Duolingo

Want to get better at writing the language you’re learning? Here are 5 cheat codes to get you started: 1. Start with an everyday task: Try writing basic words and phrases in the language you're learning. Your shopping list is a perfect place to start. 2. Switch your keyboard: Install the keyboard of the language you’re learning on your phone or computer. Muscle memory for where the letters live goes a long way when you're texting or typing. 3. Join the conversation: Online forums in your target language help expose you to everyday, informal phrases. 4. Go all in: Change your phone's language setting to the one you're learning. 5. Read, watch, listen, and then write:  Children's books count. So do movies and music. Keep a running list of new words, and try working them into a sentence the next time you write in your target language. What's your go-to trick for practicing writing in a new language? #learning

There are questions in life that never stop being asked, like “What’s the meaning of life?”  Or "Is it I'm going to LAY down...or I'm going to LIE down"? There's a simple rule: Lie = you recline. Lay = you place something. The bad news? The past tense of lie is... lay. So which sentence is grammatically correct? #learning

Around half of you are not morning people.  Well at least, morning is not when most folks are doing their Duolingo lessons. Nearly half of all Duolingo lessons happen in the evening between 6 and 11:59 PM. Hey, we’re not judging! We’re just happy you’re doing whatever it takes to be consistent. We support all owls, especially night owls! 🦉

The word “soccer” was invented in England. Then the English stopped using it, and no one informed the Americans. Back in the 1800s, Oxford students had a habit of chopping words down and slapping "-er" on the end. Association Football became "Assoc," and then “soccer.” The British used it constantly, right alongside “football.” When the sport crossed the Atlantic, Americans needed a name that wouldn't get confused with American football, so they borrowed soccer straight from the English. Then, sometime in the mid-1900s, the term fell out of use in the U.K., and Brits went back to calling it football. The U.S. just... never switched. And that's not even the whole story. Many languages adapted "football" to fit their own pronunciation rules. The Portuguese turned it into futebol. And then you have the Italians, who skipped the translation entirely and went with “calcio” instead, from the verb “calciare,” meaning "to kick." So whether you're cheering for Spain or Argentina this weekend, what do you call it? #learning

Looking for another way to gamify language practice? We made a bingo card for you. Who here can claim a bingo? • Listen & transcribe: put on a song in the language you're learning and jot down the lyrics as you listen, then check them against the real thing. • Talk to yourself: narrate your day out loud, or write tomorrow's to-do list in the language you're practicing. • Watch with subtitles on: watch your favorite show in the language you're learning with subtitles on for an instant listening + reading workout. • Switch your game UI: change it to the language you're learning. Bonus points if it's multiplayer, so you can chat with other speakers while you play. • Say it back: pause a podcast or show in the language you're learning and repeat exactly what you heard, out loud, for pronunciation practice. • Read what you love: news, Reddit threads, whatever rabbit hole you're curious about, just do it in the language you're learning. Tag someone who needs this bingo card in their language-learning routine. #learning 

“I loved taking the SAT!” said NO ONE EVER. Well, imagine having to take that and ANOTHER exam, just to apply to a U.S. or Canadian university. 😓 This is often the case for international students who want to study in the States. For international students applying to universities in the U.S. and Canada, demonstrating English proficiency is an additional step in the admissions process. Traditional English proficiency tests can cost around $300, before travel to a testing center (which often aren’t in the student’s city) and additional fees. That's one of the reasons we created the Duolingo English Test (DET). We wanted to create an English proficiency test that’s more accessible for students. The DET is taken online, which eliminates travel, and it costs only $70. And it’s accepted all over the world by English medium universities. Because financial means should not be a barrier to educational opportunities. 💚 What barriers did you face with college access? #learning

A common thing we hear from learners is: "I know the language... until I have to speak it." That gap matters to us. That's why we've introduced several new exercise types this year that make it easier to get speaking reps in a lesson. A crowd favorite is spoken flashcards. Instead of simply recognizing a translation, learners retrieve it from memory and say it OUT LOUD. It's a small change that transforms a passive review activity into active speaking practice. Becoming a more confident speaker doesn't come from one big conversation. It comes from hundreds of small opportunities to use your voice. 💚 Read more about how we teach speaking here: https://lnkd.in/gJqM7hwu #learning

Which homophone annoys you most when someone spells it wrong? - to, too, two  - their, there, they’re  - your, you’re - ewe, you, yew

Everyone knows that feeling: when you understand a conversation… but can't think of what to say back. It’s actually pretty common. It’s the gap between reception and production. What is reception? Your ability to understand a language through listening and reading. What’s production? The ability to use a language through speaking and writing. Your ability to do these skills is dependent on practice in that specific skill. For example, to speak better, you have to practice actually speaking – tough, we know! So which skill would you rather have instantly?  -Reception skills (listening 👂 & reading 📖)  OR -Production skills (speaking 🗣️ & writing ✍️) #learning

Despite what some people think, slang isn't bad language. It's a representation of identity. Slang exists to create social groups and signal belonging. It often originates from marginalized communities before spreading far beyond its original home. Every slang word you use tells a story about who you are, who you spend time with, and where you come from. Slang also looks wildly different across languages: 🇯🇵 In Japanese, English has become an integral part of Japanese slang. English words are often clipped, like apāto, meaning apartment. 🇨🇳 In Mandarin Chinese, the numbers 1314 can be used to mean "forever" because its pronunciation (yīsān yīsì) is similar to that of 一生一世 (yīshēng yīshì), an idiom meaning “forever.” 🇦🇺 In Australian English, shortening words or adding  -y/-ie or -o is very common. For example, “musician” becomes “muso,” “present” becomes “prezzie.”  🇫🇷 French speakers have come up with a unique system of swapping syllables, called verlan. A word like énervé (angry) becomes vénère. Slang lets us convey more than what the words themselves mean. So becoming familiar with the slang of a language can also be a way to connect with its speakers on a deeper level. Learning the language is the first step, and that's where Duolingo comes in. Learn more about slang from a language learning expert  🔗 https://lnkd.in/gx-8wzje #learning