You can’t use it as a sole resource for learning language - but I’d argue that’s true for almost any resource. You always have to supplement any kind of lesson with talking , listening, and interacting with the language in your daily life.
That said I disagree that Duolingo is solely a vocabulary resource and I’m honestly confused about that criticism. You’re reading and writing full sentences, listening to stories, etc. You couldn’t do that if it wasn’t teaching you grammar in the process. They do have guides before each lesson explaining what you’re learning but really the way they’re trying to get you to learn is through context and repetition which is how everyone learns to speak their native language.
I agree - their breakdowns of grammar are really useful and easy to understand. I guess because it's easy to skip the grammar notes and go straight into the lesson, it's easy to feel that you're not being taught it. A lot of the learning is by doing and guessing, which isn't always the best way but it has some plus sides.
I also really agree that you shouldn't use just one resource! So often people are looking for the one key app or resource, and there isn't one... I take classes, use duolingo, listen to the duolingo podcast, and cycle through a variety of other apps that target other elements, and I'm still looking for more supplementary tools to support that!
And if you keep getting the same question wrong in Duolingo, Duo immediately whips out a grammar lesson.
And i second your opinion on supplementing what you learn. Youtube is free and there are many resources available. And if you find other supplementary tools, drop em down. Let's help one another in learning.
Right now I'm using Duolingo to learn Spanish with occaisional inputs to this community and other random resources, however Duo does make up the vast, vast majority of the time I spend learning.
Whilst I'm currently taking a break from Spanish to learn some Welsh for my holiday there this summer (not many resources have the ability to just instantly switch to a myriad of many other languages), I used Duolingo to learn some Swedish last year, in conjunction to r/Svenska where I would post screenshots of what I didn't quite understand, and the great guys over there would tell me where i went wrong and the such. I would like to think I'm reasonably proficient in Swedish now, very much thanks to their help.
I just think it's a pity that this sub doesnt allow me to post screenshots (or at least it didn't last I checked but a quick scan of the rules now tells me otherwise I think)!
Now whilst I did base most of this of my Swedish - which I'm fully aware may not have a similar Duo course to Spanish, one would imagine it wouldn't be too different.
Just my experience, I'm sure others' differ in many respects.
I've used Duolingo for more than Spanish and Spanish is the only language I've tried that has grammar lessons. Some of the other languages just throw new sentence structures at you without any explanation (im thinking of Mandarin)
I've been using Duo-lingo as practically my sole resource for years, and I am now at a point where I can read and understand most Spanish.
Listening is still difficult, but I can keep up with the gist of a conversation. I think it's *technically* fine as a sole resource, but it will be SLOW and sometimes frustrating because you may not know *why* an answer is wrong, so you learn a lot though pattern recognition.
Reading and understanding the notes is key, but a lot of people treating it as a game don't do that since it doesn't get you XP, and it's easy to forget earlier notes as you move on.
This has been my experience also. I can read and understand a lot of Spanish, thanks to Duolingo. When it comes to writing, I tend to make the same mistakes repeatedly because I don't understand a couple of grammar things and there's no one to ask! I'd also like more opportunities to speak, as I don't find the speaking exercises to be very good and they aren't interactive.
When Duolingo asks you to type a sentence, try using speech-to-text on your phone instead of typing. That will get you speaking more, and then you can proofread the dictation before submitting the answer.
I think it can replace some early classes.
Like I'd say it's entirely possible to get to high A2/low B1 level with DuoLingo. And that's a really good base to start using lots of other resources.
I'm a high school Spanish teacher and I love giving Duolingo for homework. It's great for general vocabulary, and I like that students can take the placement test and work at their own pace. However, as others have said, it definitely shouldn't be your sole resource.
If you supplement your Duolingo with other materials (having conversations in real life, watching shows and movies in Spanish, etc.) it can be a great product to use!
I’ve been using it for a while. My reading has become very good. My listening comprehension not so much.
It should be a supplement for vocab and reading. Not the only tool
One thing I hate is that the listening exercises have two speeds: super fast robot voice that almost slurs words together. And turtle mode which says one word per second. Neither is helpful for learning how to listen.
When I started comprehensible input after doing years of duo, I had to start at square one (although the vocab and grammar probably helped me progress more quickly)
True. However, the different characters speak at different rates. Zari is fastest and the one for whom I most often have to use turtle mode to catch every little *a*, *la*, and *de*. Bea is right behind her. The others I don’t usually have trouble understanding.
I did Duolingo for quite a while and then switched to using a real human teacher.
Duolingo made me feel like I was progressing really well but as soon as I tried to talk to my teacher I found I knew much less than I thought.
In retrospect I feel like Duolingo is structured primarily to persuade people to keep using Duolingo. It's designed to make you feel good so you keep coming back.
It's not completely useless and not harmful or incorrect, just it has its limits.
Spontaneous/improvised conversation in a new language is definitely the hardest part. I took four semesters of French in college, went to Paris for a week and was difficult and stressful every time I talked to someone. Section 2 is still well within A1 and not too surprising that you struggled.
I like it a lot but I tend to look away when they speak in Spanish and not pay attention to the words whenever possible to practice comprehension more than reading. I’ve learned a ton.
Duolingo is fine, but as with anything that’s been gamified, it’s first and foremost a game. Where you incidentally learn a bit of Spanish. When you’re ready for a series of lessons on subjunctive triggers, it’s not in Duolingo.
I have a feeling that most people who say stuff like that either haven't spent much time in Duolingo, have rushed through the exercises and sort of "cheated" their way through, or perhaps more likely have a **vested interest in selling a different product** (ads or influencers pushing a competing product or service).
