Claire Sutherland
Writing at Lingua Trove
About
I'm a 36-year-old freelance UX writer in Madison, Wisconsin. I've been picking up and dropping language apps on and off since college. The pickup-to-drop ratio has improved, marginally.
My grandmother was Italian. She never quite got around to teaching me, and around 2019 I decided to actually try, starting with Duolingo and eventually spreading into a few more paid subscriptions. A handful of apps and several long-then-embarrassing-gap streaks later, I have Italian at the level where I can order at a counter without panicking and keep up with a patient speaker at roughly two-thirds speed. I still can't always keep siamo and stiamo straight, but I'm no longer guessing. Spanish got a genuine month of attention before a Mexico trip that did happen. Japanese is mostly daydream.
I keep progress notes in a physical notebook, the same one I use for client invoices. Grammar drills are what I call eating my vegetables. I have opinions about the Pimsleur narrator the way you have opinions about a houseguest who has been here a bit too long. I currently pay for two subscriptions I keep meaning to cancel and haven't.
I'm not a linguist. I don't have a teaching credential. I don't have a degree in Italian, Spanish, or Japanese. Everything here comes out of that notebook and those subscriptions, including the cancelled ones.
Posts by Claire Sutherland
- Why I Use Rocket Languages for Learning Difficult Japanese Grammar
- Why Rocket Languages Spanish for Travel Beats the Free Language Apps
- Why Mondly is the Best App for Learning Spanish Phrases
- Best Apps to Learn Italian for Heritage Learners Reconnecting Family
- How Rocket Languages Helps Heritage Learners Reconnect With Family
- Why Rocket Languages is Worth the Subscription for Casual Learners
- How to Use Mondly for Vocabulary Building in a New Language
- Rocket Languages vs Mondly After Months of Testing Both Apps
- Comparing EF English Live and Private Tutors for Better Speaking
- Can You Learn Japanese with Apps While Working Full Time?
- Why Rocket Languages Spanish Works Better for Conversation Practice
- Mondly vs Duolingo for Busy Professionals Who Want Real Fluency
- How to Build a Language Learning Habit Without Using Streaks
- Rocket Languages Italian Review: Why I Finally Quit the Subscription Treadmill in 2026
- Honest EF English Live Review: Why I Still Pay $109 Monthly as a Busy UX Writer
- 30 Days of Mondly Spanish: Can a UX Writer Actually Build a Habit Between Deadlines?
Disclosure
Some outbound links here are affiliate links. I earn a small commission when you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. I only write about apps I've paid for and used long enough to have a real opinion, including the ones I bailed on. More detail on the editorial policy page.