How to Use ChatGPT to Build a Language Learning Plan

Back in the day, building a study plan as a language learner meant digging through Reddit threads for a list of the “10,000 most common words,” scrolling through broken Quizlet decks, and hoping half the vocab wasn’t too advanced for your level. It took hours to get started—and that’s before you even touched grammar.

But now? We’ve got AI. And if you know how to use it intentionally, tools like ChatGPT can act like your own personal tutor—helping you design materials, generate stories, and build lessons that fit your goals, not someone else’s curriculum.

This post will show you exactly how to turn a single vocab list into a full A1-level study plan using ChatGPT.

Let’s say your Spanish teacher assigns a page like the one above: a set of 20 classroom-themed words (el reloj, la puerta, el lápiz, etc.). Instead of just memorizing them, we’re going to use them.

Step 1: Start With Your Vocabulary

Vocabulary used:
el reloj, la pared, la pizarra, la ventana, la puerta, el libro (de texto), el bolígrafo, el lápiz, la computadora portátil, el ratón, el escritorio, la silla, el pupitre, la prueba, la hoja de papel, el iPad, el mapa, la tiza, el borrador, el cesto

Paste your vocab list into ChatGPT and say something like:

“Can you create an A1-level short story in Spanish using these words?”
Or:
“Can you write 10 simple sentences using these classroom vocabulary words in Spanish, with English translations?”

You can even ask:

“Can you embed these words into a story that includes a student in a classroom on the first day of school?”

Here are the examples I got when I used those prompts:

Version 1: All Spanish (A1-Level)

Hoy es mi primer día en la escuela. Entro al aula y veo muchas cosas. En la pared está el reloj y también la pizarra. El profesor escribe en la pizarra con la tiza. Hay una ventana y una puerta. En el escritorio está la computadora portátil y el ratón. Yo tengo un libro de texto y un bolígrafo en mi pupitre. También tengo un lápiz para escribir la prueba. Me siento en la silla y saco una hoja de papel. Uso el iPad para leer el mapa de España. Cuando termino, pongo todo en el cesto y uso el borrador para limpiar la pizarra.

Version 2: English with Spanish Words

Today is my first day at (la escuela). I walk into the (aula) and see many things. On the (pared) there is a (reloj) and a big green (pizarra). The teacher is writing with a piece of (tiza). There is a (ventana) and a (puerta) in the room. On the (escritorio), I see a (computadora portátil) and a (ratón). I sit at my (pupitre) with a (libro de texto), a (bolígrafo), and a (lápiz). I have to take a (prueba), so I grab a (hoja de papel). I also use my (iPad) to look at the (mapa) of Spain. When class ends, I throw my trash in the (cesto) and use the (borrador) to clean the board.

Now your vocab is in context—and that’s key.

Step 2: Build Your Own Flashcards

Next, instead of searching Quizlet for 2 hours and hoping the decks aren’t full of typos, ask ChatGPT:

“Can you create 20 flashcard-style sentences using this vocabulary? Spanish on one side, English on the other.”

Here’s a snippet of the output that I got:

Here are 5 more examples to get your deck started:

1. Front (Spanish): El reloj está en la pared.
   Back (English): The clock is on the wall.

2. Front (Spanish): La profesora usa una computadora portátil en el escritorio.
   Back (English): The teacher uses a laptop on the desk.

3. Front (Spanish): Yo pongo la hoja de papel en el pupitre.
   Back (English): I put the sheet of paper on the student desk.

Quizlet Pro has a great feature where you can create your flashcards via text, so if you have this option, you may not even have to create your own flashcards!

Step 3: Add Grammar Support

Let’s say the grammar point you’re working on this week is “¿Qué es esto?” + gendered answers.

You can ask ChatGPT:

“Can you create an A1 grammar lesson using ‘¿Qué es esto?’ with my classroom vocabulary?”
Or:
“Give me 30 comprehension questions using ¿Qué es esto? that practice masculine and feminine articles.”

Here’s the worksheet that I got from the first prompt!

Grammar Practice Worksheet — ¿Qué es esto?

Fill in the blanks using the correct article (el / la) and the vocabulary word that best fits the object described.

1. ¿Qué es esto?
   → Es ___ _______. (Hint: You write in it with a lápiz.)

2. ¿Qué es esto?
   → Es ___ _______. (Hint: You sit on it in the classroom.)

3. ¿Qué es esto?
   → Es ___ _______. (Hint: You look at this to see what time it is.)

4. ¿Qué es esto?
   → Es ___ _______. (Hint: You use it to move the cursor on the screen.)

5. ¿Qué es esto?
   → Es ___ _______. (Hint: It's on the wall and used to write lessons.)

Step 4: Get Visual & Immersive

To tie it all together, let’s bring in some input. Ask:

“Can you recommend beginner-level YouTube videos in Spanish that talk about school or classroom objects?”
Or:
“Can you find a student vlog in Spanish that uses some of these words?”

Watching a native speaker walk through their school day and say “mi mochila,” “mi cuaderno,” “la clase de historia” in real life? That’s high-quality comprehensible input—which is exactly what you need.

Here’s the response I got from ChatGPT:

Pair that with your flashcards and grammar prompts, and you’ve turned one textbook page into a personalized, multimodal language lesson!