Duolingo

[NachoCheesed]

Has anyone actually learned to speak a language fluently with Duolingo? Trying to learn Italian and can successfully order a coffee at the moment.

I am mildly amused that in all these languages one of the first words all these new language learners learn is... owl

I immediately thought 'bufnita'! and then had to try to remember which language that was.

I must say i do grumble a bit at the vocab things - today i had to click which of the 3 offered was French for "life". Well i already knew it is "vie" but they give it without the article, so you have to infer from subsequent lessons that it is "la vie" (i mean, i know that but new learners may not)

While Duolingo might be helpful for vocabulary, I am yet to use the frequently-taught phrase of, "Hello, Dragon" ("Helo, Draig") or to discuss leeks... constantly... with anyone.

Even the neighbours' Welsh-speaking pre-schoolers are better than me at Welsh. I have to make do with the basics and their parents translating between us!

Was she sick of him talking about parsnips?

I’m on year three of Spanish but to be honest i couldnt hold a conversation that well. Odd words here and there but im a bit worried as im going to Spain on Saturdayl and the other two im going with are also doing it. Im sure we will laugh about it.

So I studied German at degree level but 37 years ago and sadly never used it professionally. As I’m now semi retired I’ve tried to pick it up a bit and have started watching a YouTube series called ‘Simple German’ which has been super helpful. They also have ‘Slow Simple German’ which I think is for complete beginners but all the videos involve ordinary native speakers. There are also podcasts and a website you can use and even subscribe to for extra grammatical challenges.
I think there are also lots of other languages in the series like ‘Simple Spanish’.
I’m off to Germany in July with my DS so it’s really given me impetus to get on top of it again.

I grumbled more than a bit when the vocab offered only allowed you to construct 'He has less apples'. Nearly abandoned the lesson and my Duo streak for that one.

I remember the part around education being annoying because it was all based around the US names for schools.

Cerf is carving, so cerflun is literally a carved picture, which I rather like.

I am not sure parsnips have ever come up in my actual Welsh lessons. I don't even remember them from the annual Christmas discussions at the end of the autumn/winter term.

There have been a couple of times when I would like English-speaking Duo to learn the difference between adjectives and adverbs. (And less/fewer.)

Ah, thank you. When I looked it up I got "art or method", but carving makes more sense.

I feel ya. Sometimes the English constructions are bollocks

Owen and Megan's Welsh Adventures.