Has anyone else struggled with the new Duolingo?

[FlorettaB]

I’ve been happily using it for months and then it changed overnight. From what I’ve found out through googling it, it seems like they’ve been rolling out this new version since August.

I learn through repetition and I feel really lost with the new set up. It seems to assume I know stuff that it’s not covered at all.

I'm learning via the free version and that hasn't changed (yet). It does alter now and again, for example the four pictures where the correct one has to be chosen has gone, and there is a matching pairs of your own language with its foreign language equivalent. It is essentially lots of repetition, maybe the free version would suit you better? (The adverts are annoying especially if you are doing a timed exercise for double XP, but I don't want to pay a lot just to get rid of that!)

Hopefully other posters who use the other subscription version can offer some suggestions...

I don’t use it myself but dh was grumbling about this earlier. He is pleased to know he is not alone!

I really dislike it. I was hoping mine wouldn't change 😭

I hate it. I used to like repeating the broken ones and doing the odd story and lesson when I had more time. Now I just keep forgetting everything.

What's changed? I haven't been on for days (I had four freeze streak repairs though).

I think it's better. The old one was very repetitive.

I hate it to the point I sacrificed a 500 day streak.
It's painful to use now.
My course had about 70 stories right up to advanced level and they deleted most of them - why?
It didn't need changing IMO (I've completed 3 trees using the old format).

I use the free version too. If yours hasn't changed yet, it will soon.

Duolingo comms originally said that everyone would change over on November the 1st, but I haven't yet. I'm sure it's on the way, though.

I'm not sure I'll like it - I do a version of the 'hover' method where you have multiple topics on the go at different levels, so I always have the choice between a hard lesson or an easy lesson depending on how I feel. The new pathway won't allow for that, by the looks of things.

However lots of people on the facebook group I'm in started off hating the new structure but have now grown to like it, and even prefer it.

Mine hasn't changed yet.

I really like the thinking behind it, but so many people hate it that I'm hoping mine doesn't change.. I'm sure it's inevitable though

Mine is say Get the Update - what is the difference?

I’ve been using duolingo for a while now, and mine has just changed to the new version. I looked today, and it does look as if you can repeat lessons further back down your pathway (or whatever it’s called) - I don’t know if that helps some people?

Mine changed overnight last night. I benefit from repetition and there doesn’t seem to be any in the new structure so far or any logic. Also to reach legendary status you have to use gems - my guess is that they are trying to drive people towards the paid model.
I was going through the whole course level by level so was on level 4 so I can’t do that any more. It’s very confusing.

I had read about this change on the app and hoped that the web version would be spared it. No such luck, it changed two days ago. I agree that it's annoying to no longer be able to do the 'hover' method or work again on 'cracked' skills. Oh well, I'm sure we'll all get used to it eventually!

Seems a lot more logical to me & you can always go back over old lessons.

Do they ever do deals on premium? I’d love it but can’t justify quite that much expense at the mo

I really hope not, I struggle with change, especially sudden and unexpected change. I also need lots of repetition to learn so hope I'll be able to carry on doing that <nervous>

Never had stories so won't miss that if it's gone. For a long time I didn't have the characters asking for translations either, they only appeared at the end of a lesson. So I was surprised when they suddenly started appearing throughout.

Mine changed yesterday. I've only been learning sine September but it totally wiped all my progress. I completed (what was) unit one and half of two to legendary. I'm now having to spend time getting to where I was which equates to level ten now.

While I suppose it's not a bad thing going back over stuff, from a learning perspective, it's been frustrating and demotivating to not make progress. I hope these major changes aren't common?

I did this a couple of years ago, I assume it still works. (Unlimited hearts)
www.reddit.com/r/duolingo/comments/jnd8gn/the_new_heart_system_completely_ruins_duolingo/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Are there any free alternatives to Duolingo?

@Purpleavocado - you’re my hero! This just worked! Unlimited hearts ♥️

I hate it. I normally have a few levels on the go at once. I don't want what I'm doing to be pre- selected.

I’m glad it’s not just me! I tried it for free and then switched to the paid version. I would never have paid for this version. I’m stuck with it for another 6 months. I’ve just let my streak go. I’ve lost so many stories - maybe half of them?

I’ve learnt enough that it makes more sense to continue with another app rather than give up. It makes me so sad though. The way it was set up worked so well for me. It felt like I was learning without really having to try. I tried my next section today and I just didn’t have a clue. I’ve gone from 90%+ right all the time to under 50% and that’s more luck than judgement.

I'm on a 897 day streak since starting in May 2020 when the lockdowns started - I had used it a few times before over the previous 2 years but never stuck at it and didn't get very far at all - lockdown was the perfect opportunity. I didn't take the special discounter offer around xmas 2020 as I wasn't sure if it was going to be worth it - I was using it every day but still wasn't sure if I was really going to stick with it but part way through 2021 it dawned on me I'd missed the opportunity to get the deal - I thought there would be others but it seems xmas is the only time in the year you get the offer - I can't remember what it was - 40-50% off. So at xmas 2021 I went for the discounted deal and think it was worth it - I can use it as much as I like - it was frustrating running out of hearts and having to earn them back to continue - paying the subscription takes all that frustration and tension away - I don't worry about making mistakes. I have found there have been quite a lot of app updates in the Spanish course - which is a very well developed and established one - my friend tried the new Finnish course they rolled out - she lives in Finland and knows some - she thought it was terrible and soon stopped but she's started again as it's been worked on and is better but still far from perfect) - I don't mind the changes - I used to do a lot of stories when I used the free version but now I almost never use that way to learn - I just work on the lessons - the eggs - I am in no rush to keep pushing on with the lessons - I practice all the old lessons all the time (i.e. fix the 2 cracked eggs you get every day) - the app has too many different types of way to learn - it's not a bad thing - I've been able to find the parts that I like to use - I am no doubt missing out on some things by not doing the stories but someone above said there seemed to be assumptions made about what they should know - well - 2 things 1) the tips at the start of the lessons contain a lot of the direct teaching and introduction to new grammar and vocabulary but 2) they don't introduce everything in the tips - sometimes a completely new word or use of a word you know crops up in the middle of a lesson - don't grumble about it - learning a language is a complicated thing and no program, especially a free one, is going to be perfect in all respects - you get a lot for a free app and it is through the efforts of a lot of volunteers that the app exists and evolves as it does. I also use and pay for Babbel+ which is quite different in the way it teaches - I wouldn't say it's any better or worse that Duolingo - it just does things in a different way - it's good to use another app IMHO. I also use Pimsleur audio lessons and some lessons I bought on a 10-12 CD set in a used bookshop - all the different resources have taught me different things - the 2 key things IMHO are to do a bit every day and to learn to love the process instead of getting wound up and frustrated with making mistakes, making the same mistakes over and over and also not really grasping some of the teaching straight away - at first a lot of new material seems too subtle and confusing to take on board but it's only through lots of practice that you start to see that you are absorbing new teaching - the learning curve often goes flat for a while but if you persist you start climbing the curve again...then hit another plateau; stop moaning and learn to enjoy it - or why bother!? Give up and do something else.

I'm in the tournament section at the moment so thought the changes might be because of that.

It's easier to access layout. Some things are slightly harder, but others are easier. I'm not sure about the 'legendary' thing for each section yet. Possibly good to recap. This is the first I've seen it today so will reserve judgement.

I've only ever used the paid version on a family and friends subscription.

Mine changed to the new version several weeks ago and I noticed that the grammar tips were missing for some languages. Anyway, after a lot of searching, I found a link that can be used to access the old format. Hope this helps: www-internal.duolingo.com/learn