Support
Questions, a problem, or a phrase that sounds wrong? Email support@ottointhecar.com. We usually reply within a few days.
Start Otto in the car
Start Otto before you drive. On the road you only need the buttons on your steering wheel, or nothing at all.
- Android Auto: Otto plays like any audio app in your car.
- Any car with Bluetooth: connect your phone to the car, open Otto and tap Drive on the Learn tab. Then put your phone away; the buttons on your steering wheel work as Next and Previous.
The buttons in the car
In the car Otto plays a phrase, leaves a pause for you to say it, then plays the answer and moves on by itself.
| While the phrase plays | In the pause | During the answer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Next | Skip this card | The answer now | The next card now |
| Previous | The card again, from the start | ||
| Nothing | The pause starts | The answer comes | The next card follows |
A card counts as done once you have heard its answer.
On your phone
- Manual mode (the default): you hear the phrase and press Next when you are ready for the answer. Then press Next if you knew it, or Previous if you didn't; a card you didn't know comes back sooner. Press Previous twice to hear a card again.
- Auto mode: the answer comes by itself after a short thinking pause, with the same buttons.
Common questions
The pause is too short or too long
The pause depends on the level: about 8 seconds for words, 15 for short sentences and 20 for conversation. On the Progress tab you can make all pauses shorter or longer.
The voice speaks too fast
Choose Slower or Slowest for the speech speed on the Progress tab. It works on the phone and in the car.
Do I need an internet connection?
No. All audio is on your phone, so Otto works offline.
Where is my progress stored?
Only on your phone. Deleting the app deletes your progress. See the privacy policy.
Which languages can I learn?
From English: French, German, Dutch and Spanish. From Dutch: French, German and Spanish. Each language keeps its own progress, and more languages will follow.
Is Otto free?
You start for free: every level of the first two topics, in the car and on your phone.
When you email us
It helps if you tell us:
- your phone and its Android version;
- your car, and whether you use Android Auto or Bluetooth;
- the language you learn, and the topic or phrase if it is about a card;
- what you did and what happened.