ChatGPT and Language Learning

If you’re like me, your social media feeds (especially LinkedIn) have been flooded with posts over the past few months with comments and articles regarding something called ChatGPT. And everyone has an opinion. Some love it, some hate it, some remain ambivalent, and some are downright terrified by it.

So what is this ChatGPT thing and what is it all about?

Developed by OpenAI and released at the end of last year (2022), the technology is essentially a very advanced chatbot that allows users to ask questions, make requests and propose ideas, which prompts the tool to spit out answers, provide solutions, and give feedback.

Kind of like Google on steroids.

I am not an engineer so I cannot explain in detail how it was created or its inner workings, but in general terms, ChatGPT is a tool that was built through massive exposure to human language allowing it to identify the patterns of text and information and thereby learn. This ability to “learn” then allows it to generate responses when we, the users, ask questions or make requests.

Like with any type of technology, it certainly isn’t perfect and as OpenAI has itself stated, the tool can sometimes write plausible-sounding but false or nonsensical answers. Obviously the consequences of that can range from harmless and humorous to downright dangerous if people act on incorrect information, which they mistake as authority.

But the power of this tool is undeniable. Uses beyond simple information seeking include requests, for example, to write an article on a certain subject (which it can do), to create or debug computer code (yep, that too), or to finish a high-school  student’s chemistry homework (unfortunately, it can also do that).  Scarily, much of what it creates can be pretty darned good and fool even the experts.

So I, as an avid language learner, have been asking myself the question: Can this new technology be used to help me learn a new language? And after testing it out to understand the possibilities, my honest answer is a definitive YES!

But to begin, let’s first look at a point, that although obvious, often gets conveniently ignored when we discuss technology in education. People often think that technology will allow us to learn faster, better, and more effectively.  But that isn’t necessarily true. Tech itself is a tool. Our minds must still grapple with new information, be challenged by it, attempt to apply it, and eventually acquire it. That is what learning is all about. That process can be aided by tech, which may present that information in unique, more effective, and more interesting ways, but our minds must still put in the effort to work and grow.

A second thing that we must understand is that, as mentioned above, ChatGPT will make mistakes. And I’m guessing even more so in languages other than English, since it was English that was used as the language to actually train the tool. But that being said, the content I’ve tested seems to be pretty accurate and if there are doubts, I can always verify it by using other tools or by simply asking a native speaker.

Now back to our subject of working with ChatGPT to help us learn languages. I’m not talking about using this tool to try and simply get the answers right or to help me cheat on a Spanish exam. No. I’m talking about using it to actually help my mind acquire the language I am learning.

So what can ChatGPT offer then?  Quite a lot it, turns out.

For those of you who have read my book, one of the main tenets is that you must attempt to challenge yourself by seeking out content, creating your own practice exercises, and testing yourself. And that is exactly what ChatGPT can help us do.

To get started, it is important to think about not just what we are asking, but also how we are asking it and what we hope to do with that information once we have it.

Ask yourself, what content you need to work on or reinforce, what your goals are,  what you want to do, and how you can go about training yourself. From there you approach ChatGPT with the appropriate attitude of an autonomous learner and simply say: “Alright ChatGPT, give me a challenge that will help me learn.”

Below are ten scenarios with examples that I have tried out, and although certainly not perfect, I am happy with the results knowing that I can use each one of these as excellent learning material. You will also note that ChatGPT will often add notes or disclaimers to the information it provides.

Scenario 01

I want to translate a paragraph I find online, but also want to truly learn the vocabulary I’m unfamiliar with. Instead of trying to memorize the new words, I want to get more examples of those words in real life, allowing me to acquire them in an appropriate context. (Note: The translation is not perfect but is workable. Notice that the examples given are in various tenses – awesome!)

Me: Please translate the following paragraph from German to English: “Julian Heilmann hat nicht vor, während seiner Schicht als Notfallsanitäter zu rennen. Wer rennt, riskiert zu stolpern. Und ein Sturz ist das Letzte, was er während eines Einsatzes gebrauchen kann. Aus Eile darf in seinem Beruf keine Hektik werden.” (taken from https://www.faz.net/aktuell/)

ChatGPT: “Julian Heilmann does not intend to run during his shift as an emergency medical technician. Whoever runs risks stumbling. And a fall is the last thing he needs during an operation. In his profession, there must be no rush due to haste.”   Please note that there might be slight variations in translations and idiomatically different than an idiomatic translation by a native speaker

Me: Please give me 5 examples of the German word “stolpern” in sentences.

ChatGPT: 1.     “Ich stolperte über meine eigenen Füße und fiel hin.” (I stumbled over my own feet and fell.) 2.     “Er stolpert oft, wenn er betrunken ist.” (He often stumbles when he is drunk.) 3.     “Sie stolperte über den Teppich und brach sich den Fuß.” (She stumbled over the carpet and broke her foot.) 4.     “Das Pferd stolperte und warf den Reiter ab.” (The horse stumbled and threw off the rider.) 5.     “Ich war so in Gedanken versunken, dass ich fast gestolpert wäre.” (I was so lost in thought that I almost stumbled.)

