Apple Watch
Verbie includes an Apple Watch app. It is a remote control and display for the Speaker activities — it does not hold content of its own and cannot run quizzes.
The point is practical: during a walk the iPhone stays in a pocket, and the wrist shows the current sentence and drives repeat, record and translate.
Requirements
- An Apple Watch paired with the iPhone that has Verbie installed.
- The Verbie watch app installed on the watch (via the iPhone's Watch app, or automatically if automatic install is on).
- The iPhone nearby and reachable — the watch talks to the phone, not to Verbie's servers.
Starting a session
Sessions must be started on the iPhone. Open Verbie on the phone and start Sneaker Speaker, Vocabulary Speaker or Bookmark Speaker. The watch then switches from its idle screen to the live view.
Until then the watch shows a phone icon and:
Start Sneaker Speaker on iPhone
or
Start Vocabulary Speaker on iPhone
This is the expected idle state, not an error. Siri or a Shortcut can start Sneaker Speaker on the phone hands-free — see 13 – Siri and Shortcuts.
What the watch shows
- The CEFR level badge for the current item
- The current Dutch sentence or word (and, in Vocabulary Speaker, its category)
- The English translation, in Sneaker Speaker, once Translate has been used
- A status line: Playing…, Next in 3s, Recording… or Playing back…
Controls
During Sneaker Speaker
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| Blue speaker button | Repeat the current sentence |
| Red microphone button | Start recording; tap again to stop |
| Green book button | Translate the current sentence |
| Double-tap the sentence text | Bookmark it — the watch taps and confirms "Bookmarked" |
During Vocabulary Speaker / Bookmark Speaker
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| Blue speaker button | Play the word again |
| Red microphone button | Record; tap again to stop |
| Grey speaker button | Replay the customer's last recording |
| Swipe left / right | Next / previous word |
| Double-tap the word | Bookmark it |
Buttons dim while recording or while a recording is playing back, because those actions are not available at that moment.
Important: audio plays from the iPhone
Recording and playback happen on the iPhone, using the phone's microphone and speaker (or whatever audio device the phone is connected to). The watch is the controller and the display.
For a walk, the usual setup is: iPhone in a pocket with Bluetooth headphones, watch on the wrist for the text and the buttons.
Common questions
"The watch just says 'Start Sneaker Speaker on iPhone'." That is the idle screen. Start the activity on the phone. If it is already running, the watch has lost contact — bring the devices closer, and make sure Verbie is in the foreground on the phone.
"The buttons do nothing." The watch only sends commands while the iPhone is reachable. Check Bluetooth and Wi‑Fi on both devices, and that the phone is unlocked and Verbie is running.
"The sentence on the watch is behind the phone." The watch is updated as each item changes; brief lag is normal.
"Can I practise with just the watch?" No. The watch app has no content of its own and needs the iPhone. Worth logging as a feature request.
"Can I do quizzes on the watch?" No — the watch supports only the Speaker activities.