Meet our incredible LanGOATs! Learning a new language takes passion, dedication, time, and diligence, and we’re especially proud of the impressive gains these students have made with their target languages. Read more about the motivations behind their language learning journeys, their ultimate goals, and the rewards and successes they’ve already realized so far!
ASHLEY (애슐리) LEWIS
Target language: Korean
About me: I am currently a senior at UNT studying Studio Art with a concentration in Printmaking. I grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan and moved to Texas with my family when I was 16. I'm a big fan of the outdoors, I have a ton of houseplants at home and a lot of my art and photography is based off places I've visited as well as my plants.
What is your favorite word/phrase in your target language and why? 괜찮아 is one of my favorite words, it's fun to both write and speak. I also say "its fine" or "no, its okay" a lot in my daily life so this is a word that I would probably use frequently.
What is the most useful/coolest/surprising thing you've learned so far about your target language? I knew that Korean used honorifics, but it's been surprising just how much the levels of honorifics changes both how you speak and the actual words that you use. Sometimes it's hard to wrap my brain around since its pretty different from English but its cool to hear honorifics used in different contexts, like conversations on TV or announcements at the airport, and see how nuanced the language is.
What can you do now with your target language that you couldn't do before? I can order food in Korean and have short exchanges with people at the store. I also like watching K-dramas and can understand basic conversations on TV, which is helpful to hear common phrases and native speakers talking.
What are your ultimate language learning goals? Ultimately, I would like to become fluent in Korean. I am planning on moving to Korea and want to be able to develop relationships with people in my target language, as well as being comfortable going about my daily life in Korea.
What LanGo learning activities, approaches, and/or materials do you feel has helped you the most? The writing assignments have helped me to get more comfortable with writing in Korean, as well as getting used to using grammar and vocabulary in different contexts. I also always look forward to conversation hour, its a lot of fun to chat with people also learning Korean and is useful practice too!
DALTON (ダルトン) SMITH
Target language: Japanese
About me: Hey everyone! My name is Dalton Smith, a born and raised Texan. First thing about me is I am a huge nerd I love anime, gaming, movies, and music in addition to being a sweet tea and fried chicken fanatic. I have two degrees for music business and music production, in which I own my own production company and have done work for companies such as Adidas, Google, Logitech and music artists. I also do a weekly podcast with my best friend called Step Brothers Podcast where we talk about all these things. Last but not least I am recently married to my wife Chelbie (pronounced like Shelby) and we hope to one day open up an anime lounge here in TX then retire and move to Japan.
What is your favorite word/phrase in your target language and why? Hmmm.... I actually have two: the first one is 分かりません - wakarimasen to not understand because thats how I feel when a new topic is brought up haha. The second one would definitely be ときどき - tokidoki which means sometimes and I just really like this word because it rhymes.
What is the most useful/coolest/surprising thing you've learned so far about your target language? I really love how there is so little grammar in Japanese you can say what needs to be said and don’t have to worry about punctuation or capitalization or run on sentences. Also as daunting as Kanji is and may seem once you learn the writing system they help identify a lot of things on the page and they make sentences a lot more clear.
What can you do now with your target language that you couldn't do before? I can read and write hiragana and katakana with no reference materials. Kanji is a always a continual process but I understand how they are used and can piece together what is intended now with that visual information.
What are your ultimate language learning goals? I truly want this to be my second language and be able to speak and listen clearly and comfortably.
What LanGo learning activities, approaches, and/or materials do you feel has helped you the most? My greatest resource would be my teacher, Tyler. He creates lessons for me every week that cater to my needs and we speed up or slow down when needed until a concept is fully grasped. I am a hands on learner which is why having some place to go to and have a 1 on 1 class with an instructor is the best thing I can ask for. Thank you guys for being so helpful and keep up the good work!
BO (WILL) WANG
Target language: English
About me: I'm from China. I came to US for a master degree 7 years ago and then worked as a software engineer.
What is your favorite word/phrase in your target language and why? “Kick off”: I feel it's a very vivid phrase to replace the word "start".
What is the most useful/coolest/surprising thing you've learned so far about your target language? When I listened to dialogues, I thought I got their general idea, but after my instructor Tyler pointed out the weaken or linked words in the sentences I was surprised at how many words or even meanings, jokes, and sarcasm I missed in these dialogues.
What can you do now with your target language that you couldn't do before? I can hear the pronunciation difference with closed vowels and consonants, and I can tell the weaken or linked words in the sentences.
What are your ultimate language learning goals? To convey my idea accurately with natural pronunciation.
What LanGo learning activities, approaches, and/or materials do you feel has helped you the most? First of all, 1 to 1 classes with Tyler help me a lot, and I really appreciate the help from him. I can see my improvement and I'm confident in my future learning results. And the English conversation hours and other social events are really good. They add some variety, and I learn a lot of native phrases and idioms.
