Duolingo

Looking for another way to gamify language practice? We made a bingo card for you. Who here can claim a bingo? • Listen & transcribe: put on a song in the language you're learning and jot down the lyrics as you listen, then check them against the real thing. • Talk to yourself: narrate your day out loud, or write tomorrow's to-do list in the language you're practicing. • Watch with subtitles on: watch your favorite show in the language you're learning with subtitles on for an instant listening + reading workout. • Switch your game UI: change it to the language you're learning. Bonus points if it's multiplayer, so you can chat with other speakers while you play. • Say it back: pause a podcast or show in the language you're learning and repeat exactly what you heard, out loud, for pronunciation practice. • Read what you love: news, Reddit threads, whatever rabbit hole you're curious about, just do it in the language you're learning. Tag someone who needs this bingo card in their language-learning routine. #learning 

“I loved taking the SAT!” said NO ONE EVER. Well, imagine having to take that and ANOTHER exam, just to apply to a U.S. or Canadian university. 😓 This is often the case for international students who want to study in the States. For international students applying to universities in the U.S. and Canada, demonstrating English proficiency is an additional step in the admissions process. Traditional English proficiency tests can cost around $300, before travel to a testing center (which often aren’t in the student’s city) and additional fees. That's one of the reasons we created the Duolingo English Test (DET). We wanted to create an English proficiency test that’s more accessible for students. The DET is taken online, which eliminates travel, and it costs only $70. And it’s accepted all over the world by English medium universities. Because financial means should not be a barrier to educational opportunities. 💚 What barriers did you face with college access? #learning

A common thing we hear from learners is: "I know the language... until I have to speak it." That gap matters to us. That's why we've introduced several new exercise types this year that make it easier to get speaking reps in a lesson. A crowd favorite is spoken flashcards. Instead of simply recognizing a translation, learners retrieve it from memory and say it OUT LOUD. It's a small change that transforms a passive review activity into active speaking practice. Becoming a more confident speaker doesn't come from one big conversation. It comes from hundreds of small opportunities to use your voice. 💚 Read more about how we teach speaking here: https://lnkd.in/gJqM7hwu #learning

Which homophone annoys you most when someone spells it wrong? - to, too, two  - their, there, they’re  - your, you’re - ewe, you, yew

Everyone knows that feeling: when you understand a conversation… but can't think of what to say back. It’s actually pretty common. It’s the gap between reception and production. What is reception? Your ability to understand a language through listening and reading. What’s production? The ability to use a language through speaking and writing. Your ability to do these skills is dependent on practice in that specific skill. For example, to speak better, you have to practice actually speaking – tough, we know! So which skill would you rather have instantly?  -Reception skills (listening 👂 & reading 📖)  OR -Production skills (speaking 🗣️ & writing ✍️) #learning

Despite what some people think, slang isn't bad language. It's a representation of identity. Slang exists to create social groups and signal belonging. It often originates from marginalized communities before spreading far beyond its original home. Every slang word you use tells a story about who you are, who you spend time with, and where you come from. Slang also looks wildly different across languages: 🇯🇵 In Japanese, English has become an integral part of Japanese slang. English words are often clipped, like apāto, meaning apartment. 🇨🇳 In Mandarin Chinese, the numbers 1314 can be used to mean "forever" because its pronunciation (yīsān yīsì) is similar to that of 一生一世 (yīshēng yīshì), an idiom meaning “forever.” 🇦🇺 In Australian English, shortening words or adding  -y/-ie or -o is very common. For example, “musician” becomes “muso,” “present” becomes “prezzie.”  🇫🇷 French speakers have come up with a unique system of swapping syllables, called verlan. A word like énervé (angry) becomes vénère. Slang lets us convey more than what the words themselves mean. So becoming familiar with the slang of a language can also be a way to connect with its speakers on a deeper level. Learning the language is the first step, and that's where Duolingo comes in. Learn more about slang from a language learning expert  🔗 https://lnkd.in/gx-8wzje #learning

We love owls. We love languages. We really can’t pick between the two. But maybe you can…? If you could pick a superpower, would you rather: - 🌎 Speak every human language on earth - 🐶 Communicate with all animals

This wasn't the skill everyone expected a first-round NHL draft pick to show off. Last week, Buffalo Sabres first-round pick Ilya Morozov surprised everyone when he started chatting with a new French recruit... in French. According to his coach, Ilya had been teaching himself the language on Duolingo. Current streak: 60+ days. 🔥 Ilya moved from Russia to the U.S. alone at 14 to pursue hockey, accelerated his coursework to start college early, and is now taking on one of Miami University's most challenging majors, Finance. Next up on his language-learning list? Polish. Congratulations on the draft, Ilya! we'll be cheering on your hockey and language-learning journey. 🏒🌍 #learning

What is the purpose of the Duolingo streak? Duolingo’s streak exists to build a daily learning habit. Its goal is simple: help learners stay consistent long enough for language practice to become automatic. Your Duolingo streak is so much more than a fun number. It's behavioral science in disguise. ‣ Why does your Duolingo streak matter?  Because consistency, not intensity, is what actually drives real language learning. Research shows that repeating an action in the same context, day after day, makes it feel automatic. Your streak turns a daunting goal into a daily habit that’s as natural as brushing your teeth. ‣ Why does the streak feel more motivating the longer it gets?  Two mechanisms work in tandem. Early on, watching your number grow creates momentum. Think about going from 2 to 3 days. That’s a 50% increase, which feels exciting. Later, loss aversion kicks in: a well-documented cognitive bias that makes your brain fight to protect what it's earned. Both phases are intentional, and both keep you motivated to keep going.. ‣ What happens if you miss a day?  Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day. Easier said than done, we know, but that's what Streak Freezes are for! Research from the University of Pennsylvania and UCLA shows that giving people a small amount of "slack" toward their goals is actually more motivating than rigid rules. In fact, allowing learners to tap into two Streak Freezes at a time increased daily active learners by +0.38%! ‣ Does the streak actually improve learning outcomes?  Yes, learners who reach a 7-day streak are 3.6x more likely to complete their course. And a single new animation celebrating streak milestones made new learners +1.7% more likely to still be using Duolingo a week later. Yes, one little animation can result in thousands more people learning! So what looks like a game is actually our carefully designed system, rooted in research and built to keep you going on your learning goals. 🔥 OK, now we want to know… What’s the craziest thing you’ve done to keep YOUR streak alive?! 🔥 #learning

⚽ For a limited time, every day you extend your streak, you unlock a random national soccer jersey for your Duolingo avatar. It’s available on both Android and iOS! Whether you're cheering for your home country or practicing the language of your favorite team, now your avatar can show some national pride while you learn. Which jersey is your avatar wearing? 👇