Written by Pax Koi, creator of Plainkoi — tools and essays for clear thinking in the age of AI.
AI Disclosure: This article was co-developed with the assistance of ChatGPT (OpenAI) and finalized by Plainkoi.
You type a prompt into ChatGPT, hit enter, and wait for brilliance.
What you get is... not that.
Maybe it rambles. Maybe it misses the point entirely. Maybe it gives you the verbal equivalent of a shrug. You sigh, wondering: Why doesn’t this thing get me?
Here’s the plot twist: It’s not broken. You’re just not speaking its language.
We tend to treat AI like a Google upgrade—just toss in a question and wait for answers. But prompting isn't just asking. It's communicating—in a whole new dialect. Let’s call it what it is: Prompting as a Second Language (PSL).
This shift matters. Because AI doesn’t speak “human” the way we do. It doesn’t get your vibe. It doesn’t read between the lines. If you want gold, you have to learn how to talk its talk.
Why Prompting Is a Language—Not Just a Tool
Learning to prompt isn’t about memorizing magic words. It’s about thinking differently.
Here’s why the “second language” metaphor fits:
- AI doesn’t speak human natively. It needs clarity, not context clues.
- Prompting has structure. Like French or Python, it has its own grammar and style.
- Fluency takes practice. The more you do it, the better you get.
- It sharpens your thinking. You don’t just learn to prompt—you learn to think clearly.
Prompting isn’t some obscure tech skill. It’s a 21st-century superpower.
The Building Blocks of AI Fluency
Want better results from AI? Start speaking its language. That means mastering three things:
1. Syntax: Structure Is Everything
Structure isn’t just helpful—it’s how the AI understands you.
Bad prompt:
Dogs good for people health.
Better prompt:
Explain why owning a dog is beneficial for human health.
Best prompt:
Write a short paragraph outlining the top three mental health benefits of dog ownership, especially for people living in cities.
2. Tone: Set the Vibe
AI doesn’t have feelings—but it mirrors them.
Flat prompt:
Write an email about the new policy.
Better prompt:
Write a friendly, upbeat email announcing our new flexible work policy to employees.
Wild prompt:
Write it in the voice of a grumpy old wizard who distrusts office politics.
3. Rhythm: Don’t Dump—Dance
Beginner mistake: Trying to get everything in one mega-prompt.
Overload prompt:
Write a 2,000-word report comparing solar, wind, and hydro, including pros, cons, costs, environmental impact, and government policy recommendations.
Better rhythm:
- List five major renewable energy sources.
- Compare pros and cons of solar, wind, and hydro.
- Show a table comparing costs and environmental impact.
- Based on this, write a policy memo.
Why ChatGPT Doesn’t Get Your Hints
We’re wired to talk like humans. Problem is, AI isn’t one.
We toss in vague cues or emotional signals—and expect AI to “get it.”
- Humans infer.
You: “It’s hot in here.”
Friend: Opens a window.
AI: “Indeed, it is.” - Humans share context.
“The usual” works at your coffee shop, not in a chat window. - Humans filter emotion.
Venting to a friend gets empathy. Venting to AI? You might get a weird TED Talk.
Prompting Sharpens How You Think
Prompting doesn’t just train the AI. It trains you.
- Clarify your intent: Can’t describe what you want? You probably haven’t figured it out yet.
- Expose your assumptions: If the AI gives a strange answer, it might be answering the wrong question.
- Think in steps: “Write a business plan” becomes:
- What’s the product?
- Who’s it for?
- What’s the pricing model?
- What’s the competition?
- Embrace iteration: Great prompts don’t happen on the first try.
Prompting Is the New Literacy
- Smarter search: Clear questions are your lifeboat.
- Force multiplier: Writers, coders, analysts—prompting well makes you faster and sharper.
- Spills into real life: Explaining something clearly to AI helps you explain it to people too.
It’s not just about better AI answers. It’s about clearer thinking.
You’re Already Learning
If you’ve ever used ChatGPT, Claude, or Bard—you’ve already started learning Prompting as a Second Language.
Even the bad prompts? Practice. Especially the bad ones.
Next time AI gives a weird answer, ask: What did my prompt really say?
Every flub is feedback. Every reply is a clue. Every session builds fluency.
The Future Is Bilingual
We’re entering an era where two languages matter: human and machine.
Emotion and logic. Ambiguity and precision.
Those who move between them will lead.
Prompt boldly. Prompt clearly. Prompt often.
Because the future doesn’t belong to those with all the answers—it belongs to those who know how to ask better questions.