I've been feeling... stuck in neutral for a while.  Like I'm not challenging myself, not growing.

I've decided to learn Irish, and while it is DEFINITELY a challenge, I am really enjoying it!

If you'd like to read, I made a blog post about it.

Good for you, boss!

Languages have always kind of fascinated me, too, and, after reading your blog post and tradig comments with you on FB, I've downloaded the app and am going to see what I can do about actually learning a new language or two, myself.

Let me know how it goes! 

Irish is very interesting due to several items, not the least of which being the wonky sentence structure.  Instead of subject/verb/object like in English, you get verb/subject/object... or sometimes, verb/object/subject.  Add in a lack of the words "yes" and "no", really no indefinite articles like "a", how verbs gets changed due to the identity/gender of the subject, and don't even get started on the pronunciations veruses spelling... it takes some getting used to. 

But it's a lot of fun, too! 

...and I've gotta say, I'm digging this app, already.

Seems very intuitive.

Also, Swahili isn't terribly difficult, so far.

They make learning a language pretty darned easy.

I see that there is a paid version, but I don't really see the need.  If you make a mistake, you lose a heart.  Run out of hearts, you can't do more lessons until they recharge.  You get five hearts per day... but you can choose to practice at any time for one heart (and when you're done, you can watch a 30 second add for an extra).

Seeing as how CRITICAL practice is to developing actual skill, it seems like a "no fail" version is actually a bad thing.  Better to practice to get those hearts, anyway.

Awesome! I'm still trudging along through Spanish.

...the intro lessons for Swahili. Proud to say that I only botched two questions. 

You don't have to lie, Siobhan is an Irish name and you thought it was cool. It's all good. Lol jk jk.

I love Duolingo! I go on there to brush up on my German from time to time. It's excellent for being a free app. I'm wondering if maybe the paid versions just offer more languages? I remember wanting to practice my Japanese a little at one point on there, and back then (two-ish years ago?) it wasn't offered.

But like you said, if it's not a certain language you're looking for, the free version of the app is pretty comprehensive and fun.

Congrats, Eol!

Haha @ breebles.  That was totally it.

Japanese is offered now; from what I can tell, they are adding languages at a steady pace.  The only difference I can see in the paid version is that you don't have limited "hearts" - you can  make any number of mistakes without having to quit and wait for your hearts to regenrate.  But the thing is, you can just choose to practice, which always yields one heart... and you can watch an ad after that to get a second.  To be honest, I have found the practice feature to be super helpful, so I'm not sure that it's worth skipping that.

Oh, and the paid version offers some customized quizzes, too.  Meh. 

Haha, Bromern has about seven times the experience in the app that I do! 

Eol, I see you rolling up that XP!

If anyone else is on Duolingo and wants to add me as a friend, I'm HomebrewDad there. 

Yes, indeed. Wasn't much to do in the waiting room at urgent Care so I figured why not practice some Swahili.

I get it.  I steal five minutes here and there all the time. 

Urgent care?  Hope everything is okay.

Threw my back out with a sneeze, this morning... Geezerhood, you know?

Daughter came by after she got off work and took me over. Got the once over, a shot, and a prescription for Flexoril. Back home and sprawled on the couch, now.

Ya, but I've been going off and on for almost 2-years. Between learning a new language and memorizing all the Masonic lectures and charges I have to memorize, I move at the pace of molasses in January.

You guys know I don't plug any product, so take this seriously. ncappainrelief.com

I swear by it. My back pain is almost entirely eliminated. As a matter of fact, if I am doing normal movement, my back pain is non-existent with this on. I threw my back out helping one of my wife's friends move and it hasn't been the same since. Europe screwed it up again. So, this is a lifesaver.

That link leads to a non-existent page

I need my back to not hurt every morning. Halp.