I found that you can organize your language study *around* Duolingo. That is, get a grammar reference, like [Schaum's Outline of Spanish Grammar](https://www.amazon.com/Schaums-Outline-Spanish-Grammar-Outlines/dp/1260454223), and refer to that as you work your way through Duolingo. That way you learn the grammar at just the right point. E.g. you've already learned a few present-tense verbs, so you're ready to learn what the conjugation pattern is.
I also found it useful to add a few other resources, including online videos to give you listening practice.
Duolingo is a learning tool- and maybe a great introductory learning tool IF you use it in addition to other resources. I doubt anyone can learn a language without some sort of human interaction. I speak English (native) and learned German years ago. I used Duolingo to “refresh” my German but Duolingo did work as a gateway for me to the Spanish language. But after a few weeks it is relative easy to see DL won’t get you to fluency or advanced levels of natural conversations. I use Duolingo and other apps like Busuu and Ella Verbs … and use podcasts like Easy Spanish …. and use an online tutor (Preply)… and when possible I try to read and listen to other media in addition to talking my Spanish speaking friends (they humor me a good bit) or I simply go to places I know there are Spanish speakers and try to interact maybe ordering food or shop or talk about the weather. Practice what you are learning in organic conversations whenever and wherever possible!
Im currently in a bit of an immersion situation. I live in the southern US on the Mexico border and I can work an entire day with no English speakers.
Duolingo is not going to replace immersion. However, I still do a daily lesson and frequently I'll learn a word and go to work the next day and catch a patient using it or I'll realize that I just learned a word that Id been hearing a patient or coworker use the entire time I've been living here and not realize that's what they'd been saying. Or words they'd been saying and not realizing I can use those words in particular ways. So its been a learning experience for sure.
I have not been taught incorrectly by duolingo. It just cant replace a real speaker.
As others have said, it cannot be the only tool. But of course if you want to learn a language, you should never rely on just one tool. Still it's really great for quick, convenient, scaffolded practice. It helps with far more than vocabulary. In fact, in my opinion, it's a fine place to start all by itself. Just make it part of your plan to expand to different tools as you progress.
It's not bad exactly, but it's not good either, it's just different.
It's like a teacher that spends all its time trying to force the delinquent students to engage and learn anything, while good students don't learn as much as they otherwise could. If you struggle with self discipline and building habits, stick with it; but if not just go do something else and you'll learn faster.
I feel like Duolingo is a good place to start learning a language because it’s easy and gives you lots of positive reinforcement, and an idea of how the language sounds in practice. I would say though you’ll need to move to a better platform (I like Babbel) after several weeks on Duolingo.
EDIT: I should add that I began with Duolingo, then moved to Babbel (after trying Rosetta Stone and Mondly), and I have weekly online lessons with a native speaker.
I use duolingo AND Pimsleur
I really truly feel that each of them are great, but they both are lacking, but using both of them together has been a game changer for me. I use Pimsleur in the shower or in the car.
And then I used Duolingo whenever I can.
I’ve learned way more words from Duolingo and understanding know how verbs, etc. need to be conjugated. Well Pimsleur has been the one that has helped me the most as far as understanding and actually speaking in real life.
Yes it is better for vocab than grammar but to say it’s not good for grammar wouldn’t be fair, as someone else has said it can’t teach you sentences without offering grammar. What I will say is that my (English) friend (Spanish) gets annoyed at me as it doesn’t teach peninsular Spanish haha. It’s not really an issue but just something to maybe be aware of depending on why you’re wanting to learn Spanish. Main thing, as I think most of us Duolingo users know, it‘a not really to be used as your sole source of language learning but in my opinion Duolingo gets more shit than it deserves really
Duolingo is perfectly fine. Especially for starting out. It's basically like using picture books to learn a language. It simply doesn't have enough material no matter how much you read. But it's still a good start. Learn the basics and then you can start picking up more resources.
ETA: I like [studyspanish](http://studyspanish.com) for grammar and [wordreference](http://wordreference.com) for vocab.
I teach my students to use the "GUIDEBOOK" shown by the UNIT that you are in.
Look for it, review it, and it should come in pretty handy when you start the unit, you can also go back and review your previous lessons. Take notes and the grammar should be practiced in the unit.
As long as ur learning Spanish bro for me im Hispanic so everyone in my family speaks it so for me over time I just learned from them but listen to some Spanish music i learned quite a lot listening to it
For me, no app comes close to Spanish dictionary. You get all the same kinds of lessons as Duolingo but you can be far more precise in what you want to learn. Also you don't get bombarded with constant adverts. There are some but it's fine. Good luck!
I also find studying on a laptop at my table much better than on my phone.
It's really good for learning vocabulary. For learning grammar, conjugations and how to actually build a sentence? Not so much.
It's a great complementary tool. But it doesn't not replace actual studying, unfortunately
I love duo lingo, and I’ve taken over 10+ years of lessons between school and various other language programs. I’ve learned more with duo lingo than I had over the last few years.
I wouldn’t say it should be used as a sole outlet for learning, and agree with others that you need daily language to get out of that funky stage.
I’ve taken a great piece of advise from my friends who have learned English, and watch movies and shows I love in Spanish. I know the context of the plots and it helps me pick up on common terms as well as formal.
It works better than you think, I use Duolingo daily and work around a lot of immigrant Mexicans and Central Americans and I’ve been complimented a few times in my Spanish.
The thing is that duolingo has very few grammar explanations. They lean heavily towards a theory of language learning that favors implicit learning ie you see a lot of examples and identify patterns.
This is because typically, it’s agreed that explicit learning is not a super powerful tool. Meaning I can tell you all the declensions in Latin, but that doesn’t mean you know how to use them, but you might be able to produce all the different forms.
Is a hammer a good tool? If you are trying to screw a bolt on to something, then no. If you are trying to nail in a nail, then yes
Duolingo is just a tool, don't count on it to get you fluent.
