I don't know how many people out there have heard of Duolingo. Me, hearing about it has changed my life. I would like to share some of my experience with it.
It all started some 317 days ago. According to my official Duolingo streak, that is. I don't exactly remember how I came across Duolingo at first, but somehow I did. And I was hooked from the get-go.
First, let me tell you a little bit about my experience with language learning in general. I've always had a keen interest in languages and foreign cultures. When I was a young chap, I taught myself English for the sheer hell of it. Granted, I had relatives in the States and upon growing up in Switzerland you are bound to be exposed to American culture, but still, to this day I don't quite understand how I pulled off learning English as well and as fast as I did all by myself.
Other than English, I didn't have all that much interest in other languages when I was very young. It's a shame, really. We had mandatory French classes where I grew up. But how I dreaded, even hated them! I couldn't stand the sight or sound of it! So when the time came, when we reached grade eight and French was no longer mandatory, I chose to play hoops with my good buddy instead, while my classmates bit their teeth out on French and got ahead in life.
It wasn't until some years later that I was interested in languages again. At first I tried my luck with Spanish, but that didn't last very long. I gave Russian a chance, but soon abandoned it as quickly. Finally I settled on French. Oh the dreaded and hated language of my youth!
At first I didn't exactly know how to approach learning a new language. What had been so easy for English turned out to be far harder for French. I spent a year living in Paris, France in 2009, and eventually started moving to Montréal, Canada a while ago. Throughout all of this, my French steadily progressed, but at a slow pace.
Then I found Duolingo. I finished the French tree on Duolingo in around 30 days, if memory serves me right. I fell in love with it right away. It is so addictive! I learned more about French grammar from Duolingo than anywhere else before.
I kept my tree golden, did a lot of immersion, practiced, practiced, practiced, until I had reached a point where Duolingo could no longer help me. I now mainly rely on other sources and real life experiences to further my French.
When I started the Spanish tree on Duolingo, I had some previous knowledge of the language, but nothing too fancy. I basically started from scratch. And this is where Duolingo's magic comes in. It took me around half a year to finish the Spanish tree. I learned quite a lot. Starting from nothing, I would say I am now at a A2 level. I can read most things, but have yet to actually hold a real conversation with a Spanish speaker.
Keeping my Spanish tree golden, doing my fair share of immersion, I even started to follow the Spanish-speaking forums on Duolingo and read what the Spanish speakers were up to. But the honest truth is that after a while, Duolingo has done it's work and it's time to move on.
My next conquest, I decided, would be Italian. I've never had any incentive to learn Italian in the past. It is one of the rare cultures and a languages that I cannot identify myself with, for whatever reason. But, hell, here I have this website that teaches languages for free! Why not give it a shot?
I finished my Italian tree in around three months, fast-tracking it a little bit here and there. I am by no means an expert in Italian now that I finished my tree and reached the top level, but I have a good understanding of its grammar and I can read pretty much any text with the help of a dictionary.
Immediately after I finished Italian, I had to see what Portuguese was all about. This would make it the last of the current languages I had yet to discover on Duolingo
I am currently crawling up the Portuguese for Spanish speakers tree. It's an amazing way to learn Portuguese in my opinion, as it gives you a chance to see the differences between the two languages, and indeed the vast similarities. This way you also limit any confusion when learning multiple languages.
It will probably take me another month or two to finish my Portuguese tree, but being the lunatic that I am I wanted to at least reach Level 25 as soon as could. Just for the mere reason of completing Duolingo before all the new languages are released. Here's the end product of my journey so far:
Swedish, you lovely northern gal!
And Dutch, sister of my mother tongue!
I'll be waiting for you guys with hopeful smiles!
Together we'll see where this Duolingo journey will lead!
