Duolingo is essentially the gold standard for mobile education. It has figured out the psychological 'hook' that keeps us playing mobile games and applied it to something genuinely useful. I’ve been using it for over a year for Spanish, and while it won’t make you instantly fluent, it provides an incredible foundation for vocabulary and basic grammar.
The recent UI updates have made the learning path much clearer, and the 'Characters' with their unique voices add a lot of personality. It’s accessible, friendly, and surprisingly effective. My only gripe is the 'Hearts' system on the free tier which can be punishing, but overall, there is no better way to start your language-learning journey on a phone.
I'm including this because they've tried so hard to turn learning into a RPG. As a game, it’s manipulative. The streak system is just a way to instill FOMO (fear of missing out). The actual 'gameplay' is just matching words and repeating phrases. It’s rote memorization disguised as progress. It’s effective for what it is, but don't mistake it for entertainment.
The owl is annoying. The constant notifications are a nuisance. However, I’m 40 and I’m finally learning some basic Japanese, so I can't say it doesn't work. Just know that you're the product here, and the 'game' elements are designed to keep you viewing ads or paying for 'Hearts.' It’s a necessary evil for free education.
Performance: Very polished; voice recognition can be hit or miss.
Buy if: You want to learn a language and have five minutes a day.
Skip if: You want a deep educational experience or hate gamified learning.
Available on: iPhone, iPad
Version 7.121.0Tue May 05 2026
Our mascot owl, Duo, is trading in his usual diet of mice for bugs this week. Yup, we’re squashing those pesky bugs to make the experience better for all of you.
For more Duolingo news, contests and product releases, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @duolingo.
Requires iOS 17.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.Learn a new language with the world’s most-downloaded education app! Duolingo is the fun, free app for learning 40+ languages through quick, bite-sized lessons. Practice speaking, reading, listening, and writing to build your vocabulary and grammar skills.
Designed by language experts and loved by hundreds of millions of learners worldwide, Duolingo helps you prepare for real conversations in Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Italian, German, English, and more.
And now, you can learn Math, Music, and Chess the Duolingo way!
• Build real-world math skills – from calculating tips to identifying patterns – and sharpen your mental math in our Math course.
• Learn how to read music and play familiar songs on your device in our Music course – no instrument required.
• Master moves, level up your game, and play real matches in our brand new Chess course. Checkmate!
Whether you're learning for travel, school, career, family and friends, or your brain health, you'll love learning with Duolingo.
Why Duolingo?
• Duolingo is fun and effective. Game-like lessons and fun characters keep you motivated to build solid skills across language, math, music, and chess.
• Duolingo works. Designed by learning experts, Duolingo has a science-based teaching methodology proven to foster long-term knowledge retention.
• Track your progress. Work toward your learning goals with playful rewards and achievements when you make practicing a daily habit!
• Join 300+ million learners. Stay motivated with competitive Leaderboards as you learn alongside our global community.
• Every course is free. Learn Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Turkish, Dutch, Irish, Danish, Swedish, Ukrainian, Esperanto, Polish, Greek, Hungarian, Norwegian, Hebrew, Welsh, Arabic, Latin, Hawaiian, Scottish Gaelic, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, English, and even High Valyrian. And now, learn Math, Music, and Chess with our newest courses!
What the world is saying about Duolingo:
“Far and away the best language-learning app.” –The Wall Street Journal
“This free app and website is among the most effective language-learning methods I’ve tried… lessons come in the form of brief challenges – speaking, translating, answering multiple-choice questions – that keep me coming back for more.” –The New York Times
“Duolingo may hold the secret to the future of education.” – TIME Magazine
“…Duolingo is cheerful, lighthearted and fun…” - Forbes
“Our favorite language app…” - CNET
If you like Duolingo, try Super Duolingo for 14 days free! Learn a language fast with no ads, and get fun perks like Unlimited Hearts and Monthly Streak Repair.
If you choose to purchase Super Duolingo, payment will be charged to your Apple account, and your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. Auto-renewal may be turned off at any time by going to your settings in the App Store after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable.
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Duolingo is a game-changing educational app that makes learning a new language feel like playing a game. Featuring over 40 languages, the app uses a variety of exercises—listening, speaking, translating, and multiple choice—to build comprehensive skills. With its iconic mascot, Duo the Owl, and a system of streaks and leaderboards, Duolingo is designed to keep users engaged for a few minutes every day, making long-term learning achievable for everyone.
40+ languages including Spanish, Japanese, and French.
Bite-sized lessons for busy schedules.
Gamified experience with streaks and leaderboards.
Personalized learning paths using AI.
Free to use with a premium 'Super' option.
The key to Duolingo is consistency. Set a daily goal (even if it's just 5 minutes) to maintain your 'Streak.' If you miss a day, you can use a 'Streak Freeze' to keep your progress intact. Use the 'Review' tab to go back and strengthen older lessons that have 'cracked' over time.
Lessons consist of short exercises that adapt to your performance. If you struggle with a specific word or grammar rule, the app will present it more frequently. Earning XP allows you to climb weekly Leagues, adding a competitive element to your education.
Yes, you can learn every language for free. 'Super Duolingo' is an optional paid subscription that removes ads and offers unlimited hearts.