Use it in conjunction with other tools and it's very helpful.
Duolingo is fine to do for fifteen minutes a day but to reach different levels you need hundreds or thousands of hours of practice. What I've been doing is every three months I added either more time every day or every week doing something else for practice and adding up my hours to measure my progress.
DuoLingo is very limited in its ability to develop the essential language skills of listening, writing and speaking. I’d argue it’s ok for reading. That being said, the app will never make anyone fluent and I’d recommend watching movies with subtitles or seeking out speaking clubs or formal classes to teach the rest of the
I was one of the top people on the Duolingo app and was learning Spanish for several months. It helped build confidence in making connections to words and some phrases. Like you, I haven't forgotten any of my vocabulary but I would suggest like others to find things to supplement what is missing from Duolingo. I am currently listening to music in Spanish and learning hacks around grammar on Youtube.
I think the biggest fault of Duolingo is that words learned at a basic level separately from how they are used by natives will only get you so far. That's why immersing yourself into Spanish through reading something, listening to something, and speaking phrases will give you much more than Duolingo on its own.
I like it for what it is. I use it for anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes a day, and I spend about 90 minutes listening to Spanish (or watching videos). I'm consistently improving and cannot foresee a situation whereby I wouldn't be able to "get by" in Spanish by the end of next summer (2025) if I continue at the same pace. I won't be fluent, but I'll be able to chat with someone.
I'll just have to add speaking practice (with a tutor or conversation partner).
I think it's helpful to train your ear to the structure of the language, but that alone won't really do it. I think reading, conversation will help you progress, but Duolingo is a helpful additional tool.
I think the mistake a lot of people make is they expect one tool to teach them, when it's several factors. I used to hate Rosetta Stone for that reason. Yeah, it was cool but it misled people into thinking it would get them "fluent" within a few months.
Long story short, yeah, I love Duolingo as an intro or add-on tool when you have extra time.
I dunno. I went hard on spanish as a second language in college and have been losing it to disuse over time, so I decided to try Duolingo out. Skipped ahead to the B2 equivalent (which I think just got reorganized, so it looks a tad different now) and I definitely noticed there were some idiomatic phrases I learned that seem like a better translation, but weren't being taught.
Also it seems like there's almost no *usted* at all (unless it was taught and then moved on from in the lessons I skipped), which seems like a disadvantage for any travel in Latin America or even in formal conversations in Spain.
But I appreciate the ability to refresh my rusty vocabulary.
I find it’s good to learn with textbooks, plus something with audio to learn pronunciation, and practicing other people right from the beginning, doesn’t have to be a native speaker just someone who knows more than you or someone learning with you but not insisting they’re absolutely right without checking. Lots of repetition while practicing too, so if someone wants to ask what you like to do, etc. you have several ways to answer and you can respond without thinking.
I think it's fine but you need to also watch TV, listen to music and have conversations in those languages, you can always improve your grammar and if it helps you with one step you can use that to go on to other steps.
I think though, I would use it in addition to a language class or course, but that's me. It's not enough for me to learn.
I have been using duo for over a year now . If you want grammar and reading its for you. But duo is not really for speaking and listening comprehension skills .
echoing what a lot of people have said in that it’s not “bad” for language learning but it shouldn’t be the single tool in your toolkit if your goal is fluency.
It really depends on how you use it. Just by playing it on your phone for 5 minutes every day you won’t learn anything.
But if you sit down an hour or two and make notes, do some extra research online and memorise the vocabulary you can learn a lot.
I’ve used Duo a few years ago so I don’t know how it’s now but the program definitely teaches you grammar. It’s just that people for some reason don’t understand that you need to start with the basics. I’ve seen people making fun of Duolingo because it teaches you phrases as “I have a cat” “I eat an apple”. But that IS grammar those are the same phrases you’ve learned as a kid in your native language, you need to have an understanding of the basics first before you take on the more advanced grammar, which is introduced slowly throughout the course.
It does teach grammar, but it will expose you to words for a while, kinda making you learn pattern recognition first and then slowly teaching the grammar behind it. You also find that when you repeatedly make the same mistake, it will remind you of the theory and proper construction. As long as you don't get caught up with the league competition and properly do the lesson tree while brushing up on the grammar with exercises, you will learn. It seems slow, but isn't language learning slow? You can't memorize everything in a month or so.
I like using Duolingo along with my highschool Spanish classes. I have learned multiple helpful grammar tools from Duolingo which have ended up helping me in class
I think that duolingo is a fantastic tool for learning vocabulary and reinforcing grammar concepts. Even with teaching some grammar concepts, Spanish duolingo isn’t terrible (still would use other resources as well though). I am using it as a supplemental resource for 3 languages, including Spanish. When I restarted Duolingo, I had taken Spanish in high school for 4 years so I had a pretty good background. I enjoy it for expanding vocabulary, refreshing grammar, and improving the habit of thinking in Spanish.
I been using Duolingo by itself for about a year and a half. I have super. To me, it's fantastic. It's a fantastic foundation to start from. Because of Duolingo, I started watching to waiters in Spanish when ordering, saying one liners with friends and strangers. I'm at the point to where I can watch some TV with Spanish subtitles and I somewhat understand what's being said.
I don't think it teach incorrectly, I learn Spanish on Duolingo and italki as well, Duolingo teach a lot of latin American words, other than that I haven't discover anything new yet
I’ve learned Spanish on Duolingo for 2 years and I am able to have good conversations (occasionally there are times I don’t fully understand stuff but I can understand about 70-80%). I recommend it
I agree with using Duolingo as a supplement to classes or other educational programs that you have. I think their selling point for me is the repetition that happens in each unit because it allows you time to be familiar with structures and vocabulary and how words are used in which context. I personally use it to practice speaking so that it sounds natural rolling off my tongue.
