Duolingo is one of the most popular language-learning apps, known for its engaging, game-like approach. With its structured lessons, streak tracking, and interactive exercises, it provides an accessible way for beginners to build vocabulary and practice grammar. However, while it offers a fun and convenient way to get started with a language, its limitations make it less effective for achieving fluency.
In this review, we’ll examine its strengths, weaknesses, and overall usefulness for language learners. In the end of the article you will also find the best alternatives to Duolingo.
How Duolingo Works
Duolingo operates as a gamified language-learning app designed to keep users engaged through interactive exercises, progression tracking, and rewards. The platform follows a structured learning path that users navigate by completing lessons in a tree-like progression system.
Lesson Structure and Progression
Each language course on Duolingo is structured as a learning tree with multiple skill nodes, each representing a specific topic such as greetings, food, travel, or verb conjugations.
- Completing Lessons: Each lesson consists of around 17 questions that users must answer correctly to progress. Answering correctly fills up a progress bar, while incorrect answers lower it, requiring more attempts to complete the lesson.
- Types of Exercises: Lessons include a mix of exercises such as:
- Free translation (typing the correct translation in your target language)
- Multiple-choice sentence selection
- Rearranging words to form a sentence
- Listening comprehension (typing what you hear)
- Speaking exercises (pronouncing sentences aloud)
- Picture matching for vocabulary recognition
- Checkpoint Tests: Users can skip ahead by passing checkpoint tests, which allow them to test out of easier levels.
Gamification and Motivation
Duolingo incorporates a variety of game mechanics to maintain motivation:
- Streak System: Tracks the number of consecutive days a user completes a lesson, encouraging daily practice.
- XP Points and Leaderboards: Users earn XP for completing lessons and can compete in weekly leagues against others to climb the leaderboard.
- Lingots & Gems: The in-app currency (Lingots on desktop, Gems on mobile) is awarded for completing lessons, maintaining streaks, and achieving milestones. These can be used to purchase bonus lessons, streak freezes, and cosmetic items for Duo the owl (the app’s mascot).
- Hearts System: On mobile, users have a limited number of hearts, which deplete with incorrect answers. To continue learning, users must either wait for hearts to regenerate, practice old lessons, or spend gems to refill them.
Reviewing and Strengthening Skills
To reinforce previous lessons, Duolingo uses a decay system, meaning learned skills will fade over time and require review.
- Golden Nodes: Once a skill is mastered, the node turns golden. However, if it decays, it loses its golden status, prompting users to review it.
- Practice Mode: Users can choose to strengthen weak skills with personalized practice exercises.
- AI-Generated Speaking Practice: Some courses now feature AI-powered conversation exercises that allow users to engage in simulated conversations with the app.
Grammar Explanations and Supplementary Resources
While Duolingo lessons do not explicitly teach grammar rules, mini-grammar explanations are available for many lessons on the website. Users seeking further clarification often turn to Duolingo’s discussion forums or external resources. Some languages also feature Stories, short interactive reading exercises that reinforce comprehension skills with real-world dialogues.
Limitations of the Learning System
- Limited Customization: Users cannot select specific topics they want to study at any given time. The app dictates the order of lessons.
- No In-Depth Grammar Instruction: While grammar concepts are introduced implicitly, detailed explanations are minimal.
- Translation-Focused Learning: The majority of lessons involve translating between languages rather than actively using the language in conversations.
Overall Learning Experience
Duolingo provides an accessible and entertaining way to get started with a language, particularly for beginners. However, it is best used as a supplementary tool rather than a standalone method for achieving fluency.
Pros of Duolingo
1. Engaging Gamification Keeps Users Motivated
Duolingo has successfully turned language learning into an interactive and rewarding experience. The app incorporates game-like elements such as earning points for correct answers, unlocking achievements, and maintaining streaks for daily practice. These features encourage users to return regularly, reinforcing consistent learning habits. The simplicity of its interface ensures that users can focus on learning without feeling overwhelmed. Additionally, as users advance, they experience a sense of accomplishment, which further enhances motivation to continue learning.
