Four structured paths
Choose Chinese, Japanese, German or Serbian and move through bundled foundations, essentials, reading, core and expansion sections.
Sparky
Build a daily language habit through active practice — with the curriculum and progress kept on your Mac.
See it running
A quick tour of Sparky
A silent screen tour of the shipping Sparky app: Chinese learning dashboard progress; Japanese kana match pairs; Chinese tone listening drill; Chinese tone pair challenge; German sentence builder correct feedback; Review modes spaced practice.
Website Direct edition
Pay once. Fully unlocked. Verified by Apple.
This website download is a separate direct-distribution build from the Mac App Store edition. It contains no StoreKit purchase flow or subscription screen: every feature is available after the one-time website purchase.
Apple notarized this exact disk image after an automated malware check. It is signed with the publisher's Developer ID and its notarization ticket is stapled to the download, so Gatekeeper can verify it even when your Mac is offline.
How signing, notarization and installation work- Version
- 1.4.0 (build 20)
- Released
- 2026-08-24
- Requires
- macOS 14 or later
- Architecture
- Apple silicon and Intel
- Download
- 41.8 MB DMG
- Installs as
- Sparky.app
- Apple check
- Notarized · Developer ID signed
- SHA-256
8324a662303bc8f4513dcc158b2d818346fe10578d863ebe8a3f8054a947ffee
What it is
A local language-learning app for Mac with structured Chinese, Japanese, German and Serbian paths, varied active exercises, FSRS review, mistake drills and private progress.
Sparky brings four distinct learning paths into one Mac app: Chinese, Japanese, German and Serbian. Each language is organized into local foundations, essentials, reading, core-course and expansion material so learners can follow the next lesson or deliberately revisit a particular section. The bundled curriculum and course state do not require a learner account or an online classroom.
Lessons mix recognition and production rather than relying on one repeated quiz. Activities include listening, meaning and word matching, sentence builders, cloze questions, flashcards, speaking and shadowing, short readings, character trace, stroke practice and tone identification where the language calls for them. Installed macOS voices speak course material, and compatible system speech recognition can turn a learner's optional recording into a transcript for comparison with the target.
Review has its own workflow. FSRS flashcard scheduling resurfaces due material, the mistake log feeds focused correction drills, favourites keep useful items close, and a timed challenge records a local best result. XP, streaks, daily goals, course completion and review state remain on the current Mac so the app can show continuity without operating a cloud learner profile.
The Sparky tutor is deliberately small and predictable: it is a fixed, rule-based phrasebook and grammar helper for common phrases, pronunciation, word order, tones, particles, cases, counting and study tips. It is not a generative AI or a live human tutor. The separate website Direct edition is Developer ID-signed and Apple-notarized, permanently enables the complete installed learning experience after one purchase, and contains no StoreKit subscription, paywall, trial timer or account requirement.
How it does its job
Active exercise variety
Switch among listening, matching, builders, cloze, flashcards, speaking, shadowing, readings, character trace, stroke and tone activities.
Spaced review and mistakes
Use FSRS scheduling, focused mistake drills, favourites and a timed challenge to decide what deserves another pass.
System voice and speech tools
Hear items through installed macOS voices and optionally compare a recognized transcript with the target where system speech support is available.
Predictable built-in tutor
Ask the fixed rule-based helper about its supported phrases, grammar topics, pronunciation, counting and study habits without invoking generative AI.
Private local continuity
Keep XP, streaks, daily goals, course progress, favourites, mistakes and review state on the current Mac without a learner account.
What it doesn't do
Sparky is an independent self-study tool, not an accredited course, proficiency examination, translation authority, school, live tutoring service or guarantee of fluency, pronunciation, test, academic or employment outcomes. Its course paths and rule-based tutor are bundled and finite; the tutor answers only a supported set of phrase, pronunciation, grammar, counting and study questions and is not generative AI or a human teacher. Speaking results compare a system-recognized transcript with target text using character-level similarity. They do not analyze phonemes, prosody, tone contour or accent and must not be read as pronunciation certification or proof that a human listener would understand the recording. Voice quality, available languages, transcription accuracy, on-device recognition and offline behavior depend on installed macOS voices, microphone permission, hardware, locale support and Apple system-service availability; a self-rating fallback may appear when recognition is unavailable. Progress is local to the current installation with no account, cloud sync, shared classroom or live feedback. Exercise correctness and translations remain study material that learners should verify when accuracy is consequential.