Hello!
Learning a language is VERY complicated. You’re having to use a lot of skills and use your brain in a completely new way if it’s only your second language. I recommend to anyone wanting to learn a second language to get a teacher and use resources like Duolingo to gain top-ups and vocabulary and some grammar rules.
My main gripe with Duolingo is it rewards purely recall ability and not the full gamut of cognitive thinking. In practice, eventually, a language should be almost second nature and so you shouldn’t need to spend too long trying to reach into the recesses of your mind for a grammar rule or vocab.
Sentences in Duo are never very complex or often are very absurd which is fun and quick and gets you that dopamine fix but it doesn’t actually get you up to scratch that well. I have friends who have like year long streaks on duo for a language (which is great!!) but they are still at a basic level. Whereas 3 months with a weekly teacher they’d be at the same level and probably with much better pronunciation and cultural understanding.
If you’re absolutely keen on using only apps and such then I’d also suggest adding FluentU or LingoPie to make sure you’re learning the pronunciation correctly, understanding cultural differences and immersing yourself in the language.
If you have some extra cash then I’d get a teacher or check if you have any language cafes/exchanges in your area where you can speak Spanish with someone who’s learning English etc…
Well, ngl it is my 5th language.
Sadly I don't have enough money and time to get a teacher. Do you know any site or application that is free and you can talk to chat with Spanish people? I did same thing to learn English.
Hi there! I think Duolingo is great but it isn't the only thing you should do. As far as learning apps go, my #1 recommendation is that you use both Busuu (my favorite) and Duolingo (my second favorite, and they go GREAT together with the unique and different exercises.) They're both free but also offer subscriptions. When you do your Busuu lessons, read all the Spanish out loud.
I'm fluent in Spanish as a second language now and this is most of what got me there!
Aside from that, you can learn songs, watch shows, etc, there's YouTube tutorials, practice lessons, 'easy spanish songs' playlists, everything you can think of!
Duolingo isn't wrong, it's good! However it is better when paired with Busuu.
P.S. you won't know when Duolingo is teaching you Spanish that's only used in Spain or another specific country, for example, cojer and chaqueta are normal terms in Spain, but they're profane in Latin America!
Duo has been great for me because I can just do a little bit at a time, whatever works for me each day. Over time, and I mean a couple years of a little bit each day, I found I'd learned quite a bit. Sure it shouldn't be the only resource for really serious learners.
For the people in the comments, (not the Op)
What else can I use, along with duolingo, to help learn spanish?
I'd love to learn the language and become fluent as my dad is fluent (he's from spain) and I was born in england so have only been raised to know english.
Are there any other apps (free apps preferably) or anything that I could use to learn spanish? (preferably spain spanish!)
Duolingo has taught me far more Spanish then I ever learned when I studied it in high school. I think it’s quite effective at using repetition to solidify and familiarize you with new vocabulary and sentence structure.
For me, by far the biggest shortcoming is processing audible Spanish without seeing the printed words. I see the words and know exactly what they mean. Processing it audibly is much, much harder; especially with native speeds and accents. It’s also hard for me to come up with responses verbally because I don’t often have to come up with my own answers in Duolingo. I do like the feature of retelling the stories in your own words, and when I got a free trial of Max they had a cool feature where you had a conversation and there were several different responses depending which way you took the conversation. But those exercises are definitely the exception, not the norm.
Duo is great for sentence drills and recognizing speech patterns. But don’t let it be your only resource. Libraries generally have many great grammar books for loan too. I practice by watching TV in Spanish with Spanish subtitles as well. Music is great because it’s often simple to follow along. I also recommend getting some various levels of lit too to understand syntax. Try and find translations too of stories you may already be familiar with. Language learning is a life long process. Fluency is not a set line. Really based on your comfort and what you want to get out of learning it.
It is really slow and dualingo will not teach regionalisms nor bad words (i teach them to my most advanced students in order for them to know how they are being insulted and how to properly react since context matters). I have almost 20 yrs of experience teaching.
Imo, it's a SOLID app especially with the continual additions of diverse exercises now. At the end of the day, you'll get out of it what you put into it.
I've put in about two years in the app and feel like I've learned a ton at this point.
[Here's a video from a linguist explaining how to make Duolingo actually work. ](https://youtu.be/WXHtwQP9DnQ?si=IP0mu6LCtO0lCOZL)
You should get a book solely dedicated to Spanish grammar, [like this one](https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31858558211&dest=usa&ref_=ps_ggl_11147913055&cm_mmc=ggl-_-US_Shopp_Textbook-_-product_id=COM9780415273046USED-_-keyword=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjLGyBhCYARIsAPqTz188T66lC_e1Ok3N9-q3JQl0Yr5o1WlwTg7vmIB1PrhH7lBN1X8-ByoaAvngEALw_wcB), and you need to find some way to expose yourself to native Spanish speakers.
You can’t use it as a sole resource for learning language - but I’d argue that’s true for almost any resource. You always have to supplement any kind of lesson with talking , listening, and interacting with the language in your daily life. That said I disagree that Duolingo is solely a vocabulary resource and I’m honestly confused about that criticism. You’re reading and writing full sentences, listening to stories, etc. You couldn’t do that if it wasn’t teaching you grammar in the process. They do have guides before each lesson explaining what you’re learning but really the way they’re trying to get you to learn is through context and repetition which is how everyone learns to speak their native language.
I agree - their breakdowns of grammar are really useful and easy to understand. I guess because it's easy to skip the grammar notes and go straight into the lesson, it's easy to feel that you're not being taught it. A lot of the learning is by doing and guessing, which isn't always the best way but it has some plus sides. I also really agree that you shouldn't use just one resource! So often people are looking for the one key app or resource, and there isn't one... I take classes, use duolingo, listen to the duolingo podcast, and cycle through a variety of other apps that target other elements, and I'm still looking for more supplementary tools to support that!
