language learning

Duolingo's teaching method is based on translations.

This helps you get really good at translating languages, or reading signs and interpreting their meaning, or being able to pick up a few words from movies or TV shows.

However, language sticks best to memory when it's interactive.

People learn languages because of their need to actually use the language.

Talking out loud to yourself, writing recipes in different languages, having a conversation about technical topics, immersing yourself in a place where the language is actively spoken, playing video games in different languages, or writing journal entries in your target language, are effective ways to internalize the language and not just translate it.

It would be neat if there were interactive mini-games in Duolingo.

Something like a memory game.

Such as: Look at the furniture in this room, and type out how many pieces of furniture you remember seeing, in the target language only and not English. Or even simple math games in the target language with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.