Duolingo Units and Checkpoints: In-Depth Guide 2023

Duolingo is a platform where you can learn different languages freely. When you choose a course you will have to go through the content on the platform which will help you to develop your knowledge from the basics to the intermediate level. The content on the platform is designed in such a manner that, you will be learning a particular skill at a particular time. When you are in the course, you will see different Duolingo units and checkpoints. If you do not know much about the units and checkpoints, do not get worried. Here we will be helping you to know more about Duolingo units and checkpoints in detail.

Quick Takeaways

  • Duolingo units include a lot of different lessons with different exercises, specifically focusing on a particular skill. 
  • When you complete a unit, you get to complete different crowns which help to check your progress in the course.
  • Checkpoints are the end-course exam that you need to take to go on to the next units. Further, you must remember that these checkpoints are not available for the current learning path.
  • If you are on the old tree, you will be seeing these checkpoints at the end of each unit and you will be getting only four chances for taking part in these tests.
  • Usually, you will be getting 30 different questions at each checkpoint, which you will have to take up with four hearts. Also even if you are a Plus member, you will still have to deal with this heart system.
  • Depending upon the number of units in the course, you will be having the total checkpoints. So suppose if you are having 10 units, your total checkpoints will be 10.
  • As these checkpoints are at the end of each unit, the exercise in it is much harder than you will find in your normal lessons. 
  • When you complete your checkpoint, you are not only able to unlock the new lesson but also get a good amount of XP score i.e. 50 for it.

However, we will still recommend you to read till the end, so that you do not miss any of the crucial information about the Duolingo units and Checkpoints.

What are the units on the Duolingo tree?

Duolingo is a platform that helps you to learn the language starting from the very basic concepts. If you are on the old version of it, you will be knowing about the Duolingo tree in which there were several units. The Duolingo tree is like a path (which is known as a new learning path) which will help you to learn content for the knowledge from basic to Advanced levels. To help you with language learning, you will be getting a lot of units which are based on different skills.

Each unit has several lessons that will help you to learn the language properly. When you will see the unit in the tree, there are several different towers based on the lesson you are at. So if you are in unit one,  you will see 1 tower whereas if you are in unit 5, you will see 5 towers. Further, there is also the crown system which helps you to know how much you have learned about the content.

When you will select the unit, you will see the number of crowns you have earned so far. If you really want to complete the whole unit, you will have to unlock every crown level. Further, you must also remember that to go on to the next unit, you need to get at least one crown in the current unit. In addition to it, you will see different Duolingo characters along with the owl, to cheer you up at every achievement you unlock.

What are the units on Duolingo’s new learning path?

If you are on the current version of Duolingo it is important to know about what are the units in the learning path. Although the new learning path works almost similar to the Duolingo tree, you will find that the units in the new path, are much smaller and easy to complete. Further, these units are also arranged in a more precise manner that helps the users to easily go through the content.

Based on the course you have chosen all the units are based on different themes and also involve a lot of lessons which include a lot of funny statements that make them more like exciting exercises. Further in the old version, you get a separate tab for stories, but with the new update, these stories become a part of the unit. You will also see a guidebook which are tips for each of the different units. It helps you to understand the meaning of words and find the grammar rules for the language. 

What are Duolingo checkpoints on the old Duolingo tree?

Duolingo checkpoints are the end-unit exams that you need to pass if you want to move on to the next unit. To take this exam you will have to select the wooden doors which are with big fat locks. When you will tap on it you will directly land on the checkpoint challenge. As these checkpoints will help to test your knowledge in the course, it will help you not lose motivation in the course.

What are Duolingo checkpoints on the new learning path?

In the current learning path, Duolingo has removed these checkpoints just like Perfect lesson boost. Now you do not need to take up these challenges. Instead of it you will find different challenges at the end of each of the units which will contain 8 different levels. Although you will only need to complete the first level to move to the next unit. Further, you can also jump on the next unit by tapping on JUMP HERE, at the start of each of the units. When you will pass all the lessons and the last checkpoint you will also earn your Duolingo owl which will help you to know that you have completed the lesson.

What is the difference between the Duolingo Units and Checkpoints?

As we have discussed above, Duolingo units are part of your language learning journey which you will have to complete to get excel in your targeted language. Each unit has a different number of lessons which have a combination of multiple exercises. On the other hand, Dulingo checkpoints were the end-unit exams that you need to pass in order to go to the next level. Further, you will see units in both the old and current versions of Duolingo. But if we talk about checkpoints, Duolingo has removed them from the new learning path. 

How to unlock the checkpoint on Duolingo?

If you are still on the old tree, you may want to know how can you unlock the checkpoints on the platform. To unlock the checkpoint of Duolingo, all you have to tap on the Checkpoint and choose the option of start. Once you start the checkpoint, you will have to take part in the challenge, which is further the set of questions that you need to take part in. There are usually 30 questions that you need to take up in the challenge.

Don’t expect these questions like the exercises in the normal lessons. It is because they do not come with the tip section just like the legendary levels. You must remember that you do not need to pass all 30 questions to go on to the next unit. You will be getting 4 hearts just like the heart system for taking up the challenge.

