DeepAcquire vs Traditional Subtitle Tools: Why I Built the "Cursor for Language Learning"

I’m a language learner and software engineer.

Like many of you, I’ve been improving my foreign language skills by learning from YouTube, and I used to be a heavy user of Language Reactor and eJoy. While they are great tools, I felt something was missing. They’re great at showing bilingual subtitles and machine translations, but in the age of AI, we can do much more.

I realized we should leverage AI’s true strength: the ability to provide explanations and teaching based on context and your personal situation. True language acquisition happens when you understand the nuance and context, not just the dictionary definition.

So, I decided to build this tool from scratch with an AI-First mindset.

The Problem with Traditional Tools

Most subtitle tools simply translate subtitles and show them side-by-side. They are excellent at:

• Displaying dual subtitles.
• Providing instant dictionary lookups.
• Saving words to a flashcard deck.

However, they often lack Context and Personalization. In the age of AI, we should leverage its true strength, like:

• With AI, we can provide explanations and teaching based on your context and your personal situation.
• By focusing on context and your individual interests, you can understand and remember more deeply.

What Makes DeepAcquire Different?

DeepAcquire is designed to be the “Cursor for Language Learning”. Just like Cursor changed how we code by integrating AI deeply into the workflow, DeepAcquire changes how we learn languages by integrating AI into the consumption of content.

1. AI-Refined Subtitles

We don’t just display what YouTube gives us. We use AI to improve raw auto-generated captions. DeepAcquire corrects punctuation, fixes sentence breaks, and provides a much cleaner, more readable subtitle experience than the default ones.

2. Adaptive Explanations

This is where the “AI-First” approach shines. The AI explains vocabulary based on the specific video context and your current proficiency level.

• For Beginners: It uses simple words to explain concepts.
• For Advanced Learners: It provides nuance and examples relevant to your daily life.

3. Deep Dives & Q&A

This is the most important difference: you can chat with the video. For example:

• Confused by two similar-looking words?

  Ask DeepAcquire: “Are these words etymologically related?”

• Or struggling to tell two near-synonyms apart?

  Ask DeepAcquire: “In this scene, why use A instead of B?”

You don’t have to leave the immersion of the video. DeepAcquire understands the context of what you’re watching—one click gets you a precise, context-aware explanation and analysis, and you can sync it to your wordbook to review anytime.

4. Contextual Recall

When reviewing words, we don’t just show “Word -> Native Language.” We save the exact scene and context where you first encountered the word. This helps you recall the “moment,” making the memory stickier than a mechanical definition.

5. Shadowing Mode

DeepAcquire introduces a Shadowing Mode designed for focused reading and speaking practice. It highlights the word currently being spoken, helping you stay locked onto the current word and sentence and follow the natural flow of speech. This makes it easier to track pronunciation and improve both listening and speaking.

Comparison Table

The Vision: Beyond YouTube

I am currently developing a Mobile App that expands this philosophy beyond just video:

• Learn from Anything: Import materials from your daily work and life (blogs, docs, articles).
• Smart Audio: The AI will not only explain texts but also read them aloud to you in a natural voice.
• Long-term AI Memory: The AI will get to know you better over time, personalizing every example based on your learning history.

Start for Free

I’d love for you to try it out and give me your feedback, or tell me what features you want to see next.

Try it now:

• Web: https://deepacquire.com/
• Chrome Extension: DeepAcquire on Chrome Web Store

Thanks for reading!