Can you actually learn a language using a language learning app like Duolingo?

I think of Duolingo as a tool like flashcards. It's very helpful for doing a bit of learning every single day. To make your own flashcard system be as useful and convenient as Duolingo would be far too time consuming. But definitely couple it with books, media, actual conversation with natives etc.

I’ve learned enough French to get by on vacation, hotels, restaurants, airports etc. I still can’t understand my Francophone buddies when they are chatting at the bar.

With Duolingo you can learn the basics of the language and know grammar, but you also have to surround yourself with the language you are learning. For example, watching videos on YouTube, listening to podcasts, watching movies and series, watching news and all that.

Like… Without using any other tools? I doubt it. Duolingo is really quite nice, but it’s really slow and for me. It seems more like a review than an instructor.

If you just want to learn some target language vocabulary, this is the perfect app to you

I know people that have used duolingo for 3 years straight everyday and no. they don't know the language from those apps.

It's a helpful supplement, but not a substitute for lessons or active study

As I never remain for 1 week, I can’t answer this question🙂‍↔️

they will help you but just language learning apps aren't enough

Duolingo is decent for some languages. I am learning Japanese and its pretty bad for it in my opinion. I'd imagine for English it must be quite good though. I look and find which apps are the best for different aspects of the language like grammar and vocabulary and use them instead. I think using multiple resources would be better but it can compliment your overall learning by using it when travelling or you have spare time as it doesn't usually take very long to do. Anki is a really good app for learning individual vocab though as there are lots of flashcards you can find for English and you can edit them to how you want.

I'm watching on youtube, it makes help you to improve you're english.

I think Duolingo is a tool among many. It doesn’t really teach you much about grammar to where you’re gonna get a solid grasp of it. But it does give you a lot of vocabulary words. I think using only Duolingo you might be able to get to A2 or B1 level in a language after a few years. What it’s really good at is getting you exposed to a new language frequently and building habits to study even if it’s surface level. But it’s never going to teach you grammar or be a substitute for having conversations or being tested on particular structures. I think it’s a good tool if you’re also studying in other ways.

Not really, but Duolingo or Anki can help you to learn basic grammar and top 500 words so you can start real learning using immersion to media for learners : [https://comprehensibleinputwiki.org/wiki/English](https://comprehensibleinputwiki.org/wiki/English) which is more fun and easier to keep motivation for many hundreds of hours it takes to master the language. No, you will not be "fluent in 3 months" and it will take more than 5 minutes per day. So plan for the marathon, not a sprint.

Yes

My mom has learnt Spanish to B1/B2-ish level via mostly Duolingo and some googling of stuff that wasn't properly explained on the app. It was during the quarantine, and she was all over it, sometimes for hours a day, but it does work, at least for the languages with good-enough courses

It can be a tool, but no, it alone cannot actually teach you a language.

No, they are pointless and time consuming. Pick up a grammar book, stick to it for a while, and then practice. 

It’s not really possible to fully learn a language using just Duolingo. The app has its uses, but if you rely on it as your main tool, you’ll find yourself stuck translating sentences instead of truly understanding or thinking in the language. To really learn a language, immersion has to take up the majority of your time. That’s how your brain internalizes vocabulary, grammar, and natural sentence structures. For example, when I started learning Spanish, I spent the first month or two focusing on basics—using tools like Anki for vocabulary, studying verb conjugations (using spanishdict), and brushing up on some grammar rules. After that, I switched almost entirely to immersion. Here’s what worked for me: After about 10–20 hours of immersion, I noticed that I stopped translating in my head and started understanding the language more naturally. Now, with around 900 hours of immersion under my belt, I’ve internalized most of the grammar without having to overthink it. For example, the subjunctive form comes pretty effortlessly, and conjugation feels natural since I studied it earlier and reinforced it through exposure. At this point, I have no problem understanding native content or thinking directly in Spanish. That’s something Duolingo alone just can’t provide—it’s a starting point at best, but immersion is what really makes learning a language possible.