top 10 courses on duolingo
While Duolingo doesn't publish an official 1–10 ranking of every individual "directional" course (e.g., French for German speakers), we do have a clear picture of their most popular courses based on overall language data and recent expansions.
Here is how the top courses on Duolingo break down:
The Most Popular Specific Courses
When looking at specific language pairings (the actual course a user selects), the two undisputed giants on the platform are:
- English for Spanish Speakers: This is Duolingo's #1 most populated course globally.
- Spanish for English Speakers: The second most popular individual course on the app.
Top 10 Language Courses Overall (2025/2026)
When grouping all learners by the language they are studying (regardless of their native language), the top 10 courses globally are:
- English (The #1 course in over 150 countries)
- Spanish
- French
- Japanese
- German
- Korean
- Italian
- Chinese
- Portuguese
- Hindi
(Note: Japanese and Korean recently surged up the list because Duolingo expanded these courses so they can be learned from over 20 different native languages, rather than just English).
The New Non-Language Courses
Duolingo has officially expanded beyond language learning. If you are looking for their newest curriculum additions, they now offer three non-language courses directly within the main app:
- Math: Covers everything from elementary math to grades 6–9 common core (algebra, geometry, statistics).
- Music: Teaches basic music theory, sheet music reading, and interactive piano lessons.
- Chess: Launched in 2025, this became Duolingo's fastest-growing new subject, offering guided lessons, puzzles, and strategy training.