In its 2024 languages report, Duolingo takes stock. And if English still dominates the debates, French is popular around the world.
In a brand new report, Duolingo outlines its year. And good news, French is a language that attracts many users. MCE explains everything from A to Z!
English reigns supreme on Duolingo
For several years, Duolingo has established itself as the reference application for learning, both for children, young people and studentsand the oldest. Ideal for revising with the family.
Duolingo specializes in language teaching, with over 100 free courses, including over 40 languages as well as math and music lessons. Yes, the application is not limited to modern languages.
And once is not customary, English dominates discussions on Duolingo. In 2024, the language will come first in 135 countries, a record number, with an increase of more than 10% compared to last year.
English retains its first place in all countries where it was first in 2023, and it moves from second to first place in seven countries (Albania, Eritrea, Iran, Malaysia, Monaco, Mongolia and Rwanda.
Not surprising when you know that Duolingo introduced a new course entirely in English in 2024 for advanced learners. The latter has enjoyed dazzling success in several countries such as China.
The motivations for learning English remain the same. Indeed, in many regions of the world, mastery of English allows access to more academic and professional opportunities.
Despite this undivided domination of English on Duolingo, French manages to carve out a beautiful place in the hearts of users. MCE tells you more!
French still attracts foreigners
Behind English, Spanish and French are on the podium of the most used languages on Duolingo. But unlike English, the popularity of French can be explained by different factors.
Thus, according to the Duolingo report, new learners start learning French to “have fun” (20%), “build connections” (18%) or even “prepare a trip” (15%).
French is also the most studied language on Duolingo in Canadaand rises to second in Australia, many countries in Africa, the Middle East and Central America.
Duolingo’s report provides other, more in-depth statistics. So, French is studied in 73 countries. It’s better than any other second language studied on the app.
For comparison, Spanish (37 countries), German (20 countries), English (19 countries), Japanese (12 countries), Portuguese (8), Chinese (5), Korean (4), Russian (4), Arabic (2) or even Italian (2) do not do better.
It is therefore a very nice rise in power of the French language, which continues to intrigue users around the world thanks to its richness and its sounds.
The popularity of the French language can also be explained by an excellent communication campaign from Duolingo France on social networks and in particular TikTok and Instagram.
The famous owl, symbol of the application, comes to life on video and takes part in hilarious situations following the latest trends. A nice publicity stunt which should popularize French even more in 2025!