CHARITY (CARIDAD) CRAWFORD
Target language: Spanish
About me: I'm a bit of a nomad; I can't stay in one place for too long. I've had the pleasure of traveling to several countries and I also work remotely, so I have been able to see much more of the U.S. In addition to traveling, my other passion and joy is being an auntie to my adorable nieces and nephews.
What is your favorite word/phrase in your target language and why? This is a tough question; there are so many words in Spanish that I love to say! One of my favorites is the word "alrededor" which sounds like you're saying "around the door" really fast, so that helps you remember its meaning. ;)
What is the most useful/coolest/surprising thing you've learned so far about your target language? Spanish strikes me as a very adaptable language. It'll adopt English words and put a Spanish spin on them. It'll take old Latin words and give them a modern twist. There are many borrowed elements but it's still a versatile, unique language. I appreciate that what you see is what you get with Spanish. Meaning, a word usually sounds exactly how it looks, and I certainly can't say that for English!
What can you do now with your target language that you couldn't do before? I'm particularly excited about being able to sing along to some songs in Spanish. Granted, I still have to listen to the song at least 20 times to fully understand the lyrics, but you definitely wouldn't have heard me singing along to songs in Spanish a few years ago. Look out, Julio Iglesias.
What are your ultimate language learning goals? My ultimate goal is to have a full conversation with someone in Spanish and to be able to fully understand what they're saying to me, as well as be able to fully communicate what I want to say to them without having to "dumb it down" to only easy words or short sentences. I will feel a supreme sense of accomplishment when that happens!
What LanGo learning activities, approaches, and/or materials do you feel has helped you the most? love how my teacher Marison gives me a lot of free rein when it comes to learning Spanish. I'm someone who enjoys traveling and writing stories, and so I'm able to use those hobbies and interests to enhance my learning and make it even more fun. The video lessons are great, and I really enjoy the warm-up activities and playing games. I also really appreciate that Mari understands that I have a busy life outside of our lessons, and some weeks I'm able to get in more practice than others, but she never judges me for how much or how little I might have gotten done that week. For this reason, among many others, I always look forward to our time together.
CALEB (迦勒) DIAZ
TARGET LANGUAGE: MANDARIN CHINESE
About me: I'm Caleb, a typical bass player, yoga and hiking guy. I also like to read. I'm from Colorado Springs, but I've lived everywhere. My language learning journey started with the COVID shutdowns. I played a lot of Duolingo to stave off boredom, and it all just snowballed from there.
What is your favorite word/phrase in your target language and why? Probably 多美好的一天！It means 'what a lovely day,' and I got it from a book that really helped me reach a new level of understanding (with my teacher's guidance, of course). This phrase involves 2 common tone changes, so it makes for good practice. Also, it makes me think of that Bill Withers song, 'Lovely Day.' The first time someone understood me saying this phrase was a fun moment: I had caught a customer by surprise at my retail job by mentioning that I knew any Chinese at all. When I said the phrase, I could see the gears turning behind his eyes before he smiled and nodded as he realized that, yes, in fact it was a lovely day! It helped that it was a sunny, 75 degree spring morning.
What is the most useful/coolest/surprising thing you've learned so far about your target language? The most surprising thing so far is that practicing the raw tones of the language has increased my breath capacity. I thought to train my vocal cords by simply producing the tones in succession, 1st through 4th. I would then utter phrases like 非常感謝 (Fēicháng gǎnxiè, or 'thank you very much'), which includes the tones in successive order. This not only helped with my tones, but it also increased the strength of my voice and my breath capacity! Wasn't expecting that at all.
What can you do now with your target language that you couldn't do before? Particularly since coming to LanGo, I can put together the pieces I had gathered from playing Duolingo. Tyler has taught me so much more than I ever thought I would learn, and I can now understand syntax in a way I never could before. While this is still a struggle for me, I now can look back to sentences I've memorized from our Dialogues in the John DeFrancis series of 'Beginning Chinese' and the children's book series 'Mina Learns Chinese.' In short, studying at LanGo took me from reciting some words and phrases to understanding how to use the language to truly speak Chinese.
What are your ultimate language learning goals? The end of my answer to the last question takes me exactly to my answer for this question: To think in Chinese. I have had a few moments where I've studied just right or simply been hearing so much Mandarin around me that my brain sort of switched into "Mandarin Mode." This has not happened too many times, nor is it something that I can just do at will- my vocabulary and grammar just aren't there yet. But these glimpses of thinking in a new language inspire me to keep up the momentum.
What LanGo learning activities, approaches, and/or materials do you feel has helped you the most? An easier question would be "what hasn't helped?." When Tyler and I started, he began with the basics. We maintained this practice of the raw syllables and tones to get a standard accent down. The fact that it was a 'standard' accent helped, too, as I would later learn from native speakers. He used a combination of 'Beginning Chinese' and his own flash cards while being open to any and all questions from me. He introduced the Cangjie system while also watching me start to recognize other elements of the written language. He gave me sentences from 'A Modern Book of a Thousand Characters' to introduce elements of syntax. At a certain point, we started playing board games in Mandarin. Listening exercises at school gave me inspiration to do listening exercises at home, too. Whenever relevant, he has offered cultural insight from his time living in China. I suppose what has really helped the most is the teacher. Being included in other language workshops has helped, too! Keep up the amazing work, everyone!
