When technologist Luis von Ahn was building the popular language-learning platform Duolingo, he faced a big problem: Could an app designed to teach you something ever compete with addictive platforms like Instagram and TikTok? He explains how Duolingo harnesses the psychological techniques of social media and mobile games to get you excited to learn — all while spreading access to education across the world.
If you love watching TED Talks like this one, become a TED Member to support our mission of spreading ideas:
Follow TED!
Twitter:
Instagram:
Facebook:
LinkedIn:
TikTok:
The TED Talks channel features talks, performances and original series from the world’s leading thinkers and doers. Subscribe to our channel for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more.
Watch more:
TED’s videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy: . For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at
#TED #TEDTalks #Duolingo
Roberto Agustin Barreto Flores
October 26, 2023 at 7:07 pm
Excelente platica!!! Congrats Luis Von Ahn and Duolingo TEAM
Chris Kramer
October 26, 2023 at 7:08 pm
Makes think a bit differently about the freemium model.
Extreme Constipation
October 26, 2023 at 7:08 pm
Freaking love this guy. I’ve had a love-hate relationship with Duolingo for so many years now 💀
DragonBlood
October 26, 2023 at 7:16 pm
But remember that easy learning is not effective learning. Duolingo may keep you going, but you won’t make much progress compared to learning things the hard way.
Maurice Strauss
October 26, 2023 at 7:58 pm
Luis, I am Maurice Strauss, and I have been participating in Duolingo for a long time now. I would like to comment that the gamification is good, but sometimes the competition emphasizes getting points and not studying for learning purposes. I also would like to suggest that the PodCasts should be included in the point system. They are excellent, but because of the gamification, we don’t take advantage of them. I have been in the Diamond League for over 3 years, so I feel compelled to stay there. That is because of our pride in keeping our status high.
Another change I would like to see would be sharing conversations between our friends in Duolingo. I am trying to share positive critiques, as I believe in the benefits of Duolingo.
Aspas Ego
October 26, 2023 at 8:12 pm
te quiero mucho persona privilegiada de Guatemala
🙂
José Pérez
October 26, 2023 at 8:12 pm
Other than that bit talking about how Guatemala makes better Mexican food than Mexico, I actually enjoyed it (I’m mexican).
casualmoose
October 26, 2023 at 8:15 pm
I was working through my daily Duolingo challenges when I started this talk, imagine my surprise when I realized what the topic would center on! We love language learning and the benefits of habitual practice
Cowl
October 26, 2023 at 8:24 pm
If you really want to learn something, you’ll do it
Maxime
October 26, 2023 at 8:27 pm
Hi Duolingo! Could you please rework your Japanese course? The quality is a bit too low for me to consider using Duolingo to learn Japanese. Among the main problems: poor pronunciation, poor pitch accent, and erroneous translations. Please have a look at the video “Japanese Guy Tries Duolingo Japanese” from That Japanese Man Yuta. He might be a bit harsh, but I’m sure that if you take his rant constructively and seriously try to fix the problems he raised you could end up with material that is way better for Japanese learners.
Corey Grandmaison
October 26, 2023 at 8:34 pm
Imagine: Replacing all advertisments with education you’ve pre selected. How much better of a place the world would be. Most much more powerful the human species would be.
bonsaipropaganda
October 26, 2023 at 8:43 pm
I like the mission the problem is that duolingo is a horribly ineffective approach to acquiring a language. They should shift to doing something based on comprehensible input
AssaultFlamingo 2.0
October 26, 2023 at 8:47 pm
Motivation and fun truly are the best ways to learn. Whether that motivation is your own or something that it pushed (giving great/inspiring examples of why you should be doing such and such), I think both work, and gamifying learning in some way does wonders.
