Show HN: Speak your target language with real people, not just an app

[ayoubdrissi]

Hi HN,

I built Lengpal, a simple language exchange platform where two people get instantly matched on video to practice their native and target languages. There’s a timer built in so both sides get equal time to speak.

I created this because I wanted something beyond passive apps like Duolingo. Something to actually speak with real people without the hassle of scheduling or chat fatigue.

Right now we are testing the concept with a waitlist. We’ve collected 77 emails so far from Reddit and IndieHackers. I would love your feedback before launching the MVP.

Site: https://www.lengpal.com Happy to answer any questions or hear your thoughts.

[YJ_2025]

Hey, this looks really cool! Love the simplicity of the idea — getting straight into real conversations without the hassle of scheduling sounds like a great experience, especially for people tired of the usual language apps.

A few thoughts/questions that came to mind:

Why would a native speaker join? Are you thinking of adding some kind of reward system, points, or even social credit to keep it engaging for both sides?

One idea could be to match users who are both learning each other’s native languages. That way, they can help one another — kind of like a built-in buddy system, which might also encourage a stronger community feel.

Have you considered adding interest-based tags or conversation topics to help break the ice or keep chats flowing?

How are you thinking about handling bad actors or uncomfortable interactions, especially since it’s video-first?

Congrats on the early traction — 77 emails is a solid start! Would love to see how this evolves. Let us know when the MVP is live, happy to test it out!

[ayoubdrissi → YJ_2025]

Thank you so much, really appreciate the thoughtful feedback and questions. Glad the idea resonates.

To answer your points:

For native speakers, we’re focusing on matching them with people learning their language and who speak the language they are learning. So it becomes a fair exchange, and both sides benefit. That buddy system idea is exactly the approach we’re taking.

We’re also thinking about adding optional tags like “casual,” “travel,” or “business” to help guide conversations and avoid awkward starts. Icebreakers could be a nice touch too.

For safety, we’re taking moderation seriously. There will be a reporting system in place from the start, and we’re planning to add basic rating features and eventually moderation tools to detect and prevent bad behavior.

Thanks again for the support. I’ll definitely share when the MVP is live. Would love to have you try it.

[pereayats]

Will it have like some kind of "vehicular" language. Meaning that sometimes the level of both users in the language they're trying to learn is not good enough to communicate but still they want to talk to each other or give instructions in a 'neutral' language. Do you know what i mean?

[ayoubdrissi → pereayats]

Yes, I know exactly what you mean. That’s a great point. We’re thinking about ways to support that, like having the option to set a shared fallback language for basic instructions or even using simple built-in prompts. In the future, we might also add live subtitles or AI translation to help in those situations. Thanks for bringing this up, it's super helpful.

[tacone]

Just a question, why would a native speaker want to speak with a non native? What's the incentive for they to use the platform?

[ayoubdrissi → tacone]

Great question. The idea is to match people who are learning each other’s native languages, so both sides benefit from the exchange. For example, a native Spanish speaker learning English gets matched with a native English speaker learning Spanish. That way, it's a fair trade and both get value from the conversation. It's not about helping someone for free, but practicing together.

[tacone → ayoubdrissi]

Guess that's good enough for starters, my suggestion is to keep this question in mind for the time being. And good luck!