Duo Lingo

[barry1010]

Has any used this long term? I'd like to know how helpful it really is in learning a new language.  I've been using the free version for a while and find it somewhat lacking so I'm thinking of subscribing to the full version.

It tells me I'm wrong without explaining why, that's the main problem I have.

I've read the reviews but I'd like a more personal reply.  Can it really teach someone to be fluent if they put enough time in?

[Gizmonster]

I've just hit a 2045 day streak today on DL learning Spanish.

I've never paid for Super DL .... the only time I've tried it is when I get an offer to try it for free  :)

To be honest I don't think there's much difference when using the free version, apart from using hearts and the annoying ads.

When I first started using DL, I couldn't speak any Spanish apart from the very basics such as hola, gracias etc.  Now I can talk fairly complex sentences ..... the trouble is when I need to listen .... they all speak at a zillion miles an hour !!

One thing I will say, is use other resources to help you.  I use https://www.spanishdict.com/ 

It's great to help with verb conjugations and to check words which have multiple meanings.

Personally, I'd stick with the free version, but use other resources as well because I don't think learning with DL alone is enough.

Just out of curiosity, what language are you learning?

[Gizmonster]

Link doesn't work, possibly because it's spread over 2 lines.

Try again:

https://www.spanishdict.com/

[barry1010]

Very helpful, thank you, Giz

[Gizmonster]

What language are you currently learning?

Have you tried the "reverse tree"??

[Prudie]

And I'm on 872 day streak in Spanish with the free version. I've learned an awful lot more than by any other method (having done a council evening class intro level, Rosetta Stone and some free CD courses all of which focissed on tourist chat).

A bit like Giz mentioned, I now undeerstand alot of written spanish and can construct sentences (only 3 tenses learned so far - eg I learn, I learned, I am learning) but they speak so fast it's the listening that I find hard to translate. I always used google to explain finer grammatical details that I've not understood from the lesson. When I first started you could click for expanations and see others' chat on the answer but that feature seems to have gone. I highly recommend it over all.

[barry1010]

Thank you, Prudie.

Reverse tree?

[Gizmonster]

////  Reverse tree?  ////

I'll assume you're learning Spanish??

At the mo, you're learning English to Spanish.

With the reverse tree, you learn Spanish to English.  All the instructions, etc are in Spanish .... it's as if you're Spanish and are learning English.

You learn things that you don't learn in your normal tree and reading the instructions in Spanish helps as well.

Click on "add new course".

On the drop down arrow where it says "I speak English", change this to "I speak Spanish".

Then select the "English" course.

You can alternate between your two trees: English to Spanish or Spanish to English.

I got a bit carried away when I started the reverse tree and I'm actually a bit further on than my normal tree.

I'm 3/4 of the way through section 7 on my English to Spanish and I'm at the beginning of section 8 in the reverse tree.

[Gizmonster]

Just to add, I wouldn't use google translate .... it's not very accurate some of the time.

I use:

https://www.deepl.com/en/translator/l/en/es

[Prudie]

Just to add, I didn't mean exactly that I use google to translate, I meant I put the question into google and various sites come up with explanations. Most recently (which I still find confusing) is whether adjectives go before or after the noun for example.

I would also add that I have French & German to A level so already knew a bit about language rules and tenses. I think that's helped me a lot and anyone who's not studied a language the old-fashioned way will find it that bit harder.

[barry1010]

Understood re reverse tree, excellent suggestion 

[Gizmonster]

Ah right .... sorry I misunderstood  :)

Just to help with the placement of adjectives:

If an adjective is placed before the noun, it's an subjective point of view, if it's placed after the noun, it's a subjective point of view.

For example, un viejo amigo means an old friend.  Old as in you've known them for a long time, it's a subjective point of view.

Un amigo viejo also means an old friend, but old as in elderly .... it's objective.

If someone is buying una nueva casa, they're buying a new house.  It's new to them (subjective) but not necessarily a brand new build.

Una casa nueva would be a brand new house, newly built.

[Gizmonster]

Sorry I made a mistake in my second paragraph, it sould read: 

 

////  If an adjective is placed before the noun, it's a subjective point of view, if it's placed after the noun, it's an objective point of view.  ////

[Khandro]

I agree with giz; DeepL is better than Google translate.

[barry1010]

Thanks again, all very helpful pointers, appreciated

[The Builder]

I've been on it for about four years now, learning the Scandinavian languages. Up until a couple of years ago, there was a 'discuss' feature where volunteer contributors  were happy to explain anything you may not understand. Usually a happy little band of other pupils (worldwide) and moderators who could answer your questions.

Then they decided to scrap the discussion forums. i.e. 'improve' the experience in their words. Everybody complained but now they've lost a useful feature. Mistakes are flagged as 'wrong' but with no way of finding out just why. Now I take advantage of the hundreds of youtubes and websites available. Try 'HiNative.'  It's an archive. Ask a question, and if anyone's answered the same question before, it'll usually show up. If not, then something often comes up to help you.

Language learning is generally classed like this:

A1/A2  (lower/upper) beginner.

B1/B2  intermediate

C1/C2  highly competent - approaching fluency.

Duo takes you to around B1.

[barry1010]

I was tempted to say 'hurdy gurdy' be my good manners stopped me.

I'll have a look at HiNative 🙂

 

[The Builder]

Haha................  that's a popular misconception Barry. Norwegian has a far stronger use of the 'pitch accent.' Swedes always say that Norwegians should have been the model for the 'Swedish Chef.' in the Muppets.  They generally think that Norwegians are 'singing to them.'  😁

[barry1010]

😂

[theshedman]

I use Duo Lingo occasionally but much prefer Michel Thomas which I got from ebay many years ago to learn Spanish.  Think I paid £2 for it for a full course.  He explains things very well.  Builder, Jeg snakker litt norsk but gave up many years ago.  Learnt a bit when I was there in the late 70s.  Very hard I found it and they got more letters than us in their alphabet.

[Old_Geezer]

I trust you mean Duolingo. Yeah tried learning a language from it for years, but that was years ago now.

 

Got rather cheesed off with how unprofessional and infantile it gradually became with it's kiddie cartoon characters. Plus it has it's incentives all wrong. You get to the top of division one and your childish aim then becomes to stay on top there, rather than study your weak areas, so you revise that what you are already au fait with in order to score highly.

 

It's probably ok as a starter but not long term so much. Well not unless it's turned around markedly since I packed it in. Or if you can ignore being a success on the tables and continue progressing despite them.