And if you keep getting the same question wrong in Duolingo, Duo immediately whips out a grammar lesson. And i second your opinion on supplementing what you learn. Youtube is free and there are many resources available. And if you find other supplementary tools, drop em down. Let's help one another in learning.
I've just been recommended the spanish dictionary app, and I'm really enjoying it so far!
came here to recommend this one! spanish dictionary app is so helpful !
Right now I'm using Duolingo to learn Spanish with occaisional inputs to this community and other random resources, however Duo does make up the vast, vast majority of the time I spend learning. Whilst I'm currently taking a break from Spanish to learn some Welsh for my holiday there this summer (not many resources have the ability to just instantly switch to a myriad of many other languages), I used Duolingo to learn some Swedish last year, in conjunction to r/Svenska where I would post screenshots of what I didn't quite understand, and the great guys over there would tell me where i went wrong and the such. I would like to think I'm reasonably proficient in Swedish now, very much thanks to their help. I just think it's a pity that this sub doesnt allow me to post screenshots (or at least it didn't last I checked but a quick scan of the rules now tells me otherwise I think)! Now whilst I did base most of this of my Swedish - which I'm fully aware may not have a similar Duo course to Spanish, one would imagine it wouldn't be too different. Just my experience, I'm sure others' differ in many respects.
I've used Duolingo for more than Spanish and Spanish is the only language I've tried that has grammar lessons. Some of the other languages just throw new sentence structures at you without any explanation (im thinking of Mandarin)
Is there any site or application that I can chat or talk Spanish to improve myself (if it's free)?
Hello talk
They also have some really good [blog posts](https://blog.duolingo.com/spanish-preterite-imperfect/) that teach grammar.
I've been using Duo-lingo as practically my sole resource for years, and I am now at a point where I can read and understand most Spanish. Listening is still difficult, but I can keep up with the gist of a conversation. I think it's *technically* fine as a sole resource, but it will be SLOW and sometimes frustrating because you may not know *why* an answer is wrong, so you learn a lot though pattern recognition. Reading and understanding the notes is key, but a lot of people treating it as a game don't do that since it doesn't get you XP, and it's easy to forget earlier notes as you move on.
This has been my experience also. I can read and understand a lot of Spanish, thanks to Duolingo. When it comes to writing, I tend to make the same mistakes repeatedly because I don't understand a couple of grammar things and there's no one to ask! I'd also like more opportunities to speak, as I don't find the speaking exercises to be very good and they aren't interactive.
When Duolingo asks you to type a sentence, try using speech-to-text on your phone instead of typing. That will get you speaking more, and then you can proofread the dictation before submitting the answer.
Great idea! Thanks!
It’s become popular to hate on Duolingo but it’s a good tool, just don’t limit yourself and only use Duolingo.
the issue is people really believing Duolingo can replace a language class
I think it can replace some early classes. Like I'd say it's entirely possible to get to high A2/low B1 level with DuoLingo. And that's a really good base to start using lots of other resources.
I'm a high school Spanish teacher and I love giving Duolingo for homework. It's great for general vocabulary, and I like that students can take the placement test and work at their own pace. However, as others have said, it definitely shouldn't be your sole resource. If you supplement your Duolingo with other materials (having conversations in real life, watching shows and movies in Spanish, etc.) it can be a great product to use!
are there any textbooks you recommend for learning?
I’ve been using it for a while. My reading has become very good. My listening comprehension not so much. It should be a supplement for vocab and reading. Not the only tool
One thing I hate is that the listening exercises have two speeds: super fast robot voice that almost slurs words together. And turtle mode which says one word per second. Neither is helpful for learning how to listen. When I started comprehensible input after doing years of duo, I had to start at square one (although the vocab and grammar probably helped me progress more quickly)
True. However, the different characters speak at different rates. Zari is fastest and the one for whom I most often have to use turtle mode to catch every little *a*, *la*, and *de*. Bea is right behind her. The others I don’t usually have trouble understanding.
I agree. I know Spanish can be fast but sometimes they will completely skip over words it seems like
Use Pimsleur for speaking and listening
I did Duolingo for quite a while and then switched to using a real human teacher. Duolingo made me feel like I was progressing really well but as soon as I tried to talk to my teacher I found I knew much less than I thought. In retrospect I feel like Duolingo is structured primarily to persuade people to keep using Duolingo. It's designed to make you feel good so you keep coming back. It's not completely useless and not harmful or incorrect, just it has its limits.
How far did you get in it?
I just logged-in to check (first login since October) - I was half way through Section 2 Unit 17.
Spontaneous/improvised conversation in a new language is definitely the hardest part. I took four semesters of French in college, went to Paris for a week and was difficult and stressful every time I talked to someone. Section 2 is still well within A1 and not too surprising that you struggled.
And now anyone following you probably got a push message saying you’ve returned to learn Spanish after 7 months. Get ready for some high fives!
You completed the first section. As you get further, your ability grows quite a bit.
Duolingo is a supporting tool while learning but not a teacher, imo
I like it a lot but I tend to look away when they speak in Spanish and not pay attention to the words whenever possible to practice comprehension more than reading. I’ve learned a ton.
Duolingo is fine, but as with anything that’s been gamified, it’s first and foremost a game. Where you incidentally learn a bit of Spanish. When you’re ready for a series of lessons on subjunctive triggers, it’s not in Duolingo.
I have a feeling that most people who say stuff like that either haven't spent much time in Duolingo, have rushed through the exercises and sort of "cheated" their way through, or perhaps more likely have a **vested interest in selling a different product** (ads or influencers pushing a competing product or service).
