No, I wouldn't describe Duolingo as 'addictive'

I’m just unable to stop!

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I’ve done just over 400 days now and am feeling the benefit. Just need more conversation practice. But well done to you.

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I haven’t been a Duolingo “addict” for some time, I outgrew it somewhat.

That said I could possibly do with a return visit as my French has definitely deteriorated in the last two years.

The main benefit actually turned out that my touch typing got a lot better.

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We refer to Duo as the little green slave-driver. It’s viewed as a necessity, but not a source of pleasure, and while there is satisfaction from getting things right, it’s very short lived.

Almost 120days continuous since I last had to take a break.

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I’m on a 316 day streak so far. I have to say, although it can be a little tedious at times, however, when I went to my French hairdresser last week, I was quite surprised that I found it easier to have a conversation with her and I had to think less about what and how I was going to say things beforehand.
I agree that I do want to keep on using it every day… :kissing_heart:

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This is why we’re doing it, in the hope of one day actually talking to French people in French. :slight_smile:

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I wouldn’t describe it as addictive at all! Hated it, and found the style, vocabulary and content quite limited. And that damn owl bleating!!

Maybe I didn’t give it enough time, but things like constantly using “tu” even if the described situation would be more normal to use “vous” irritated. And very stilted french sentence constructions that really would ‘t work in real life. I viewed it as a minor diversion, rather like wordle, than serious language learning.

I gave it a go as my grammar is my weak area, and I felt that it was a total waste of time. Maybe suitable at a different level.

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Try Kwiziq for grammar.

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At 10.30 pm…30 minutes of Duo with Scala Radio on in the background and somtimes glass of malt, been a regular happening for past 410 days…ie streak, reasonable way to often end the day.

Thanks, that was more fun!

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Hmmm don’t the neighbours mind you streaking?
bit of an extreme way to learn French, I would say :slightly_smiling_face:

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Ain’t that the naked truth. :wink:

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Oh my goodness just did it and I’m mortified at how bad my grammar is :see_no_evil:

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I am using kwiziq for Spanish. It is good for grammar and the written word and the repeated tests help to drum it in. It’s the vocabulary that lets me down, and my memory…

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I’m the opposite, my vocab is pretty good, pretty rare now I hear a word I don’t understand. However I learned my French drinking wine and coffee and funnily enough we never crack open le Bescherelle with the rosé :rofl:

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I’ve found found DL most useful for strengthening my grammar and, with the aid of a French proof reader, I’ve been able to write a few serious essays (ie. not simply descriptive accounts) for exhibition catalogues. The proof reader wasn’t used so much to correct grammar more to advise on translation of phrases and terms.

On the other hand, unfortunately I’ve found DL of less use for enhancing understanding of spoken French as its main exercises consists of single sentences, rather than more complex blocks of information.

Also, I wouldn’t recommend DL without reservation because a large part of successful learning is finding the learning methods that best suits you as an individual and what best fits into your day. As I don’t have daily complex interchanges with French speakers, I find TV, especially Arte and France 24 to be the best substitute for me.

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That’s exactly how I learnt French! And why I keep on making attempts to smarten up my grammar (sadly my bescherelle is propping up a wonky computerand can’t be touched🤭)

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I agree.

Like you, I have a 1000+ day streak, but frankly it’s now a bit of a chore. I don’t feel it’s enhancing my French - every change they make seems to make it more trivial and childish - and the poor preparation is irritating. Of the systems I’ve used (Rocket, Babbel, DL, Lawless, LingQ), I like it the least. For grammar, I’m finding Rocket is a real help: plenty of useful drills.

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Well done - I feel proud of my 160 day streak !!

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I was addicted to Duolingo, had to have a week’s break because of illness and was not happy when I lost my 300+ streak. However, I did return to it. I love/hate it. Loves: it motivates me (for most of the time), my French certainly improves when I use it every day and I quite enjoy the silly little stories that enable you to move up the leagues swiftly at 58 points a read/conversation. Hates: I hate the fact that it is American ( I can’t find it in English) and I lose points for using wrong words which to me seem right, ie garden not yard and not using the word “gotten” in certain phrases. I also hate the fact that It brings out the competitive streak in me far too much, and the emails that tell me someone has taken my number 3 or 2 slot really get my back up but I still have to find the time, often unsuccessfully, to go back in and try to regain my spot! Take last week for example, I was down in the demotion zone of the Diamond league. I’d been hanging on in there by my fingernails for several weeks. Saturday night I was one above the zone and I stayed up very late to improve my position. I was four above the zone when I really couldn’t stay awake any longer. I thought I’d survive there. I didn’t. This week I’m in the Obsedian league about midway down. I’m hurtling towards the demotion zone there! I tell myself that it doesn’t matter, that it’s only a robot and I will still improve my French, so why was I up at the crack of dawn reading yet another silly story to gain quick points ………. I’ve just read this before tapping the reply button and realise what a sad person I am - maybe that will stop my addiction…… then again maybe not as I have the Diamond league in my sights again.

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