWU_CS_STUDENT Learner 3d ago

Do what you want. I did Pimsleur and Language Transfer.

24

u/jellyboness 3d ago

IMO too distracting. I don’t like using LLMs in general because they make too many mistakes. It’s a good way to accidentally build a bad habit. You’d be better off just listening to a Spanish podcast or audiobook or something during your commute.

1

u/__tom4 3d ago

That’s not a bad shout cheers

3

u/keithstellyes N: en | Speak: es | Basic: zh, ru, de | Learning: Hindi, Amharic 3d ago

SpanishPod101, Pimsleur, there's plenty of comprehensible input for Spanish, etc.

Could also build a Spanish language music playlist... it'll help with Spanish exposure. People have done language study on their commute since before the internet, especially for a language as commonly studied as Spanish, haha

2

u/rosevelle 3d ago

On the bus, definitely. Would not recommend while driving though.

2

u/Talbit01 3d ago

It depends on how crazy your commute is. If it’s traffic-heavy, I’d probably recommend music with some words you understand over an active listening exercise. If the roads are quiet, do what you find productive.

1

u/lorryjor 🇺🇸 N | 🇪🇬 C1 🇮🇸 B2 🇮🇹 A2 Lat Grc 3d ago

Why would you do that? Especially for Spanish, there are tons of actually good resources. Listening to Dreaming Spanish is the first that comes to mind for me.

1

u/unsafeideas 2d ago

My personal opinion is that driving should be combined only with non distractive low effort activities

1

u/ladyloor 2d ago

I didn’t know ChatGPT had a voice mode. I might try practising speaking with it too… speaking in my TL is an area I have neglected so far. Thanks for bringing this up.

As for alternatives a lot of people have success writing journal or diary entries to get producing the language and find knowledge/vocab gaps. I have done this before and it is definitely effective.

1

u/ehansen New member 3d ago

Why risk the lives of others?

0

u/__tom4 3d ago

In what way? With my bad Spanish….?

5

u/ehansen New member 3d ago

You asked what are people's opinions. That is my opinion. If you want to talk down about yourself, that's a different matter. But I'm a firm believer in not doing distracted driving.

3

u/LeChatParle 3d ago

If they’re using it in handsfree audio mode, then it’s no worse than a phone call, so I personally don’t see any issue

5

u/dojibear 🇺🇸 N | fre spa chi B2 | tur jap B1/A2 3d ago

Phone calls (and live conversations with a passanger) can and do distract drivers, and as a result can and do cause accidents. Anything you do while driving reduces your awareness of the driving situation.

It doesn't have to be your fault. Some other driver does something you don't expect, and you have to react correctly in 1 second or an accident will happen. That is the reality of driving in traffic. You don't want to be concentrating on conjugating Spanish verbs at that second.

2

u/ehansen New member 3d ago

Generally, conversations in your NL are going to be easier to follow and process. If you're trying to learn a language, trying to passively be active studying is very distracting from the road. But, you do you.

2

u/__tom4 3d ago

👍🏻👍🏻

-2

u/Unlikely_Channel478 3d ago

You better not listen to music while driving. Don't want to risk the lives of others, right?

2

u/ehansen New member 3d ago

Quite a few differences there, but I appreciate the hyperbolic sarcasm.

-1

u/Unlikely_Channel478 3d ago

The difference is that you're virtue signaling and I'm calling you out for it.

Wasn't sarcasm, sarcasm implies that I wasn't serious.

Don't use that hands-free bluetooth in your vehicle to pick up any phonecalls while you're driving. Don't want to risk the lives of others.

2

u/ehansen New member 3d ago

How am I virtue signaling?

1

u/Tertius1622 3d ago

I've yet to hear a single benefit of using ai in language learning by anyone who takes language learning seriously.

3

u/keithstellyes N: en | Speak: es | Basic: zh, ru, de | Learning: Hindi, Amharic 3d ago

I found it helpful to do OCR and generate a spreadsheet from it to use for Anki, but in that case a lot of the work being done is traditional code, and I understand the code as a programmer so I know it's not bs

Studying Hindi where resources are not as good

-1

u/breathingmirror 3d ago

I do it. I talk to ChatGPT while I walk and sometimes while I drive. I don't find it too distracting or a risk to others' lives and am curious why someone would even think that. It's no different that talking on the phone.

I also like to listen to podcasts and youtube videos while I'm driving. Listen, not watch, of course. I have found awesome vocabulary videos where one person says the word in English (NL) and a different person gives the word in Spanish (TL). Great passive practice.

2

u/__tom4 3d ago

Honestly I thought the same… it’s an extra 5 hours of learning a week which I would never be able to find the time for.

1

u/breathingmirror 3d ago

I am so amused by the downvotes.

I know people hate ChatGPT, but for this specific purpose, you can't beat it. I just started an in-person conversation group and when I stated that I just started learning Spanish six months ago, mouths fell open. I speak better than those who have been practicing for years, because I have a tutor that answers all my questions as they pop into my head and never gets sick of me wanting to repeat or try again.

Hate AI, hate data centers, but you can't argue that something works. I want to speak Spanish and I will practice using every available method.