It took me some time to understand how to properly use Duolingo, but I feel like I have found a solution that genuinely fits into my learning strategy. My first attempt was with German. I studied for months and months during breaks at work, but I was no match for conversing at the local German meetup or in Berlin. I could read books and read signs, but in know way could I hold a conversation. I was very disappointed, but I have absolutely retained my knowledge of reading German.

The language I'm currently learning is Vietnamese. I'm learning because my girlfriend's family is Vietnamese and it's a lot of fun to share another language with her and her relatives. I've disabled all of the score-related addons and purchased the offline version. I can hold myself to two lessons on my train home from work without any dopamine rushes. I find it substantially easier than bringing along a thick workbook (which I do have) or trying to force my way through an ebook. The sentence structure helps me more than flashcards. When I go home, I can practice actual conversations with my girlfriend and we can share the vocabulary we know (her grasp of the language isn't perfect). It works extraordinarily well for me. We don't have the time or energy to attend night classes like we thought we would so trading phrases every now and then works pretty well.