As life-long language learners we've always felt there had to be a better way to teach languages. Back in 2004 our frustration with many software packages started us down two complimentary tracks: to design a thorough, common sense system to teach languages, and to find the latest technology and build the best software in the market.

After three years of very hard work, we've launched Fluenz based on a few proven principles:

A real instructor on video coaches you every step of the way. Because we were able to program our software with the latest Studio MX and After Effects technologies, instead of what was available to older language software developers, we inserted a real instructor throughout the whole interactive program—you always know what’s going on, where you are and where you’re going.

We explain everything in English, because by relating the grammar and syntax you already know to the one you're learning you will progress much faster. We call this Leverage Learning because you use what you know to learn something new; just think of what it must be like to try your first lesson of Mandarin without a single word of English.

We teach relevant words and phrases right away, "cell phone" instead of "horse" or "elephant", because adults shouldn't learn like children, and because we know that you're learning a language to be able to use it in a real life context the very first day you start.

You will learn your new language with Sonia Gil, a Cornell graduate who went to China to learn Mandarin, New York and Paris to learn French, and Milan to learn Italian. Using her-first hand experience, she will guide you step-by-step through your new language from the perspective of an English speaker.

Another Cornell graduate, Rachel Margolis, went to South America to improve her Spanish and then designed the Spanish program. She strives to provide English speakers with the tools she found that allowed for the fastest and most efficient learning of the language.

Altogether, the Fluenz system was developed after three years of research and thousands of hours of one-on- one teaching with executives at Procter & Gamble, Cargill and Sun Microsystems. Yet, what's most important to us is the experience gained when someone from our own team tries to learn the language we teach from the very beginning.

Knowing first-hand how dull learning software can get, we have created as many as thirteen different kinds of workouts covering reading and verbal comprehension and expression, extensive video presentations and even cool lounge music inspired by the best Djs from the cultures you're learning about--which obviously, you can turn off whenever you like.

Fluenz serves two purposes: a pragmatic program giving people the relevant tools of communication in the shortest amount of time, and as the strongest possible foundation for those who wish to pursue advanced learning.