Yabla Chinese
see also FAQ for School Accounts

FAQ: Individual Subscriptions

Change Password

To change your password:

  1. Log in to your account and click on the username in the top right corner. This will open the User Menu dropdown. Select Profile from the User Menu.
  2. The second section on the Profile page is the Change Password area.
  3. Enter your current password followed by your new password. Reconfirm your new password.
  4. Select Change Password. You will then be able to log in immediately using your new password.

If you cannot remember your password, select Forgot Password? on the sign in page and you will be sent a password reset email. You can also write to us at support@yabla.com and ask us to reset your password for you.

Change Email

To change your email:

  1. Log in to your account and click on the username in the top right corner. This will open the User Menu dropdown. Select Profile from the User Menu.
  2. The fourth section on the Profile page is the Personal Information area.
  3. Here you can change your email.
  4. Select Update Personal Information at the bottom of this area. You will then be able to log in using your updated email. And all correspondence from Yabla will now go to your new email address.

Manage Newsletters and Emails from Yabla

To manage your newsletter subscriptions and general email notices:

  1. Log in to your account and click on the username in the top right corner. This will open the User Menu dropdown. Select Profile from the User Menu.
  2. The fifth (last) section on the Profile page is Yabla Email Settings.
  3. Select the button: Update Emails from Yabla.
  4. This will take you to where you can subscribe and/or unsubscribe to any/or all of our Newsletters including opting out.

Change Translation

Yabla uses your translation language selection to translate the Yabla web page and all subtitles for the videos. This can easily be changed.

To change the translation language:

  1. Log in to your account, and select the Videos tab. You must be on the main Videos navigation page in order to change translations.
  2. Click on your username in the upper right corner. This will open the User Menu dropdown.
  3. Below the Sign Out option is where you can TRANSLATE PAGE.
  4. Select the language you want to have as your translation language.

The language you are studying is the 'target language.'

The translation language is frequently your native language. It will be used in all subtitles and all navigation menus on Yabla.

NOTE: If the translation language and the target language are the same, there will only be one set of subtitles under each video.

Player Video Controls

All Yabla videos have the standard PAUSE/PLAY buttons below the video. This will pause or play the video from where the video is currently.

Yabla has 4 other buttons to manage the video playback.

  1. BACK - This jumps the video to the start of the current subsection. This works in both PLAY and PAUSE mode.
  2. SKIP - This jumps the video to the start of the next subsection. This works in both PLAY and PAUSE mode.
  3. SLOW - This slows the video down to make it easier to distinguish what is being said.
  4. LOOP- This loops the video over the current subsection. This can be very useful to get certain phrases into your memory.

NOTE: There is a small bar directly below the video. This shows the subsections that the current video is divided into. Each subsection pertains to a different caption and is used by the playback buttons plus many of the games/activities.

Player Subtitles

All Yabla videos have subtitles in the target language and subtitles in the translation language. Both of these subtitles can be shown and/or hidden. Both subtitles are shown by default.

  1. To show or hide the target language subtitles, there is a small show/hide button below the video and to the far right. You can toggle the target language subtitles on and off using this small button.
  2. Below this, there is another small show/hide button that will toggle the translation language subtitles on and off.

Using the subtitles (either on or off) allows you to learn at your own pace, and in your own style. Some subscribers like to look at the translation right away, while others like to take the leap and see how much they understand with no subtitles at all. Some like to follow only the target language subtitles first.

As often as possible, the subtitles of the translation language will be parallel to the target language subtitles. But because languages often have very different grammatical structures and syntax, there are cases where a parallel or literal translation will simply not communicate the meaning accurately or elegantly. In these cases, our translators have to depart from parallel word order.

NOTE: The language your are studying is the 'target language'. If the translation language and the target language are the same, there will only be one set of subtitles.

Player Dictionary

While watching a video, you can click on any word in the subtitles. This will open a dictionary to the right of the video and show the results and the source of the definition.

You can click on a word in either subtitle, the target language or the translation language. Depending on which subtitle you select, it will translate from the target language to the translation language, or from the translation language to the target language.

Cross-referencing may give you a new level of understanding. Don’t forget that while the dictionary is quite complete, googling the word or going to a site like WordReference may give you additional meanings and uses.

NOTE: The language your are studying is the 'target language'.

