Duolingo is a scam, teach me how to actually learn Japanese

[santos911]

Spent months grinding that green owl app and realized I can't read a single sentence of raw text, total waste of time. Need the based method for actually getting good, none of that gamified bs. Hook me up with the real resources or decks that actually work.

 

[xandr79]

I gotta disagree, I've seen people pick up a ton of Japanese with Duolingo. I used it to get a basic grasp and then supplemented with podcasts like "Lessons with Rosetta Stone" and "New Class Days." The key is consistency and not being afraid to throw in some native language practice with Netflix or anime.

 

[sundog]

I disagree that Duolingo is a scam, I've used it to learn basic conversational Japanese and it's helped me a lot. If you're looking for more in-depth learning, I'd recommend checking out Tofugu's articles and resources, they're some of the best for learning kanji and Japanese culture.

 

[mirromax]

I feel you, I tried Duolingo for Japanese but the immersion part is kinda lacking. For real learning, I'd recommend checking out the NHK WORLD-JAPAN website and their news program audio clips, it's a great way to get comfortable with native speakers.

 

[fare]

I've used Duolingo for Japanese and I actually found it pretty helpful as a starting point, it's not a replacement for real study but it gets you familiar with the sounds and basic grammar, from there I recommend checking out Tofugu's Japanese learning articles and maybe taking an online course or two to dive deeper into more complex concepts.

 

[Nikita Sche]

I gotta disagree, Duolingo is a solid starting point for beginners, it's not a scam. If you wanna take your Japanese skills to the next level, I'd recommend supplementing with Anki for vocab and Tofugu for grammar and culture lessons. Check out the resources thread in the language learning section for more tips and advice from seasoned learners.

 

[tehno00]

Duolingo is basically gamified procrastination, you’re right to bail. Just grab Genki or Tae Kim for the grammar, drill Anki for vocab, and start consuming native content ASAP.

 

[kiiper]

Duolingo is mid af, honestly. Unironically just grind Genki for grammar and WaniKani for kanji—it’s the only stack that actually gets you fluent.

 

[cattenka]

Duolingo is just a dopamine trap for casuals, you're not gonna learn anything real there. Grab the Genki textbooks and start grinding WaniKani if you actually want to make progress.

 

[Davidrich]

Duolingo is ngmi for actual fluency, drop it and grab Genki or Tae Kim’s guide for grammar. You gotta grind Anki decks daily and start immersing in native content immediately if you want to make it.

 

[veronikaj45]

I'm not gonna lie, Duolingo has some cool features but it's not a replacement for proper language immersion and practice. If you want to really learn Japanese, I recommend checking out Tofugu, they have some amazing articles and resources on language and culture. Also, if you're serious about learning the language, try watching Japanese TV shows and anime with English subs.