CadentiaThe Cadentia blog
Language learning, out loud.
Practical guides for Italian, Greek, Spanish and French: travel, heritage, exams, and why you understand a language but can't speak it yet.
Why Can I Understand a Language but Not Speak It? What Research Says
Why you can follow a conversation but freeze when it's your turn: recognition vs recall, receptive bilingualism and the affective filter, explained.
B1 to B2 Spanish: How Long It Takes and What Actually Changes
How long B1 to B2 Spanish takes depends on hours, input and speaking. Commonly cited ranges, what B2 means in practice, and what to work on in speech.
Best AI Language Tutor for Spanish and French Speaking in 2026
How to choose the best AI language tutor for Spanish or French speaking practice, with ChatGPT, Speak, Praktika, Duolingo Max and Cadentia compared.
Common Spanish Mistakes English Speakers Make When Speaking (and How to Fix Them)
Eighteen Spanish mistakes English speakers keep making in conversation, each with what people say, the better version, and why. Fixes for intermediate learners.
Duolingo vs Babbel vs Busuu vs Pimsleur: Which Gets You Speaking?
Duolingo, Babbel, Busuu and Pimsleur compared on what they do for speaking, plus what to use after you finish a Duolingo course.
How to Maintain a Language (or Several) You Already Speak
Keep a language from fading: short regular speaking, a rotation for several languages, and what to do with no one to talk to. A practical maintenance plan.
How to Practice Speaking French Alone: With AI, ChatGPT, or Just Your Voice
Practice speaking French on your own with shadowing, recordings and AI. What to fix first: liaison, passé composé vs imparfait, tu/vous, fillers and gender.
How to Practice Speaking Spanish Alone (Free, With AI or Without)
Practice speaking Spanish by yourself: talk out loud daily, record yourself, then fix the mistakes that repeat. A routine with real sentences and corrections.
The Intermediate Plateau in Language Learning: Why You Stopped Improving
Why progress stalls at intermediate level, how to tell which plateau you are on, and the changes in practice that restart it. Includes a two-week reset.
italki and Preply Alternatives: AI Practice vs a Human Tutor
Looking for an italki or Preply alternative? What AI speaking practice does well, what only a human tutor can do, and how to use both.
Speak vs Duolingo vs Pimsleur vs ChatGPT: Which Is Best for Speaking Practice?
Speak, Duolingo, Pimsleur, ChatGPT and Cadentia compared by the job each does best, so you can pick the right tool for speaking practice.
Do AI Language Tutors Work? How to Tell a Real One from a Chatbot
Do AI language tutors actually work for speaking? What research suggests, four tests for any tool, and where an AI tutor falls short compared with a person.
AI Tutor vs Language Apps vs Human Tutor: Which Should You Use?
Language apps, human tutors and AI voice tutors do different jobs. A fair comparison of what each is best at, where each falls short, and how to combine them.
Finished Duolingo and Still Can't Speak? Why, and What to Do Next
A long Duolingo streak and you still freeze in real conversation. Why it happens, what the app can and can't do, and what to do next to start speaking.
How Spaced Repetition Works: SM-2, Anki and the Memory Science
What spaced repetition is, how Anki's SM-2 algorithm schedules reviews, what the forgetting curve shows, and where SRS helps and doesn't help speaking.