- Wordpause
- Wordpause vs Language Reactor
Coming soon for Windows and Chrome
Wordpause vs Language Reactor: the alternative that also works on your desktop
Language Reactor works inside the browser. Wordpause also works in VLC and other desktop players, with the films on your PC.
Paused Pero alguien me quiere matar.
The short answer
Which one should you use?
If you watch Netflix and YouTube in Chrome and like two subtitle lines on screen, Language Reactor is a good fit. If you also watch films in VLC or another desktop player, have burned-in subtitles, or prefer one subtitle line and a lookup only when you need it, Wordpause is the alternative.
Language Reactor (earlier called Language Learning with Netflix) is a browser extension that adds dual subtitles and a pop-up dictionary to Netflix and YouTube. It is the most installed tool of its kind.
Wordpause is built around one gesture: hover a subtitle and the video pauses; hover a word and you see what it means. It comes as a Chrome extension and as a Windows tray app that reads subtitles off the screen.
Side by side
Wordpause and Language Reactor compared
| Wordpause | Language Reactor | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Chrome extension and Windows tray app | Browser extension |
| Netflix and YouTube in the browser | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop players (VLC, mpv, PotPlayer, MPC) | Yes: reads subtitles off the screen | No |
| Burned-in subtitles | Yes, in the Windows app | No |
| Two subtitle lines at once | No: whole-line translation on request | Yes |
| Saved words and review cards | On every plan, including Free | See their site for what each plan includes |
| Free plan | Yes: 30 lookups a month | Yes, with a paid Pro plan |
| Price | From $3.99 a month, or $2.67 a month billed yearly | See languagereactor.com |
Checked in November 2026. Language Reactor’s features and prices change; see their site for current details. Wordpause is in development.
How Wordpause works
One movement of the mouse
-
Hover the subtitle
The video pauses the moment your cursor touches the line.
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Hover the word
See what it means, with real example sentences. Drag across a few words to translate a phrase.
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Move away
Playback carries on from the same frame. Save the word first if you want to review it later.
Questions
Before you ask
Is there a Language Reactor desktop app?
Language Reactor runs in the browser. To look up words in a desktop player such as VLC you need a tool that reads the screen, which is what the Wordpause Windows app does.
Does Language Reactor work with VLC?
No, it works on video sites in the browser. Wordpause works with VLC, mpv, PotPlayer, MPC-HC, MPC-BE and Windows Media Player.
Can I use Wordpause for local video files?
Yes. Play the file in your usual desktop player with subtitles on. Wordpause reads the subtitle on screen, so the file and its subtitle format do not matter.
Can I keep both installed?
Yes. In Chrome you can switch Wordpause off for a single site from its toolbar menu and use the other extension there.
Which languages does it support?
Subtitles can be read in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Ukrainian, Japanese and Korean, and translated between those languages.
Is it available yet?
Not yet. Wordpause is in development. Write to wordpause@releasium.com and we will tell you when it is ready.
How much will it cost?
There is a free plan with 30 lookups a month. Paid plans start at $3.99 a month, or $2.67 a month billed yearly. See plans