Newsletter

Love, x-rays, and student discounts

June 16, 2024

School may be out, but don't let those language skills wither in the heat. Students who sign up for Jiveworld with a qualified school email address automatically get big discounts on monthly and annual subscriptions. 

Hello language learner,

Love finds a way in our featured story from Costa Rica, Jaz y Lalay. Keep reading for an explainer on how x-ray mode works in Jiveworld, then watch a short video on the big difference between the phrases te amo and te quiero. We wrap it up with a roundup of articles and radio from around the web. ¡Feliz escucha!

Illustration of two young women embracing each other in celebration.

Featured story
Jaz y Lalay

When they met, Jaz and Lalay had an immediate connection. They found a better version of themselves in each other and decided that they would never be apart. But it's hard to have a relationship in a society that discriminates against you because of your sexual orientation. This is the story of how — thanks to a bureaucratic error — an act of love became an act of protest.

Sí, sabíamos que se iba a armar. Se iba a armar algo, ¿verdad? Sí, sabíamos que… que era un acto político. Que además estábamos exigiendo algo.

Want to listen to the full story? Subscribe to unlock the entire catalog of Stories and Soundbites. 

Artwork by Laura Pérez

Listen on Jiveworld

Jiveworld Explained
X-Ray mode

When listening to a story or solving a Soundbite, you have three options to control how much of the transcript you see: Show all words, Show some words, or Hide all words. This selective redaction — or "x-ray" filter as we sometimes call it — is a key feature of the Jiveworld Method.

Other apps take an all-or-nothing approach to showing the transcript. Showing nothing leaves the learner floundering, unable to piece together a narrative. But displaying all of the words means you are most likely just reading and doing very little active listening.

With this filter, you choose the level of help you need, while keeping your ears working hard to fill in the gaps. We also provide other assistance such as speed control and hints in your primary language preceding each passage.

ICYMI
Te amo vs te quiero

Don't drop the "I love you" bomb, en español, just yet. In Spanish we have the perfect phrase for you – and you'll hear it a lot. Te quiero fits right in between "I like you" and "I love you." Watch this video for the important nuances when expressing your affection. 

Preview image for a video that shows a woman speaking to the camera. Click the image to go to the video.

What we're reading

Featured Review

"If you feel like you have been stuck at an intermediate level forever, this is the app for you. I bought a one year subscription and I’ve used the app everyday for 17 days! The app allows you to slow down the [playback speed], look up vocabulary words, and re-listen. It tracks your progress daily and motivates you to keep going. The stories are engaging, heartfelt, and insightful. I also love how they feature accents from all Spanish-speaking countries."

Almost fluent 2, Apple App Store review

★★★★★