this post was submitted on 08 Jun 2025
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Fuck AI

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Duolingo really is speedrunning dystopia rn.

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[–] Balaquina@lemmy.ca 111 points 1 day ago (4 children)

I had a streak of over 1200 days, and after years of reduction in quality and them constantly making the ad based version harder and harder to use, I finally left. AI was the last straw.

I have my eyes on Lingonaut, an app still in beta, and being created by volunteers for free to recreate the early days of Duolingo.

[–] teft@lemmy.world 30 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

1200 days of language learning? Different languages or the same one? If it’s the same one you probably don’t need an app anymore. Try talking to natives in your chosen second language. You might be surprised how much you know. I used duo for about a year when i moved to a different language country. After that year i found it was holding me back more than helping.

[–] Balaquina@lemmy.ca 24 points 1 day ago

The same language, but I only did about 15 minutes a day. I am more the "pick away at it a little bit" than an "immerse your entire life in it" kind of learner. I learned a lot, and can have basic conversations at this point, but I still have a long way to go and will continue using some kind of language app going forward. I watch media too which helps. Apps are just one tool of many.

[–] goldenquetzal@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago (3 children)

I'm a fan of lingodeer a lot so far. Already learned more in 40 days than I did with 5 months of Duolingo

[–] Hoimo@ani.social 2 points 16 hours ago

I paid for Lingodeer Lifetime, which was $120 at the time. I thought that was pretty hefty already, but it was like 8 months of monthly subscription, and I figured I would need that much time to get through the course anyway. "Regular" price for lifetime is apparently $300, but they constantly run sales that take it down to more reasonable amounts.

On the other hand, I have to admit that the quality of the course is worth the $300 and I too learned more from a few months of Lingodeer than 2 years of Duolingo. They're also honest in that they teach you all the grammar fairly quickly with a minimal vocabulary and then just end the course with the advice to start reading books. They're not trapping you in language purgatory like Duolingo does.

[–] Technoworcester@feddit.uk 2 points 1 day ago

Awesome. Just installed, looks good.

[–] Balaquina@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 day ago

I'll check it out!

[–] Sasha@lemmy.blahaj.zone 14 points 1 day ago

Same, I was a couple weeks shy of 1500, I think. Can't say I really miss it, I wasn't getting anything out of it except big number.

[–] bluGill@fedia.io 7 points 1 day ago (2 children)

In my opinion duolingo type apps should never beeused more than about 90 days. Those first few months when you know nothing they are a good way to get something but as time goes on your time is better spent in native content.

[–] Balaquina@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 day ago

I think it depends on your learning style. Duolingo was fantastic for me and taught me enough that for the first time in my life I was able to dip my toe in native content and actually understand what was going on.

[–] elvith@feddit.org 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Depends on how intense you use it in those 90 days, burning general yes - it helps you with the first steps, but then you’ll learn much more by e.g. watching videos, reading, joining a discord community in that language for a game you play,… in the language

[–] bluGill@fedia.io -2 points 1 day ago

If you are not studying very intensely then you will never learn a language so quit trying to fool yourself.