I just hit my first anniversary with Duolingo, the free language learning app.
One year ago, I downloaded Duolingo and started learning Spanish so I could help my kiddo with her first year of middle school Spanish.
Z ended up dropping her language course after six weeks. It was optional, so she opted out after the novelty wore off and she realized that it required homework and studying. I was bummed because I was looking forward to us learning Spanish together – and because she had an A in the class!
But, even though Z made the decision not to continue, I kept my own Spanish language learning going. Over the past 365 days, I have found that I really enjoy it!
Learning a language through Duolingo doesn’t feel like work most of the time – it feels like fun. Sure, there are times when I have to work harder than others. Certain verbs in Spanish are pretty tricky! But for the most part, learning a language comes pretty naturally to me.
At this point, my Spanish vocabulary is pretty good. I’ve learned – and remember – more than 1,500 Spanish words. Overall, I’d say I have a basic understanding of the language and can read and construct basic sentences.
What I need now is to practice conversation and listening to spoken Spanish. Hearing spoken Spanish is a whole different ballgame; for one thing, it’s so fast! I feel like I still need pauses between each word to get my brain engaged with comprehension of what’s being said.
In real life, people don’t pause between words in Spanish – they just sort of flow together, like speaking in cursive. It’s beautiful to the ear but tough for my beginner brain to untangle and understand!
Alas, I still rarely know what Bad Bunny is singing about.
When I first started learning Spanish on Duolingo, I thought there would be a definitive end date. From the beginning, I planned to finish the Spanish course and then move on to French or another language.
Instead, I’ve found that learning Spanish on Duolingo never really ends. It’s a really robust course; Duolingo keeps adding modules and even advanced Spanish learners continue in their language journey for years.
After one full year, I’ve completed nearly three Duolingo Spanish sections out of eight. That feels like not a lot to me – as if I should be farther along. But I’ve been faithfully practicing every single day for a year! Sure, some days it’s only five minutes, but other times it’s closer to 30 minutes a day.
Knowing that Duolingo Spanish is somewhat neverending, I may set an arbitrary end date for myself and then move on to re-learning French. I can always come back to Spanish if and when I feel like it. I feel better about leaving the course unfinished after reading that only 0.1% of learners complete the Duolingo Spanish course!
At this point, I think I’ll continue learning Spanish with daily Duolingo practice until the end of June 2024. Then, I’ll put Spanish on hold and go back to re-learning my high school French. After that, who knows – possibly Hawaiian. I truly believe I’ll be a lifelong language learner.
There are many benefits to learning a language, from increasing mental acuity to boosting attention span and sparking your creativity. I personally love the way a new language unlocks the door to a new culture. I already love the food, art, music and climate of many Spanish-speaking countries. Now, I can increase my appreciation through learning their language, too.
I also value having the daily habit of practicing a language; it has become another tool in my self-care toolbox. Duolingo has helped me to follow through with language learning, and to rediscover the joy of learning a new language, and for that I am truly thankful. I plan to keep my daily language learning going for the forseeable future – but the language itself may change now and then.
When was the last time you tried learning a new language? It’s a really fun hobby and I whole-heartedly recommend it.
