Learning a new language can feel daunting. But what if you could dedicate just 45 minutes a day and reach a basic conversational level in a month? This article explores a month-long experiment using Duolingo and other free resources to learn Swedish, examining the effectiveness of this approach and offering tips for language learning success.
Why Swedish and Duolingo?
The choice of Swedish stemmed from the availability of numerous free online resources, including Duolingo, and the accessibility of native speakers for guidance. Duolingo, a popular language learning app, offers a gamified approach to vocabulary and grammar, making it an attractive starting point for beginners. The goal was to reach level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) within a month, relying solely on free resources.
Methodology: Rules and Resources
Three ground rules guided the experiment:
- Daily Practice: 45 minutes of daily practice, simulating a pre-pandemic commute time. This consistent, shorter duration was deemed more sustainable than longer, less frequent sessions.
- Free Resources Only: Utilizing only free resources, including Duolingo, Drops, and the Say it in Swedish website, to demonstrate the feasibility of language learning without financial investment.
- A1 Level Goal: Aiming to achieve A1 level proficiency in Swedish within one month, providing a tangible objective for the experiment.
Week 1: Discovering Resources
The initial days involved exploring Duolingo and Drops, both gamified language learning apps focused on vocabulary acquisition. Recognizing the need for grammatical instruction, the Say it in Swedish website was incorporated. This website provided comprehensive explanations of grammar and essential vocabulary, covering topics like family, colors, and directions.
Week 2: Tackling Grammatical Challenges
Week two brought the unexpected discovery of the Swedish supine form, a grammatical concept absent in other commonly learned languages. Online resources offered limited clarification, highlighting the importance of connecting with native speakers or experienced learners. Seeking assistance from colleagues fluent in Swedish proved invaluable in understanding this complex grammatical element. Basic sentence construction improved by the end of the week.
Note-taking proved crucial for memorizing new vocabulary and grammar.
Week 3: Overcoming the Plateau
Motivation waned during the third week, emphasizing the challenges of self-learning. To combat this, incorporating easy Swedish news articles proved beneficial. Reading news articles introduced new vocabulary in context, reinforced grammatical concepts, and provided a more engaging learning experience. Varying learning methods and resources helped maintain momentum and improve comprehension.
Week 4: Refining the Routine and Assessing Progress
By the final week, a consistent routine had emerged, incorporating a mix of Duolingo, Say it in Swedish, news articles, and vocabulary memorization techniques. Traditional methods like writing vocabulary words repeatedly proved effective. Two online CEFR tests were taken on January 31st to assess progress. Results indicated an A2 level in written comprehension and grammar, exceeding the initial A1 goal, while listening comprehension remained at A1.
Conclusion: How Long Does it Take on Duolingo?
While Duolingo served as a valuable tool, reaching A1 level in Swedish within a month required a multifaceted approach. Combining Duolingo with other free resources like Say it in Swedish, news articles, and personalized vocabulary learning techniques proved crucial. Consistency was key, with 45 minutes of daily practice contributing significantly to progress. While this experiment focused on Swedish, the core principles – consistent practice, diverse resources, and clear goals – can be applied to learning any language. The results suggest that reaching a basic conversational level in a language like Swedish within a month is achievable with dedication and the right resources.
