Why I'm Quitting the Japanese Duolingo Course (An Honest Review)

Summary

The video shares a personal reflection on using Duolingo for learning Japanese over 800 days. While the platform is ideal for beginners, with gamified lessons and consistent reminders, it becomes less effective as learners advance. The speaker stresses the importance of supplementing Duolingo with other resources like Anki for vocabulary and grammar textbooks for deeper understanding. Though Duolingo is helpful for initial stages, fluency requires more immersive and varied input. Ultimately, the video encourages learners to use Duolingo as a starting point and move on to more advanced methods once the basics are mastered.

Takeaways

• 😀 Duolingo is useful for beginners, helping to get started with learning Japanese in a fun, gamified way.
• 😀 If you enjoy using Duolingo, continue using it, but if you find it unhelpful, consider other resources.
• 😀 Duolingo’s Japanese course includes 3200 words, 1350 kanji, and 731 lessons, but it may not be enough to reach fluency on its own.
• 😀 The real value of Duolingo lies in its ability to get you started with the language and maintain consistency.
• 😀 Duolingo is not ideal for intermediate or advanced learners, as its effectiveness drops once you surpass beginner levels.
• 😀 To progress beyond Duolingo, it is essential to combine it with other resources, such as Anki (for vocabulary) and Genki (for grammar).
• 😀 Duolingo’s exercises, like translation and word-matching, are effective for beginners but become less helpful as your level increases.
• 😀 The app’s lack of grammar explanations means it should be supplemented with other materials to improve understanding of sentence structure.
• 😀 Spending time on Duolingo’s typing exercises or translation activities is inefficient once you're past the beginner stage.
• 😀 After reaching a vocabulary of around 3000 words, it’s more beneficial to consume Japanese content (e.g., books, anime) to improve fluency.
• 😀 Duolingo helps you stay consistent in the early stages but becomes less valuable as your proficiency grows, so transitioning to other learning methods is recommended.

Q & A

What is the main conclusion about using Duolingo for learning Japanese?

The main conclusion is that Duolingo is a good tool for getting started with Japanese, especially for beginners, but it's not sufficient for achieving fluency. As learners progress, they need to use additional resources for grammar, vocabulary, and immersion.

How long did the creator use Duolingo, and what was their experience?

The creator used Duolingo for over 800 days. They found it helpful in the beginning but noted that as they advanced, the course became less effective, and they eventually needed to switch to other resources for better progress.

What is Duolingo's primary strength as a language learning tool?

Duolingo's primary strength lies in its ability to make the process of getting started with a new language easy, fun, and engaging, especially for beginners. Its gamified approach and short lessons help lower the mental barrier to starting.

Why does the creator recommend using external resources alongside Duolingo?

The creator recommends using external resources for grammar and vocabulary because Duolingo lacks in-depth grammar explanations and is not efficient for learning new vocabulary, especially during intermediate stages.

What specific issues does the creator have with Duolingo's Japanese course?

The creator mentions several issues, including a lack of grammar explanations, ineffective vocabulary learning methods, and inefficient sentence construction exercises that rely too much on translating between Japanese and English.

How does the creator suggest improving Japanese vocabulary learning beyond Duolingo?

The creator suggests using Anki, a spaced repetition system, for vocabulary learning and recommends consuming Japanese content to encounter and learn new words in context.

What is the recommended strategy once a learner reaches an intermediate level in Japanese?

Once at an intermediate level, the creator advises focusing on consuming a lot of Japanese content and mining words and sentences to build vocabulary and improve understanding. This helps learners encounter words in context and practice the language in a more realistic way.

What is Duolingo's approach to consistency, and how does it affect learners?

Duolingo uses a streak system and frequent notifications to help keep learners consistent. While this can be motivating, the creator warns that it can also become a trap where learners continue using the app for streaks, even if it's no longer adding value to their learning.

What role does immersion play in learning Japanese, according to the creator?

Immersion is crucial for advancing in Japanese. The creator emphasizes that consuming a large amount of Japanese content is one of the most effective ways to improve proficiency, as it trains all aspects of the language in a natural context.

What advice does the creator give for learners who have been using Duolingo for a long time?

The creator advises learners who have used Duolingo for a long time to assess whether it still provides value. Once they reach a baseline level of proficiency, it may be time to transition to other resources that focus more on immersion and advanced learning techniques.