Duolingo opens advanced lessons

Duolingo has opened advanced language lessons to free users, extending upper-intermediate coursework across nine of its biggest courses. (techcrunch.com) The company said on April 22 that learners of English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese can now study through B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference scale, or a Duolingo Score of 129. The lessons are available on the web, iOS, and Android. (blog.duolingo.com ) (techcrunch.com) Duolingo said most of those learners had previously been able to finish only A2-level material, with some courses reaching B1. The new rollout adds content aimed at longer conversations, more complex grammar, and reading and listening tasks beyond beginner work. (blog.duolingo.com) B2 is commonly described as an upper-intermediate level, where learners can follow extended speech and handle more independent reading and writing. Duolingo has spent the past year arguing that its courses are moving beyond travel phrases and early-study basics. (blog.duolingo.com 1) (blog.duolingo.com 2) The pricing change does not make Duolingo fully free. TechCrunch reported that paid tiers still keep perks such as no ads, unlimited hearts, and other subscriber features, while Duolingo Max continues to bundle AI tools including Roleplay and Video Call with Lily. (techcrunch.com) (duolingo.com) At the same time, Duolingo is changing how it presents itself online. Chief Marketing Officer Manu Orssaud told Business Insider the company is shifting from an “80% unhinged, 20% wholesome” mix toward a more balanced tone with fewer crude jokes. (africa.businessinsider.com) Orssaud also said TikTok is no longer delivering the same organic reach that helped make Duolingo’s owl mascot a fixture on the platform. Business Insider reported that Duolingo’s main English-language TikTok account has about 17 million followers, but the company now sees less room for audience growth from its own posts alone. (africa.businessinsider.com) Those two moves land together as Duolingo tries to widen the top of its learning funnel without giving up every reason to subscribe. Free users get deeper course access; paid users still get convenience and artificial-intelligence features. (techcrunch.com) (duolingo.com) For learners, the immediate change is simple: the point where Duolingo’s free courses used to stop has moved further up. For Duolingo, the test now is whether broader access and a calmer brand voice can keep users studying — and paying. (blog.duolingo.com) (africa.businessinsider.com)