Duolingo Is Not That Bad

Duolingo often gets criticized, but it actually does a decent job at what it's meant for. It’s a simple, fun way to start learning a language without feeling overwhelmed. The game-like exercises help you build a daily habit, and for beginners, that’s more important than mastering grammar on day one.

Of course, it has its limits. You don’t learn how to hold a real conversation or understand people talking at a normal speed. You rarely see how grammar works in context. That’s why tools like Fluentsubs exist—to help bridge that gap.

We’ve just launched a new feature that takes some inspiration from Duolingo: short, focused exercises—but built around real content like news clips and interviews. You’ll still get the kind of bite-sized practice that helps you stay consistent, but now it’s tied directly to how the language is actually used.

To truly understand a language, you have to listen to it as it’s spoken by native speakers. Not in slow, cartoonish sentences, but in the kind of content people consume every day. The news, conversations, documentaries—this is where the real language lives. That’s what Fluentsubs helps you get used to, with subtitles, smart translations, and now interactive exercises built into the experience.

The exercises are currently generated for English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch, Japanese, Finnish, and Polish. More are on the way.

If you’ve outgrown Duolingo but still want something fun and structured, this update might be just what you’re looking for.