Learn a languageby actually reading
Lira is a free language-learning web app that teaches through reading real texts.
You make progress page by page, automatically.
0
languages available
Free
no credit card
0 min
a day is enough
0%
retention rate
Method
How Lira works
Session by session, your level moves up.
Start with your text, or ours
Import an EPUB, PDF, URL, or pasted text, ready in 30 seconds. No file handy? Browse our free classics, by language.
Read with translation
Tap an unknown word. Instant translation, context, audio.
Review at the right time
The FSRS algorithm calculates when to revisit each word. Under 5 minutes a day.
The method
Why it works
Context makes words stick.
Context
A word on a flashcard doesn't stick the same way as a word you read mid-story. Context isn't decoration, it's how memory works. Lira saves every word alongside the sentence where you found it.
Er fühlte eine tiefe ardent longingSehnsucht nach der Heimat.
He felt a deep longing for his homeland.
The right level, every text
Lira calculates your real vocabulary coverage for every text and highlights the frequent words worth learning first, before you start. No more guessing: you know upfront whether a text fits your level.
The FSRS Algorithm
Forgetting follows a predictable curve. FSRS tracks it for every word you save. You end up reviewing less and keeping more.
Active immersion
Classic drills train isolated rules, out of context. Active reading goes further: you process meaning in real situations, and what sticks comes from real sentences.
Every word fits into a network of meaning
The brain does not store words as lists. It connects them to contexts, emotions, and semantic families. Lira memorises every word in the exact sentence where you encountered it, so the network builds naturally.
A conjugated form isn't a new word
"had", "hasn't", "has"… these aren't different words, they're forms of the same verb. Lira groups them under their root in your vocabulary notebook, while keeping a separate review schedule for each form.
And also
Everything else, built in
Anchored vocabulary
Every word memorised in the exact sentence where you found it. Not in an abstract list.
Real definitions
A word's real meaning, not just its translation, in your own language. Useful once you read well but want to nail a precise nuance.
Your progress
Words learned, streak, retention rate: your whole journey, at a glance.
Native HD audio
Hear every word and sentence with natural text-to-speech, in all 5 languages.
Crossword puzzles
Review by playing. Grids auto-generated from your own words.
Dark mode
Designed for long sessions. Dark, lightweight, installable on all your devices.
Comparison
Built for retention
Compare with the alternatives. The difference speaks for itself.
| Criterion | Duolingo | Anki | LingQ | Readlang | Busuu | Babbel | Lira |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real content (books, articles) | ✗ | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Memorisation in context | ✗ | ✗ | ~ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| FSRS algorithm | ✗ | ✓ | ~ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Simple, modern interface | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Import your own texts | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Import Anki decks with progress | ✗ | ✓ | ~ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Groups conjugated forms together | ✗ | ✗ | ~ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Difficulty calibrated to your real vocabulary | ✗ | ~ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Frequently asked questions
I finally retain the vocabulary I read, instead of forgetting it a week later.
Aisha, learning Spanish
I quit Duolingo after six months without real progress. With Lira I'm reading real articles in three months.
Marco, learning English
I finished my first novel in German without translating word by word. Spaced repetition genuinely makes a difference.
Priya, learning German
Pricing
Lira pricing: simple and transparent
Free forever. Pro when you want to go further.
Free
Free
Forever, no credit card
- Unlimited in-context translation
- Smart reviews (FSRS)
- Native audio (HD Text-to-Speech)
- Lira Library
- Lira Premium Library
- Unlimited guided lessons
- Unlimited active documents
- High-capacity files (PDF / large EPUB)
- Unlimited built-in dictionary (definitions)
- Unlimited words saved from reading
- Unlimited Anki import with progress
- Export Anki decks
- Unlimited crosswords
- Priority support and early access
Premium
49,90 €
/yr
equivalent to 4,16 €/month
7-day free trial, cancel anytime
- Unlimited in-context translation
- Smart reviews (FSRS)
- Native audio (HD Text-to-Speech)
- Lira Library
- Lira Premium Library
- Unlimited guided lessons
- Unlimited active documents
- High-capacity files (PDF / large EPUB)
- Unlimited built-in dictionary (definitions)
- Unlimited words saved from reading
- Unlimited Anki import with progress
- Export Anki decks
- Unlimited crosswords
- Priority support and early access
Refunded within 14 days, no questions asked
Post a public video (TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube) at least 30 seconds long showing Lira, send the link to hello@readwithlira.com, and get 1 month of Pro free.