I tried Duolingo for a Year | Language Learning App Review

Today, we’re going to review the most used language learning app in the world, Duolingo. The app has more than 575 million users and the companies mission is to provide free education for anyone. It’s mainly for teaching languages, but recently they have also launched mathematics and music courses. In my LingQ review video I’ve mocked Duolingo in the thumbnail, thus I felt responsible for doing an honest test video of Duolingo. And spoiler right from the start, no this app isn’t useless!

▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Start
01:16 - How does it work?
04:25 - App Review
15:43 - Pros vs Cons
17:12 - Pricing
18:14 - Tips and Tricks
19:02 - Conclusion

▬ Resources mentioned ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
LingQ
Discount Code: b_12dustin

Drops

Duolingo

Noticing Hypothesis

Stephen Krashen - Input Hypothesis

Anki

Scott Young - Ultralearning

[DustinSchermaul]

What is your take on Duolingo? Do you use it for learning languages?

[SamuelLee-gwwr]

I started my Duolingo German course just after my university finals in May 2024, as I was heading to Germany for an international summer school program in July 2024. I got to around 750 words learnt before my departure.
I tried to order a breakfast at Frankfurt Airport entirely in German once I got off the plane, and it was successful.
In fact, half of my Cru stage group knows the language.

[OzkAltBldgCo-bvtt]

Yes I love how Duolingo teaches you scrips I didn't realize this at first until a couple of months ago but now I use it to learn Arabic Hebrew and Russian also Chinese

[PopsSinging]

I came across this video today, I have been using Duolingo for about 5 minutes a day for a few months to brush up on Spanish. The problem with the Spanish is that for an American, who will generally be in contact with those speaking with Latin American Spanish speakers (The greatest majority), the spanish it too formal. A bit like speaking the Queen's English in the US. That being said, I think it is valuable to learn vocabulary words. I put the Spanish into practice by seizing every opportunity to speak to every Spanish person I come across, like helping buy un boleto para el autobus.

[TrueWeltall]

Danke für die info, Deine spanische Aussprache ist sehr gut.

[AngelesBustamanteM]

I'm a spanish speaker and I've tried duolingo for both german and italian.
In my case, duolingo is too fast in italian, it feals so easy I have a hard time really noticing the differences in spelling, I can wing the first chapters just by it been a romance language.
But with german, as it is so different, it forces me to really pay attention to spelling and grammar, and I feel like I'm actually learning. 😅

[annegrier]

I feel like im learning. I enjoy it so I keep up with it. It's learning like a child, material is repeated versus explained.

I find the app interface confusing. I supplement with flash cards.

[monikasmith]

A shame that customer service is unusable. NO HELP with glitches and problems on the site.

[jozefmichalicka]

I do not think that app is good. Free version is shit for noobs without money fully fucked up with advertisement. Premium? isn‘t worth it becquse those duolingo fuckers didn‘t add my language (in app : My tongue) So for me showing only goods about it is only 1/2 of review

[gauguin]

I tried using Duolingo, but every time I used it I was asked to translate sentences like, “are you his boyfriend”, and never a sentence like, “are you her boyfriend”. It seems like they hate heterosexuality. I think the main goal of Duolingo is not to teach languages, but to push a certain agenda. I deleted the app.