CatchFrase

Learn a language by collecting your real life in it.

Point your camera at anything — the cup on your desk, your keys, your lunch — and CatchFrase turns it into a vocabulary card in the language you're learning. Say it out loud, practice it until you remember it. Your world becomes the lesson.

Download on theApp Store Free to start. First word in 60 seconds.

9 languages: Español · Français · 日本語 · 한국어 · 中文 · Português · Italiano · Deutsch · English

The CatchFrase gallery: a collection of sticker cards — a water bottle, spoon, headphones, orange, notebook and keys — each labeled with its Spanish word.

The language learning camera app

Every catch goes deeper than a flashcard.

Real screens from the app — catch, learn, practice, review.

A gallery of twelve caught objects as sticker cards, each with its word in the learning language.
Catch your worldSnap it, keep it as a sticker card.
A word lesson for a caught bicycle: the word, its pronunciation, and a practice phrase with audio.
Every catch teaches youWord, pronunciation, real phrase.
The go-deeper hub: tap-through phrase practice, choose-one-change variants, a conversation, and review.
Go deeper, one change at a timeSwap one word, practice the new phrase.
A generated mini-conversation using the caught word, with per-line listen and say-it practice.
Hear it in a real conversationThen say any line yourself.
The language switcher showing all nine supported languages.
Learn in 9 languagesPick yours to start — switch anytime with Plus.

Catch it. Learn it. Keep it.

Every object you photograph becomes a card you own — and a word you keep.

A just-caught coffee cup revealed as a sticker with its Spanish name, la taza.
1

Catch anything with your camera

Snap a real object. CatchFrase cuts it out into a collectible sticker and names it in your language — the cup on your desk becomes la taza, forever yours.

A word card for los audífonos with the example sentence 'Uso los audífonos para escuchar música' and its English translation.
2

Learn it in a real phrase — and say it out loud

Every catch comes with pronunciation and example sentences, read aloud. Tap any part to hear just that piece. Then say it yourself — CatchFrase listens and shows your words live as you speak.

The growing CatchFrase collection with a daily review mission and snap counter.
3

Collect — and review before you forget

Your finds build a personal gallery. Smart spaced-repetition review brings each word back just before you'd forget it, and your practice count only ever goes up. No streaks to lose.

Why it sticks

Your words, not a word list.

Vocabulary tied to your own kitchen, desk, and street carries context no generic deck has.

Words that mean something

Most apps hand you a generic list. CatchFrase builds vocabulary from the things actually around you — so the words stick.

Speaking, not just tapping

Say any phrase out loud and watch your words appear live as CatchFrase listens — so you know it heard you get it right.

Your language, your pace

Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and more — pick yours when you start. Explanations come in the language you already speak; CatchFrase Plus lets you switch languages anytime.

No account, no sign-up

Open it and go. No profile, no tracking — your collection lives on your phone, and photos are never kept on a server.

Duolingo teaches you a list. CatchFrase teaches you your life.

Guides

How people use CatchFrase

Practical guides for learning from the world around you. Browse all guides →

Learn any language by taking pictures

Learning English? Read in your language

The app that names any object in another language

Camera translators tell you the word and forget it. Here's how to keep it instead.

Read the guide →

How to actually remember vocabulary

Why you forget new words — and how spaced repetition and saying words out loud fix it.

Read the guide →

Turn photos into flashcards

Your camera roll is a better deck than anything you can download. Here's the workflow.

Read the guide →

Vocabulary homework students actually do

Catch lists: photo scavenger hunts that turn students' homes into the vocabulary lesson.

Read the guide →

For teachers

Homework students actually want to do.

Assign a catch list — "find five things in your kitchen" — and every student builds vocabulary from their own home, in their own words. The daily review mission brings the words back until they stick.

  • Works in your students' language. A learner who speaks Spanish gets explanations in Spanish — whether they're collecting English, French, or anything else.
  • Nothing to set up. No accounts, no class codes, no logins. Students download the app and start catching.
  • Private by design. No sign-up, no tracking, no profiles. Photos stay on the phone — only the object snap is used to name the card.
  • Proof of work, built in. Students share their card collections to your class group — you see exactly what they caught.

Teaching a class? Get in touch and we'll help you set it up. Or read the catch-list homework guide.

FAQ

Questions, answered.

Can I really learn Spanish by taking pictures?

Yes. Photograph any object and CatchFrase names it in Spanish with pronunciation and an example sentence, then brings it back for review just before you'd forget it. Because the words come from your own home and routine, they carry context a generic word list never has. Learn more →

How is this different from Google Lens or a camera translator?

A camera translator answers the question and forgets it — nothing is saved, nothing is practiced. CatchFrase keeps every word as a collectible card, teaches it in a full phrase, listens while you say it out loud, and schedules reviews so the word ends up in your memory, not just on your screen. Learn more →

How does CatchFrase help me remember the words?

Spaced repetition: each word comes back for a quick review right before you'd naturally forget it, and the gap grows every time you get it right. You also practice saying words out loud with live speech feedback — active production beats passive re-reading. Learn more →

Which languages does CatchFrase support?

Nine: Spanish (with Mexican, Colombian, Argentine and European variants), French, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, Italian, German, and English. Explanations appear in the language you already speak — a Spanish speaker learning English sees Spanish explanations. See the Japanese guide →

Is CatchFrase free?

Yes — the free version includes 10 catches a day, a 75-card collection, and daily review. CatchFrase Plus adds unlimited catches, deeper practice on every word (phrase variants, conversations, speech practice) and all 9 languages — $59.99/year after a 7-day free trial, or $9.99/month. Cancel anytime in Settings. Full pricing →

Do I need an account? What happens to my photos?

No account, no sign-up, no profile. Your collection lives on your phone. Photos are used once to name the object and are not kept on any server.

Does CatchFrase work for classrooms?

Yes — assign a catch list like "find five things in your kitchen" and every student builds vocabulary from their own home. No student accounts, no class codes, no tracking: private by design and simple to roll out. Learn more →

Start turning your world into words.

Free to start: 10 catches a day, no account needed — your first word is whatever's in front of you right now. CatchFrase Plus unlocks unlimited catches.

Download on theApp Store

Teaching a class? Say hi: alex@alexyao.me

QR code linking to CatchFrase on the App Store

On your laptop? Point your iPhone camera here.