In fact, it’s just as bad as the education system Von Ahn criticizes.ĭuolingo outsources its translation services, allowing for awkward sentences to slip in undetected. We know far more about language learning, cognition, and memory now than we did when these systems were first invented, and yet, schools have not done much to change their approach to teaching foreign languages.

In fact, I think it does more harm than good. As a language activist who values the appreciation, preservation, and use of multiple languages, I feel that Duolingo doesn’t work. That’s not only inaccurate, but it can also put them off to learning a language entirely. Instead, people think that using Duolingo will lead them to fluency. It’s better than wasting time on social media or staring off into the distance at the DMV, waiting for your number to be called. In a perfect world, people would use Duolingo in passing to brush up on their language learning in their spare moments. I will try to explain why its shortcomings can ultimately ruin your language learning journey. If you’re like one of the many people wondering, “Does Duolingo work?” then keep reading. I feel obligated to push back against Duolingo and other “translation as language learning” programs because I think there are far better ways to spend one’s time. Complete disclosure: I have my own language learning program that competes with Duolingo.

Duolingo for pc computer