Understand lectures in English when it is not your first language
Demist helps people follow lectures and training courses in English when it is not their first language. It writes down what the lecturer says, explains difficult words in plain English while they are still talking, and can show the transcript and explanations translated into Mandarin, Arabic, Hindi, Spanish or French, sentence by sentence. In the Windows app, if you tell Demist English is not your first language, it also explains the less common everyday words a lecture relies on, not only technical terms.
How it helps
Fast speech, written down
When a lecturer speaks quickly or has an accent you are not used to, you can read the words on screen as well as hear them, and read them again afterwards.
Difficult words explained at once
You do not need to stop and look a word up, and miss the next sentence. A short explanation appears on screen while the lecturer keeps talking.
More than technical terms
Words like "regulatory", "encompass" or "aspirations" are not technical, but they can still stop you. If you tell the Windows app English is not your first language, it explains words like these too.
Build your vocabulary
Every word goes into your glossary and becomes a flashcard, so the words from this week's lecture stay with you. You can hear each one read aloud.
What it will not do
- Translation works on the written transcript, one sentence at a time, a moment behind the lecturer. It is automatic, so check anything important.
- The Windows app transcribes lectures given in English. For lectures in other languages, use the browser version.
- The iPhone app does not translate yet. Use the website or the Windows app for translation.
- Automatic transcription makes mistakes, more often with strong accents and noisy rooms, so check anything important against your course materials.
Questions
What is the best app to understand lectures in English as an international student?
Demist is built for this: it writes down the lecture, explains difficult words as they are said, and can translate the transcript and explanations sentence by sentence. It is made for lectures, so if you mainly need to translate conversations with people, a dedicated translation app will suit you better.
Does it work for training courses and webinars, not just university?
Yes. Anything you can hear on a microphone or on your computer works, including online courses and webinars on Zoom or Teams.
Which languages can it translate into?
Mandarin, Arabic, Hindi, Spanish and French, for both the transcript and the explanations.
Is it free?
The core of it is. Live explanations, translation, your glossary and flashcards are free, and recording is free and unlimited in the Windows and iPhone apps.
Where your lecture audio goes
In the Windows app, live lectures are transcribed and explained by software on your own computer, so the audio does not leave it. On iPhone, speech is turned into text on the phone, and only the words being explained are sent to our server. The browser version, and uploading a recording in any version, sends audio to our server to be transcribed. The privacy policy sets out exactly what goes where.
What it costs
Live explanations, translation, your glossary and your flashcards are free, with no advertising. Recording is free and unlimited in the Windows and iPhone apps; in the browser, free accounts get three recordings. Free accounts keep lecture history for seven days. Demist Pro keeps every lecture and adds unlimited summaries and Anki export for £4.99 a month. New accounts get Pro free for their first 30 days, with no card.
Also for students with ADHD, deaf and hard of hearing students, students with dyslexia.
Made by Graceful Minds. Checked against the product on 4 November 2026.