I used to play an online game called skribble, you’re in a game with 7 others, there’s 3 rounds and each round everyone gets a chance to pick something to draw from 3 options given out of a pool of well over 10,000 options and everyone else has to guess what is being drawn, the only other clue you have is it shows how many letters are in the word, and if no one guesses it in a certain time a letter is revealed, followed by another, before time runs out.
Those who guess fastest get more points, and when drawing, the more that guess your drawing you also get more points.
I learnt and memorised so many words and names for things I didn’t know before, learnt to type much faster and improved my spelling a lot by playing that game, learnt to differentiate between very similar spelled words and out of over 10,000 options just had an intuition as to how many letters were in a word without having to actually count them in my head first… And all while just having fun playing a game, admittedly I do have a competitive nature which helps learning in this way but regardless it’s still enjoyable and a fantastic way to learn without even feeling like you’re studying/learning but rather something you choose to do in your downtime for fun.
Alex Sanchez
October 26, 2023 at 9:03 pm
This video failed stating it’s a paid advertisement
Yuki Tanabe
October 26, 2023 at 9:09 pm
😅😅
Mariana Padilla
October 26, 2023 at 9:16 pm
Wow. So inspiring! 🙌
Roodz
October 26, 2023 at 9:21 pm
Thanks
Roodz
October 26, 2023 at 9:22 pm
I’ll let you say it on a public platform
Roodz
October 26, 2023 at 9:26 pm
You make money by solving problems. Plenty of people inside your civil engineering building with problems. Some people are plain lonely or dying alone
Prince Boateng Asare
October 27, 2023 at 1:48 pm
This is great, honestly absolutely nailed it, it got me following from start to finish, this is a clear indication that the CEO has learned from the app and taken feedback on how to properly communicate and present your story.
Bal
October 27, 2023 at 1:52 pm
Learning what?😮
Andre St
October 27, 2023 at 1:57 pm
Tried Duolingo and learned nothing. It cannot substitute a proper teacher, at least for me.
Ethan Truong
October 27, 2023 at 2:13 pm
This model of maximizing for engagement has many of the same problems as digital apps that are also trying to maximize engagement: the app is “winning” so long as it has your attention. Duolingo _can_ be great, but it _can_ also just be another way people use to just pass the time and _feel_ like they’re being productive when they’re not. Using the same tactics as TikTok that maximize engagement can be a double-edged sword.
Lessons Archived
October 27, 2023 at 2:27 pm
Thank you. ❤
Krystle Young
October 27, 2023 at 2:29 pm
Crash Course is on Youtube and makes learning interesting. I loved the astronomy series, learned so much about space from an astronaut.
Fernando Santos
October 27, 2023 at 2:35 pm
Sal Khan has done and is still doing an excellent work
Ayrton Urviola
October 27, 2023 at 2:50 pm
Oh yes, the passive aggressive green owl
Ayrton Urviola
October 27, 2023 at 2:52 pm
I would love Duolingo was better at teaching languages tho
Lyssa’s Letters
October 27, 2023 at 3:26 pm
❤❤❤ 12:05
Abror
October 27, 2023 at 3:38 pm
What a man, great performance meaningful speech ❤
Michelle De Anda
October 27, 2023 at 3:45 pm
Wow he is such an amazing speaker, and I was genuinely inspired to download Duolingo lol. We need this guy to do a Ted Talk on being a personable and well-spoken presenter!
Carol Heuser
October 27, 2023 at 4:13 pm
Poor people in poor countries don’t have smart phones
tristan flodin
October 27, 2023 at 4:23 pm
The only technique we learned was streaks?
Marta Evans
October 27, 2023 at 5:29 pm
Excellent speech !
Nathan J. Williams
October 27, 2023 at 6:16 pm
Forget foreign languages. We need a universal language based on a linguistic methodology. Why have overlap of so many principles like languages when you can become more eloquent and learned instead? Even English is dumb and simply based on a hodgepodge of other foreign languages.
