This week, I used Duolingo to practice learning French. I initially started my learning at the second section because I have a small background in French but I found that too difficult. I didn’t know how to translate the phrases that were being given, so I started at section 1. Section 2 was too advanced for my level I found.
There are five different time frames that you can choose to practice throughout the day. This includes anywhere from 2-20 minutes. I decided to go with 20 minutes as I want to be committed to learning as much French as possible in the upcoming weeks. Along with the twenty minutes each day, I would do extra practice sections to ensure my comprehension in what I had just practiced.
I found Duolingo to be quite fun because the app is like a game. With each section, you earn XP which then “levels you up” to the next module. You can also earn a streak which motivates you to keep practicing each day. If you don’t practice each day, you will lose your streak.
The only downfall about Duolingo is if you want to practice extra, then you have to have enough “hearts” to continue on. If you make a mistake, you lose a “heart.” To gain more “hearts,” you have to wait an hour or longer or pay for Duolingo Pro which is $119/year which is out of a lot of people’s budgets.
All in all, I enjoyed Duolingo to practice learning French. It’s very motivating and fun with how you can “level up” to different modules and have an on-going streak. But, I don’t like that you have to pay for Duolingo Pro to get extra “hearts” if I want to practice extra.
I totally relate to your experience with Duolingo. I started learning Spanish with it, and I found myself in the same boat with jumping into a level that was way too hard. It’s so much better to start from a place where you feel comfortable.
I love how gamified it is! Earning XP and keeping that streak alive definitely keeps you motivated. But yeah, I’ve hit the heart wall too, and it’s super frustrating when you want to practice more but can’t. I’ve had to take a break and come back later, which feels like a buzzkill.
Still, it sounds like you’re really enjoying it, and that’s what matters!