UKC

I've used Duo for Spanish for a few years but nowdays all the animations and prompts for streak freezes etc drive me mad.  I just want it to get straight to the lessons.

Can anyone recommend a similar app which gets straight to the point more?

Not an app but I've found children's books on kindle coupled with the Google translate app (both on phone so I can copy paste) has given my Spanish a massive boost over the last 4 months. I use Duolingo too but the books help to 'lock in' stuff I learn and I'm starting to internalise bits more than I ever did with just an app. The difference between my confidence at the start compared to the end of Charlie and the chocolate factory was really motivating. It'll only cost a fiver for a book so not much to lose. 

(Also interested in Duolingo alternatives)

We gave up with duolingo and got a teacher to learn Italian.  The final straw was dealing with the phrase 'I have the cow but I do not have the apple'.  FFS.   

PS - they didn't teach me how to say FFS in Italian, but that would have been useful with endless discussions of 'the apple'.  Our Italian teacher, on the other hand, has been very helpful with phrases that one might encounter in everyday life!

PPS, we now also have dual-language books (several variations on the theme) and a grammar book.

Very good. 
Surely there are numerous hand gestures in Italian to convey FFS sufficiently? 

Babbel. It’s not free, but doesn’t give you inane sentences about turtles constantly, and explains the grammar in a clear way.

Having tried to learn and become extremely frustrated by duolingo, I ended up registering with Open University on a beginners French course.  Finding it very hard but much more a structured formal course than duolingo odd approach 

First, I am a language secondary teacher who spoke 4 languages (one a minority language variation of Occitan) until my 40s.

Second, I have learned a 5th one, Gaelic, within the last 5 years to conversational level.

re apps: busuu has a good reputation. Not free. https://www.busuu.com/en?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campa... 

Not matter what they say/sell, apps on their own will not unlock languages for 98% of the population. They are, duolingo included, invaluable as an add-on to some sort of course. The course covers the grammar and is likely to be themed. The app allows recall practice and has a randomised pattern.

In my opinion, you need to diversify your inputs: course, books, radio, apps… to mimick life and its many possible conversations.

I’ve tried a few apps for Spanish, and found I prefer Memrise. Duolingo was too childish and game like for me. It’s not free, but wasn’t too pricy.

For crash learning for a trip, I liked the Michel Thomas audio courses, but it’s hard to find at a non-exorbitant cost. Paul Noble has a similar style, but much cheaper, though he more soothes you into learning, rather than terrifying you like Michel!

I use Drops (Android, free version) for learning Tagalog, alongside Tagalog Pat on the 'gram. Add in some great Filipino bands and the occasional movie (eg Metro Manila), I can follow conversations. Speaking is harder cos I'm shy about sounding like an idiot - a typical hang-up, I fear.

I agree with a post higher up suggesting a wide variety of learning avenues.

I've got the Paul Noble audiobook which I dip in and out of while driving.  

I've noticed you can now get the Michel Thomas books on Spotify audiobooks if you have a premium subscription. 

www.clozemaster.com

It's a spaced repetition system. Start with multiple choice entry then progress to text entry. Got me to B2 in Spanish alongside other resources.

Notes In Spanish has some good podcasts at 3 levels, beginners, intermediate and advanced and you can download the materials.

BBC el mundo to read current affairs, and it has a you tube channel.

If you have net flix, you can watch films in spanish with english subtitles, and vice versa. s -Similarly for cartoons the language is easier. Youtube as well.

SpanishDict is a good dictionary - I think the paid service is worth it (approx 12/ year). You can save/ test vocab.

Yes, Google Translate is a good tool. You can transcribe conversations as well.

I also had loads of lessons.

Admission - my Spanish is still pretty basic, so maybe I am not good at languages!

Busuu as mentioned above is quite similar. It does seem to get harder at an earlier stage.

For non-gamified learning, I was recommended Español con Juan on YouTube. 

My local library has a couple of them - £1 for CD rental!

Sometimes you can get apps that slow down any recordings. If you do so do not go any slower than 0.75: it gets to a speed so unnatural as to break links between words. 
sometimes this is available on some YouTube videos.

Thank you for this thread. I have been sceptical about Duolingo since day 1, and you ( and those who have responded) have helped with some "confirmation bias"! I've seen friends on Another Social Media Platform post various amusing screenshots  that whilst amusing, gave me little faith in the App itself.   

Even better - put the subtitles on in Spanish. That way you're more likely to see a word you misheard and fill in the gaps, and it stops you just reading them. Also, subtitles are often quite far off the original. I don't think it's as bad in Spanish, but I certainly recommend this for German as the word order is very different which means that if you miss a word at the end of a sentence it's long  gone already in the subtitles.