I've been using it for almost two years, and I like the repetition and review exercises. But it isn't my only tool. I started with all five levels of Rosetta Stone, which was kind of a quick tour of the language, and I think it helped jump-start my learning. But there was a lot I still didn't understand, so I read 'Madrigal's Magic Keys to Spanish' three times and did all the exercises twice. I also speak to my wife, who lives in another country and speaks no English, for at least a few minutes every day. After 3+ years of effort, I still can't understand Spanish-language shows. Duolingo says I'm at level A2. But my wife says she can understand me just fine.
Wow, you've come a long way, Marvin. Congratulations on that.
It's normal not to understand shows in Spanish. There are a lot of factors that come into play: editing, accents, background music, etc.
I think that to understand shows, you need to watch a lot of them—maybe even pick a series you've seen in English before and watch the whole thing in Spanish. That helps with comprehension.
This was very interesting to read, thank you for writing it. I use Duo (not for Spanish) and on the whole I like it; it does two things for my language learning:
1. It makes my brain shift into another language every day, even if it's just for 20 mins. That's a good thing.
2. It has really improved my vocabulary.
While I agree with you about the lack of grammar instruction being annoying, that's not what duo was designed for.
They are a space repetition app that is based on the idea that children learn language without grammar instruction. We have all learned our mother tongue (at least in the early stages) without formally being taught it, we just pick it up from listening and interacting, and that's what Duo attempts to recreate.
However, I do think that's slightly flawed as:
1) you're not immersed in the language like you are as a child
2) you're not getting the language delivered in the way it would be as a child (aurally and orally)
3) we don't have the critical period to help us out (damn our rigid, adult brains)
So, I think, there does need to be some explanation to help learners spot and understand patterns and learn when there are exceptions.
I've recently signed up for a speaking class in my language and I was surprised that I could participate quite comfortably only using the language I've been learning. Had I not used Duo, I wouldn't have been able to do that.
Thank you for sharing your experience using Duolingo. I think it can help learners make a more informed decision about which resources to use.
Those two points you mentioned are likely the positive aspects Duolingo can offer:
1. Developing a study habit.
2. Learning basic vocabulary.
And, of course, I agree with you that Duolingo falls short in its attempt to recreate the conditions we experienced when we learned our native language.
After many years of using Duolingo, I'm tapering off my use dramatically. As you suggest, I'm going to think of it mainly as a game to kill a little dead time while waiting for the bus or for the kettle to boil, rather than as a way to make real progress in Spanish. I'm using the rest of the time I might have given to Duolingo to do more focused study.
As a side note, I'm still bummed that Duolingo stopped making its Spanish podcasts. They were by far the best thing on the app. (Fortunately, they're still available on podcast apps.)
I think that step you're about to take will help you make better use of your time and get better results. Honestly, I think any other app, even one with a basic study plan or drills on a specific grammar topic, used for the same amount of time as Duolingo would take you further.
And I agree with you. The Duolingo podcasts were fantastic. It’s a shame they stopped, but, as you say, they’re still available. I usually recommend them to beginners. The stories are great, and the mix of English and Spanish in the same podcast really helps with comprehension.
I have , as of yesterday, completed the Spanish course on Duolingo. However, about six months ago I released I wasn’t progressing and was just stuck in a rut. That’s when I signed up for conversation lessons, found podcasts and YT videos, books and newspapers in Spanish and of course the excellent resources on Substack.
I’m now making tangible progress.
As for Duolingo - it’s a very good basic scaffold but it’s no way the sole answer to learning. Immersion and exposure to speaking and listening in as natural contexts as possible are the best (for me at least).
Thank you very much, Rich, for sharing your thoughts on Duolingo.
The positive thing about all this is that you reached the end of a path and, seeing that there was nowhere else to go, you decided to look for other resources.
Many people don’t make that decision and remain stuck for years, waiting for Duolingo to finally lead them to the fluency they’re seeking. Unfortunately, for the reasons we’ve discussed, that’s never going to happen.
This rings true to me after more than a year on Duo. I stick with it because it encourages you to do a little every day. I’m doing my actual learning on a podcast. Duo expects you to acquire the rules by deduction and guesswork. A lot of the examples are not useful and you can’t bypass them.
I find duo very irritating tbh. My wife used in for about 3 years every day. “Just got to do a bit of duo”. The key word is got. It became a chore not an enjoyable experience. She also found she wasn’t progressing beyond “intermediate/good”. I just found it unhelpful (annoying) for getting along in Spain every day. Your recommendation of “the language transfer” tho is fab. We both use it now & it makes so much more sense. There’s now an app. And… it’s free! I also use Ella verbs to supplement for verb details.
I didn't mention that part, but it's true. Many learners find Duolingo's reminder system very intrusive. I'm glad Language Transfer is working for you. Ella is great, too, according to what other students have told me.
I was on Duolingo for a few years and quit about 6 months ago. I had several concerns re my learning. My biggest gripe was the poor explanation and lack of depth on grammar issues and tenses.
To your point #3 - I stopped using Duolingo for Spanish because I kept missing the 'a' before a person and not getting the rule. When one of the Spanish teachers on the team explained why, I got angry at how many questions I had missed because there was no simple explanation.
I use it predominately for vocabulary, which it's been great for. It also helps with some sentence structure, but the vocab base allows me to use other media (videos and reading) much more efficiently.
I've been using it for almost two years, and I like the repetition and review exercises. But it isn't my only tool. I started with all five levels of Rosetta Stone, which was kind of a quick tour of the language, and I think it helped jump-start my learning. But there was a lot I still didn't understand, so I read 'Madrigal's Magic Keys to Spanish' three times and did all the exercises twice. I also speak to my wife, who lives in another country and speaks no English, for at least a few minutes every day. After 3+ years of effort, I still can't understand Spanish-language shows. Duolingo says I'm at level A2. But my wife says she can understand me just fine.
