Duolingo is a platform for learning foreign languages. Duolingo offers about a hundred language courses in about thirty different languages.
Duolingo offers its services on a website and an application. They have about 300 million registered users (a lot, though) as of September 2020.
They even teach Klingon ( for their Star Trek fans ) and High Valyrian (Hi, Game of Thrones fans!).
How Do They Operate?
Their application is less than 50 megabytes and is available on the Google Play and Apple app stores. Their services are mostly free but have some restrictions.
For example, the free part includes annoying ads (which they use to generate revenue) and excludes the review tests, which help measure your efficiency in the specific language you are learning.
Meanwhile, Duolingo Plus is the paid version, which includes review tests, unlimited lives for unlimited practice, and no annoying ads.
It can be obtained by paying for it or inviting friends to join the platform.
The Plus Version is Actually Really Engaging
There are about thirty-six courses available for English speakers. As of June 2020, Spanish was the most popular language learned by English-speaking users, with about 30 million learners.
French is a close second, with about 16 million learners. German, Japanese, Italian, Korean, etc., follow this.
Features
Duolingo app is built like a mobile game to engage its users. You get XP, keep streaks, and acquire diamonds (currency in the game you acquire to use in the shop).
The shop provides items such as clothing for Duo (Duolingo’s bird), hearts or lives refilling, special level equipping, streak freezes buying, etc.
XP or Experience Points show how much a user has worked. Some badges represent users’ achievements, which are earned from completing levels, objectives, and challenges.
Studying Duolingo includes listening to how words are pronounced and typing what is heard, reading phrases, clauses, or sentences out loud, making sentences by outing words in order, or matching English words to their translations in the new languages.
Duolingo Website
The website (duolingo.com) is close to the app. The difference is that there is a forum, and you acquire lingots instead of diamonds.
The website puts everything at a glance and makes it easy for the user.
What Users Are Saying about Duolingo?
People have criticized Duolingo, saying it is insufficient to teach a language completely.
The app promises to get users from complete beginner to early intermediate or, better still, an advanced beginner.
Most of the work is left for the user to do. Getting the plus version for tests is advised to measure progress.
Also, listen to the podcasts in the new language. Songs help a lot, too. You can also get a dictionary in a foreign language. Then, find a buddy or friend to learn with so you can speak the language with him or her.
Also, do not forget to reward yourself for every achievement you complete. Cheers!