Scenario 02

I have trouble with a specific grammatical pattern, so I ask for examples of how it is used, thus giving me more content outside of my book or app.

Me: Give me 5 examples of the Subjunctive mood in Spanish.

ChatGPT: 1.     Si yo fuera rico, viajaría por el mundo.” (If I were rich, I would travel the world.) 2.     Es importante que ella estudie para el examen.” (It is important that she studies for the exam.) 3.     “Es necesario que el equipo entrene duro.” (It is necessary for the team to train hard.) 4.     “Dudo que él pueda terminar el trabajo a tiempo.” (I doubt that he can finish the work on time.) 5.     “Es posible que ellos vengan a la fiesta esta noche.” (It is possible that they will come to the party tonight.)   Please note that In Spanish, Subjunctive mood is more complex than English. The Spanish subjunctive is used in a wider variety of situations, and is triggered by different types of words and phrases. It can be tricky to master and often take practice.

Scenario 03

I want to practice both new vocabulary and grammatical patterns at the same time. I ask for examples of a specific word, allowing me to see how that word is used. But then I continue to request that those sentences be modified in order to show me various possibilities based on different grammatical patterns.

Me: Please use the word “rodilla” in 5 different Spanish sentences.

ChatGPT: Sure, here are five different Spanish sentences using the word “rodilla”:   1. El niño se cayó y se lastimó la rodilla. (The child fell and hurt his knee.) 2. La doctora examinó la rodilla del paciente con cuidado. (The doctor examined the patient’s knee carefully.) 3. Me duele mucho la rodilla después de correr tanto. (My knee hurts a lot after running so much.) 4. La rodilla es una de las articulaciones más importantes del cuerpo. (The knee is one of the most important joints in the body.) 5. Tengo que ir al fisioterapeuta para fortalecer mis rodillas. (I have to go to the physiotherapist to strengthen my knees.)

Me: Now please put those sentences into the future tense.

ChatGPT: Sure, here are the five sentences from before, but now conjugated in the future tense:   1. El niño se caerá y se lastimará la rodilla. (The child will fall and hurt his knee.) 2. La doctora examinará la rodilla del paciente con cuidado. (The doctor will examine the patient’s knee carefully.) 3. Me dolerá mucho la rodilla después de correr tanto. (My knee will hurt a lot after running so much.) 4. La rodilla será una de las articulaciones más importantes del cuerpo. (The knee will be one of the most important joints in the body.) 5. Tendré que ir al fisioterapeuta para fortalecer mis rodillas. (I will have to go to the physiotherapist to strengthen my knees.)   Please note, it might be grammatically not correct in some cases, but it still make sense in context.

Me: Please provide those sentences in the subjunctive.

ChatGPT: Sure, here are the five sentences from before, but now conjugated in the subjunctive mood:   1. Si el niño se cayera, se lastimaría la rodilla. (If the child were to fall, he would hurt his knee.) 2. Es importante que la doctora examine la rodilla del paciente con cuidado. (It’s important that the doctor examines the patient’s knee carefully.) 3. Aunque me doliera mucho la rodilla después de correr tanto, seguiría haciéndolo. (Even if my knee were to hurt a lot after running so much, I would still do it.) 4. A pesar de que la rodilla sea una de las articulaciones más importantes del cuerpo, no está exenta de lesiones. (Even though the knee is one of the most important joints in the body, it is not immune to injuries.) 5. Es necesario que vaya al fisioterapeuta para fortalecer mis rodillas. (It is necessary for me to go to the physiotherapist to strengthen my knees.)   It’s good to remember that the subjunctive mood is used when expressing doubt, doubt, emotion, opinions, and impersonal expressions, and it used in conjunction with conjunctions like “si”, “aunque”, “como” among others.

Scenario 04

My personal challenge is to learn ten new intermediate vocabulary words every day. I ask ChatGPT to provide those for me. (Note: All the examples provided begin with the letter “K”. This isn’t ideal, but it’s a start)

Me: Please give me 10 intermediate level words in Indonesian and their English equivalent for me to study

ChatGPT: 1.     Kemudahan (convenience) 2.     Keberuntungan (luck) 3.     Kepatuhan (compliance) 4.     Kepentingan (interest) 5.     Kepemimpinan (leadership) 6.     Keterampilan (skill) 7.     Kemampuan (ability) 8.     Kepemilikan (ownership) 9.     Keterlibatan (involvement) 10. Kepuasan (satisfaction)

Scenario 05

I would like a few personalized exercises for a grammatical pattern I know I need to practice.

Me: Give me 5 fill-in-the-blank exercises to practice Spanish.

