The gap between knowing a word and being able to use it

When we learn our mother tongue-language, we don't use dictionaries. We learn words in context, tied to an object, a situation, or a feeling. Memory relies heavily on these rich associations, but most language tools strip all of that away.

This is something that frustrated me personally when i wanted to learn english and get better at it, so I built "Nattly" to help me learn English the same way native english speakers acquire it.

Instead of isolated lists, Nattly ties vocabulary to specific scenarios and images, backed by spaced repetition. The goal is to practice recall based on context rather than just recognizing direct translations.

I am currently working on expanding a feature that tackles the gap between the mere recognition of a word and being able to actually use it seamlessly in a real-life conversation — that frustrating moment when you know the word you want to say, but your brain freezes and it just won’t come out!

I would really appreciate any ideas, experiences, or suggestions on how to make this more effective ? I'd also love to hear your feedback on "Nattly". Do you find words easier to remember when attached to a story or situation?

Demo: https://nattly.mathswariz.uk/