2. Convenient and Accessible Anywhere
One of Duolingo’s biggest advantages is its accessibility. The app is available on both mobile devices and desktop, allowing users to practice whenever they have a spare moment. Whether commuting, waiting in line, or taking a break at work, learners can complete a quick lesson in just 5–10 minutes. Unlike traditional courses that require a set schedule, Duolingo provides flexibility, making it easy to incorporate language learning into a busy lifestyle. This accessibility removes one of the biggest barriers to consistent language practice.
3. Expanding Selection of Languages
Duolingo continues to add more languages to its platform, catering to a wide variety of learners. It offers major languages like Spanish, French, and German, as well as less common ones like Irish, Ukrainian, and Esperanto. The platform’s crowdsourced approach allows volunteers to contribute and improve courses, ensuring the quality of content evolves over time. Additionally, the ability to report errors means that incorrect translations or missing details are quickly addressed, making the learning experience more reliable and effective.
4. Context-Based Learning Instead of Rote Memorization
Traditional language learning methods often rely on memorizing long vocabulary lists without context, which can feel repetitive and ineffective. Duolingo takes a different approach by teaching words and phrases within full sentences, helping users understand how to use them naturally. This exposure to real-world contexts allows learners to recognize grammar patterns and sentence structures without needing to study complex rules explicitly. Over time, this method helps reinforce language retention, making it easier for learners to recall and apply new words.
5. User-Friendly and Visually Appealing
Duolingo’s interface is designed to be simple, intuitive, and engaging. The bright colors, animated characters, and interactive exercises make the learning process feel more enjoyable. Unlike some other language apps that may appear cluttered or difficult to navigate, Duolingo maintains a streamlined design that focuses on what matters most: learning. The clean layout ensures that users of all ages and technical skill levels can easily access lessons, track progress, and stay engaged without frustration.
6. Encourages Daily Practice and Self-Testing
One of the key factors in language acquisition is consistency, and Duolingo reinforces this through daily practice reminders and progress tracking. The app allows users to set personal goals, whether it’s 5 minutes a day or 30, helping them stay accountable. The streak system provides additional motivation, rewarding users for practicing every day. Additionally, built-in placement tests help learners start at the right level, and regular quizzes test retention, making it easy to see how much progress has been made over time.
7. High-Quality Podcasts for Additional Learning
Duolingo’s podcasts are an excellent supplement to the app’s core learning experience, particularly for auditory learners. These podcasts, currently available in Spanish, French, Portuguese, and English, feature engaging real-life stories that provide cultural insights while improving listening skills. The content is structured in a way that blends English with the target language, making it accessible to beginners and intermediate learners. Each podcast comes with a free transcript, allowing users to follow along while listening, reinforcing comprehension. While the selection is currently limited to a few languages, they provide an excellent resource for those looking to expand their learning beyond the app’s standard lessons.
8. Ideal for Beginners and Casual Learners
Duolingo is perfect for those who are just starting with a new language. Its structured lessons introduce vocabulary and grammar gradually, avoiding overwhelming users with complex rules at the beginning. For casual learners, Duolingo serves as a low-pressure way to get familiar with a language without the need for expensive courses or tutoring. It’s also useful for people who want to maintain their language skills by practicing regularly without the commitment of a full language program. While it may not be enough to reach fluency on its own, it provides a solid foundation for beginners and a great tool for reinforcing previously learned material.
Cons of Duolingo
1. Lack of Control Over Lesson Selection
Duolingo determines what lessons to present, leaving users with little control over what they want to focus on. For learners looking to review specific aspects of a language—such as complex grammar rules or advanced vocabulary—this can be frustrating. There is no option to skip ahead to preferred topics, making targeted learning difficult.
