Yapper

Team

Selina Song
Brandon Yoon

Role

Co-Founder
Product Designer

Timeframe

January 2025 - April 2025

Yapper is a language learning app focusing on real life application and conversation. It utilizes social media and slang to allow users to learn practical terms and phrases used in real conversations. Yapper launched on the app store in March 2025.

Problem

All that Duolingo and still no Spanish?

Most language apps prioritize grammar drills and formal phrases over how people actually speak. The result is learners who can read a textbook but freeze in real conversation. They lack exposure to slang, cultural context, and the natural flow of everyday speech.

Research

Why Traditional Methods Fall Short

Surveys and interviews with 1,600+ language learners uncovered a clear disconnect:

  • 49.5% struggle most with speaking, yet most apps prioritize reading and writing

  • 60% prefer speaking and listening practice, while grammar overload slows down

  • 31.4% of learners who want practical usage instead

User Interviews

Real Challenges in Language Learning

Traditional apps over-index on grammar and structured lessons, neglecting the methods learners actually respond to like music, film, and real conversation. The next step was designing an immersive experience centered on practical, conversational language that reflects how people truly speak.

Design Process

Ideation

Grounded in our research, early wireframes focused on real-world immersion — exploring ways to integrate media, conversation prompts, and AI feedback within an intuitive, engaging interface.

Moving to high-fidelity, we refined the design to ensure smooth navigation, minimal friction, and an immersive, social-driven learning experience. Our goal was to remove barriers to fluency by making language learning effortless, interactive, and deeply connected to real-life use.

Solution

Yap and Learn Real Conversations

Yapper immerses users in real-world content like slang, cultural nuances, and everyday phrases — learned naturally through social-media-style scrolling. AI-powered speaking feedback, instant flashcards, and gamified games keep practice engaging, making language learning feel less like studying and more like living the language.

Feature #01

Immersive Learning

  • Onboarding allows users to select interests

  • Users can learn from real content of their language

  • Real time captions to aid learning

  • Tap on words to add to flashcard

Feature #02

Flashcard

  • Create flashcard sets

  • Categorize words and slangs by context

  • Quiz yourself and track progress

Feature #03

Gamified Review System

  • Improve on various aspects of the language through fun games

  • AI powered speaking games to improve pronunciation

Next Project

Shades