Two new apps have been launched this year to help foreign residents understand and master the Luxembourgish language.<\/p>\n
LuxVoice<\/a> is a free app that supports everyday communication by translating from any language into Luxembourgish and allows users to copy text, listen to or share audio. <\/p>\n Co-creator of the app Ankit Goel, who came to live in Luxembourg in 2015, and again with his family in 2021, said Google Translate currently does not have an audio function for Luxembourgish, making it harder for language learners to be sure their pronunciation is correct. <\/p>\n \u00a9 Photo credit: Ankit Goel <\/p>\n Co-creator of the app Ankit Goel, who came to live in Luxembourg in 2015, and again with his family in 2021, said Google Translate currently does not have an audio function for Luxembourgish, making it harder for language learners to be sure their pronunciation is correct. <\/p>\n His app also incorporates a speech to text feature to convert Luxembourgish into written text.<\/p>\n Everyday communication in Luxembourgish <\/p>\n \u201cThis is to make everyday communication easy and accessible. It allows translation from any language into Luxembourgish, and you can convert spoken Luxembourgish into text and text into speech,\u201d said Goel. <\/p>\n Plans are also in place to convert Luxembourgish into other languages with the hope to launch this functionality later this year. However, you can currently share audio output on WhatsApp if you want to send a message in Luxembourgish. <\/p>\n We have test cases from native speakers, and what the translation should be, and we use our set of rules and AI-based translation<\/p>\n Ankit Goel <\/p>\n Goel admitted that the current translation element of the app uses Microsoft Azure Translator which is not completely reliable, but said his company is using a set of rules for the orthography of Luxembourgish, which when added later this month, will achieve greater translation accuracy. <\/p>\n \u201cWe have test cases from native speakers, and what the translation should be, and we use our set of rules and AI-based translation, but it can be improved more with further test cases,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Passing the Sproochentest <\/p>\n Goel has developed another app to help those wanting to learn Luxembourgish, but it has a price tag. Whilst you must pay an annual fee of \u20ac100 for his Sproochentest app<\/a>, Goel said this is value-for-money given that online and in person lessons cost significantly more. <\/p>\n Designed to help users pass the INLL (Institut national des langues Luxembourg) Sproochentest, the app has core speaking modules including picture descriptions and topic question and answers often covered in the test. <\/p>\n There are also listening comprehensions and speaking practise, together with an exam-day walk through guide, and live Luxembourgish radio streaming. <\/p>\n \u00a9 Photo credit: Ankit Goel <\/p>\n There are also listening comprehensions and speaking practise, together with an exam-day walk through guide, and live Luxembourgish radio streaming. <\/p>\n \u201cThe focus is on practical and exam-orientated learning. It is built for people who want to take the test for citizenship.\u201d <\/p>\n You can also check how well you are pronouncing Luxembourgish, and there are fun study materials. When users read Luxembourgish text or listen to audio content in the app, they can also view an English translation. French and Portuguese translations will be added soon. <\/p>\n Goel explained that the information came from collaboration with existing Luxembourgish teachers, and materials available on public platforms such as INLL\u2019s LLO.lu platform. <\/p>\n \u201cThat is a great website to learn the language in a formal way, but our app focuses on the Sproochentest, it\u2019s a crash course you can do in three months.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cListen, mimic, speak\u201d <\/p>\n Goel\u2019s wife has been preparing for the Sproochentest, which is compulsory for third-country nationals who want to become naturalised Luxembourgish citizens. <\/p>\n Their son, who attends a local school, was helping her with the pronunciation. That gave Goel the idea for the app to help her \u201clisten, mimic, and speak\u201d. <\/p>\n \u00a9 Photo credit: Ankit Goel <\/p>\n Their son, who attends a local school, was helping her with the pronunciation. That gave Goel the idea for the app to help her \u201clisten, mimic, and speak\u201d. <\/p>\n The number of people sitting the Sproochentest has grown each year, with a pass rate of approximately 70%. <\/p>\n Goel highlights that cross-border workers take the exam, and that Portuguese speakers are the biggest segment of the population who take the test according to his research. <\/p>\n \u201cYou can listen whilst travelling to work, at night, whenever you have free time.\u201d <\/p>\n Both apps can be downloaded from Google Play Store for Android, with iOS versions available shortly. The apps will be upgraded at the end of March and currently have about 100 users. <\/p>\n Other Luxembourgish language apps and platforms <\/p>\n You can learn Luxembourgish for free on LLO.lu<\/a>, which includes online exercises, tests, and activities. You can test your current level and follow a personalised path. The platform has virtual conversation tables, games, general knowledge on history, cinema and sport, and a section on Luxembourgish culture \u2013 handy for the citizenship test. You can view the site in English, French, and German. \u00a0<\/p>\n Inll.lu gives a breakdown of the Sproochentest exam format here<\/a>, together with sample listening comprehensions and oral expression tests. <\/p>\n You can also access all audio files for the Schw\u00e4tzt dir L\u00ebtzebuergesch books from A1 to B2 at this website<\/a>, and download an app to listen to them on your phone. \u00a0 <\/p>\n The Luxembourg Online Dictionary<\/a> (LOD) is the place to get an accurate translation of vocabulary (from German, French, English, Portuguese, and Dutch). <\/p>\n LOD has developed orthotrainer.lu<\/a>, where anyone can practise not only Luxembourgish spelling with exercises, but also view spelling rules. It has over 400 exercises that playfully introduce spelling. <\/p>\n The government-run spellchecker.lu<\/a> allows you to check spelling in text in Luxembourgish. If you want to check verb conjugation and different verb tenses, you can do so on verben.lu<\/a>, which has been put together with the help of ZLS (Centre for Luxembourgish Language). <\/p>\n Saz.lu<\/a> provides a dictionary and uses several sites including LOD to source word translations. It also has a spellcheck tool with which you can upload up to 2,500 words to check. <\/p>\n