Cashew App: Feature Request For Vietnamese Loan Directions

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Cashew App: Feature Request for Vietnamese Loan Directions

Addressing Loan Direction Ambiguity in Vietnamese Cashew App

Hey guys! Let's dive into a crucial feature request that will significantly enhance the user experience of the Cashew app for Vietnamese speakers. Currently, the app uses only two directions for loans: paid and collected. While this works fine in English, it falls short in Vietnamese due to the language's nuanced way of expressing loan directions. In Vietnamese, the subject and the debt direction aren't symmetrical, necessitating four distinct verbs to accurately represent the flow of money. This means we need to up our game to make the app truly intuitive for our Vietnamese users.

The Core Issue: Four Verbs, Two Directions

In Vietnamese, we use different verbs depending on who is lending and who is borrowing. Imagine trying to navigate your finances when the app doesn't quite understand the direction of the money flow! This isn't just a minor inconvenience; it can lead to significant misunderstandings and errors in financial tracking. Let's break down these four essential directions:

  1. Tôi cho người khác vay: This translates to "I lend money to someone else." It's the act of giving a loan.
  2. Tôi thu tiền người đó trả lại tôi: This means "I collect money that someone pays back to me." It represents receiving repayment on a loan you gave.
  3. Tôi đi vay của người khác: This translates to "I borrow money from someone else." It's the act of taking out a loan.
  4. Tôi trả lại tiền cho người ta: This means "I pay back money to someone." It represents repaying a loan you received.

Currently, Cashew's Vietnamese UI doesn't distinguish between these four directions. This leads to ambiguity and, in some cases, logically incorrect representations of transactions. Imagine the confusion when a positive cash flow could mean either you're receiving money back or you're borrowing money! That’s why accurately capture the nuance of financial interactions is so important, especially across different languages.

The Missing Link: Automatic Grammar Switching

The problem doesn't stop there. Even when a user selects a specific transaction category (for example, "borrowing"), Cashew doesn't automatically switch the grammar accordingly. This is a major pain point. Selecting "borrowing" should trigger the app to use grammar #3 (tôi đi vay của người khác). Currently, it doesn't, creating a disconnect between the user's intent and the app's representation. When a user opens a loan record, the app should also dynamically adjust the grammar based on the nature of the loan. If it's me lending, the app should use verb sets 1 and 2. If it's me borrowing, the app should use verb sets 3 and 4. This isn't about cosmetic translation; it's about core semantic accuracy. It's about ensuring that the app truly understands the context of each transaction and presents it in a way that makes sense to the user.

Proposed Solution: Enhancing Vietnamese Loan Direction Representation

The solution is clear: we need to add two more strings for Vietnamese, bringing the total to four, to accurately represent the four loan directions. But it's not just about adding more text; it's about intelligently binding the correct grammar based on the nature of the loan and the selected category. Here's how we can make it happen:

Implementing the 4-Verb Logic

To truly solve this, we need to make sure the right phrases are displayed based on the context of the transaction. When a user records that they've borrowed money, the app should use phrases that reflect that specific transaction. It's like having a smart assistant that understands the intent behind every entry, making financial tracking a breeze.

Solution Details:

  1. Add Two More Strings: Include two new text fields for Vietnamese, allowing the app to display all four loan directions distinctly.
  2. Conditional Grammar Binding: Implement logic that automatically selects the appropriate verb set based on the loan's nature (lending or borrowing) and the selected category.

By implementing these changes, Cashew can provide a seamless and intuitive experience for Vietnamese users, reducing confusion and ensuring accurate financial tracking. It's about making the app work for the user, not the other way around.

Alternative Solutions Considered

We also explored a few alternative approaches to tackle this issue. While they might not be as comprehensive as the proposed solution, they could serve as stepping stones or supplementary measures.

VN Advanced Mode

One idea was to introduce a VN advanced mode that enables "4 verb loan logic." This would allow users to toggle between the standard 2-verb logic and the more nuanced 4-verb logic, catering to different levels of user preference and understanding. It's like giving users the option to fine-tune the app to their specific needs.

Automatic Language Detection

Another option was to detect the user's language setting. If the language is set to Vietnamese, the app would automatically enable the 4-verb mode. This would streamline the user experience by eliminating the need for manual configuration. By automating the language-specific verb mode the app become easier to use.

English Fallback

As a fail-safe, we considered falling back to the English 2-verb logic only when the language is set to English. This would ensure that users in other regions aren't inadvertently affected by the changes made for Vietnamese. This fallback guarantees the app would stay consistent across different languages.

The Impact of Current Behavior

The current behavior of Cashew can lead to significant misunderstandings of loan transaction directions for Vietnamese users. Because the app uses only two verbs to represent four distinct actions, users may struggle to accurately track their loans and financial obligations. This can result in:

  • Incorrect Financial Records: Users may miscategorize transactions, leading to inaccurate reports and budgets.
  • Confusion and Frustration: The ambiguity of the UI can make it difficult for users to understand the status of their loans.
  • Reduced Trust in the App: If users don't trust the app to accurately represent their finances, they may be less likely to use it.

Conclusion: Respecting Semantic Accuracy

Vietnamese requires four verbs to accurately represent loan directions, and Cashew should respect these debt direction semantics. By implementing the proposed solution, we can ensure that the app provides a clear, intuitive, and accurate experience for Vietnamese users. It's not just about translation; it's about understanding and respecting the nuances of the language and culture. This is about building a product that truly meets the needs of its users and empowers them to manage their finances with confidence. This improvement will ensure that Cashew maintains its role as an effective and user-friendly tool for everyone, regardless of their native language.