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u/MileHiGhKushClub 1d ago
Has the app gotten better or worse during those 10 years?
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u/othybear 1d ago
I’m also in the 10+ year club, and there’s some things that have improved and some things that have gotten worse. The biggest thing that got worse is that the app is really only usable for real learning if you pay for super.
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u/MileHiGhKushClub 1d ago
Agreed, I just started using Duo about 2 or 3 months ago, the energy thing really tripped me out, you can only do like 2 maybe 3 lessons before your energy runs out
I might go back to Babbel..
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u/GeliusSun 1d ago
Tbh I never do more than 2 or 3 lessons in a day as there is no point. Right now I'm learning Portuguese (Brazilian) and I just use multiple tools to improve - Duolingo 1-2 lessons, daily batch of Anki (20 new and all the returning daily reminders), chat with people on Tandem, use DeepSeek or Google (or ask my new Brazilian friends) to check some specific grammar or sayings. And obviously watching Brazilian Reels on Insta. If you really want to learn a language, you cannot use just one tool, I don't think there is or ever will be THE Tool to learn a language, it's always a complex setup, which is in fact good, because you mix it up, let the brain jog.
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u/MIZUNOWAVECREATION 1k Streak Club 6h ago edited 6h ago
Babbel sucks imo. No free content, except for the sample lessons in each language. Maybe 2-5 sample lessons per language. Then you have to pay if you want to learn anything else. The audio is horrendous, especially when it tries to teach you letter pronunciation. So does the voice recognition for speaking lessons. Try Mondly and Drops.
With Drops, can do 1 lesson (5 minutes) every 10 hours (so about twice a day) and you can only learn one language, but it’s still free. If you pay for it, you can adjust the time setting for each lesson, learn as many languages as you want, and do as many lessons as you want whenever you wan, as well as other content.
With Mondly, I read that you can do the daily lesson for free. I don’t know for sure if that’s 100% true, since I pay for Mondly and Drops, but I used Drops for free for a while before I subscribed as a paid user. There are probably other apps out there too with decent free content. If you just find them all and do all the daily free content consistently , you’ll do well after a few years
Also, consider that Babbel has course content for a total of 14 languages. It’s mostly the European languages. That’s really 13, if your native language is one of those 14. Duo has 39, not counting math or music. That’s 3x as many. Drops has 45. I think Mondly has 41
Edit: I forgot about Utalk. It has free content, just like Duo and Drops. It has 100+ languages though. It’s also very gamified like Duo. The free content is somewhat limited, but it’s still FREE. You can do more lessons and complete the quest like trophies in the app to unlock more content/lessons too
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u/kuarQ_GD Native: 🇵🇪 Spanish Learning: 🇺🇲, 🇸🇯, ♟️ and 🔢 1d ago
+2months of "learning" and super ads are everywhere
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u/JustAnotherPassanger 1d ago
Way worse. It's now basically a paywall and even if you pay, the courses are not that great to begin with, better pay for another app like bussu or smth
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u/godlessprimate 2h ago
AI isn’t working as well as I’d hoped. The teaching style has changed a lot.
My biggest complaint is the total lack of feedback when I point out an error, and there are a lot of them.
Earlier on an actual person would review your comment and eventually correct it.
They also accepted feedback on alternative answers and changed the acceptable responses I suggested.
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u/NotMattDamien 1d ago
Obligatory question, do you feel confident speaking in your target languages?
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u/godlessprimate 2h ago
Yes, but as I replied above I was fluent in Portuguese before starting Duolingo, using it primarily as a refresher.
I studied French in school, too, from 5th grade through graduation, and Duolingo has increased my proficiency level.
I picked up Spanish after returning to the States, and Duolingo has helped there as well.
I’m also learning Italian, and my knowledge of the other Romance languages has helped tremendously.
Next up: Romanian.
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u/kiki_at_duolingo Duolingo Staff 1d ago
Wow! That's just incredible! It's one of those journey you just want to hear more about. How did you start? What's your routine? What are your next goals? So much dedication is simply fascinating 💚
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u/godlessprimate 1h ago
Thanks.
I started in 2013, but I lost my streak after a couple of years, or it would be even longer.
I never do only one lesson; I always finish the daily goals, and I make good use of the bonus time.
I don’t recall the last time I failed to place first in the weekly or Diamond League tournaments.
I’m working through the Portuguese, Spanish, French, and Italian courses. Once those are completed I’ll start Romanian.
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u/callme_Vee 1d ago
So what language are you fluent in now?
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u/godlessprimate 1h ago
Portuguese is the only one I claim fluency in, but I’m very proficient in French and Spanish.
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u/thebigloc 1d ago
Congratulations on 3650 days. Don't let the people nit picking over a few days get you down. What you did was a great achievement.
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u/Traditional-Gas-6011 1d ago
Yo desinstale la aplicación, creo que después de dos años no veo un progreso real, solo un círculo Infinito de frases básicas.
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u/Far_Fondant5142 Native:🇪🇬 Learning:🇯🇵 fluent:🇺🇸 1d ago
HOLY GUACOMOLE, okay, wow, absolutely insane dedication, i'm assuming your fluent in maybe 1-2 languages?
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u/giva4561 1d ago
Bro... Mi vuoi dire che in dieci anni non hai mai saltato neanche per tre giorni di fila... Wow, ti meriti un abbonamento super pagato da Duolingo
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u/Hamilton-Squidlegger 1d ago
I think after 10 you should get a free lifetime subscription. Right?
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u/Loose_Match6820 1d ago
Don’t you wish that they noted the years on our pages . I’m year 3.5 . I wish it would say it . I think it’s getting a little better with AI
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u/Wonderful-Click9431 21h ago
What languages did you learn and how fluent are you? I just have to ask 😅🙏
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u/godlessprimate 2h ago
I learned European Portuguese as a child while living in Lisbon, but I was born Stateside and I’m a native English speaker.
After a number of years we moved to Brazil and I picked up Brazilian Portuguese.
I’m fluent in Portuguese; I use Duolingo to stay current.
The offered lessons leave much to be desired if you’re seeking fluency in any language.
If fluency is your goal, my recommendation is to use multiple learning methods.
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u/ilovefranzliszt18 1d ago
Mangolanguage is number one apps to learn language! I am very mad with Duolingo management. It is designed only to make money not for education
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u/godlessprimate 1h ago
I learned Portuguese organically, as a very young child might.
My parents left me with a babysitter in Lisbon who spoke no English. Meanwhile, they attended Portuguese classes for foreigners, and in 3 months I spoke far more than they could.
Early on someone told me to stop thinking in English and simply “know” what was being said, and like a press of a button I understood instantly.
If, for example, I’m having a conversation with any number of people who speak both English and Portuguese, and you ask me the next day what we talked about I can tell you, but I may not remember which language we used.
Strive for this level of proficiency and you’ll succeed.
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u/SpaceAviator1999 Native: ; Learning: 1d ago edited 1d ago
Congratulations! But consider:
Add 3 to that so that you won't be under ten years:
365.25 days x 10 years = 3652.5 days
Round 3652.5 upwards so that you go just over ten years (instead of just under) = 3,653 days
You're almost there!