Wow, you've come a long way, Marvin. Congratulations on that.
It's normal not to understand shows in Spanish. There are a lot of factors that come into play: editing, accents, background music, etc.
I think that to understand shows, you need to watch a lot of them—maybe even pick a series you've seen in English before and watch the whole thing in Spanish. That helps with comprehension.
This was very interesting to read, thank you for writing it. I use Duo (not for Spanish) and on the whole I like it; it does two things for my language learning:
1. It makes my brain shift into another language every day, even if it's just for 20 mins. That's a good thing.
2. It has really improved my vocabulary.
While I agree with you about the lack of grammar instruction being annoying, that's not what duo was designed for.
They are a space repetition app that is based on the idea that children learn language without grammar instruction. We have all learned our mother tongue (at least in the early stages) without formally being taught it, we just pick it up from listening and interacting, and that's what Duo attempts to recreate.
However, I do think that's slightly flawed as:
1) you're not immersed in the language like you are as a child
2) you're not getting the language delivered in the way it would be as a child (aurally and orally)
3) we don't have the critical period to help us out (damn our rigid, adult brains)
So, I think, there does need to be some explanation to help learners spot and understand patterns and learn when there are exceptions.
I've recently signed up for a speaking class in my language and I was surprised that I could participate quite comfortably only using the language I've been learning. Had I not used Duo, I wouldn't have been able to do that.
Thank you for sharing your experience using Duolingo. I think it can help learners make a more informed decision about which resources to use.
Those two points you mentioned are likely the positive aspects Duolingo can offer:
1. Developing a study habit.
2. Learning basic vocabulary.
And, of course, I agree with you that Duolingo falls short in its attempt to recreate the conditions we experienced when we learned our native language.
After many years of using Duolingo, I'm tapering off my use dramatically. As you suggest, I'm going to think of it mainly as a game to kill a little dead time while waiting for the bus or for the kettle to boil, rather than as a way to make real progress in Spanish. I'm using the rest of the time I might have given to Duolingo to do more focused study.
As a side note, I'm still bummed that Duolingo stopped making its Spanish podcasts. They were by far the best thing on the app. (Fortunately, they're still available on podcast apps.)
I think that step you're about to take will help you make better use of your time and get better results. Honestly, I think any other app, even one with a basic study plan or drills on a specific grammar topic, used for the same amount of time as Duolingo would take you further.
And I agree with you. The Duolingo podcasts were fantastic. It’s a shame they stopped, but, as you say, they’re still available. I usually recommend them to beginners. The stories are great, and the mix of English and Spanish in the same podcast really helps with comprehension.
I agree - the podcasts were the best part of Duolingo. Perfect for that intermediate learner when you want to stretch a bit into authentic material
Yes, exactly.
I have , as of yesterday, completed the Spanish course on Duolingo. However, about six months ago I released I wasn’t progressing and was just stuck in a rut. That’s when I signed up for conversation lessons, found podcasts and YT videos, books and newspapers in Spanish and of course the excellent resources on Substack.
I’m now making tangible progress.
As for Duolingo - it’s a very good basic scaffold but it’s no way the sole answer to learning. Immersion and exposure to speaking and listening in as natural contexts as possible are the best (for me at least).
Thank you very much, Rich, for sharing your thoughts on Duolingo.
The positive thing about all this is that you reached the end of a path and, seeing that there was nowhere else to go, you decided to look for other resources.
Many people don’t make that decision and remain stuck for years, waiting for Duolingo to finally lead them to the fluency they’re seeking. Unfortunately, for the reasons we’ve discussed, that’s never going to happen.
This rings true to me after more than a year on Duo. I stick with it because it encourages you to do a little every day. I’m doing my actual learning on a podcast. Duo expects you to acquire the rules by deduction and guesswork. A lot of the examples are not useful and you can’t bypass them.
You're definitely right to look for other resources. Duolingo is good for what it's good for and nothing more.
I find duo very irritating tbh. My wife used in for about 3 years every day. “Just got to do a bit of duo”. The key word is got. It became a chore not an enjoyable experience. She also found she wasn’t progressing beyond “intermediate/good”. I just found it unhelpful (annoying) for getting along in Spain every day. Your recommendation of “the language transfer” tho is fab. We both use it now & it makes so much more sense. There’s now an app. And… it’s free! I also use Ella verbs to supplement for verb details.
I didn't mention that part, but it's true. Many learners find Duolingo's reminder system very intrusive. I'm glad Language Transfer is working for you. Ella is great, too, according to what other students have told me.
I was on Duolingo for a few years and quit about 6 months ago. I had several concerns re my learning. My biggest gripe was the poor explanation and lack of depth on grammar issues and tenses.
I don't think you'll be missing out on much by leaving Duolingo. I'm sure you'll find another way to improve your Spanish that's more effective.
To your point #3 - I stopped using Duolingo for Spanish because I kept missing the 'a' before a person and not getting the rule. When one of the Spanish teachers on the team explained why, I got angry at how many questions I had missed because there was no simple explanation.
Exactly. There are many cases like that one. If they had explained it to you from the start, they would have saved you a lot of time.
What app to use instead?
You can try Busuu or Rosetta Stone, for example.
Or, if you prefer a more course-like format, I have El Curso 1. Here's some more info:
https://spanismakessense.substack.com/p/el-curso-1-your-path-to-fluency?r=5lphii&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
I use it predominately for vocabulary, which it's been great for. It also helps with some sentence structure, but the vocab base allows me to use other media (videos and reading) much more efficiently.
Yes, vocabulary might be the best part of Duolingo, to a certain extent.