The latest articles on DEV Community by Echoly (@echoly). https://dev.to/echoly https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F4145817%2Fba53e105-206b-418e-a95d-f12a2deab526.png https://dev.to/echoly en Echoly Sun, 27 Sep 2026 18:36:02 +0000 https://dev.to/echoly/show-dev-i-built-echoly-an-ai-app-for-practicing-real-spoken-conversations-in-a-new-language-15el https://dev.to/echoly/show-dev-i-built-echoly-an-ai-app-for-practicing-real-spoken-conversations-in-a-new-language-15el <p>I kept a Duolingo streak going for months and still froze the first time I actually had to order food in Spanish. Vocab drills and matching exercises are good for recognition, but they don't prepare you for a real back-and-forth conversation — so I built Echoly to skip straight to that part.</p> <h2> What it does </h2> <p>Echoly puts you in a spoken conversation with an AI partner through everyday scenarios — ordering coffee, making small talk, handling a doctor's visit — in whatever language you're learning. It responds in character, corrects you when you slip up, and keeps the conversation moving instead of waiting for you to pick the right multiple-choice answer.</p> <h2> Stack </h2> <p>Node.js backend, Firebase for auth/data, and an LLM driving the conversational partner. Frontend is a single-page app.</p> <h2> Try it </h2> <p>It's free to use: <a href="https://echoly-enjr.onrender.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://echoly-enjr.onrender.com</a></p> <p>Would love feedback from anyone who's hit the same wall — comfortable with an app, not with an actual conversation.</p> showdev ai languagelearning webdev