2. Limited Depth and Disjointed Lessons
The app teaches small, isolated language snippets rather than cohesive concepts. While this works for beginners, it becomes a limitation for serious learners who need structured lessons to build fluency. Many users find that the sentences they learn feel disconnected, making it harder to construct meaningful conversations in real-life situations.
3. Not Enough for Fluency
Despite its engaging design, Duolingo alone is not sufficient to achieve fluency. The app is great for vocabulary building and grammar exposure, but it lacks immersive experiences such as in-depth conversations, cultural context, and real-world applications. Even users with long streaks often struggle with fluency, especially in speaking and listening comprehension.
4. Minimal Real-Life Exposure
One major drawback is the app’s limited exposure to the way languages are actually spoken. Native dialogues, slang, and idiomatic expressions are mostly absent, making it difficult for learners to transition from Duolingo to natural conversation. While the app offers short practice sessions, they do not provide enough depth for learners who want to truly understand a language’s nuances.
5. Speech Recognition Issues
Duolingo’s speech recognition feature is unreliable. It often marks incorrect responses as correct and fails to provide useful feedback. This can lead to poor pronunciation habits that go uncorrected. Many users find it more effective to repeat sentences out loud without relying on Duolingo’s built-in voice assessment.
6. Frustrating Skill Decay System
The app’s algorithm decays previously learned skills over time, requiring users to constantly refresh old lessons. While this reinforces learning in the early stages, it can become discouraging as more lessons pile up and skills decay faster than they can be maintained. Users often feel stuck trying to keep up with decaying skills rather than progressing.
7. Unnatural and Occasionally Bizarre Translations
Some Duolingo sentences are grammatically correct but completely impractical in real life. Users often encounter strange or nonsensical translations meant to illustrate grammar rules but with little real-world application. This makes it harder to develop natural speaking skills.
8. Heavy Focus on Translation Instead of Communication
Duolingo’s teaching method emphasizes translating between languages rather than actively using the language in meaningful ways. This limits its effectiveness for learners who want to improve speaking and comprehension skills rather than just memorizing vocabulary and sentence structures.
9. Lack of Grammar Explanations
The platform does not provide in-depth grammar instruction. Instead, users learn through repetition without clear explanations of language rules. This can lead to confusion, as learners may memorize phrases without understanding how they are structured. A solid foundation in grammar is crucial for mastering a language, but Duolingo offers little support in this area.
10. No Cultural Context in Lessons
A key part of language learning is understanding the culture behind it, but Duolingo does not provide much cultural context. Learning words and phrases in isolation without cultural awareness can lead to misunderstandings and a lack of appreciation for how the language is used in real life.
11. Not a Standalone Solution for Serious Learners
Duolingo is a great starting point but not a complete language learning solution. To achieve fluency, learners must supplement their studies with real conversations, grammar resources, and cultural immersion. While Duolingo provides a good foundation, it is not enough for those who want to master a language.
Summary
Duolingo is an excellent tool for beginners and casual learners who want to practice a language in a fun and engaging way. Its gamified system, daily streaks, and bite-sized lessons make language learning accessible and motivating. The app covers a wide range of languages and provides a convenient way to build vocabulary and reinforce basic grammar.
However, Duolingo has notable limitations. It lacks depth, does not provide comprehensive grammar explanations, and focuses heavily on translation rather than real-life communication. The speech recognition tool is unreliable, and the learning structure does not allow users to customize their study topics. While it’s a great supplement to language learning, it is not a standalone solution for those seeking fluency.
Ultimately, Duolingo is a useful starting point or practice tool, but learners serious about mastering a language should combine it with other resources such as conversation practice, grammar-focused study, and immersive experiences.
You can visit Duolingo’s website here.
