[2] They conceived the idea for a web-based approach which utilized the power of social networking sites for language learning, with an emphasis on active participation and exchange in order to hone practical skills and conversational fluency.

[3] The name "Livemocha" was coined by the founders during a brainstorming session at a local café, and was meant to evoke the relaxed atmosphere of a coffee shop.

In 2016, Livemocha's website posted an announcement[11] saying: Unfortunately, the Livemocha community will close permanently on Friday, April 22, 2016, and you will no longer be able to access your account after that date.Livemocha supported 38 languages: English, Arabic, Bulgarian, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, Estonian, Persian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Mandarin Chinese, Norwegian (Bokmål), Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, and Esperanto, which was the most recent addition.

The site could be viewed in 12 different languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish.

Instead of signing up for one particular course, users could opt to purchase the "Gold Key" which granted unlimited access to premium or paid content.

The active courses proceeded through four levels of proficiency, and included reading, writing, speaking, and listening exercises.

Completed exercises from both basic and active courses could be sent out for review by other members (native or fluent speakers), who provided feedback and tips.

In many ways it operated like a social networking site, and the basic ethos of the system was peer-to-peer: registered members could engage in synchronous and asynchronous communication, make a personal profile, connect with a circle of friends, upload content (there was a page dedicated to cultural exchange), contribute translations and help expand the base of available languages, and review other members’ work, such as recorded dialogues from lessons.

There is still no way to avoid the hard slog through vocabulary lists and grammar rules, but the books, tapes and even CDs of yesteryear are being replaced by e-mail, video chats and social networks.

Abril Educação promoted Livemocha to consumers and organizations throughout Brazil, with the aim of catering to the rising demand for language education and helping the country prepare to host the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.