Shai Morris
October 27, 2023 at 7:09 pm
this guy is genius, and has the good of humanity at heart 🤩 gives me hope for humanity as a whole
S N
October 27, 2023 at 7:52 pm
I’m not listening through….I have tried Duolingo twice and it doesn’t work. Let’s hope he keeps trying. DuoBiz maybe?
Battle tested G
October 27, 2023 at 7:52 pm
Central American Pride!! Greetings Hermano. Viva Guatemala!
Honduras te ama.
Serenity Images
October 27, 2023 at 8:25 pm
Duolingo is not fun and not a good way to learn a language.
Jordan Oahu
October 29, 2023 at 6:54 pm
Like Mario teaches typing! That was really fun and sped up typing in my childhood
Scott Miller
October 29, 2023 at 6:56 pm
“Here’s cancer; we can use cancer to get people to do what we want.”
sammy.
October 29, 2023 at 6:57 pm
THE LAST PARTTT T_T
d1n@h
October 29, 2023 at 7:18 pm
good talk, but the streak and notifications never mattered, notifications in general are always disabled for me. i wish the app had a feature for you to practice the language you learn with other people or even an AI bot using voice, that would make me come back over and over!
noah gedult
October 29, 2023 at 7:20 pm
OMG 😢And am part of the people who use this app this app but at times I skip lessons but am a happy user it helps me learn what i want…
noah gedult
October 29, 2023 at 7:23 pm
It works for sure
noah gedult
October 29, 2023 at 7:25 pm
Duo lingo is better and uplifting than Facebook or TikTok thanks great effort
noah gedult
October 29, 2023 at 7:26 pm
Thanks I will follow the reminder
noah gedult
October 29, 2023 at 7:29 pm
It’s hard to do the same thing all the time but it helps engrave the very thing am learning Chinese and the on duo lingo and most of the natives get surprised when they hear me pronounce the words correctly .. how can I appreciate this more Ann’s more
Rumana Sobhan
October 29, 2023 at 7:34 pm
Just downloaded it! The ad worked 😆
Shaan Patel
October 29, 2023 at 7:46 pm
Man Gus Fringe is really good at TED talking
Evan R Martin
October 29, 2023 at 7:54 pm
So when is the math and physics coming out for Duo?
Iqra Zainab -459
October 29, 2023 at 8:12 pm
loved it!
Daylen Higman
October 29, 2023 at 9:10 pm
Iv never met a person that’s learned a new language via Duolingo, this is just an ad without a reward
Jeanine Ruiz
October 29, 2023 at 9:12 pm
the plot twist I needed!!
Liam Scrase
October 29, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Too bad Duolingo is ineffective for learning languages
drg83
October 30, 2023 at 6:48 pm
Please add Tamil in Duolingo.
Realez
October 30, 2023 at 6:54 pm
I’m sure everyone here is already addicted to learning 😂
Kevin Martinez
October 30, 2023 at 6:55 pm
It’s ironic to see this video, I wonder on what date this event was realized, because what the presenter or CEO of Duolingo explains, is what the app or website has done totally the opposite these last years to the point that today you can no longer use Duolingo without paying for the paid version, because now it works with a system that gives you 5 lives which you can lose in a matter of 1 minute, and to return to study you must wait long hours, I am from Dominican Republic and as he mentioned, Latin America and poor countries in general, and Duolingo does not serve us as a tool.
Kevin Martinez
October 30, 2023 at 7:10 pm
exactly 4 hours for each life, 20 hours to go back to study, for this guy to go out and say that he helps poor people, what a jerk!
Namelesshunter Gaming
October 30, 2023 at 7:00 pm
I am on day 507 of learning spanish, I would have never continued to learn spanish if it wasn’t for duo. Thank you.
Rshd
October 30, 2023 at 7:05 pm
They got me with the caption😂😂
Pablo
October 30, 2023 at 7:18 pm
I had 680 days streek and i stopped. It was my strong habbit to do this everyday. Now I am using this method to do other things everyday
Economia Privada - Matheus Franco
October 30, 2023 at 7:23 pm
I love Duolingo. I’m on a 52-day streak on my Spanish course and can’t wait to get to 365. ¡Gracias, Duo!