MADELINE (매디) LOPEZ
Target language: Korean
About me: I’m a high school senior from Dallas-Fort Worth studying Korean since late 2017. I’m a lover of words in general, whether they be English or Korean words. Music and a strong curiosity have been the greatest impetus in my language learning journey.
What is your favorite word/phrase in your target language and why? My favorite word is probably 파이팅/화이팅! (fighting/hwaiting!). It is used to give encouragement in a way that feels different from any English word. Over time it has been frustrating to try and give someone support with phrases such as “Good luck”, it just doesn’t feel as strong as 화이팅.
What is the most useful/coolest/surprising thing you've learned so far about your target language? One of the most useful things, and kinda cool, that I have learned is that some words come from Chinese. It’s similar to how some English words come from Latin. These words borrowed from Chinese are known as “Sino-Korean” words, and if you learn quite a few, you will be able to guess what certain words mean. For example if a word ends with -실, there is a good chance it is a type of room. Such as a bedroom 침실, an office 사무실, or a beauty parlor 미용실.
What can you do now with your target language that you couldn't do before? I can understand it and speak it more confidently than before. In addition to this, the language looks much less daunting than before, so I can read it and listen to it with less worry or stress.
What are your ultimate language learning goals? My ultimate goal is to be able to speak the language very well. Speaking is much harder than understanding and reading. I want to have a broader vocabulary and speak with good pronunciation.
What LanGo learning activities, approaches, and/or materials do you feel has helped you the most? Many things have helped me a lot... I suppose the biggest help has been to speak out loud in class and to go through real-world situations. I’m a really shy person, as well as a perfectionist, so speaking the language out loud with no “script” can be scary. LanGo has helped me to come out of my shell a bit.
ADRIAN JAMAL COOKS
Target language: SPANISH
About me: I was born in Dallas, Texas and I am currently 25 years old. I am a complete nerd when it comes to learning and I have a passion for listening. I am a podcast junkie: particularly with the Duo lingo Spanish podcast. I love learning about the stories of how individual's lives tie into the macro factors that drive a society forward!
What is your favorite word/phrase in your target language and why? "Poco a poco mejoraras" — that phrase translates to "little by little you will improve". I love this phrase, because it drives to continually grow. This is cross applicable: whether I'm learning Spanish or working on a personal project! No matter what the situation is, keep moving forward.
What is the most useful/coolest/surprising thing you've learned so far about your target language? The regional variance between different countries to convey the same idea fascinates me. For example, when you're in the United States, a lot more Spanglish is used. (e.g. "so" instead of "entonces" as a filler word)
What can you do now with your target language that you couldn't do before? After one year with a combination of private instruction with Marison, Tyler and Levi as well as using external resources, I can express emotions and interests in Spanish verbally. My reading skills have vastly improved in Spanish, particularly with current events through the leaders I follow.
What are your ultimate language learning goals? Complete a minimum of 6 hours a week of Spanish practice this year. Translate my Linkedin profile entirely in Spanish by next year. Host one TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course for Spanish speaking students learning the English language. Successfully travel to a predominantly Spanish-speaking Central or Southern American country AND be able to navigate on my own.
What LanGo learning activities, approaches, and/or materials do you feel has helped you the most? The proctored online instruction approach gives me the opportunity to learn on a personalized basis. I love the flexibility to challenge myself and pique my curiosity. Marison is excellent about guiding me through the gaps in my knowledge of Spanish!
ALEXIS (렉시) GARCES
Target language: Korean
About me: I am 26 years old. Born and raised in Texas. Part time college student.
What is your favorite word/phrase in your target language and why? My two favorite words would 안녕하세요. Since it is one that most people know and it's a beginner word as well it's like an introduction into a new culture experience. My second word would be the #4 사 for that even though it is looked at as more unlucky or unwanted it is the day of the month I was born on and is my favorite number.
What is the most useful/coolest/surprising thing you've learned so far about your target language? Once I learned Hangeul it felt more at ease when it came to everything else. Learning a language with a different alphabet was scary at first.
What can you do now with your target language that you couldn't do before? Even though I don't know on an expert level, when going out I can try and say the words in the grocery stores and also at restaurants.
What are your ultimate language learning goals?I'm hoping to incorporate it in my schooling degree eventually. Hopefully be able to travel over to South Korea on my own and stay there long term.
What LanGo learning activities, approaches, and/or materials do you feel has helped you the most? Even though there is a lot of vocab to go over when it comes to a new language. I am a repetitive learner so it's helped when we review in class and also on my own. I do have two note books where I rewrite everything to try and intake it all better. Also being in a group class has been great since we all have a similar interest in learning a new language. I appreciate that our 산생님 gives us encouraging feedback and is rooting for her students to try even if we're not confident about it. 화이팅!