Can a language app help you learn English?

The New York Times says both yes and no. A writer tested the language app Duolingo for over 500 days. What did he find? A language app can help you start to learn a language, but won’t help you become fluent.

Specifically, he wrote:

1) If a language doesn’t use a Latin alphabet, an app might help learners learn the letters and symbols.

2) A language app can help learners learn basic phrases, such as phrases for travel.

3) A language app won’t help you become fluent according to the CEFR.

4) Language apps can’t teach you how to communicate with other people.

Would you like to improve your English? Contact us about our classes and private lessons.

Mindy Ehrhart Krull
About the author

Originally from the US, Mindy Ehrhart Krull holds a master's degree in journalism and has been teaching English and working as an author, editor and proofreader in Germany since 2008.

At DELS, she leads a team of several English trainers and language professionals.

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