Daniel Felipe Arias
October 30, 2023 at 7:32 pm
Very nice speech!!!
Kalyāṇa-mitta
October 30, 2023 at 7:45 pm
I watched the first 4 minutes, so excited to hear this man’s presentation, to realize it was about the degeneration of learning: Duolingo
David Revolorio
October 30, 2023 at 7:50 pm
Guatemala power baby 🇬🇹❤ We are so proud of Luis 🙌🏼
Victoria Bryant
October 30, 2023 at 7:58 pm
I love DUO but this is not what I came for
Giovanna Hassell
October 30, 2023 at 8:07 pm
AYe Aye Guateeeeeee
a'lexplain
October 30, 2023 at 8:08 pm
we need more intellectual people like him
Santiagosidad
October 30, 2023 at 8:18 pm
BEST ending phrase ever!
BLASTS•of•SUMME R
October 30, 2023 at 8:26 pm
He is right about making it addictive. Never had any kind of social media streak but I hit a four year streak on Duolingo last week😅
The Nail Nurse
October 30, 2023 at 8:28 pm
Downloading now!
Daniel Shih
October 30, 2023 at 8:54 pm
Please add Traditional Chinese to Duolingo pretty pretty please!!!!!!!!
Pounce Cat
October 30, 2023 at 8:55 pm
Love the idea behind, making learning as addictive as social media & letting the rich pay for the poor. I have never heard about Duolingo and I just downloaded it. 🤣
iån
October 30, 2023 at 9:24 pm
es todo Luis. bien hecho papa
Gabriel Sakaguti
October 31, 2023 at 5:06 pm
quem é do Brasil manda um salve
Roberto Ivan Perez Luna
October 31, 2023 at 5:39 pm
do more, but provide more first 🙂
Aditya Prakash Jha
October 31, 2023 at 5:46 pm
Why does his face look lile Duolingo logo
Tek Me PikCha
October 31, 2023 at 6:06 pm
Awesome presentation…..Now i want to download Duolingo!
thewholeworld
October 31, 2023 at 6:29 pm
THANK YOU FOR MAKING DUOLINGO <3
Gentle Coder
October 31, 2023 at 6:37 pm
Few months ago I wanted to learn Italian. I thought Duolingo would help me. I survived for 40 days. It made me repeat the same stupid meaningless phrases everyday. I was so fed up with it that I hate to even think to open Duolingo again.
Aaron
October 31, 2023 at 7:02 pm
Literally opened up duolingo as I clicked on this video lol.
Awkward vibes for u wit u
October 31, 2023 at 7:04 pm
my mom is addicted she knows english still learning it just as game
Reed Dragon
October 31, 2023 at 7:06 pm
ngl, that streak or daly quest as gamer said is really work on real life. it just as simple as circling your calendar after doing something you want to learn everyday with red marker. also make it easy, 20-30mins is enough for you to learn something new for 1 day. the key is consistent and determination
Erianne Farias
October 31, 2023 at 7:51 pm
passive agressive green owl works everytime.
milyE
October 31, 2023 at 8:13 pm
I love duo so much I do it everyday
Andrew Grimm
October 31, 2023 at 8:34 pm
Is the Q&A available?
William Lee
October 31, 2023 at 8:38 pm
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:04 🌎 Luis von Ahn, the speaker in the video, discusses the challenges of education and how it can perpetuate inequality, especially in poor countries.
01:33 💡 Luis von Ahn introduces the concept of providing equal access to education to everyone, which is the main topic of his talk.
02:33 🌐 The speaker explains why they chose to start with teaching foreign languages, highlighting the global demand for language learning and its potential to increase income.
