Writing

Glossary

Consistency with our messaging is critical to helping our learners, and the wider world, know what Duolingo is and how it works. Follow these definitions and guidelines to make sure we're all telling the same story.

Definitionsanchor

Duolingo

The name of the product and the company that makes it. In print, the first letter is always capitalized, never "duolingo."

Duolingo Plus

Duolingo's premium plan. A subscription helps Duolingo continue to provide free language learning to everyone. Plus includes helpful features like downloadable courses to learn offline, unlimited hearts, and no ads or interruptions.

Download

The primary action we want prospective learners to take.

Learners

People who use Duolingo. We never say "users."

Courses

Courses are the core of the Duolingo learning experience, teaching a language from the learner's native language. Duolingo currently offers courses in 35+ languages. Learners can take as many as they want.

Skills

Courses are separated into sections called skills. Each skill is centered around a situation (like traveling) or a part of the language (like common phrases). Each skill covers about 30 new words and a few grammatical concepts.

Levels

Each skill has several levels. Each level focuses on teaching words and grammatical concepts in a specific context such as reading, listening, or writing.

Lessons

Skills are made up of lessons. Each lesson teaches a bite-sized chunk of the words and grammatical concepts in the skill.

Exercises

Each lesson contains about 10 exercises that let learners practice what they're learning in different ways, like translating, speaking, listening, and matching.

XP

XP stands for experience points. It's the primary currency on Duolingo. You earn XP, not points.

Streak

A streak is the number of days in a row that you've reached your XP goal.

Stories

Stories deepen language learning through mini-stories that challenge reading and listening comprehension.

Podcasts

Duolingo podcasts tell real stories that inspire listeners while deepening their language learning. Each podcast features storytelling in the learning language and narration in the listener's native language.

Duolingo English Test

The Duolingo English Test is an on-demand English proficiency assessment. The 45 minute test combines questions, a video interview, and a writing sample to fully examine the test taker's English proficiency. Test results are certified within 48 hours and can be shared with an unlimited number of institutions.

Duolingo Events

Duolingo Events are a casual way to practice languages in person with your local community.

Feel free to use these definitions in copy. Or just use them as a reference for yourself.

Words to useanchor

Like this

  • okay
  • Okay, email sent!

Not this

  • Ok
  • o.k.
  • OK
  • O.K.

Like this

  • website
  • Visit the Duolingo website.

Not this

  • Web site

Like this

  • internet
  • The best way to learn a language on the internet.

Not this

  • Internet

Like this

  • log in, log out, sign up (as verbs)
  • Log in to continue learning.

Not this

  • login, sign out

Like this

  • login (as a noun or adjective)
  • What is your login? What are your login credentials?

Not this

  • log in

Like this

  • anytime
  • The English proficiency test you can take anytime, anywhere.

Not this

  • any time

Some words have multiple spellings. Some spellings are just hard to remember. Here's how Duolingo treats these words.

Words to avoidanchor

Users

Externally, we call them "learners." Expressions like "user testing" are okay to use internally.

Challenges

We call them "exercises."

Tree

This is our internal term for the layout of the skills in a course. Instead of writing "As you move down the tree," write "As you progress down the course" or "As you complete skills in a course," etc.

There are a few phrases that are okay to use internally but not in any user-facing communications.

successAll good.