Duolingo actually helps me learn and speak Spanish

I’ve been seeing a lot of people complaining about how inefficient Duolingo is for actually learning a language, and I’m sure that there’s far better options, but I can say without a doubt, I’ve become a much better Spanish speaker. I work construction and am frequently with immigrants on job sites. I’m now able to speak to them well enough to get my point across and understand a decent amount of what’s being said when I really pay attention. Here’s the thing though, when I do Duolingo, I really take my time repeating everything I read out loud, and before I look down at the words I can choose to build sentences, I always put it together myself in my head so I don’t see the words and allow them to assist me in translating what’s written. I read all of the different section notes, and make sure I understand what’s being articulated… anyway, it has without a doubt helped me learn Spanish, and anyone saying it doesn’t work, I believe is just being negative. While it may not be as effective as other means of learning, it’s also MORE effect in ways when it comes to keeping your interest and making learning more enjoyable. When you enjoy something, you’re more consistent. I can’t imagine finishing the entire Spanish course and not having a decent handle on speaking it, because I’ve already come so far, and I’m not yet done with the course.

So yeah, just my two cents. I’m not sure why there’s so much negativity, but I’m a huge fan and believe it’s quite effective.