Second
LanguageLearn Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, or English through immersive RPG-style gameplay

Introducing Second Language App

Second Language is a new RPG-style immersive game for learning a new language. It is inspired by well-known classic RPGs like Golden Sun, Pokémon, and Final Fantasy, and seeks to create an immersive, quest-based learning process where in-game unlocks and language acquisition occur together.

The game begins in a small village, and you have to explore: collect items, talk to other characters, and complete quests and challenges to make progress. All the in-game content is in the language you are learning, so as you progress in the game you naturally get exposure to more and more native language content in the language you are learning.

Our goal is to create an end-to-end learning experience that can take you from beginner to advanced proficiency in a new language. Fluency is a long-term goal that requires native immersion. However, our vision with Second Language is to build a compelling learning foundation that gets you off the ground with the 2,000–3,000 most common words in a new language.

What can I learn now?

The current intro course provides:

• Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and English content
• 250 vocabulary terms and 2,500 practice sentences
• 5,000 words of dialogue
• Audio pronunciation of every word and sentence, in male and female voices
• Reading, listening, speaking, and writing practice challenges
• 20+ hours of gameplay
• Free to play now on Android, iOS, and the web

If you are comparing options, we keep an honest roundup of every language learning RPG.

Supported Languages

Spanish, Chinese, English

Available on

iOS, Android, web

Price

100% FREE

Second Language RPG is free to download and play as a mobile app on the App Store and Google Play, and can also be played directly in a web browser on a desktop computer.

Free learning resources

Guides, word lists, and tools for each language we teach, and every word and sentence in our courses.

• Spanish

  • Spanish Resources →
  • Spanish course →

• Mandarin Chinese

  • Chinese Resources →
  • Mandarin course →

• English

  • English course →

Read the blog: how people really learn languages →

Questions people ask

Short answers about what the game is and how it teaches.

Is there an RPG that teaches you a language?

Yes. Second Language RPG is an open-world role-playing game built for language immersion. Instead of answering quiz questions to power a battle, you explore villages, talk to characters, and complete quests that are written entirely in the language you are learning. It is a free mobile app on iOS and Android, with the same game playable in a desktop browser.

Where can I download Second Language RPG?

On the App Store for iPhone and iPad, or on Google Play for Android. On a desktop computer you can play the same game in your browser at play.second-language.app with no download, and your progress syncs between the apps and the browser.

Is Second Language RPG on Steam?

No. Second Language RPG is available as a free mobile app for iOS and Android, and you can also play in a desktop browser at play.second-language.app. Your progress syncs between the apps and the browser.

Can I play Second Language on my computer?

Yes, in a desktop browser at play.second-language.app, with the same account and progress as the iPhone and Android apps. Phone browsers are directed to the store apps, which are the better experience on a small screen.

Which languages can I learn in Second Language?

Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and English. The game explains things in your own language while every in-game conversation stays in the language you are learning.

Is Second Language free?

Yes, completely. Second Language is 100% free on iPhone, Android, and in a desktop web browser, with no subscription or in-app purchase. The intro course covers 250 vocabulary terms, 2,500 practice sentences, and about 5,000 words of dialogue over more than 20 hours of play.

Do I need to know any of the language before I start?

No. The game starts from zero. Vocabulary is introduced in context, every sentence has audio, and you only move forward once you have shown you understood.

How is this different from Duolingo?

Duolingo teaches with short translation drills. Second Language teaches through comprehensible input: you read and hear real dialogue inside a game world, and progress depends on understanding it. Spaced repetition runs underneath, so words come back until they stick.

How is it different from other language learning games?

Most language games attach vocabulary exercises to a separate game loop, so the game rewards you for finishing drills. In Second Language the game itself is in the target language. Comprehension is the mechanic, not a mini-game beside it.

Does it teach speaking and listening, or only reading?

All four. Every sentence has audio, and quests include listening, reading, writing, and speaking challenges so you practice each skill in context.

Can I learn Spanish by playing a game?

Yes. Second Language has a Spanish course where the villagers, quests, and puzzles are all in Spanish, with hints in English. You start from zero, hear every sentence spoken aloud, and progress by understanding what characters say rather than by translating drills.

Is there a game like Pokémon that teaches Chinese?

The closest Pokémon-style game is LangLandia, where you collect and battle beasts while learning Mandarin among other languages. Second Language is different: instead of collecting monsters you explore an open pixel-art world where every conversation is in Chinese, so the language itself is what you are collecting. Both are free to start.

Is there a Stardew Valley for language learning?

Not exactly, but Second Language is the nearest thing: a top-down pixel-art world of villages, farms, and countryside where you walk around and talk to characters, except every conversation is in Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, or English and understanding it is how you progress. There is no farming loop. If you want farming specifically, Lingo Legend has a cozy farming mode beside its card battles.

Is there an HSK 1 vocabulary game?

Second Language’s Mandarin intro course covers about 250 words and 2,500 sentences, including about half of the 300 HSK 1 words, and every word appears in voiced sentences inside quests rather than on flashcards. Characters show pinyin and English on tap, and spaced repetition brings words back until they stick. See the full HSK 1 vocabulary list →

Does Second Language teach Chinese characters and pinyin?

Yes. Dialogue is shown in simplified characters, and you can reveal pinyin and an English translation for any sentence with one tap. You meet each character inside a scene you can see and a sentence you can hear, which is far easier to remember than a character on a card. Handwriting is not required.

Can I learn English with Second Language?

Yes. The English course is built for Spanish and Chinese speakers and works the same way as the others: the world is in English, explanations are in your language, and you progress by understanding what characters say.

Is Second Language for kids or adults?

It is written for teenagers and adults: the dialogue is everyday adult conversation, not children’s vocabulary, and there are no ads or in-app purchases. Older children who can read comfortably in their own language do fine with it.

How long does it take to finish the intro course?

More than 20 hours of play, depending on how much you explore. Most people take it in 20 to 30 minute sessions over a few weeks. By the end you have met about 250 words in context and can follow simple conversations in the language.