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.

dh, dd and I all do it, all on the free version.

In the summer I noticed that dh and dds version was different to mine, they both have newer phones. But I started a few months before them.

They then also started getting friend quests etc. I still don't get those.

Then last week dh's updated to this new version. He hates it, he says that it has taken him back several levels and he is really fed up.

dds and mine haven't changed

The friend quests definitely make me play more as you can't really leave the other person to do the whole thing (though that did happen once).

They seem to be iterating the newer version anyway. I’ve noticed various small changes. This week they’ve changed how they do the ‘legendary’ quests again.

They appear to have made the friends quests less challenging too.

Mine is still in my usual style (free app). Friends quests are the same level - Jose still not pulling his weight 🙄- and I can't see any other changes. I really hope it doesn't, although it seems inevitable that it will someday.

I haven't got to the end of my current topic to see if the number of mistakes allowable in Legendary has changed, but as all my translations are written down I don't tend to make many (there wouldn't be enough hearts in the universe if I didn't!) I've saved up gems "watching" adverts and have over 12k at the moment. Practising a completed level gets me 20-25 xp and I lose a heart for every mistake.

It does seem to be different for everyone and getting rolled out at different times, doesn't it.

Update about the challenges.

It must have just changed for me because now, like pps, if you make one mistake you're given the option of continuing only after using 50 gems. I'm on the paid version, too. Not a great change, in my opinion.

It doesn’t do that on my paid version. I just have to start again once I’ve used my 3 hearts. Or at least that was how it was earlier this week.

I'm a premium member and mine changed a few months ago on the app.

I hated it initially but now I much prefer it. I particularly like the new 8 part mastery section. The previous one was only 3 or 4 parts which may be fine if you are learning a relatively easy language but not so good for Japanese.

I find I remember things much better now and am so pleased they have got rid of the progress quizzes which I rarely did anyway.

I had an 8 part mastery section. But it seems to have changed back to a single mastery lesson this week.

I quite liked the 8 part section. But it was usually pretty challenging.

@Sudocremoneverything yes, the 8 part mastery section is pretty challenging but I reckon I am a bit of a masochist. 😂

The other thing I really like is when you move onto a complete new section, it keeps bringing up things from previous sections. I get a real buzz then from realizing how much I have remembered.

It doesn’t do that on my paid version. I just have to start again once I’ve used my 3 hearts. Or at least that was how it was earlier this week.

Mine was also fine earlier this week. I still have unlimited hearts on ordinary lessons, however.

I hate it and the silly, distracting and useless animations with a passion. Have the old version still on my phone, but not for much longer, I suspect. Had been learning Spanish for a couple of years, and liked it very much. Loved the stories in particular, and was beginning to be able to answer questions about them properly (although I think they removed that facility even before the current update!) I loved learning at my own pace, and being able to repeat things a lot, but balance that with a few new lessons, because that's the way I learn. And who thought of losing hearts for making mistakes and having to pay to reinstate them? This is all aimed at monetizing for their shareholders with a total disregard for their customers. The only blessing is that I hadn't paid for it yet because people who subscribed for a year will be hopping mad. I'd want my money back. I wonder what their advertisers think? Am prepared to pay for the right app, looking for something that will teach me Castilian rather than Latin American Spanish now - thinking about Babbel.

I've tried and tried with the new layout but I really hate it. I might give up. Bye bye 462 day streak.

I think I must be unusual but mine changed to the new version a couple of months ago and I prefer it. We do have the paid version (DH and DD also use it) but mine changed before theirs.

I've also been considering alternatives. There was an article about Duolingo in The Guardian (I don't think the changes were mentioned) a few days ago. I saved it because there's lots of alternative, or supplementary, suggestions in the reader comments.

Do you have a link. I'd be interested.

amp.theguardian.com/education/2022/nov/14/my-obsession-with-duolingo

Oh interesting op! I used Duolingo a few years ago and was getting on well. I chose a new language and downloaded the app again a few weeks ago and it was straight into full blown sentences and phrases as if I was going to know the words for man, boy, girl etc . I've not gone back to it as I was so put off!

Thanks @ArabeI

Has anybody bought the toy Duo owl? DC (obsessed with Duolingo) are desperate to have one but they only ship from the US and I'm worried it won't get here in time. Plus stupid postage costs from the US and probably a customs charge too before they'll release it 😭

I'm not sure where you'd get an official Duo toy from @SomePig I bought merchandise with Lily printed on it for someone for Christmas from Redbubble. You might find something similar there, possibly.

I'm frustrated by it. I started German during lockdown and was progressing well but they changed it late 2020 and I lost everything, I'd been doing brilliantly and it made me lose all enthusiasm. I started again recently and have been working my way back up to where I was and now they've changed it again. My old phone doesn't seem to like the new software and keeps freezing. I've not used the new version enough to decide if it's better. Hopefully it has more useful phrases than 'the bear is eating strawberries' - I'm not a fecking cold war spy with classified info to divulge via secret pass codes

Mine has only just changed to the new layout and I don't like it! (I've never been good with change mind).

It feels less practical to review old lessons and I preferred having the stories in a separate section.

Really hoping I get used to it.

I changed a week ago and I'm really enjoying the new version - I wasn't sure I'd like it as it takes away some of the choice but, actually, I think the more structured format is well thought out and it's working really well for me. It's really renewed my enthusiasm.

Thanks @Arabel, I shall give that a try!

I've got the new version. I still have stories. The only thing that's changed is I don't have broken lessons to repair , but you can still go back and re do the lessons.
I have the free version.