Anyone use the paid version of Duolingo (Super Duolingo)? I’ve been using the free version for awhile, and just curious if anyone uses the paid version and what you think of it. Worth it or totally not worth it? What do you like as opposed to the free version?
I use the free version (on Day 217 of my streak…) and while I’ve never paid for it, occasionally they’ll give me the 3-day trial version. I find when I have unlimited lives I tend to be less careful and chase points more, instead of perhaps more thoughtfully working my way through an exercise. (I find myself making silly errors).
I don’t see how the “AI generated practice sets” would be any different from what they have now, and I don’t find the ads obtrusive, they actually give me a chance to take a sip of my drink before moving on to the next exercise…
I pay for it and find it worth it. Today was day 1,184 of my streak. I like no ads and the ability to go over mistakes. You can also learn more than one language at a time.
Is Duolingo learning conversational language - or more academic? Does it seem to be an effective pedagogy?
Is Duolingo learning conversational language - or more academic? Does it seem to be an effective pedagogy?
I’d say it’s conversational. Hard for me to say whether it’s effective, because I’m using it to brush up on language I learned in an academic setting, so I’ve got a head start that doesn’t allow me to really evaluate how good would be if I was starting from scratch. It has been reasonably effective in knocking the dust off for me.
I pay as well. In my new job at Home Depot, I am able to put my skills to work many times per day.
I started doing Duolingo after seeing how much my daughter enjoyed it.
I had a solid streak going but decided to take a break. Now I’m back and a lot of my daughter’s friends are following me and congratulating me. It feels a little weird that none of my friends can legally drive. Anyone else have a teenage fan club on their language learning app?
I just use the free version.
Do the posters on this thread still have their streak going?
Used the free version for a while then ended up getting the paid version for the family. Not worrying about too many mistakes is nice, but part of the reason was to get rid of ads. My mother is now able to use it consistently without getting stuck on how to close thd ads. That alone was worth it to me.
Oh and if you look at the lessons there is an option to view what level of international qualifications you get as you finish levels.
I tried to use it - both the free and then the paid for version but - and this is simply my experience - I am not sure that it is that great at actually advancing your knowledge.
I have since signed up to Iboux and have 2 1:1 lessons per week online - the teacher is french and based in brazil and I am 100% certain I have progressed more via the online classes.
I think my level is somewhere between A2 / B1 - I can speak for an hour in french - I have quite a wide vocab but I my recollection of specific verbs in specific tenses and the rules is still just rubbish outside of talking about me / family in present, simple past or immediate future.
Duolingo did nothing to address that. In the end, I think the process is additive and incremental. I speak every week, its better than it was, not as good as I’d like it to be, I can follow much of the tour commentary in french but still can not keep up when it gets to something I do not know and I am trying to translate in my head.
I found anki, iboux and free language tv the best
1,438 day streak.
Yes, being immersed would help more, to be able to speak, and more so, understand someone talking in a normal fast talking cadence. And if I were planning to move to France, I would definitely do that, but this works for now.
Have been using Duolingo pretty much every day for about a year and really enjoy it as a supplement to other forms of learning, eg reading, online tutor, watching tv/movies in your foreign language. My take on the free version is this…the ads are a bit annoying for sure but I find that I focus more without the unlimited hearts of the paid version. With the free, you only have those 5 hearts to start and really need to concentrate on your answer. If you burn all your hearts with wrong answers you have to take refresher lessons to earn more hearts (which in reality isn’t a bad thing for repitition). With the paid trials that have unlimited hearts I tend to go faster not worrying so much if I get an answer wrong and concentrate less.
I tried to use it - both the free and then the paid for version but - and this is simply my experience - I am not sure that it is that great at actually advancing your knowledge.
I have since signed up to Iboux and have 2 1:1 lessons per week online - the teacher is french and based in brazil and I am 100% certain I have progressed more via the online classes.
I think my level is somewhere between A2 / B1 - I can speak for an hour in french - I have quite a wide vocab but I my recollection of specific verbs in specific tenses and the rules is still just rubbish outside of talking about me / family in present, simple past or immediate future.
Duolingo did nothing to address that. In the end, I think the process is additive and incremental. I speak every week, its better than it was, not as good as I’d like it to be, I can follow much of the tour commentary in french but still can not keep up when it gets to something I do not know and I am trying to translate in my head.
I found anki, iboux and free language tv the best
My wife and I both used Duolingo to try and learn French last year. I gave up. As an adult learner, the French language was very difficult for me. Now, I am trying to learn German with Duolingo. Different minds and different interests in learning the topics (languages). German has made much more sense to me, with Duolingo, and I have enjoyed expanding my vocabulary. I cannot say that I could carry on an extensive conversation with anyone but I am impressed with how much I can now read in German. I’m even texting in German, with a friend.
I read scott youngs book ultralearning
it was fascinating - mainly about how we think we should learn v what actually works
I find french difficult - to the extent that i mess up; genders, tenses, verb endings and the list goes on
week to week I can not remember which of the different past tenses to use BUT
I think I have learnt a great deal from BJJ that was transferable; its a process, learning is incremental, there are plateaus and I have to be honest and say I think I can get to a point where I will be eventually at a sufficient level to manage most situations and I will make all the same mistakes but it wont matter because I can communicate, if not well, somewhat effectively
I really struggled with duolingo but watching something like the tour makes the learning more enjoyable
if you want to practice your german and its available on netflix in the states - watch crooks
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I’m still using it, and I went ahead and paid for the expanded version. As before, most of what I get out of it is maintaining some reading and vocabulary, and keeping the dust from building up. I don’t know that I’m getting a ton of usable conversational language out of it. I don’t follow anyone or have “friends” within the app though. I’m keeping moving with Russian, but have stagnated a bit with my review of Spanish.
No. I always get the free 3 days and it doesn’t seem to affect how I utilize the app other than not seeing ads and maybe squeezing in ONE extra lesson.
The big issue is the voice stuff is so BS, you could sound like trash and it accepts the answer OR you say it perfectly like a native and it rejects it. It also isn’t very accepting of “correct” answers that aren’t what it is looking for.
It helps me read books now in a FL, but as soon as my mouth has to open the brain shuts down.
I signed up for the paid version early on because I was annoyed with the ads and didn’t want to feel restricted in case I was making mistakes. I started out during COVID to give myself something to focus on and now I’m on a 1,346 day streak. I have no illusions about gaining fluency from this alone, but it’s allowing me to lay a strong base which I will supplement with actual conversations via in person or online tutors (by this fall). I would like to be very conversational / borderline fluent in the next 3ish years.
Has anyone upped your subscription to Duolingo Max under “Explain my mistake”? Sometimes their answer makes no sense so it would be nice to know why mine was incorrect.