In February I wrote on this blog about the end of “Bajkal” and the planned successor. Since then, that successor has become a standalone project — with a new name, a new concept, and its own web presence.
The new Russian learning app is called Filingo.
Filingo is not a complete fresh start, but a further development of my previous work. With it, I am pursuing a new approach to learning Russian digitally — one that should allow more freedom and flexibility in how learners work with the material.
A lot has happened since my last post.
More than 15,000 words and word combinations
An important milestone has already been reached: Filingo now covers learning levels A1 through C1.
The database currently includes more than 15,000 words and word combinations. Entries include grammatical forms, example sentences, and audio files. That already provides a substantial foundation for the actual learning experience.
Work on the database is not finished yet. With this volume of language data, there are inevitably still areas that need to be reviewed and corrected. Some content is therefore not yet error-free. I am continuously working to review the data and improve its quality.
A new concept
Despite the new name, Filingo did not emerge entirely independently of Bajkal. Many ideas come from work on the old application; others I deliberately discarded or changed fundamentally.
One of the most important changes concerns how learning material is organized.
In Bajkal, words were assigned to fixed learning levels, main topics, subtopics, or learning stacks. That worked for smaller amounts of material, but became increasingly difficult as the scope grew.
After all, a word does not necessarily belong to just one topic. The larger the vocabulary becomes, the more artificial such an assignment feels.
Filingo therefore follows a more networked approach. Learning stacks remain part of the system. So does the principle of repeated learning with spaced repetition and a variant of the SuperMemo algorithm — both remain central to Filingo.
Open instead of locked behind sign-up
I also learned from Bajkal when it comes to access to the application.
Filingo should not give the impression that you first have to create an account before you can even find out what the application offers.
That is why central areas of Filingo are openly accessible. In particular, the dictionary can be used without registering first.
For personal features such as your own learning progress, an account is of course still necessary. But the basic idea for a better user experience is now: Try first, then decide.
I consider that especially important for an independent and still unknown learning platform. Anyone discovering Filingo for the first time should be able to form their own impression before registration becomes required.
The dictionary remains central
One thing I definitely wanted to carry over from Bajkal is the public dictionary.
Filingo should not be just an app that presents vocabulary for learning. The language itself should be at the center.
That is why words come with meanings as well as grammatical information and forms. Example sentences help you understand how a word is used in context, and audio files let you hear the pronunciation directly.
Filingo is not meant to replace a large online dictionary, but to complement one — by connecting dictionary and learning system.
Learning with a touch of gamification
Several features are also new that Bajkal did not have in this form.
I am critical of excessive gamification. In Filingo, points, achievements, and a ranking are therefore meant to provide additional motivation — not to define the learning process itself. While learning, users collect points, unlock achievements, and can compare themselves with others in the ranking.
Customization options are also more extensive. Among other things, you can set a personal daily learning goal, and the appearance of the application can be adapted more closely to your own preferences.
This blog
With the launch of Filingo, there is also a change in how this blog is positioned.
Previously, it was part of my personal website. Now, at blog.filingo.app, it is the central place for writing about Filingo, digital pedagogy, and learning Russian. Here I document not only news about the project, but also some of the thinking and decisions behind its development.
Topics unrelated to these areas remain on my personal website.
What comes next
The current state is an important milestone for me: Filingo exists and the foundation is in place — yet the application is still far from “finished.”
Alongside further improvement and review of the existing language data, there are many ideas for the application. In the long term, I want to expand the offering with additional areas — for example grammar, listening comprehension, and audio-visual comprehension.
For absolute beginners, a small dedicated section for learning the Cyrillic alphabet is also planned.