Duolingo Owl Please Don't Hurt Me - Random Post 1

Ich habe ein Problem mit Duolingo.

If you're unsure what that means, I said "I have a problem with Duolingo".  You may be impressed by my German, but trust me, you shouldn't be (Spoiler alert: I had to use Google Translate to ensure this simple sentence was phrased correctly). This is exactly my problem with Duolingo, I learn all vocabulary and no grammar. You may wonder, who needs grammar when you can understand the words turtle (Schildkröte), sparkling apple juice (Apfelschorle), actress (Schauspielerin), and of course, beer (Bier). While having knowledge of some vocabulary can help you find the nearest pharmacy (Apotheke), you will definitely end up saying something incorrectly to a very particular German pharmacist. For a language where words are chosen carefully and sentences are made to be extremely long and specific, learning on Duolingo is not the way to go. 

Even though I am complaining, I do have to give some props to Duolingo. I moved abroad to Germany with no formal German language education and 3 months of Duolingo to support me. I was able to take the train to my small town from the Frankfurt airport because the program introduced me to words like Fahrkarte (ticket), U-Bahnstation (subway station), Zug (train), and Gleis (platform). I could order Döner Kebab at a shop, but I somehow ended up paying for my order along with three of my friends' meals because I couldn't understand the owner asking if I wanted to pay together or separately, so I just nodded yes. I successfully used my card at grocery stores by saying "mit karte, bitte" (and holding out my card for them to see but ignore that part). In all of these moments, my knowledge of vocabulary and ability to use hand gestures helped me get by. I am now looking to further my German skills, and this is where I'm running into trouble.

Very soon, I am going to have to meet my boyfriend's German family. They do speak broken English, but it feels inconsiderate to not even attempt to speak with them in their native language. Plus, I really really want to make them like me and speaking German to them would probably give me bonus points. My vocabulary knowledge will not help me form sentences or understand what is being said to me in conversation (unless Duolingo has a meet the parents unit!). Because of this, I'm currently searching for a tutor who can speak with me and explain grammar to me. If you are reading this and happen to know of any tutors or apps that are better for learning languages, help a girl out! Despite all of this, I will continue to use Duolingo because I am slightly addicted to it and scared the owl will come get me in my sleep if I stop. 

The Duolingo owl is out for vengeance in these threatening memes


Comments

  1. ericalu340October 14, 2024 at 10:45 AM

    Hi Kristin,
    I am definitely impressed! German is one of the hardest languages to learn, so props to you! It's cool that even with just vocabulary, you were able to use the public transportation system. I heard great things about Rosetta Stone, it's apparently more comprehensive.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cameron King 340October 14, 2024 at 3:00 PM

    As someone who has also tried to learn a language using Duolingo, I understand your frustration with the app sometimes. I think it is a really useful beginner tool though that I recommend!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Annie 340October 14, 2024 at 3:59 PM

    That is so impressive that you have taken it upon yourself to advance your German skills to respect meeting your boyfriends family, you are definitely going above and beyond and I think they will really appreciate it! German seems like a super difficult language so good for you that you were able to use your skills to navigate the public transportation.

    ReplyDelete
  4. So Jung AnOctober 14, 2024 at 5:41 PM

    That's really sweet that you're trying to learn German to impress your boyfriend's family. I think they'll appreciate any effort that you've put into learning the language. From what I see, you're already ahead by a long shot! Maybe try using AI website to practice having a natural conversation in German?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Daniel Palmore WRIT 340October 15, 2024 at 9:32 AM

    Hi Kristin, I really enjoyed your blog! One of my friends also uses Duolingo a lot and even though it's not to learn German, he also feels the need to not miss his daily Duolingo streak. Although I don't know any tutors who can serve as a replacement, I'm wishing you good luck towards mastering German. I also think your boyfriend's family will appreciate all the effort you're putting in to learn the language.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hai TranOctober 15, 2024 at 8:56 PM

    I so definitely agree with you. I took Spanish in high school, and my teacher said that Duolingo was something extra I can do on the side if I wanted to pick up the language faster. But even after spending weeks on the app, the only phrase I could remember was "yo como manzanas". Learning new languages are definitely a challenge, so I commend you for trying to properly learn German!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Momo MesserschmidtOctober 16, 2024 at 9:31 PM

    Hi Kristin, thank you for sharing this terrific blog! I also have some beef with Duolingo...I feel like sometimes it doesn't give the most practical lessons but kudos for teaching yourself German while studying abroad! I'm also attempting to learn my boyfriend's family's native language on Duolingo--they speak Arabic--but I feel like I'm still stuck on the alphabet. If you have any tips on learning a new language, I'd love to learn more! Good luck with your language studies ♡

    ReplyDelete
  8. Miriam 340October 16, 2024 at 10:54 PM

    My sister in Duolingo! I'm on my 600th and something day of Duolingo to learn Spanish (I was too stubborn when my mom tried to teach me). Your experience with learning German is very familiar to me, and I seriously wish you the best of luck in your endeavor with your boyfriend's family. He's so lucky to have someone who's learning a language for him!

    ReplyDelete

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