ChatGPT: 1.     El estudiante _____ (estudiar) para el examen. (study) 2.     Yo _____ (tener) que ir al supermercado. (have to) 3.     El perro _____ (correr) en el parque. (run) 4.     Ellos _____ (ir) de vacaciones a México. (go) 5.     Tú _____ (poder) hablar español muy bien. (can)   You can also use this type of exercise with more complex sentences, focusing on a specific grammar structure or vocabulary that you want to practice. As you get better and more confident, you can make them more challenging by increasing the length of the sentences and use more complex vocabulary. Additionally, you can try to find more examples online, using a grammar book or a workbook. You can also try to come up with your own fill in the blank exercises to challenge yourself.

Scenario 06

I’m running out of content from my learning material and it is difficult to find new advanced material, so I ask ChatGPT to provide that for me. (Note: This will be a situation in which I will have to double-check the information. Google translate provides a different meaning for this sentence. But if I am an advanced learner of Swahili, I may immeditately know if this is correct or flawed.)

Me: Give me a random advanced sentence in Swahili with its English translation.

ChatGPT: Swahili: “Wachache wa kila mtu ni wa kisicho, na haki yake yote ni wa kimataifa” English: “Everyone’s property is private and all rights are international”

Scenario 07

I want to see more examples of how verbs change from present tense to past tense.

Me: Please change 2 sentences from present tense to past tense in German.

ChatGPT: Ich gehe in den Park. Ich trinke einen Kaffee. to Ich bin in den Park gegangen. Ich habe einen Kaffee getrunken

Scenario 08

I want to practice some advanced material but in order to keep myself motivated, I want the context of that material to revolve around subjects that truly interest me. In this case, cooking. (Note: The examples it provides are pretty repetitive, but again, these samples are useable.)

Me: Give me five sentences in Vietnamese with the topic of food and recipes

ChatGPT: 1.     “Cách làm món canh chua cá ngon nhất là bằng cách sử dụng nhiều rau thơm và tỏi.” (The best way to make sour fish soup is by using lots of herbs and garlic) 2.     “Bánh xèo là món ăn truyền thống của miền Nam Việt Nam, được làm từ bột gạo và nước.” (Banh xeo is a traditional dish from southern Vietnam, made from rice flour and water) 3.     “Phở là món ăn quen thuộc của người Việt, được làm từ bánh phở, thịt và rau.” (Pho is a familiar dish of Vietnamese people, made from pho noodles, meat and vegetables) 4.     “Mì Quảng là món ăn nổi tiếng của miền Trung, được làm từ bánh mì, thịt và rau.” (Mi Quang is a famous dish of Central region, made from rice noodles, meat and vegetables) 5.     “Chè là món ăn tráng miệng thường ăn sau bữa ăn chính, có rất nhiều loại chè khác nhau.” (Che is a dessert commonly eaten after the main meal, there are many different types of Che)

Scenario 09

Although I try to practice by using real language, there is a grammatical pattern for which I would still like some explanation. This will help guide me as I try to absorb it and use it.

Me: How does the Ablative case work in Turkish?

ChatGPT: In Turkish, the ablative case is used to indicate the source or the starting point of an action or movement. It is formed by adding -(y)den/-(n)dan to the genitive case of a noun, pronoun or adjective. The vowel before -den or -dan changes according to the last vowel of the noun or adjective.   For example:   “Ev” (house) in the genitive case is “evin” and in the ablative case is “evinden” (from the house) “Gün” (day) in the genitive case is “günün” and in the ablative case is “gününden” (from the day) “Güzel” (beautiful) in the genitive case is “güzelin” and in the ablative case is “güzelinden” (from the beautiful) It is also used to indicate the instrument or the means by which an action is performed.

Scenario 10

Sometimes I just need to see how a sentence is constructed, thus helping me grasp the meaning. (Note: Ok, I was pretty impressed by this, despite any errors. All in all, it is very good.)

Me: Break down this German sentence into grammatical patterns: “Der frühere Leipziger Nordi Mukiele, der beide Tore vorlegte, war nicht minder beeindruckt vom Auftritt Messis.”

ChatGPT: “Der frühere Leipziger Nordi Mukiele” – subject (nominative case) “der” – relative pronoun (nominative case) “beide Tore” – object (accusative case) “vorlegte” – verb (3rd person singular, past tense) “war” – linking verb (3rd person singular, past tense) “nicht minder beeindruckt” – adjective phrase (positive degree) “vom Auftritt Messis” – prepositional phrase (ablative case)   This sentence can be translated as: “The former Leipzig player Nordi Mukiele, who set up both goals, was equally impressed by Messi’s performance.”

You can see from these examples that there are so many possibilities of how we can use ChatGPT to help us on our path to acquiring a foreign language.

As is the case for any tool, it is only as good as how we use it. So we must train ourselves on how to become productive educational users.

ChatGPT is definitely going to become a part of my language learning regimen.

If you plan on using it too, I would love to hear how.  Let me know in the comments section or by sending me an email at william@indielanguagelearner.com.

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