If you've tried Duolingo, Babbel, classes — and you still can't hold a real conversation — you're not the problem. The method is. Discover the StoryLearning Method® with Olly Richards.
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If you've spent 5 years on Duolingo and still can't learn the basics…
If you've moved to France for retirement and still can't follow a dinner conversation…
If your brain seizes up the moment someone speaks to you in Japanese…
It's not your age. It's not your memory. It's the method.
The average StoryLearning student had been trying to learn their language for this long before they found us. Often more than once. Often quietly giving up.
What Duolingo, Babbel, Rosetta Stone and most school courses do — and why they fail
How your brain actually learns — and why it works
Gain a true foundation in the language.
Start reading for pleasure and hold short conversations.
Talk about your life, your work, your interests.
Have real conversations. Watch a movie without subtitles.
Express yourself naturally, including humour and nuance.
Speak with the depth, humour, and nuance of a native conversation.
Tell us where you are. We'll show you the next step.
Take the 2-minute level test →
Olly's bestselling Short Stories series has helped readers in 60+ countries learn a language the same way they learned their first one — through stories they actually want to finish.
It was 2004. I was in a small village high up in the Andes — 2,780m above sea level.
I'd been trying to learn Spanish for months. Nothing was sticking.
Then, at 3am, I woke up and couldn't breathe.
(Altitude. Turns out you should acclimatise.)
I sat on the balcony, terrified, gulping at the thin air. Too scared to go back to bed, I picked up a Spanish book that had been gathering dust in my luggage.
Gabriel García Márquez. Crónica de una Muerte Anunciada.
By morning, I'd worked out something nobody had ever taught me:
You don't need to know every word. You can learn a language by reading a story you love.
That moment became the StoryLearning Method. I've used it to learn 8 languages since — and it's worked for over a million students who'd given up on every other method.
— Olly "Still Breathing" Richards
Here's what changed for them.
"I've had years of classes & Rosetta Stone in French, Italian, Arabic & Polish. At most I achieved 'tourist-talk.' Just 10 weeks of beginner Spanish StoryLearning and I have solid conversational skills & confidence to try them!"
"I can't even begin to describe how much this course has changed my life. In 2 months, I have learned more Spanish than in all 4 years I took of it in HS and college. I am actually understanding native speakers!"
"This Spanish course is by far the best I've ever come across. As an ex English Language Teacher, I have very high expectations & this course exceeds them. As a result, I'm now engaging in long Spanish conversations with locals in Mallorca."
"I've done a lot of courses, including at the University of Salamanca. This is the first course that really helped me to comprehend some language. Even my Spanish wife has noticed increased fluency in comprehension and speaking."
"I didn't consider myself a language person. I was worried I'd never really get it. But having completed Spanish Uncovered, I now feel confident reading and speaking Spanish for real. Thank you, Olly."
"The best Spanish language course I have ever purchased! I have tried everything to better my speaking skills but nothing sticks like StoryLearning. Simple to understand, fun, motivating, and encouraging!"
We've heard you loud and clear. Hidden prices and hard sells are everywhere in language learning. We won't do that to you.
Good to know
Yes. Some of our most successful students are in their 70s and 80s. The StoryLearning Method actually plays to the strengths of an older brain — context, life experience, and the ability to focus on a story for more than 30 seconds at a time. Apps designed for teenagers don't have that advantage. You do.
Probably better than what you've tried before. Stories are inherently engaging, which helps with ADHD. The reading-first approach helps with dyslexia (you can re-read at your pace, no pressure). The audio is paired with text, which helps with hearing difficulty. We have students with all of the above.
Duolingo gamifies the Parrot Method — repetition, drills, and word lists, just dressed up in green owls and streaks. StoryLearning works the way your brain naturally acquires language: through context, curiosity, and stories you actually care about. Most of our students are former Duolingo users. They tell us the difference is night and day.
Fair question — we know the language learning space is full of dodgy offers. The card is required so the trial converts seamlessly to a full subscription if you love it. But: we'll email you 24 hours before the trial ends, and you can cancel in one click from your account. If you're still uncomfortable, our books on Amazon are a no-card way to try the method first.
No. One click in your account. No phone calls. No "wait, before you go" gauntlet. We'd rather you leave easily and remember us well.
10–15 minutes a day is enough to make real progress. The method is designed to fit around real lives — commutes, lunch breaks, evenings with a cup of tea. You don't need to block out an hour.
You probably bought courses that taught you about the language. StoryLearning teaches you to use the language — by giving you stories you want to read and methods that match how your brain actually works. The first 10 days will tell you everything. If it's not for you, cancel.
You've waited long enough. The StoryLearning Method has worked for over a million people. The next 10 days could be the ones you finally look back on as the turning point.
Start your free 7-day trial →We'll email you 24 hours before your trial ends. Cancel in one click.
Set 90-day goals. Plan your daily practice. Track your progress. Created by Olly, used by tens of thousands of language learners worldwide.
We'll email you the planner immediately. Unsubscribe anytime.