Archive Learning

formerly AO3 Learning

learn languages through fanfiction

Rating:
4.9 on Google Play, 4.8 on the App Store
Tags:
Free Forever, No Ads No Account, Made by Volunteers, Not Affiliated with AO3
Stats:
Fics opened: 4,759,273 Words saved: 2,169,029 Words learned: 723,984 Countries: 168 Updated daily. These are anonymous totals: we only count readers who left analytics switched on in the app. Last updated: 2026-10-20
Join Us:
Twitter, Discord, Telegram

A free app that helps you learn languages while reading fanfiction on AO3. Tap words, save them with context, review with flashcards. This is an independent project, not affiliated with Archive of Our Own or Transformative Works.

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play Available in the Chrome Web Store

Can't install from Google Play? Download the APK directly

Submit a bug report Write to the developers A longread on why our app won't kill AO3 →

Supported languages

The fanfiction language (source) and the translation language (target) are two separate lists: you can translate into more languages than you can read in.

Can't find your language or an offline dictionary in the app? Write to us.

Notes

We don't use generative AI inside the app. Translations come from the public Google Translate. The quality isn't perfect, but it's the only realistic way for us to keep this free at the moment. If we find a better sustainable free option, we'll switch. There is also audio pronunciation for some words pulled from the open Wikimedia database, and an extended dictionary for some languages.

How to Use

A step-by-step guide to the Archive Learning app

1

Install the app

Download Archive Learning from Google Play. It's free and doesn't require registration.

2

Choose a fanfic

You can browse AO3 directly in the app, search by fandom, pairing, or tag. Find a fanfic in a language you're learning.

3

Tap words to translate

While reading, double-tap any word you don't know. You'll see its translation instantly. You can also select whole phrases.

“Impossible,” he said, and .

In the app you double-tap. Here one tap will do.

4

Save words to your dictionary

Tap the save button and the word goes to your personal dictionary. It keeps the full context: the sentence, the fanfic title, the ship. Later you'll see exactly where you found it.

5

Review with flashcards

Open the flashcard mode to go through your saved words. Each card shows the word in the sentence where you saved it. Flip to see the translation. You learn faster when the context matters to you.

6

Play the context game

Test yourself with a game about understanding words in context. You see a sentence from a fanfic with a word highlighted, and choose the correct meaning from four options.

Read the full guide → English version →

Tips for learners

Four rules from language teachers on how to make fanfiction reading actually work for your language.

  1. Consistency matters most. Five minutes every day is better than an hour once a week.
  2. Don't learn every word. Save only the words that appear 2–5 times. Leave the rare adjectives alone.
  3. Don't tap every word. Look things up only when you've lost the meaning of the sentence.
  4. Read a translation first. If you understand almost nothing, find a translated fanfic and read it in your language first.
Read the full article → English version →

About the Project

Archive Learning started when one of the developers was preparing for a language exam by reading fanfiction. Learning through stories in your favorite fandoms turned out to be surprisingly effective, but there was no convenient tool for that. So we made one.

This is a non-commercial project. There are no ads and no subscriptions, and there never will be. We don't collect personal data. Your saved words and reading history always stay on your phone only. We never see what you read: stats are anonymous totals.

The project is built and maintained by volunteers. If you want to help with testing, translating, reporting bugs or sharing ideas, join the team! This is a community thing.

Team

The people behind the project

Development

  • Ekaterina Krasner
  • Fiori
  • Consultant Bundris

Design & Communications

  • Myrkotten
  • Phoebe Rue

Translations

  • Galciona
  • Havriil Lemeshko
  • outees
  • Misakity
  • kimjongkey
  • Borneepy
  • Nakata

User's Guide & Community

  • mongosmaki
  • Cheshirious_Cat
  • Resalare
  • borneepy

Testers

The people who tested every build, found every bug, and shaped the app with their feedback.

Lemiil irka_sings Lera Ch Ki tofuvnik Феникс eugenemustdie Cheshirious_Cat mercurio mongosmaki gidroksosol_ neokukukuri Lon Liriana Lysander Jackalica HyDjinn saduke Taffit Serka Ti yavo.rona Odarka Синяя Соечка maxiine jilalli silver Tonararia Sharly Ilanhean ityiorpw lesya Sasha Mart cyberslovani killnotkill Phượng Мария Коваль Funduchka alexisamell Nort Ursibling @crazzy_spottedleaf lera.cb Prilowski Малахит poramoralarton Valiko Julianna Chukalova lina louli Зяма Daria Irbish

Comments

From our store reviews: 4.9 on Google Play (949 ratings), 4.8 on the App Store (570 ratings).

  1. Anonymous on Google Play

    I never realised before how many words I only understood from context, but didn't actually know. Now I'm actively learning them while laughing at what crazy context they actually came from.

  2. Anonymous on the App Store

    If I could, I'd read everything through this app. I've already caught myself wanting to double-tap an unfamiliar word in a paper book.

    Translated from Russian

  3. Anonymous on Google Play

    What have you done?! Now I have no excuses not to read fanfics in the original.

    Translated from Russian

  4. Anonymous on the App Store

    I can't count how many fics I gave up on before I could read English properly. Knowing that thanks to this app more English learners will be able to take on English fanfiction, it's truly a godsend of a tool 😭

    Translated from Japanese

  5. Anonymous on the App Store

    my vocabulary was really lacking, but in a week(!!!!) of using this app I've already learned 300+ new words. the context helps me use them in speech right away.

    Translated from Russian

  6. Anonymous on the App Store

    My favorite feature so far is that when you save a word to learn it, every time it appears in the future it will be highlighted. And the app also makes revision cards! As a teacher of English as a foreign language and language learning enthusiast, a big thank you to the developers

  7. Anonymous on Google Play

    a really good way to practice a language without getting bored. I love that it keeps the spirit of ao3 by not charging anything, and the library that shows what you're reading right now is super handy. 10/10

    Translated from Spanish

  8. Anonymous on Google Play

    This is an incredible app. Thanks to it, I can calmly read in English and translate words I don't know right as I read.

    Translated from Ukrainian

  9. Anonymous on the App Store

    The app itself is good, but I really wish they'd add Thai language support. As a Thai person, I think there are so many Thai users on AO3, and it would really benefit them in the future too.

    1. Archive Learning

      Hi! Thai is live in the latest version of the app. Enjoy!

Read them all or leave your own: Google Play App Store

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