- Wordpause
- Video player for language learning
Coming soon for Windows
The best video player for language learning is the one you already use
Wordpause adds pause-on-hover, word lookup and saved words to VLC, mpv, PotPlayer and Stremio. You do not have to switch players.
Paused Pero alguien me quiere matar.
The short answer
Which video player is best for learning a language?
You do not need a special one. A player helps you learn when it can pause on the line, explain a word and let you save it. Wordpause adds those three things to the player you already have on Windows, by reading the subtitles off the screen.
Players made for learners usually ask you to move your films into them, and some handle fewer file formats or subtitle types than a general player.
A separate tool on top of your usual player keeps everything you already like: your formats, your shortcuts, your settings.
What to look for
What a language learning video player needs
Pause without the keyboard
Hover the subtitle and the film stops. Move away and it continues from the same frame.
Word and phrase lookup
Hover a word for its meaning and example sentences. Drag across a few words to translate a phrase, or translate the whole line.
Saved words with their line
Each saved word keeps the subtitle line it came from and comes back as a review card.
Works with any subtitles
Text tracks, image subtitles and burned-in ones are read the same way, because Wordpause reads the picture.
How it works
One movement of the mouse
-
Hover the subtitle
The video pauses the moment your cursor touches the line.
-
Hover the word
See what it means, with real example sentences. Drag across a few words to translate a phrase.
-
Move away
Playback carries on from the same frame. Save the word first if you want to review it later.
Players
Works with these out of the box
| Player | Recognised automatically | More |
|---|---|---|
| VLC media player | Yes | VLC subtitle translator |
| mpv | Yes | mpv subtitle translator |
| PotPlayer | Yes | PotPlayer subtitle translator |
| Stremio | Yes | Stremio subtitle translator |
| MPC-HC, MPC-BE, Windows Media Player | Yes | |
| Any other app | Choose it from the tray menu |
Questions
Before you ask
Do I have to switch video players?
No. Wordpause runs in the Windows tray and works with the player you already use.
Does it show two subtitles at once?
No. It keeps the original line and translates a word, a phrase or the whole line when you ask.
Does it work with films that have no subtitle file?
It needs subtitles on screen. If they are burned into the video, that is enough; if the film has none at all, there is nothing to read.
What about Netflix and YouTube?
In the browser, use the Wordpause Chrome extension. It does the same thing on YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+.
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