Ask HN: Language Learning Tool combining ebooks, translations, audiobooks

1 albert_e 0 8/30/2025, 2:49:14 PM
Is there a tool that exists for this purpose?

I have an idea to vibe-code a tool but I know I will struggle and might give up midway -- so putting this idea out here in case there are tools that do this already:

Say you want to learn a new language in a fun way -- and you pick a book you like for that purpose.

If you have an epub copy of the same book in both English and the other language, you could have a UI that displays both side-by-side with synchronized scrolling and highlighting so you can read them together. (or even interweaves paragraphs in with a different color for either language)

If you also have the MP3s of audiobooks -- the tool can optionally let you playback select portions of the text in either language.

Additional features like integration into a dictionary on click for word definitions, individual word pronunciation guides, synonyms etc would make it even more feature rich.

Is there already a tool or say a Calibre plug-in that does something like this already? Thanks!

inspiration: Reading Harry Potter in French [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89z2kPYmYps]

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