Game Scoring

The scoring system of the ‘game’ activities changes depending on the activity. Please note that scores are recorded at the end of each game play. For points to be earned and recorded you must play the game to completion. Also, in the case of students, you may have to play the games multiple times in order to accumulate enough points to reach the assignment goal that has been set by your teacher.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

Each game consists of one or two rounds with up to 10 questions per round. The player is awarded two points for each correct answer in the first round. If all answers are correct in the first round, the game ends and the score is recorded and added to their total for that video. If an answer is incorrect, the correct answer will be shown to the player, and the question will be asked again in the second round. The player is awarded one point for each correct answer in the second round.

FILL IN THE BLANK

Each game consists of one or two rounds with up to 10 questions per round. Player has three chances per question, receiving 10 points each if answered correctly on the first attempt, eight points if correct on second attempt, and six points on third attempt. Hints are given after each try to help the player see where their mistakes are: Incorrect letters are highlighted in red while incorrect accents are highlighted orange. If all answers are correct in the first round, the game ends and the score is recorded and added to their total for that video. Incorrect answers are moved to a second round where the player is awarded six points if correct on first attempt, four points on the second and two points on the third and final attempt. One point is deducted for using the 'Slow' play button.

SCRIBE (website only)

Each game consists of multiple sets with each set containing multiple captions. Scribe has the most complex scoring as you receive both stars and a score. Please be aware that as Scribe is still in development, the scoring system is subject to future changes.

Stars:

Scribe considers a variety of factors in determining the number of stars earned with a maximum of three stars.

These include:

  • How many times you replay video before you start a word.
  • How many times you replay a video after you start a word.
  • Letters/corrections/accents you get "for free" by clicking in the feedback area.
  • Words you "insert" out of order vs. in order.
  • Use of "Slow" play.
  • Revealing translation (Note that this is more heavily weighted).

    • Each of these factors are weighted differently and we are still adjusting the formula.

    Score:

    The score is a percentage of letters that were not given away for free by clicking in the feedback area.

    Teachers: For information on how to create assignments or check your Gradebook, see the sections “Assign videos to students” and “Monitor student progress” in the FAQ For Teachers.

    COMPREHENSION (website only)

    Scoring for comprehension is based on each individual quiz and is not cumulative.

    Scores are based on the percentage answered correctly out of the total number of questions. (For students, the score may also display the passing grade required out of the total number of questions, in order to compare with individual outcomes.)

    VOCABULARY REVIEW

    This activity is based on completion of the progress bar. As the player inputs correct answers, the progress bar on the left side of the screen will increase the fill. Incorrect answers will decrease the fill and therefore adding time to the review. A timer limits the amount of time the player can spend on each try. When a student finishes the vocabulary review, a checkmark will appear next to that student’s name in the teacher’s Gradebook. Teachers have the ability to decide how many times the students need to complete the review (up to five times per assignment). In this case, a number will appear next to the student’s name in the teacher’s Gradebook, indicating how many times they completed the review.

    Scribe

    Yabla Scribe Dictation Game (US Patent 10,262,550)

    1. Type everything you hear in the white input box
    2. You must enter everything correctly before moving on
    3. You will get feedback as you type:
      ____
      an unattempted word
      green
      a correct letter
      orange
      an accent is missing or incorrect
      purple
      incorrect capitalization
      red
      an incorrect letter
      __ or __
      missing letters
    4. For help with any unattempted word or incorrect letter, click on it
    5. Type Enter/Return to replay video section
    6. Watch this short video on how to play Scribe.

    Comprehension

    Comprehension is a game in quiz format testing your understanding of a specific video.

    Each quiz consists of a video shown one time per attempt. The video can be stopped/started at any time by clicking on the video itself.

    Questions are presented in multiple-choice format. All questions must be answered. The answers can be changed multiple times until you select the 'Grade Your Answers' button.

    Your score will show in percentage correct as well as number of correct answers.

    You can Try Again, which will give you the option to retake the quiz. All scores are saved, however only the highest score is used for the LeaderBoard or Assignments.

    You can Quit the quiz at any time, using the Quit Game in the upper right hand corner, or after the quiz has been scored.

    Vocabulary Review

    The vocabulary review is a learning activity using a pre-selected number of words from the video. To access the vocabulary review select the green button below the thumbnail of the video, Review Vocabulary.

    The review is made up of 3 parts that are randomly interspersed:

    1. A word in the target language will be written and pronounced, and you choose the correct translation from the displayed choices.
    2. A word in the translation language will be written and you are to choose the correct word in your target language from the displayed choices.
    3. A word in the translation is written and you have to write the correct word in the target language. You will need to include any accent marks or diacritical marks to be counted as correct.

    In the Settings tab for the Vocabulary review, found in the upper left hand corner, you can set the number of words to include in the review, with a maximum of ten. You will also be able to select whether to require accent marks and whether the review is timed.

