Is Duolingo Wasting Your Time?

How to use an app to learn a new language

Welcome, aspiring polyglot! At least once per day I am asked what I think about a given language learning app and if I would recommend it. Is Duolingo enough to learn a new language? Categorically no. This may not surprise you, especially if you have been using it for years. However, if you view the app, or apps, for what they are, supplements, then they can help improve your abilities.

What Duolingo does well

My favorite part of Duolingo is also one of the things that it does best: it has an extremely low barrier to entry. It’s free, provided you are okay with spending a fair bit of time watching ads, and it is the perfect start for someone interested in getting back into language learning. The vocabulary may be sporadic, but you cannot walk away without knowing any words. That is certainly something.

Aside from a base level of vocabulary and the way in which it excels at getting people started, Duolingo really is not helpful. I like to think of it as a sort of gateway drug. People will start up with it, some will stop there, others will set out for something more potent once the novelty of gamified education wears off. Of course, it should be said they expertly sell the feeling of learning a new language.

Where it falls short

After the first 30 days, you might start to notice that there is such thing as too much repetition. When you can do the exercises in 1.5 minutes because you have the every vocabulary word they have showed you memorized, it’s time to put the phone down and get to work on the things that will actually move the needle for you. The limitations of Duolingo far outweigh the benefits.

For instance, relying on a robot to understand your speech is dangerous. Not only that, but the opportunities that you do have to converse with your phone are almost entirely devoid of actual, practical context. The vocabulary is generic and directionless meaning it does not adapt to you or the things you actually need to express yourself in your target language.

Personally, I find the most egregious failure of Duolingo is that there is no incentive to write. Writing is incredibly important for complete language acquisition and without that aspect your abilities will always have a ceiling. For more on adding writing to your language learning routine, check out this article:

It is also lacking in effective feedback mechanisms. No one in a real world conversation is going to stop you and tell you that you are wrong because you used “el” instead of “la” while speaking. So even the feedback that is being provided is largely unhelpful in a real world context. At a certain point, there is no replacement for human feedback.

Finally, it is almost too “fun”. That is to say, there is nowhere near enough pressure applied in the lessons. One problem most people run into when they finally escape the silent period is contending with the cortisol spikes inherent in high pressure situations like speaking to native speakers for the first, or hundredth, time. Learning to manage this stress is crucial. You can learn how here:

Duolingo is capable of progressing you towards a low intermediate level. From there you will likely find yourself on a near endless plateau. You could go 100 days in a row or 1000 days in a row and it will not change your ceiling in any real sense. Worst of all, you will find yourself in the ever common “I can understand but I can’t speak” trap.

As I mentioned above, my favorite part about Duolingo is that it gets people rolling. If you are taking your second language acquisition seriously, however, you could begin speaking a new language confidently faster than your friend can reach a 100 day streak on Duolingo. You just need to choose the things you focus on wisely.

What should you do then?

I would be remiss if I didn’t provide options for how you can advance quicker. Do I think you should remove Duolingo entirely? That depends. If it is the only thing keeping you tangentially tied to your target language and associated goals, then you should keep using it as much as possible. However, if you are craving more, here is what you should do.

1. Start writing immediately

   1. 50 sentences per week

      1. Tell as story

      2. Teach someone something

      3. Keep a journal

   2. NO TRANSLATION HELP

      1. Do not use translation help for this. Fight for every word and find ways to say things any way that you can rather than the best way that you can.

   3. Iterate

      1. Everyone gets caught up on repetition. Yes, repetition is crucial for successful language learning. But that is only the first part of the equation. Once you have done your repetition it is necessary to begin iteration. Take the sentences you have written, use reverso.com (or something similar) and learn to speak/write how you want rather than how you must.

1. Start reading

   1. Read something above your language “level”

   2. Read the news

   3. Read about things you want to learn more about in general

   4. Read out loud to practice fluid speech without needing to come up with your own words

   5. Translate texts to improve your vocabulary and understanding of grammar structures in your target language

2. Speak

   1. Hire a tutor

   2. Call a friend

   3. Record yourself

   4. Review conversations you have had and translate them to your target language

   5. rehearse in the mirror

Doing these three things for 21 days straight will completely change your language learning experience, especially if it has been primarily limited to Duolingo and other language learning apps. Continue to use the apps as supplementation, sure, but if you truly want to see meaningful progress, you have to step outside of your comfort zone. Push beyond the apps.

Conclusion

If you have hit the Duolingo wall, it’s time to accept apps for what they are: supplementation. Trying to learn a new language with an app is equivalent to trying to get into shape by taking BCAAs and creatine. Those things can help, but they will not do much if you are not working to improve the foundations your are building. Supplements are good, but exercise is better.

I understand the desire to maintain a streak. In fact, Duolingo’s marketing team pretty much relies on the human desire to maintain continuity in order to keep their user base. What if, though, you built your own streak? How many days can you read in a row? How many days will you write? Speak? Challenge yourself to find out and see how far you can take your linguistic skills.

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