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> I've progressed way faster after I stopped using it. What did you do instead?

• realusername 3y ago
  It's going to be very weird for HN but I'm learning using Tiktok + a flashcard app + a dictionary. You can probably do the same thing with YouTube Shorts. There's a lot of high quality and very short films on basic daily subjects and subtitled on this app. It's the perfect material you need as a beginner. At the beginning I was watching one 3 minute video per hour and now I just watch it close to normal speed, progress isn't linear. Short subtitled videos is the ideal material because you are working on your spoken and written comprehension in the same time. I use the dictionary app on the new words I don't know about and input them into the flashcard app. I went from close to nothing to around B1 in one year and half. Whereas with Duolingo I never even reached A2 in three years. My take with language learning is that there's no magic method, you are going to be tired and consistency beats everything, it's a marathon, not a sprint.
  • wenc 3y ago
    Thanks for that. I never thought of using YouTube Shorts (or even Instagram reels) as a language learning tool -- but you're right, Shorts are always subtitled, and the content is interesting too! (because algorithms) It's easier to learn when you're actually interested in the content. Other tools I use: * https://www.languagereactor.com https://www.languagereactor.com -- formerly Netflix for Language learning, a Chrome plugin for Netflix and YouTube for multi language subtitles. * https://youglish.com/ https://youglish.com/ -- search for YouTube videos with subtitles in the language you're learning. For shadowing and practicing pronunciation.