Como

Become an expert speaker in any language through daily conversations with AI. Practice speaking, learn the culture, and become a connoisseur in your language of choice.

Comment 2

Inspiration

My language learning story started like many others—I wanted to learn how to speak Portuguese, so I downloaded a popular app and began a long journey of daily challenges and vocabulary learning. This app worked great to take me from zero to intermediate, but then I hit a plateau.

I could speak the language at a conversational level, but something was missing. I didn't want to just speak the language—I wanted to speak like a native, understand the cultural nuances, and become the kind of person who could have truly engaging conversations about culture, history, politics and more.

But the only way to truly perfect these aspects of a language is through real conversations.

As voice AI technology improved, I discovered that speaking and practicing with AI was the perfect solution. But basic AI conversations got boring fast, and I felt that I could create a better experience.

What it does

Como helps intermediate language learners become expert speakers through daily AI conversations that go beyond basic practice. The app features:

  • Intelligent topic suggestions that introduce you to cultural aspects like history, politics, food, and local customs
  • Dynamic conversation flow where the AI suggests follow-ups and takes you down interesting rabbit holes, making conversations more engaging as they progress
  • Visual transcripts so you learn through both hearing and seeing the words
  • Click-to-translate functionality for instant vocabulary help on any word, generated by AI to translate a word based on context
  • Gamified practice sessions that keep you motivated to return daily

How we built it

The mobile app development process began in Bolt, where I used it to build out the initial framework and understand the technical specifications and packages needed for the project.

The mobile app was then completed using Expo React Native, with integrations for 11Labs (conversational AI) and OpenAI (translation functionality). The app connects users through Clerk authentication and stores data via Supabase.

I also built a companion web app completely in Bolt that allows users to preview the conversational AI experience directly in their browser and join the waitlist for the mobile app. This dual-platform approach lets people experience the core functionality immediately while building anticipation for the full mobile experience.

Challenges we ran into

The primary technical challenge was integrating multiple platforms—Clerk, Supabase, 11Labs, and OpenAI—and making all these packages work seamlessly together. The biggest hurdle was getting 11Labs to function natively inside an Expo React Native mobile app, which required extensive troubleshooting and custom implementation.

Beyond the technical aspects, iterating on the design and discovering the app's visual identity proved surprisingly challenging. I went through many design iterations throughout the development process, and the brand identity—inspired by vintage travel posters and comics—really only came together in the final stretch. Finding that perfect balance of wanderlust, fun, and modern usability took considerable experimentation.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

As a product designer by trade, this is the first app I've built completely myself. Without tools like Bolt, this wouldn't have been possible. Having a fully functional app in TestFlight that real people can download and use feels like a tremendous achievement—and knowing it will launch to the App Store soon makes it even more exciting.

I'm equally proud of the brand identity that emerged from this process. Drawing from my childhood love of vintage comics and travel posters, plus my passion for travel, I created something that I feel is genuinely unique in the language learning space. The brand captures that sense of adventure and discovery that makes daily practice feel like embarking on an adventure rather than completing a chore.

What we learned

Building Como taught me that the intermediate-to-advanced language learning space was incredibly underserved. Most apps focus on beginners, but there's a huge population of learners who can already converse but want to reach native-level fluency and cultural understanding. In fact, half of the world speaks a second language already, meaning that the potential market for this app is many orders of magnitude larger than apps focused on beginners.

What's next for Como

Como is currently available in TestFlight with a companion website for testing the conversational AI. I will be launching it publicly to the App Store in the coming weeks. In terms of functionality, the next steps include:

  • Tracking and updating user's proficiency level scores automatically based on their conversations
  • Adding more gamification features to augment the interactive experience
  • Building the IP for the Como "world" included fully animated characters
  • Expanding to additional languages beyond the current four offerings

The goal is to become the go-to solution for intermediate language learners worldwide who want to make that final leap to expert-level fluency and cultural understanding.

P.S. please reach out directly and I will send you an invite to the TestFlight for the mobile app: natewatkin@hey.com

Built With

Share this project:

Updates