05:02 📱 Luis von Ahn discusses the challenges of delivering education through smartphones, mentioning the addictive nature of social media and mobile games.
06:04 🔄 The speaker explains how they use psychological techniques, such as streaks and notifications, to engage users and make education more appealing.
11:02 💬 Luis von Ahn expresses hope for expanding this approach to other subjects beyond language learning, with a vision for delivering high-quality education to everyone using mobile phones.
Made with HARPA AI
Laura Helena
October 31, 2023 at 8:47 pm
Great ted talk
Karma B
October 31, 2023 at 9:03 pm
Wow! Im from Guatemala and this guy reminds me a lot of myself. Ive had the chance to have a dad that brought me to Canada when I was 2.5 y/o with my mom and my sister. Great app I learned some russian through it😊
Bernard Barbour
October 31, 2023 at 9:12 pm
I’ve actually driven from the USA through Mexico, Belize and over to Guatemala several times. Recently I drove all the way to Argentina and I was turned on to Duolingo on my first trip across the border. I’ve been studying Spanish for several years, turned it on to many other people and they all love it. I really enjoyed this TED talk to find out the origins of your app and will continue to use it always and recommend it. So funny about the passive aggresive and AI discoveries, lol. You have a big fan here and wishing you great endeavors!
Abdul Aziz
October 31, 2023 at 9:17 pm
THE REMINDER OF THE REMINDER!
Jun Kim
October 31, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Now I have to download Duolingo and start learning.
WerrutkyUpNext💪
October 31, 2023 at 9:27 pm
This dude a good speaker
Aditya kumar
November 1, 2023 at 5:00 pm
Worst Ted video…
Tâm Ngô
November 1, 2023 at 5:03 pm
❤”God’s love was shown to us in this: God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him.🎉 That love is shown in this: no Yes, we loved God, but He loved us and sent His Son to be a sacrifice for our sins.❤
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.❤ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world. , but that the world might be saved through him.🎉🎉
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
For by the deeds of the law no one will be justified in His sight, for the law makes one aware of sin.😢
For the wages of sin is death; But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that is not not come from you, but is the gift of God. Not by works, so that no one can boast; For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.🎉🎉
and by His grace they were justified freely through the atonement made complete in Christ Jesus.
If we confess our sins, He, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.❤
There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven under heaven by which we must be saved.🎉🎉
He wants everyone to be saved and come to know the truth. For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all. This is the testimony given at the right time”❤
BEYOND JESUS IS THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD. HE IS GOD THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS. BELIEVE IN JESUS TO BE FORGIVE OF SINS AND RECEIVE SALVATION. Want it with all my heart. JESUS LOVES YOU ❤❤❤
The Bible
Tâm Ngô
November 1, 2023 at 5:04 pm
“Write to the angel of the church in Smyrna: These are the words of the First and the Last, the One who died and is alive again:
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” “Before Me there was no god created, nor after Me will there be any god,” declares the LORD. I, I am the LORD, and there is no other Savior besides Me. It is I who preached, who saved, and who showed me. There is no other god. I am God. Yes, from ancient times I am God; No one can escape from My hand. When I act, who can stop Me?”
I am the LORD, there is no other, there is no other God besides me. Even though you do not know Me, I will gird you, so that from east to west it will be known that there is no one else besides Me. I am Jehovah, there is no other. I am the One who creates light and creates darkness, who creates peace and creates calamity; It is I, Jehovah, who do all these things. O heavens, let down the dew from above, Let the clouds rain down righteousness; Let the earth be opened to bring forth the fruit of salvation, and righteousness to sprout. I am the LORD, I created it.” Woe to him who argues with his Maker! It is just one of many earthen vessels! Can the clay ask the potter who shapes it, “What shape are you making?” Or say: “The work of your hands is not skillful”? It was I who made the earth, and created mankind on it. My hand has stretched out the heavens, and commanded the heavenly bodies.
