for those that are giving duo and similar great reviews, can you say more about it in terms of your language level (A1-C3) and ability to actually communicate on the streets in the target language?
it's one thing to say that you use it every day but that doesn't mean you're actually getting much better at the language if you get my drift learning vocabulary is only one component of learning a language. vocabulary can be basic or advanced and nuanced. indeed, any tool that you like enough to use every day is probably going to help you learn some aspect of a language. but whether or not you're actually learning to communicate in a way that is useful and that you actually use is another matter. i'm saying that from experience
i ask b/c i've looked at some of these tools in the past and i found them lacking (too basic, too slow, not categorized in any way, etc) . to put it more precisely, in my experience, many of these tools seemed like the lowest common denominator rooted in perhaps max A1 level or maybe only slightly above which is better than nothing but really not going to get your too far on the street. perhaps they've changed or gotten better. i'm just curious whether it's worth any time to actually go back and explore these or not.
I just finished the Duolingo German tree, I got ~2500 words in my vocabulary (A2 level) and the ease of use meant I didn't procrastinate as much as say doing grammar exercises. Having that vocabulary helped me understand newspaper articles and TV (with subtitles).
Duolingo has different features online and in their app - online I tried a few of their quizzes and that helped see evolution; in the app they added role play dialogues (e.g. renting a house) which I found very useful.
That said, if instead of Duolingo I had spent that time talking with a native, having lessons or writing down (anything!) I think I would have learned more and faster. But given time is hard to find and I only have lessons once a week, Duolingo is a nice addition that keeps me productive during commuting. It's a very good tool and I would recommend it. But nowhere near enough to actually talk or write - for that you need specific practice. And nothing beats trying to talk and making mistakes and trying again...
5 years here and trying to get to B1 level. Some days I wake up ashamed of the lack of progress, most days I just try to keep on learning. It does get easier once you are at B1 level as you can understand a lot of the day-to-day interactions without needing the dictionary next to you or feeling as much like a fool when people talk with you in German.
@countchochula touches on a very important issue. I also started with Duolingo to brush up my German (from ~B1 level). The problem was that despite climbing the progress ladder I didn't feel my "operational" German was improving. When I was trying to recall phrases and use them on the street, I knew I went through some of the scenarios but I just couldn't formulate a proper sentence.
As someone else already mentioned here, some of the sentences in Duolingo are utter nonsense. Additionally, scant explanations didn't help to create a proper grammar framework in my head. So I switched to Babbel + Memrise, and now I'm dabbling with Clozemaster. Babbel feels way more curated. Sections in refresher course start with proper explanations and then build on them. Sentences make sense and feel helpful. Memrise is also a fun handy flashcard app, however, learning single words out of the context is not optimal. That's why I'm testing Clozemaster now but it's to early for me to say anything more about this app.
Anyway, apps are handy but they shouldn't be the only source of learning a language. At the very least, invest and augment them with conversations.
Duolingo is a useful tool for picking up extra vocab but it is too gamified and would need to be enhanced significantly for it to become beneficial (this is the case with all apps). It is too easy to learn the game patterns and find the answers through understanding these patterns, there is not enough emphasis on learning articles as in most cases only one article is provided. I learned a lot of words passively but they rarely become active and therefore I am not sure that the time invested is used wisely.
Deutsch Perfekt is worth trying. It’s a monthly magazine that that can be bought in P&B and Kiosk. The articles range from A2 level. The vocab tends to be repetitive throughout each edition. I also watch Netflix with German subtitles on.
I don't think Duolingo is meant to be a solid grammar primer. That's not the intended purpose. It tries to teach you basic sentence formation and listening skills and gives you gramatical elements on which you can build an intuitive (but somteimes not 100% correct) ability to form your own basic sentences.
If you want to learn grammar there is still no alternative to the grammar book.
I have also learnt a lot of grammar using online resources such as wiktionary. But you can't use those from scratch. Those are more to improve and structure knowledge you already have.
I have used Duolingo to gain some basic framework of foreign languages quickly and without much sweat for vacations and things. I find it extremely useful for that and am satisfied with the results, as in people understood what i was trying to say. But don't see it as a solid base for comprehensive learning.
I never used it for German. I think for a languages you're going to use every day you need to take a more solid and structured approach.