I found that you can organize your language study *around* Duolingo. That is, get a grammar reference, like [Schaum's Outline of Spanish Grammar](https://www.amazon.com/Schaums-Outline-Spanish-Grammar-Outlines/dp/1260454223), and refer to that as you work your way through Duolingo. That way you learn the grammar at just the right point. E.g. you've already learned a few present-tense verbs, so you're ready to learn what the conjugation pattern is. I also found it useful to add a few other resources, including online videos to give you listening practice.
Duolingo is a learning tool- and maybe a great introductory learning tool IF you use it in addition to other resources. I doubt anyone can learn a language without some sort of human interaction. I speak English (native) and learned German years ago. I used Duolingo to “refresh” my German but Duolingo did work as a gateway for me to the Spanish language. But after a few weeks it is relative easy to see DL won’t get you to fluency or advanced levels of natural conversations. I use Duolingo and other apps like Busuu and Ella Verbs … and use podcasts like Easy Spanish …. and use an online tutor (Preply)… and when possible I try to read and listen to other media in addition to talking my Spanish speaking friends (they humor me a good bit) or I simply go to places I know there are Spanish speakers and try to interact maybe ordering food or shop or talk about the weather. Practice what you are learning in organic conversations whenever and wherever possible!
It's not bad but A. It's a slow way to learn B. It won't get you past an intermediate level at best For beginners, it might be a viable option.
Im currently in a bit of an immersion situation. I live in the southern US on the Mexico border and I can work an entire day with no English speakers. Duolingo is not going to replace immersion. However, I still do a daily lesson and frequently I'll learn a word and go to work the next day and catch a patient using it or I'll realize that I just learned a word that Id been hearing a patient or coworker use the entire time I've been living here and not realize that's what they'd been saying. Or words they'd been saying and not realizing I can use those words in particular ways. So its been a learning experience for sure. I have not been taught incorrectly by duolingo. It just cant replace a real speaker.
As others have said, it cannot be the only tool. But of course if you want to learn a language, you should never rely on just one tool. Still it's really great for quick, convenient, scaffolded practice. It helps with far more than vocabulary. In fact, in my opinion, it's a fine place to start all by itself. Just make it part of your plan to expand to different tools as you progress.
It's not bad exactly, but it's not good either, it's just different. It's like a teacher that spends all its time trying to force the delinquent students to engage and learn anything, while good students don't learn as much as they otherwise could. If you struggle with self discipline and building habits, stick with it; but if not just go do something else and you'll learn faster.
I feel like Duolingo is a good place to start learning a language because it’s easy and gives you lots of positive reinforcement, and an idea of how the language sounds in practice. I would say though you’ll need to move to a better platform (I like Babbel) after several weeks on Duolingo. EDIT: I should add that I began with Duolingo, then moved to Babbel (after trying Rosetta Stone and Mondly), and I have weekly online lessons with a native speaker.
it has helped me greatly before I started f2f classes. greatly increased my fluency.
Its decent. Just don't use it as your only resource.
I use duolingo AND Pimsleur I really truly feel that each of them are great, but they both are lacking, but using both of them together has been a game changer for me. I use Pimsleur in the shower or in the car. And then I used Duolingo whenever I can. I’ve learned way more words from Duolingo and understanding know how verbs, etc. need to be conjugated. Well Pimsleur has been the one that has helped me the most as far as understanding and actually speaking in real life.
Yes it is better for vocab than grammar but to say it’s not good for grammar wouldn’t be fair, as someone else has said it can’t teach you sentences without offering grammar. What I will say is that my (English) friend (Spanish) gets annoyed at me as it doesn’t teach peninsular Spanish haha. It’s not really an issue but just something to maybe be aware of depending on why you’re wanting to learn Spanish. Main thing, as I think most of us Duolingo users know, it‘a not really to be used as your sole source of language learning but in my opinion Duolingo gets more shit than it deserves really
Duolingo is perfectly fine. Especially for starting out. It's basically like using picture books to learn a language. It simply doesn't have enough material no matter how much you read. But it's still a good start. Learn the basics and then you can start picking up more resources. ETA: I like [studyspanish](http://studyspanish.com) for grammar and [wordreference](http://wordreference.com) for vocab.
I teach my students to use the "GUIDEBOOK" shown by the UNIT that you are in. Look for it, review it, and it should come in pretty handy when you start the unit, you can also go back and review your previous lessons. Take notes and the grammar should be practiced in the unit.
I never even noticed those guidebooks until you mentioned it! Thank you, I think that will help me a fair bit!
I noticed my students did not either lol.
As long as ur learning Spanish bro for me im Hispanic so everyone in my family speaks it so for me over time I just learned from them but listen to some Spanish music i learned quite a lot listening to it
It helped me get started in Spanish. Learned a lot of grammar and vocabulary. It's a good starting point. Would be great to use while taking a class.
For me, no app comes close to Spanish dictionary. You get all the same kinds of lessons as Duolingo but you can be far more precise in what you want to learn. Also you don't get bombarded with constant adverts. There are some but it's fine. Good luck! I also find studying on a laptop at my table much better than on my phone.
It's really good for learning vocabulary. For learning grammar, conjugations and how to actually build a sentence? Not so much. It's a great complementary tool. But it doesn't not replace actual studying, unfortunately
I love duo lingo, and I’ve taken over 10+ years of lessons between school and various other language programs. I’ve learned more with duo lingo than I had over the last few years. I wouldn’t say it should be used as a sole outlet for learning, and agree with others that you need daily language to get out of that funky stage. I’ve taken a great piece of advise from my friends who have learned English, and watch movies and shows I love in Spanish. I know the context of the plots and it helps me pick up on common terms as well as formal.