    To exit out of the Vocabulary Review, you can select the Exit button found on the top right corner, or go back and watch the video by selecting Watch Video button on the upper left corner.

    A note about the words chosen for the vocabulary review: Most of the nouns include their articles, either definite or indefinite, so you can also learn their gender. Some words in a video don’t make an appearance at all in the vocabulary review. This is because, for one reason or another, they cause confusion and lead to “wrong” answers. On the other hand, you will find some phrasal expressions in the vocabulary review that you won’t find in a dictionary. The translation used in the video itself may be a secondary translation, so the vocabulary review will generally provide the more classic definition as well.

    Lessons

    Under the Lessons tab at the top of the page, you will find a compilation of all previous lessons that were in the Yabla newsletter.

    If you do a search for a particular word in the Yabla Lessons, you’ll see if the word or phrase you’re searching on has been addressed in any of the lessons. The lessons often contain links to more in-depth external resources as well. They are accessible whether you are a current subscriber to Yabla or not. Subscription to the Yabla newsletters, which announce new videos and always include the most recent lesson, is also free.

    Video Comments

    Any user can leave a comment on a specific video. The number of comments can be seen below any video displayed on the Video Navigation Page. You can read all of the comments by selecting the Comment button below the video. This will show you all of the comments made for that specific video plus any replies that were made.

    All submitted comments are sent to the Yabla staff and, when needed, will be answered directly to the user.

    The Comments section of a video is a great place to ask questions or express an opinion. It allows you to engage with other users, and get helpful responses from other Yabla subscribers or from Yabla staff. This is also a place where you can make suggestions for lessons and/or video topics. You can comment in your own translation language, or you can also try out your new target language skills and leave a comment in the language you are studying.

    You can also send any questions, suggestions, or feedback to support@yabla.com

    NOTE: The language your are studying is the 'target language'.

    Video Difficulty

    You can choose your desired video difficulty at the left side of the videos page, to set a filter for beginner, intermediate, or advanced videos.

    There's also the option, to order the videos by "Least Difficult" or "Most Difficult".

    Please note that Yabla difficulty is primarily based on clarity and speed of speech (words per minute) and not so much on complexity of the language, grammar or vocabulary. We also take into consideration various other factors, including background noise and accent/dialect.

    Can Yabla help me to reach the various levels of the CEFR
    (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)?

    Yes! In this table you can see which videos we recommend to watch, to reach the different levels:

    Yabla   Description  CEFR   Description
    beginner Chinese   Newbie    A1   Breakthrough or beginner
    intermediate Chinese   Beginner    A2   Waystage or elementary
    intermediate Chinese   Intermediate    B1   Threshold or intermediate
    advanced Chinese   Adv-Intermediate    B2   Vantage or upper intermediate
    advanced Chinese   Advanced    C   Proficient user

    (Please always play the games that come with the videos, to improve your learning curve.)

    Flashcards (website only)

    The words used in the Flashcards are selected by you while watching a video. While watching any video, click on any word in the target language subtitles. The dictionary will open up on the right AND your word will be saved to your flashcards.

    Flashcards can be found by selecting the Flashcards tab at the top of the main page (you will need to exit out of the video player). You don't receive points in the flashcards, but your progress is indicated in the progress bar. Our flashcards are a way of studying and a way for you to test your knowledge.

    There are 21 words to a set. You have the ability to delete a word, by clicking on the red X found next to each word OR you can delete the whole set of words, by selecting delete all words in the set found in the upper right corner of each set of words.

    Start the flashcard review by selecting the Review these words. You will be shown a word in your target language and hear it. You can hear the word repeated by clicking on the word in the blue box. You can also click in the Definition box, the Caption box, and/or the Translation box. Upon clicking in any of those three boxes, the information will be displayed for that word. The information in the boxes are the definition (from various cited dictionaries), the caption from the video where this word was used in when you selected it, and the translation for the caption. You can also select either I think I know it or I don't know it. As soon as you select either button the information will appear in the three boxes, definition, caption, translation. If you said you knew it, you will then be asked 'Were you right?' Yes or No. This will affect the scoring.

    And you can view the video again, by selecting the video thumbnail at the bottom of the flashcard.

    I spotted a mistake in the transcription/translation, what should I do?

    This will happen! There are a couple of different ways you can contact us.