Keep exploring
Related apps and practical guides
TalkifyComplete A1–C1 language paths in 21 languages — 1,075 sessions each, so content doesn't run out at A2.
Accent CoachLearn a specific accent's signature sounds, record against the reference, get an on-device score.
MimicRecords you against a native reference and shows the difference — pitch, rhythm, articulation — as data.
Native, local-first, and yours
Sparky is a native Mac app distributed as a complete, fully activated download. No subscription, no account, no locked features, no tracking.
Buy & downloadGet Sparky
Choose $10 for one app, $20 for two different apps, or $49 for every published app through Stripe's hosted checkout. The complete app downloads straight away; each download link works once and expires after a while.
Common questions
What is Sparky?
A local language-learning studio for Mac with structured Chinese, Japanese, German and Serbian paths, varied listening, reading, speaking and writing drills, FSRS review, mistake practice and private progress.
Who is Sparky for?
Sparky is for independent language learners who want structured, varied practice and local progress without an account, subscription or generative AI dependency. Follow a four-language course path, practise listening, reading, speaking and writing, and bring due words and mistakes back through local review.
Does Sparky run on macOS?
Yes. Sparky is a native Mac app and runs on macOS 14+.
Which languages can I learn in Sparky?
The current Direct release contains structured local paths for Chinese, Japanese, German and Serbian. Each language has bundled foundations, essentials, reading, core-course and expansion sections.
What kinds of exercises are included?
The course uses listening, matching, sentence building, cloze, flashcards, speaking, shadowing, reading, character trace, stroke and tone activities, with the exact mix depending on the language and lesson.
Is the Sparky tutor an AI chatbot?
No. It is a fixed rule-based phrasebook and grammar helper with a bounded set of responses about common phrases, pronunciation, word order, tones, particles, cases, counting and study advice. It does not generate open-ended answers or connect to a live tutor.
Does speaking practice grade my accent?
No. When system speech recognition is available and permitted, Sparky compares the recognized transcript with the target using a character-level similarity measure. That result is not phonetic analysis, accent assessment, pronunciation certification or proof of intelligibility.
Does Sparky work without an account?
Yes. The curriculum, progress, XP, streaks, goals, favourites, mistakes and review state are local to the Mac. Voice playback and speech recognition still depend on installed voices, permission, language support and macOS service availability.
Does progress sync between devices?
No. The current Direct edition has no learner account, cloud synchronization, classroom or shared progress service. Its progress belongs to the current Mac and installation.
Is the website edition fully unlocked?
Yes. Sparky Direct permanently enables the complete installed learning experience after one website purchase and excludes the App Store commerce and paywall flow. There is no subscription, trial timer or recurring billing.
Is this the same Sparky edition as the Mac App Store version?
No. The Mac App Store edition can include Apple's in-app subscription system. The website Direct edition is a separately signed build with no StoreKit purchase flow: one website purchase unlocks the complete app with no recurring charge.
Is Sparky the full version, or are features locked?
The download is the complete app. There is no subscription, no locked tier, no account, and no trial timer — every feature is included.
How do I get Sparky?
Choose $10 for one app, $20 for two different apps, or $49 for every published app through Stripe's hosted checkout on this page. The download starts straight away; each download link works once and expires after a while.
Is the Sparky Direct edition notarized by Apple?
Yes. Version 1.4.0 is signed with a Developer ID certificate, notarized by Apple, and distributed with a stapled notarization ticket. Its published SHA-256 checksum is 8324a662303bc8f4513dcc158b2d818346fe10578d863ebe8a3f8054a947ffee.