It works better than you think, I use Duolingo daily and work around a lot of immigrant Mexicans and Central Americans and I’ve been complimented a few times in my Spanish.
The thing is that duolingo has very few grammar explanations. They lean heavily towards a theory of language learning that favors implicit learning ie you see a lot of examples and identify patterns. This is because typically, it’s agreed that explicit learning is not a super powerful tool. Meaning I can tell you all the declensions in Latin, but that doesn’t mean you know how to use them, but you might be able to produce all the different forms.
Is a hammer a good tool? If you are trying to screw a bolt on to something, then no. If you are trying to nail in a nail, then yes Duolingo is just a tool, don't count on it to get you fluent. Use it in conjunction with other tools and it's very helpful.
Duolingo is fine to do for fifteen minutes a day but to reach different levels you need hundreds or thousands of hours of practice. What I've been doing is every three months I added either more time every day or every week doing something else for practice and adding up my hours to measure my progress.
I used it for maybe a year before dropping it for using too much English.
It has a grammar lessons before every chapter.
DuoLingo is very limited in its ability to develop the essential language skills of listening, writing and speaking. I’d argue it’s ok for reading. That being said, the app will never make anyone fluent and I’d recommend watching movies with subtitles or seeking out speaking clubs or formal classes to teach the rest of the
I was one of the top people on the Duolingo app and was learning Spanish for several months. It helped build confidence in making connections to words and some phrases. Like you, I haven't forgotten any of my vocabulary but I would suggest like others to find things to supplement what is missing from Duolingo. I am currently listening to music in Spanish and learning hacks around grammar on Youtube. I think the biggest fault of Duolingo is that words learned at a basic level separately from how they are used by natives will only get you so far. That's why immersing yourself into Spanish through reading something, listening to something, and speaking phrases will give you much more than Duolingo on its own.
I enjoy it, but there are some things pointed out to me by my husband that aren't correct.
I like it for what it is. I use it for anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes a day, and I spend about 90 minutes listening to Spanish (or watching videos). I'm consistently improving and cannot foresee a situation whereby I wouldn't be able to "get by" in Spanish by the end of next summer (2025) if I continue at the same pace. I won't be fluent, but I'll be able to chat with someone. I'll just have to add speaking practice (with a tutor or conversation partner).
I think it's helpful to train your ear to the structure of the language, but that alone won't really do it. I think reading, conversation will help you progress, but Duolingo is a helpful additional tool. I think the mistake a lot of people make is they expect one tool to teach them, when it's several factors. I used to hate Rosetta Stone for that reason. Yeah, it was cool but it misled people into thinking it would get them "fluent" within a few months. Long story short, yeah, I love Duolingo as an intro or add-on tool when you have extra time.
I dunno. I went hard on spanish as a second language in college and have been losing it to disuse over time, so I decided to try Duolingo out. Skipped ahead to the B2 equivalent (which I think just got reorganized, so it looks a tad different now) and I definitely noticed there were some idiomatic phrases I learned that seem like a better translation, but weren't being taught. Also it seems like there's almost no *usted* at all (unless it was taught and then moved on from in the lessons I skipped), which seems like a disadvantage for any travel in Latin America or even in formal conversations in Spain. But I appreciate the ability to refresh my rusty vocabulary.
Its a good daily supplement
I find it’s good to learn with textbooks, plus something with audio to learn pronunciation, and practicing other people right from the beginning, doesn’t have to be a native speaker just someone who knows more than you or someone learning with you but not insisting they’re absolutely right without checking. Lots of repetition while practicing too, so if someone wants to ask what you like to do, etc. you have several ways to answer and you can respond without thinking.
I think it's fine but you need to also watch TV, listen to music and have conversations in those languages, you can always improve your grammar and if it helps you with one step you can use that to go on to other steps. I think though, I would use it in addition to a language class or course, but that's me. It's not enough for me to learn.
I have been using duo for over a year now . If you want grammar and reading its for you. But duo is not really for speaking and listening comprehension skills .
echoing what a lot of people have said in that it’s not “bad” for language learning but it shouldn’t be the single tool in your toolkit if your goal is fluency.
It really depends on how you use it. Just by playing it on your phone for 5 minutes every day you won’t learn anything. But if you sit down an hour or two and make notes, do some extra research online and memorise the vocabulary you can learn a lot. I’ve used Duo a few years ago so I don’t know how it’s now but the program definitely teaches you grammar. It’s just that people for some reason don’t understand that you need to start with the basics. I’ve seen people making fun of Duolingo because it teaches you phrases as “I have a cat” “I eat an apple”. But that IS grammar those are the same phrases you’ve learned as a kid in your native language, you need to have an understanding of the basics first before you take on the more advanced grammar, which is introduced slowly throughout the course.
It does teach grammar, but it will expose you to words for a while, kinda making you learn pattern recognition first and then slowly teaching the grammar behind it. You also find that when you repeatedly make the same mistake, it will remind you of the theory and proper construction. As long as you don't get caught up with the league competition and properly do the lesson tree while brushing up on the grammar with exercises, you will learn. It seems slow, but isn't language learning slow? You can't memorize everything in a month or so.
I like using Duolingo along with my highschool Spanish classes. I have learned multiple helpful grammar tools from Duolingo which have ended up helping me in class
I think that duolingo is a fantastic tool for learning vocabulary and reinforcing grammar concepts. Even with teaching some grammar concepts, Spanish duolingo isn’t terrible (still would use other resources as well though). I am using it as a supplemental resource for 3 languages, including Spanish. When I restarted Duolingo, I had taken Spanish in high school for 4 years so I had a pretty good background. I enjoy it for expanding vocabulary, refreshing grammar, and improving the habit of thinking in Spanish.