    • You can use the Comment button below each video displayed in the video navigation page. This will let us know exactly what video you are referring to.
    • You can use the Help/Feedback button while playing the video. This is found on the very lower right hand corner of the browser window. This will allow you to enter your comment and continue with the video. It will also let us know what video you are referring to.
    • You can also write to us at corrections@yabla.com. Tell us the name of the video, the caption number, and the possible error and we'll fix it or explain why it was right.

    May teachers project Yabla videos to a class or group of students?

    Yes, teachers who are subscribers may project Yabla videos to a classroom or assembled group of students.

    Can Yabla be used by schools?

    Yes, we have special programs for teachers and educators. You will be able to assign videos to your students and have direct access to their game scores for feedback and assessment. Students can access the videos, and complete assignments from home or a computer lab. Information and Pricing.

    Aren't translation subtitles "cheating"?

    As the learner, you have full control. You can turn off (or on) either set of subtitles by clicking the small button to the right of each caption box, depending on your needs at any given time. Full translations give early learners the benefit of exposure to native content without the frustration of severe incomprehension.

    Is my computer capable of running Yabla?

    Try the free demo. If you have no problems, you should have no problems with Yabla service in general.

    Can I put my own videos into the Yabla format using Yabla technology?

    Maybe. Write to us at inquire@yabla.com or call us at (212) 625-3226 and we'll be happy to discuss it with you.

    Is Yabla right for beginners?

    Exposure to authentic video is useful to all levels of language enthusiasts. Studies have shown that even rank beginners, given proper support tools such as those made available by the Yabla Player, benefit from exposure to native speakers and genuine culture. We provide a wide range of authentic content ranging from quite simple to rather difficult.

    How do I renew a subscription that lapsed or was canceled?

    Click the Subscribe tab at the top to re-subscribe. This will only appear if you do not have an active account. You can use your original username and password during the checkout process.

    How do I change my credit card information?

    To change your credit card information:

    1. Log in to your account and click on the username in the top right corner. This will open the User Menu dropdown. Select Subscriptions & Payment from the User Menu.
    2. Click Change/Modify Credit Card to the right of the subscription description line.
    3. Enter in all of the new credit card information.
      4. Note: In order to change the expiration date, you must re-enter all of the credit card information.

    How do I get a copy of my receipt?

    To get a receipt for payment:

    1. Log in to your account and click on the username in the top right corner. This will open the User Menu dropdown. Select Subscriptions & Payment from the User Menu.
    2. Scroll down to Payment History
    3. Select Print Receipt of the payment you want the receipt for.

    How do I cancel my account?

    To cancel account:

    1. Log in to your account and click on the username in the top right corner. This will open the User Menu dropdown. Select Subscriptions & Payment from the User Menu.
    2. Select Cancel and Turn off Recurring Billing to the right of the subscription description line
    3. Select Stop Recurring Billing on the next page.
    4. Your account will remain active until its end date.

    If you purchased a subscription from the iOS App, you must manage your subscription through the AppStore. See managing auto-renewing subscriptions.

    How do I cancel recurring billing and let my subscription run out?

    To cancel recurring billing:

    1. Log in to your account and click on the username in the top right corner. This will open the User Menu dropdown. Select Subscriptions & Payment from the User Menu.
    2. Select Cancel and Turn off Recurring Billing to the right of the subscription description line
    3. Select Stop Recurring Billing on the next page.
    4. Your account will remain active until its end date.

    If you purchased a subscription from the iOS App, you must manage your subscription through the AppStore. See managing auto-renewing subscriptions.

    How do I cancel my account and receive a refund?

    To cancel your account and receive a refund:

    1. Log in to your account and click on the username in the top right corner. This will open the User Menu dropdown. Select Subscriptions & Payment from the User Menu.
    2. Select Cancel next to the subscription line.
    3. If you cancel within 14 days of your initial purchase AND you did not use a free trial to start this subscription, we will refund your account and terminate your access privileges.

    If you have any parting comments about how we might better meet your needs in the future, drop us a line at support@yabla.com.

    How do I cancel my free trial?

    To cancel your free trial:

    1. Log in to your account and click on the username in the top right corner. This will open the User Menu dropdown. Select Subscriptions & Payment from the User Menu.
    2. Select Cancel Trial Account next to the subscription line.
    3. If you cancel before the free trial expires, you will not be charged.

    If you have any parting comments about how we might better meet your needs in the future, drop us a line at support@yabla.com.

    Something is not acting right on your site or in the Yabla Player, what should I do?

    Write to us at support@yabla.com or contact us using the contact form. Be sure to tell us what kind of computer you are using, your connection speed, and be explicit about the nature of the problem. If the problem is only with a specific video, be sure to tell us which one.