Roomie Cafe for language learners
Daily language practice, with a study buddy who shows up too
Roomie Cafe is a free focus timer you share with friends. Start a practice session with whatever you already use, see your study buddy at it too and note what you covered when the timer ends.
- No webcam
- Nothing to book
- Free, no session limit
How it works
Use what you already use
Flashcards, a course app, a textbook or a podcast. Pick a focus area like Japanese and a length from 5 to 90 minutes.
Study when your buddy studies
See which friends are practicing right now, wherever they live. There is no microphone, so nobody hears your pronunciation.
Note what you covered
One line when the timer ends, like 80 flashcards and a page of a graded reader.
What a study buddy is for
A language exchange partner helps you speak. A study buddy helps you sit down every day for the reviews, the reading and the listening that speaking depends on.
Roomie Cafe is for that daily work. It has no calls and no chat, so keep your tutor or exchange partner for conversation and use Roomie Cafe for the practice in between.
Short sessions, most days
Spreading practice over several days is one of the best studied effects in memory research. A 2006 review pooled 317 experiments on remembering words, and spaced study is the habit that language learning rewards.
Twenty minutes most days fits around work and school. Every session fills a square on your heat calendar, so you can see the weeks you kept going.
What language learners get
A focus area per language
Track Spanish and Japanese separately, each with its own total time and weekly goal.
Sessions from five minutes
A quick review before work counts as much as an evening of reading.
Follow your study buddy
See when your buddy starts a session and cheer each other on when it ends.
A shared area for your class
Classmates share one focus area, see each other practicing live and work toward one weekly goal.
Graded readers and textbooks
Add them to your library and log the pages you get through in each session.
Focus Shield on iPhone
Block the apps that pull you away while a session runs, and silence their notifications.
Free on the web and on iOS
Everything you need is free, with no limit on sessions, on the web and on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Android is coming. Supporter is an optional subscription for people who want to fund what gets built next.
Questions from language learners
Is there a free language study buddy app?
Roomie Cafe is free with no limit on sessions. Follow your study buddy, see when they are practicing and log what you each covered after every session.
How do I find a language learning buddy?
Ask a friend learning the same language, a classmate from your course or someone from a language meetup. Then follow each other on Roomie Cafe so you see when the other person sits down to practice.
Can I practice speaking on Roomie Cafe?
Roomie Cafe has no calls or chat. Use it for the daily study around speaking, and pair it with a tutor or a language exchange for conversation.
Does it work with my language app?
Yes. Roomie Cafe is a timer that runs next to whatever you use, from flashcards to a course app or a textbook.
How long should I study a language each day?
Short sessions on most days tend to work better than long ones once a week. Fifteen to thirty minutes a day is a common place to start.
Can our class share a goal?
Yes. Invite your classmates into a shared focus area. Everyone's practice adds up to one total, and you can set a goal for the week together.