Duolingo

Duolingo used to be very good up to 2021, there were forums were one could discuss learning topics and resources, there was some form of grammar too. Now it's completely brain dead repetition, just sentences you need to learn by heart, no guidance on what is wrong and what you need to learn, no access to forums, only bug reporting. It's like a competitive game where quantity is above quality... much like the trend in education of the last few decades. I now prefer free youtube lessons instead of duolingo. Also duolingo pushes you tons of ads to convince you that if you pay you get something more. That is largely false. You only get infinite lives and infinite chances to learn by heart, yes, ads free, but still without true didactical value. I am rather disappointed by the loss of value which could have been avoided. Add a grammar section to each unit please and bring duolingo back to its original shape!

Since there is no true alternative to duolingo which isn't boring like hell, i am forced sticking with it, but not as a single resource. You won't learn anything without self organized effort from multiple resources, including a good text book.

Duolingo used to be a good way to learn basic phrases and brush up on a language. However, each change the site has made has made it less useful for learning and more repetitive. Worse, they have taken away any method of providing feedback. They used to have varied options for learning from taking timed challenges to browsing through stories. Now they force you to go on one predefined path in order. They introduced leaderboards and rankings, however, you can rack up points by repeating the easy lessons instead of learning new things. It doesn't encourage learning. They took away the user forums where we could discuss why answers were marked wrong and what changes we, the users, would like to see. They introduced "motivational" messages that interrupt the lessons. Even though you have the option to turn those off, they keep reappearing every week. Now, they have taken away the option to use the keyboard. It seems like they are most interested in making things easier for themselves to maintain, e.g. if they take away the forums, they don't have to monitor user comments. I would not recommend Duolingo as a learning tool.

Pros:
- Daily repetition can help build up memory and a bit of confidence in learning a language. However, the progress is like the walking speed of ants.
- There are people who are fluent in the language to answer your question and doubt (Only IF you are not banned from speaking on the discussion forum in the first place).
- Practice questions are plentiful and in various forms which helps in learning the language in depth.
- It's free but you actually end up spending more time watching ads and playing games than learning the language.

Cons:
- Duolingo actively sensors personal opinions. If you made any comment against their belief, you will be banned from posting any question/answer in learning the language without any prior warning or explanation of the reason why you were banned. So to speak, you will lose your right to speak in the "language discussion" forum indefinitely and you can't find anybody or anywhere to straighten things out. They act exactly like a dictator in a communist country.
- A word of caution to people who prefer traditional mentality, Duolingo is promoting the LGBT mentality to its core.
- Duolingo is for beginners in learning a language. It helps you get an idea of a language but you need to move on to more effective language teaching classes/books/websites... if you really want to be fluent in the language you are learning.

For an app, it's absolutely useful and and helpful! It has a very interactive platform with an amazing user interface. Just absolutely great experience..

Now you have to buy hearts to use the language course unless you already know how to speak the language! So much for a free language app.! What a dirty misleading trick!
1

Duolingo teaches me a lot and, in conjunction with my excellent French teacher, in class, I have progressed a lot since joining. I love the stories and most things about the language course but I have a strong complaint.

I think that the site has been updated well since you removed the "report a problem" section but I no longer have the opportunity to object when I write original English, exactly and grammatically as I would normally say it, only to be told that my answer is wrong! The most regular one that I am being corrected on now is when I am asked to translate, " J'ai seulement un centime" and I write, that I have only one centime which is entirely correct and also the way I speak. There are several similar similar phrases where this occurs. I am sure the translations in other languages which have variant gramnar, are not rejected, so why should mine be. I know how to speak my language better than you do just as a Japanese person does, so my answer, written in my mother tongue instead of in yours, should be accepted.

Duolingo is an amazing language learning site that integrates the writing, listening and speaking elements of a language all into step-by-step progressive topics.

Unlike most sites it does not use a flashcard learning method and has it's own unique style that makes learning a new language fun!

It focuses not only on learning new vocabulary but also helps by focusing on grammar (which has helped me a loooot!) :P and if you don't understand something there is a comment section where you can converse with other users and figure out where you went wrong.

The reward lingot system is also very great for motivation. The discussion and immersion tabs are also very fun for connecting with other people and learning the language.

This site is also completely free which only makes the site even better!

There are currently very few languages that can be learned but they cannot be faulted for that as they are a generally new site and they are currently processing many more languages to come in the next few years.

The style and layout of the site is fun and easy to navigate. It looks very appealing and is easy to navigate.

Overall the site deserves every one of these five stars. It has helped me not just learn but understand the language in a way that other sites have failed.

I would really recommend this site to everyone who wants to learn a foreign language. :)

The bird has kidnapped my entire family and is forcing me to learn languages to release them. No more worrying about Susan, however.

Registered only for 1 test and was charged for 2. Sent endless emails even screenshots but up until now no refund

Support is none existent, There was a discussion forum but that has gone. Correct answers are marked wrong.

Great app to learn languages all my family are using it to learn a second language, I am learning Italian and my kids are learning French