I’ve been using Duolingo on and off for years, and like many people, I was first drawn in by the little green owl, the daily streaks, and the promise that I could learn a language by spending just a few minutes a day. After a long time with the app, and after watching it change a lot in recent years, I feel like I finally have a clear picture of what Duolingo does well—and where it falls short.
What I Liked About Duolingo
1. Gamification That Kept Me Coming Back
The biggest reason I stuck with Duolingo was the gamified design. Streaks, XP points, leaderboards, and little rewards all gave me that quick dopamine hit. I’ll be honest: there were many days I opened the app just so I wouldn’t lose my streak. That doesn’t necessarily mean I learned a ton each day, but it did keep me consistent.
Still, I noticed something strange after a while: sometimes I was more focused on the game mechanics than the language itself. I caught myself doing “easy lessons” just to protect my streak instead of tackling the harder material. The gamification works—but it can distract from actual learning.
2. Free and Accessible
I also appreciate how much is available for free. Unlike other apps that put most of their content behind a paywall, Duolingo gives you a lot without charging. For me, that made it the easiest way to test out new languages without a big commitment.
The short, bite-sized lessons fit my schedule. I could practice on the train, during lunch, or while waiting in line. That flexibility is something textbooks or in-person classes can’t compete with.
3. Wide Language Selection
I was impressed by the sheer variety of courses. I first used Duolingo for Spanish, but then I tried dabbling in Welsh and even had fun checking out its “fantasy” courses like Klingon. I liked that the app made languages I never would have studied otherwise feel accessible. More recently, I noticed they’ve even added music, math, and chess. That was surprising, though to me those extras felt more like experiments than serious learning tools.
4. Spaced Repetition Works
I also found that the spaced repetition system helped me remember vocabulary. Words I forgot would pop back up at just the right time, and I definitely noticed improvement in my passive vocabulary after a few months. For complete beginners, this system is very helpful.
Where Duolingo Fell Short for Me
1. Shallow Learning
After years of use, I realized my progress was not as strong as I thought. I could recognize lots of words and phrases, but when I tried speaking to actual native speakers, I froze. The lessons felt disconnected. I was memorizing fragments, not learning how the language fit together.
Even when my streak hit several hundred days, my speaking ability didn’t match the time I had invested. That was frustrating. Duolingo was great for exposure but not enough for fluency.
2. Lack of Control
One of the changes that annoyed me was the introduction of the “linear path.” Before, I could jump around and choose lessons I found interesting. Now the app locks me into a set order. Sometimes I wanted to review grammar or focus on a specific skill, but Duolingo didn’t let me. It felt like the app decided what I should learn, not me.
3. Weird Sentences
I know Duolingo is famous for its quirky example sentences, and at first I thought they were funny. But over time, they became more of a problem. Sentences like “The groom is a hedgehog” or “My horse drinks beer” were memorable but not useful. When I tried to apply the language in real life, I realized I didn’t have many practical phrases.
4. Monotony and Burnout
Repetition is necessary, but Duolingo’s lessons sometimes felt too repetitive. After the initial novelty wore off, the drills started feeling like chores. I kept playing mostly for the streak, not because I was genuinely excited to learn.
5. Speech Feedback Isn’t Reliable
The speaking exercises were another weak spot. Sometimes Duolingo accepted my pronunciation even when I knew it wasn’t right, and other times it marked me wrong for something I was sure I said correctly. It didn’t give me the confidence that I was actually improving my pronunciation. For rarer languages, the accuracy seemed even worse.
6. The AI Shift
The biggest recent change has been Duolingo’s pivot to AI. They now use GPT-powered features like roleplays and explanations, especially in the premium plan. On paper, this sounds exciting, but in practice I’m not convinced. Some of the feedback I got from the AI felt generic, and I started worrying about how much content is being generated without human oversight.
When Duolingo announced it was becoming an “AI-first” company, I noticed a lot of backlash online. Some users, especially those studying smaller or endangered languages, felt that quality was slipping. Personally, I found the AI features interesting but not essential. They didn’t replace a real teacher or even a well-structured textbook.
What Other Learners Say
I’ve also spent time reading what other Duolingo users think, and their experiences match mine. Some people have streaks lasting over a thousand days, but they admit they still can’t hold a proper conversation. Others love the app for building habits but stress that it’s just one piece of the puzzle.
One comment that stuck with me was: “Duolingo is great at teaching you how to practice, but not great at teaching you how to speak.” That sums it up perfectly.
When Duolingo Works Best
For me, Duolingo makes sense in a few situations:
- When I’m just starting a new language and want low-pressure exposure.
- When I need a fun, daily routine to keep me connected to a language.
- When I want to learn casually, without worrying too much about fluency.
When I Wouldn’t Rely on It Alone
But there are times when Duolingo simply isn’t enough:
- When I want to advance beyond beginner or lower-intermediate level.
- When I need structured grammar explanations and real conversation practice.
- When I’m studying a language with subtle cultural or contextual nuances.
My Final Verdict
I think of Duolingo as a gym membership for the brain. It keeps me exercising every day, but it doesn’t make me an athlete. The app is fantastic for consistency and basic vocabulary, but not a full learning system.
When I pair Duolingo with grammar resources, tutors, or immersion through books and movies, I make real progress. But when I rely on it alone, I plateau quickly.
For beginners or casual learners, Duolingo is one of the best free tools out there. For serious learners, it’s a supplement—not the main course.