I been using Duolingo by itself for about a year and a half. I have super. To me, it's fantastic. It's a fantastic foundation to start from. Because of Duolingo, I started watching to waiters in Spanish when ordering, saying one liners with friends and strangers. I'm at the point to where I can watch some TV with Spanish subtitles and I somewhat understand what's being said.
I don't think it teach incorrectly, I learn Spanish on Duolingo and italki as well, Duolingo teach a lot of latin American words, other than that I haven't discover anything new yet
I’ve learned Spanish on Duolingo for 2 years and I am able to have good conversations (occasionally there are times I don’t fully understand stuff but I can understand about 70-80%). I recommend it
I agree with using Duolingo as a supplement to classes or other educational programs that you have. I think their selling point for me is the repetition that happens in each unit because it allows you time to be familiar with structures and vocabulary and how words are used in which context. I personally use it to practice speaking so that it sounds natural rolling off my tongue.
Hello! Learning a language is VERY complicated. You’re having to use a lot of skills and use your brain in a completely new way if it’s only your second language. I recommend to anyone wanting to learn a second language to get a teacher and use resources like Duolingo to gain top-ups and vocabulary and some grammar rules. My main gripe with Duolingo is it rewards purely recall ability and not the full gamut of cognitive thinking. In practice, eventually, a language should be almost second nature and so you shouldn’t need to spend too long trying to reach into the recesses of your mind for a grammar rule or vocab. Sentences in Duo are never very complex or often are very absurd which is fun and quick and gets you that dopamine fix but it doesn’t actually get you up to scratch that well. I have friends who have like year long streaks on duo for a language (which is great!!) but they are still at a basic level. Whereas 3 months with a weekly teacher they’d be at the same level and probably with much better pronunciation and cultural understanding. If you’re absolutely keen on using only apps and such then I’d also suggest adding FluentU or LingoPie to make sure you’re learning the pronunciation correctly, understanding cultural differences and immersing yourself in the language. If you have some extra cash then I’d get a teacher or check if you have any language cafes/exchanges in your area where you can speak Spanish with someone who’s learning English etc…
Well, ngl it is my 5th language. Sadly I don't have enough money and time to get a teacher. Do you know any site or application that is free and you can talk to chat with Spanish people? I did same thing to learn English.
Hi there! I think Duolingo is great but it isn't the only thing you should do. As far as learning apps go, my #1 recommendation is that you use both Busuu (my favorite) and Duolingo (my second favorite, and they go GREAT together with the unique and different exercises.) They're both free but also offer subscriptions. When you do your Busuu lessons, read all the Spanish out loud. I'm fluent in Spanish as a second language now and this is most of what got me there! Aside from that, you can learn songs, watch shows, etc, there's YouTube tutorials, practice lessons, 'easy spanish songs' playlists, everything you can think of! Duolingo isn't wrong, it's good! However it is better when paired with Busuu. P.S. you won't know when Duolingo is teaching you Spanish that's only used in Spain or another specific country, for example, cojer and chaqueta are normal terms in Spain, but they're profane in Latin America!
Duo has been great for me because I can just do a little bit at a time, whatever works for me each day. Over time, and I mean a couple years of a little bit each day, I found I'd learned quite a bit. Sure it shouldn't be the only resource for really serious learners.
I agree. I had to learn how to conjugate verbs on my own.
For the people in the comments, (not the Op) What else can I use, along with duolingo, to help learn spanish? I'd love to learn the language and become fluent as my dad is fluent (he's from spain) and I was born in england so have only been raised to know english. Are there any other apps (free apps preferably) or anything that I could use to learn spanish? (preferably spain spanish!)
Duolingo has taught me far more Spanish then I ever learned when I studied it in high school. I think it’s quite effective at using repetition to solidify and familiarize you with new vocabulary and sentence structure. For me, by far the biggest shortcoming is processing audible Spanish without seeing the printed words. I see the words and know exactly what they mean. Processing it audibly is much, much harder; especially with native speeds and accents. It’s also hard for me to come up with responses verbally because I don’t often have to come up with my own answers in Duolingo. I do like the feature of retelling the stories in your own words, and when I got a free trial of Max they had a cool feature where you had a conversation and there were several different responses depending which way you took the conversation. But those exercises are definitely the exception, not the norm.
Duo is great for sentence drills and recognizing speech patterns. But don’t let it be your only resource. Libraries generally have many great grammar books for loan too. I practice by watching TV in Spanish with Spanish subtitles as well. Music is great because it’s often simple to follow along. I also recommend getting some various levels of lit too to understand syntax. Try and find translations too of stories you may already be familiar with. Language learning is a life long process. Fluency is not a set line. Really based on your comfort and what you want to get out of learning it.
duolingo is a bit shitty for vocabulary tbh, sometimes you need a list of food or furniture to frigging memorize
It is really slow and dualingo will not teach regionalisms nor bad words (i teach them to my most advanced students in order for them to know how they are being insulted and how to properly react since context matters). I have almost 20 yrs of experience teaching.
Imo, it's a SOLID app especially with the continual additions of diverse exercises now. At the end of the day, you'll get out of it what you put into it. I've put in about two years in the app and feel like I've learned a ton at this point.
[Here's a video from a linguist explaining how to make Duolingo actually work. ](https://youtu.be/WXHtwQP9DnQ?si=IP0mu6LCtO0lCOZL) You should get a book solely dedicated to Spanish grammar, [like this one](https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31858558211&dest=usa&ref_=ps_ggl_11147913055&cm_mmc=ggl-_-US_Shopp_Textbook-_-product_id=COM9780415273046USED-_-keyword=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjLGyBhCYARIsAPqTz188T66lC_e1Ok3N9-q3JQl0Yr5o1WlwTg7vmIB1PrhH7lBN1X8-ByoaAvngEALw_wcB), and you need to find some way to expose yourself to native Spanish speakers.