For Yahweh is the One who created the heavens, the God who created the earth, who created it and established it, not creating it to be abandoned, but creating it to be lived in. This is what he says: “I am the LORD; there is no other!” “I do not speak in secret, nor in a land of darkness. Have I not said to Jacob’s descendants, ‘You seek Me in vain’? I am the LORD, who speaks righteousness and teaches truth.”
Besides Me, there is no one else. All you who are at the ends of the earth, turn to me and be saved! For I am God, and there is no other God. I have sworn by My own name, The words of righteousness that go out of My mouth shall never return; Every knee will bow to Me, and every tongue will swear in My name. It will be said of Me: “In Jehovah alone is righteousness and strength;” And people will come to Him. Everyone who is angry with Him will be put to shame.
Remember this, and consider; O sinners, think again! Remember the former things from long ago; For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, there is no one like Me. From the beginning I have foretold the end, and have spoken from of old things that have not yet been accomplished. I have said: ‘My plan will come to pass, And I will accomplish all that I please.’What I have spoken, I will accomplish; What I have planned, I will carry out. Hear me, you who are hard-hearted, you who are far from righteousness. I bring My righteousness near, it is not far, And My salvation will not delay…” (So says the Bible, the Word of God.)
Eggs-n-jakey
November 1, 2023 at 5:24 pm
Make it like a game? revolutionary………Ted is getting worse
Leann Mae Sanggalang
November 1, 2023 at 6:16 pm
Saw this on my feed and clicked not knowing who the speaker was. I literally got goosebumps when he revealed that he co-founded Duolingo! 💚 That owl has a special place in my heart for a decade now. 🦉
Chris
November 1, 2023 at 6:21 pm
Excellent message! Great nuggets for businesses with a subscription model, and it left me wanting to reopen Duolingo. 😂
Enrique Grageda
November 1, 2023 at 6:30 pm
Teemo sends me thousands of notifications… even after i deleted it.. it re-installed by itself 🤣
FINAL_B
November 1, 2023 at 7:06 pm
Some people just want the fast, simple and easy way..
That is not how the brain and the real world works.
Struggle, frustation, being uncomfortable, tedious, it is a natural and necessary part of the process to learn something with different layers of complexity.
Money does not skip or avoid this.
Pedro Esteves
November 1, 2023 at 7:09 pm
amazing story
Jill420
November 1, 2023 at 7:10 pm
I love duolingo !! I feel so lucky to have seen this video
bruna
November 1, 2023 at 7:30 pm
one thing i love abt duolingo is that they give a limited access to the paid version of the app as a gift, so free users can have that experience too
Thomas Moses Hutchins
November 1, 2023 at 7:40 pm
I absolutley love duolingo, compared to college courses I think it is a much more effective learning tool and there is so much less stress!
yousef
November 1, 2023 at 7:44 pm
Kudos to your mother❤
I’m gonna cry for your success. You mom must be proud of you and her sacrifice now.
Sway _
November 1, 2023 at 8:03 pm
Guatemala represent!!
Santiago Moncada Arcila
November 1, 2023 at 8:08 pm
When in the world will you add more clothes for the owl? I have a lot of lingots and nothing to spend them on.
Please like this comment so he sees it.
OneLastWo
November 1, 2023 at 8:36 pm
2 mill people with 365 + days of streak is kinda crazy.
Emily Viktorija
November 1, 2023 at 8:55 pm
Duolingo sucks though and doesn’t succeed at teaching languages at all. It doesn’t teach grammar, alphabet, or even vocabulary that’s actually important.
phong nguyen
November 1, 2023 at 9:12 pm
After watching this inspiring presentation, I have to re-install Duolingo app after I deleted it 😂
Raphael Uno Promotions AIR1
November 1, 2023 at 9:14 pm
DUOLINGO
English with Faty
November 1, 2023 at 9:29 pm
I just redownloaded Duolingo.