What I learned from doing Duolingo for 1000 days

I learned that it is possible to do something hard, and that some big, hard things can be broken down into a smaller, easier things, each tackled for five minutes each day. When you line up 1,000 small things, it becomes one big thing.

I learned that when you line up the small things you are willing to devote five or ten minutes to each day, you will have a better sense of what you want to do with your life

I learned that it’s okay to take a break sometimes. Life happens—a pandemic, a new baby, vacations, job changes, illness, fatigue, other obligations—and sometimes not everything is accomplished. Logistically, Duolingo features streak freezes, each worth 200 points. You build up points by doing the work each day, and the streak freezes keep the momentum going on days when you can’t put two words together in your own language, let alone a new one. It’s okay to take a break, and it’s okay to start again where you left off, or to start somewhere new. The things that matter will be waiting for you when you’re ready to return.

I learned that learning a new language is hard. I started learning French in middle school, which at this point is more than two decades ago. I started learning Spanish in high school and Hebrew in college. I wanted to use the Duolingo app to (finally!) learn German and Swedish as well as half a dozen other languages, but I found that picking up a new language in Duolingo isn’t for me. I thrive in language environments with context cues, repetition, people, and above all, glossaries and grammar explanations. Cartoons, stories, and games work for me to reinforce the languages I already know and want to get better at. I’m grateful to learn more about what works for me—and what doesn’t.

I learned that some useful things in life are free. There’s a paid, ad-free version of Duolingo, but I have only ever used the free version. Before I started using the app three years ago I didn’t even know there was a free version, and I’d put off downloading it because I didn’t think I could afford whatever fees would be associated. The free version includes brief ads sprinkled periodically throughout the lessons. Sometimes they are jarring (warning: some of them are even a bit distressing), but most of the time I find the ads provide a helpful pause to take a breath, rest my eyes, and decide whether I want to try another lesson or take a break until the next day.

I learned that it’s never too late. I minored in French in college and for a long time I had big dreams of maintaining my fluency. Alas, life intervened and my proficiency has waned in the last few years. I read books in French when I could, listened to the News in Slow French, and even took a refresher course at the Alliance Française in my town. But these were all big commitments, requiring money and time, which I have often had to budget. But it is relatively easy to find the time for a few minutes of French. The app says, “15 minutes a day can help you learn a language. What can 15 minutes of social media do for you?” You could argue, I suppose, for some of the positive benefits of social media, but there’s no arguing against even five minutes each day of another language. And it’s never to late to deepen your connection to a language. A few minutes each day might be enough to bind yourself to the language enough to make it yours.

I learned that humor is a great way to make a language stick. I have always loved puns—literary or linguistic plays that make you think, or reflect, or simply laugh out loud. I love that Duolingo’s lessons and stories are often nonsensical or at least a little ridiculous. Logically they might not make sense, but grammatically they do, and they are made more memorable because they elicit a laugh or a head scratch.

I learned that trying something new requires persistence, perseverance, and pauses. It’s impossible for most people to maintain high levels of engagement for long periods of time, and that’s okay. Most people need time to process and integrate new things, and most people need variety in order to practice new vocabulary. That’s the other thing—practice can look different depending on what you need to focus on. Over the last three years I’ve been reminded of my high school French teacher, who used to say that you it was impossible to train for a marathon overnight. (Or maybe it was study for a test?) There are lots of things in life that can’t be mastered or accomplished in a few days, but a few years of consistency will turn a practice into a habit.

I learned that I can do something for 1000 days and stick with it. I have always thought that I’m not very good at sticking with good habits. However, now that I have done Duolingo for 1000 days straight, I know that I need to adjust my perception of my capacity and my limitations. As I continue forward into the next 1000 days, I’m eager to look for the next small-but-mighty daily practices I could incorporate into my everyday life. Are there things you try to do each day to expand your mind, your heart, your body, or all of the above? Let me know in the comments, and maybe I’ll see you on Duolingo. Allons-y!