Best Alternatives to Duolingo
If you're looking for alternatives to Duolingo for language learning in general, here are some of the best options based on different learning styles and goals:
1. Best for Comprehensive Language Learning
✅ Busuu – Best for Guided Lessons & Native Speaker Feedback
- AI-powered personalized study plans
- Writing and speaking exercises with native speaker corrections
- Covers grammar, vocabulary, listening, and speaking
✅ Babbel – Best for Structured Learning & Real Conversations
- Practical dialogues focused on real-life communication
- Covers grammar, sentence formation, and pronunciation
- More structured than Duolingo, with a clear learning path
✅ Pimsleur – Best for Learning Through Audio-Based Conversations
- Audio-based learning focused on speaking and listening
- Uses spaced repetition and listen & repeat exercises
- Ideal for learning on the go (commuting, walking, etc.)
✅ LingoDeer – Best for Learning Asian & European Languages
- Structured courses with grammar explanations
- Covers reading, writing, listening, and speaking
- Great for Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and more
2. Best for Speaking & Conversational Fluency
✅ italki – Best for Personalized Lessons with Tutors
- Find professional teachers or community tutors for live lessons
- Get writing exercises corrected by native speakers
- Ideal for structured or conversational learning
✅ Tandem / HelloTalk – Best for Real Conversations with Native Speakers
- Chat, voice messages, and video calls with native speakers
- Built-in translation and correction tools
- Great for practicing real-world conversation skills
✅ Rosetta Stone – Best for Immersive Learning
- Teaches entirely in the target language (no translations)
- Focuses on natural language acquisition through context
- Great for listening and pronunciation practice
3. Best for Vocabulary & Spaced Repetition
✅ Anki – Best for Memorization & Custom Flashcards
- Uses spaced repetition (SRS) to help retain vocabulary
- Allows you to create and customize decks
- Best for learning words, phrases, and grammar rules
✅ Memrise – Best for Vocabulary & Native Speaker Videos
- Features real-world video clips of native speakers
- Includes game-like exercises to reinforce learning
- Focuses on practical phrases for real conversations
✅ Clozemaster – Best for Learning Vocabulary in Context
- Uses cloze (fill-in-the-blank) exercises
- Great for intermediate to advanced learners
- Helps with reading comprehension and sentence structure
4. Best for Grammar & Writing Practice
✅ Bunpro – Best for Grammar (Especially for Japanese Learners)
- Uses SRS to reinforce grammar rules
- Covers grammar points systematically
- Great for JLPT preparation
✅ LingQ – Best for Reading & Context-Based Learning
- Uses authentic texts and audio to teach languages
- Highlights new vocabulary in context-based learning
- Supports reading, listening, and comprehension skills
✅ Write & Improve by Cambridge – Best for Writing & Grammar Feedback
- AI-powered tool that corrects writing errors
- Useful for academic, business, and general language learning
- Helps learners improve written fluency
5. Best for Immersion & Real-World Practice
✅ BBC Languages – Best Free Resource for European Languages
- Offers audio lessons, videos, and culture-based learning
- Great for self-paced learners
✅ News in Slow (Language) – Best for Listening Comprehension
- Slow-paced news stories in various languages
- Helps improve listening and vocabulary retention
✅ NHK Easy News – Best for Reading & Listening (Japanese)
- Simplified news articles with furigana and audio
- Great for real-world language exposure
✅ FluentU – Best for Learning Through Real-World Videos
- Uses video-based learning with real TV clips, interviews, and news
- Interactive subtitles with instant translations
- Helps with listening comprehension and cultural immersion
Which Alternative is Best for You?
- For structured learning with grammar & guided lessons → Busuu, Babbel, LingoDeer
- For speaking & conversation practice → Pimsleur, italki, Tandem, HelloTalk
- For vocabulary & memorization → Anki, Memrise, Clozemaster
- For grammar & writing practice → Bunpro, LingQ, Write & Improve
- For real-world immersion & listening → FluentU, News in Slow, NHK Easy News
Each of these alternatives offers something unique that can complement or replace Duolingo, depending on your learning goals.