So whether you are a Duolingo Plus member (which includes a family plan) or not, you will also be getting four chances only. So when you may a mistake you will not find that question again. However, if you lose your 4 hearts before completing the challenge, you will take them up again. 

How many Duolingo units and checkpoints are there for each course?

Based on the course you are taking, you will get a different number of units and checkpoints. If we talk about French or Spanish they have the highest number of units and thus have the highest number of checkpoints i.e. 10. On the other side, the Chinese language has 4 units and thus there are four different checkpoints. Further, we have discussed the table below which will help you to know the different number of checkpoints for each of the languages –

LanguageNumber of Checkpoints
Spanish10 Checkpoints 
French10 Checkpoints 
Norwegian8 Checkpoints
German6 Checkpoints 
Japanese6 Checkpoints 
Dutch6 Checkpoints
Korean5 Checkpoints
Welsh5 Checkpoints
Greek5 Checkpoints 
Scottish Gaelic5 Checkpoints 
Yiddish5 Checkpoints 
Esperanto4 Checkpoints
Turkish4 Checkpoints
Chinese4 Checkpoints
Swedish4 Checkpoints
Polish4 Checkpoints
Indonesian4 Checkpoints
Russian4 Checkpoints
Portuguese4 Checkpoints
Hebrew4 Checkpoints
Danish4 Checkpoints 
Czech4 Checkpoints
Vietnamese4 Checkpoints 
Hungarian4 Checkpoints
Swahili3 Checkpoints
Klingon3 Checkpoints
Arabic3 Checkpoints
Ukrainian3 Checkpoints
Irish3 Checkpoints
Romanian3 Checkpoints
Hawaiian2 Checkpoints
Finnish2 Checkpoints
High Valyrian2 Checkpoints
Hindi2 Checkpoints
Latin2 Checkpoints
Haitian Creole2 Checkpoints
Navajo1 Checkpoint

What happens when you complete the Checkpoint on Duolingo?

Once you complete the Checkpoint on the Duolingo tree, you will be able to go on to the next lesson. Another advantage of completing the checkpoint is that you also earn 50XP which is much higher than you earn for completing the normal lessons. You will also be able to maintain your streak score. You will also be unlocking VIP status, and Streak society once you get a 365 streak score on the platform. Further, there are different things that you can get from the Checkpoint, which will depend on where you were earlier in the course.

If you skip the levels on the checkpoint, you will be unlocking the crowns in each skill. Due to it not only will your crown level will increase but will unlock the stories as well. You may also be able to unlock different quests like Friends quests. With the help of it, you will also be feeling confident in the language learning journey. 

When you will be taking Checkpoint?

The best time to take up Checkpoint is when you will be at your first level crown of each of the skills. With the help of it, you will become familiar with the content in the checkpoint. Although, there are no hard rules for taking up Checkpoints. These checkpoints are much similar to the exercises that you take up when you are going through the lessons.

If you are on the Duolingo tree, you must be familiar with the crown system. Thus you must know that you can take up a test for unlocking the crown early. Further, if you are familiar with the target language, you will be able to reach more challenging levels for the courses. In addition to it, you will also take part in leagues in which you will be competing with other users randomly.

How difficult are the Duolingo Checkpoints?

The courses on Duolingo have a lot of different Checkpoints which you get after completing different levels. If you are completing the course, you will see the checkpoint after completing the content. As you will be completing the course, and then you will be seeing the checkpoints, they are definitely hard than the lessons you have taken.

Further, you have 30 questions, which you will have to complete the questions without any errors. However, there are 4 hearts, for you at each checkpoint. Thus you will only be having four chances of making the mistakes in the questions. It makes all sense to say that the Duolingo checkpoints are way harder and are used for testing your advanced level.

Conclusion

Duolingo units include a lot of different lessons with different exercises, specifically focusing on a particular skill. Checkpoints are the end-course exam that you need to take for moving on to the next units. It also helps you to get 50 XP and may also help you to unlock the stories (if there are any). Additionally, you must remember that these checkpoints are not available for the current learning path. Usually, you will get 30 different questions at each checkpoint, which you take up with four hearts.

Also even if you are a Plus member, you will still have to deal with this heart system. Depending upon the number of units in the course, you will be having the total checkpoints. So suppose if you are having 5 units, your total checkpoints will be 5 for the course. As these checkpoints are at the end of each unit, the exercise in it is much harder than you will find in your normal lessons. 

FAQs

Can you test out the checkpoints without completing the units?

There is no doubt that you can easily test out your checkpoints without completing the course. All you have to do is to select the checkpoint and click on the start option. Although you must only do it if you are pretty much fluent in the language. If you are not so confident about eh language you must not do it. It is because you will have to test your advanced knowledge and thus you must complete the course. 

How many mistakes can you make at a checkpoint in Duolingo?

You will only be getting four lives for completing your checkpoint challenge, even if you are a plus member. Thus you are only allowed to make four mistakes before failing the test. If you lose all your lives, you will have to start from starting which might be frustrating.

How many checkpoints are in a Duolingo course?

The number of checkpoints depends upon the number of units in the course and the course you have chosen. Suppose you are in a French course the total number of units is 10, which means that there are 10 checkpoints. Whereas if we talk about the Turkish language, there are only 4 units and thus it only has 4 checkpoints.

William Christie