Learning a new language is a journey full of small victories, challenges, and moments of realization—and millions of English learners around the world choose Duolingo to be their guide. In fact, English is the most studied language on Duolingo!
Here are six inspiring stories from people studying English on Duolingo. 💚
Julie: leading by example
Age: 42
From: France
Favorite English word: goosebumps
Julie, an entrepreneur, started learning English to enrich her personal and professional life. She dreams of moving abroad and wants her son to be fully bilingual (French-English), so she decided to lead by example. With limited access to in-person courses, Duolingo became her go-to resource.
“Thanks to Duolingo, I’ve improved my listening and reading comprehension significantly. I’ve enriched my vocabulary, which now allows me to better grasp the nuances of the language,” Julie says. “ChatGPT can help in writing, but those translations are often very stiff. They don’t convey the language’s finesse, the words are cliché, it’s not what [an English speaker] would have said naturally. It feels good to be able to choose my own words.”
In her industry, Julie interacts with many English-speaking professionals, and what was once an overwhelming challenge is now a manageable—and even enjoyable—experience. She appreciates the app's fun and engaging approach and looks forward to using English in more aspects of her life.
Pascal: a lifelong passion for music and language
Age: 68
From: France
Favorite English expression: oh my gosh
Recently, Pascal from Provence decided to learn English simply for the joy of it—and to better understand the lyrics of his favorite songs. A lifelong fan of Queen, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones, he wanted to finally grasp the meaning behind the words that had accompanied him for decades.
“My grandson introduced me to Duolingo, and I haven’t missed a single day in almost two years,” he shares. Through consistent daily practice, Pascal has gained enough confidence to hold simple conversations and even appreciate humor in English-language content, “especially Junior. He throws jabs at his dad, and it makes me laugh.”
Pascal’s biggest insight? “If I don’t understand a word, I step back and return to it the next day. In the meantime, my brain processes it and the next day, it becomes more clear.”
Rai: overcoming the fear of speaking
Age: 37
From: Venezuela
Favorite English expression: by the way
As a yoga and pilates instructor now living in Madrid, Rai always wanted to teach classes in English. However, the fear of speaking held her back. “I understood English well, but speaking was really tough,” she admits. With lots of persistence and plenty of repetition on the app, she slowly built the confidence to conduct her first English-language class.
“I was nervous, but I learned different body parts to guide me. I used all my tools so I could manage to give that class,” she recalls. Now, when English-speaking customers join her classes, she can seamlessly guide them through movements and breathing exercises in English. “I empathize a lot with people, in the sense that language shouldn’t be a barrier and that you should be able to attend the class [regardless of language]. And I do my best to make sure everyone can follow along.”
“The truth is, I’m very happy with Duolingo because I’ve seen positive results in me. It really works if you dedicate some time to it (...) Sure, sometimes you make mistakes, but that’s all part of learning, is what I say!”
Thierry: from struggling at work to speaking at conferences
Age: 43
From: France
Favorite English sentence: Can you speak slowly, please?
As a technical architect in France, Thierry had always needed English for his job, but he struggled with real-world communication. In 2019, he started looking for an app that could support him in his English-learning goals. “At the time,” he shares, “I found several apps that allowed me to learn languages, but many of them were either limited or required payment. What I liked about Duolingo was its free and engaging approach, with an XP system that made learning feel like a challenge—something I was already familiar with from the training tools used in my profession."
Thierry has been using Duolingo ever since, and he’s reached some pretty amazing milestones along the way! At a personal level, he’s now able to get his needs met while traveling abroad by speaking English with hotel staff and other local folks.
At a professional level, he’s developed the confidence to present at international conferences all in English! “Last year,” he recalls, “I had my first experience presenting abroad and to an English-speaking audience. (...) It was at a conference in Egypt. (...) I felt so nervous! I took a deep breath and went for it. I did what I could, and it went well—everyone applauded at the end, and everyone seemed satisfied."
Today, Thierry considers himself an ambassador for the Duolingo app. “[It]’s taught me so much,” he says, “especially vocabulary, which makes it so I’m not afraid to express myself.”
Dorothea: breaking language barriers in her golden years
Age: 71
From: Germany
Favorite English word: honey (term of endearment)
Dorothea, a retiree from Germany, learned Russian in school, but she never had the chance to learn English. When her son married an American, she decided it was time to take the leap. “I wanted to learn it to try and communicate with my daughter-in-law and her family,” she explains.
She practices twice a day for 15-30 minutes and has started forming simple sentences during family gatherings. “During our visit to Prague, I tried to explain that Prague is a beautiful city that I have visited several times before. Those were fairly simple sentences, but my daughter-in-law understood them. That reassured me that I can make myself understood in simple situations!”
Speaking still feels daunting to Dorothea, but she’s determined to keep improving. In order to reach her goals, she’s decided to supplement her lessons on the app with reading the Duolingo blog, as well as using her children’s old English textbooks for extra practice!
Giordan: preparing for a global career
Age: 23
From: Brazil
Favorite English expression: out of the blue
Giordan began learning English about three years ago, to expand his professional opportunities. Amazingly, he recently presented in English for over 20 minutes during a company meeting with colleagues from Germany and other countries.
Duolingo helps him reinforce his skills and keep up his daily practice, even after finishing a formal English course. “The app we used for homework was boring and didn’t make learning easy. With Duolingo, I feel like I can learn in a fun and engaging way within the lessons, making daily practice enjoyable, no matter what time of day I have available.”
Giordan’s favorite feature by far is Video Call with Lily, because it’s helped him reach new levels on his English-learning journey. “I feel that calls with Lily are extremely effective because they allow me to talk about random topics and overcome my fear of speaking. Additionally, these calls have helped me think in English rather than first thinking in Portuguese and then translating into English, which allows me to speak more fluently and correctly.”
Now, Giordan has his sights set on an internship in Austria, where he hopes to take his English proficiency even further. Best of luck to you, Giordan!
Keep going—your story is next!
There’s no single path to learning a language—only the one that works for you. Whether you’re learning for fun, for family, or for professional growth, every small step adds up. If you’ve ever hesitated to start or wondered if daily practice really makes a difference, take inspiration from these learners: With one lesson at a time, you can achieve your English goals.