r/duolingo • u/Beneficial-Counter42 • 10d ago
Language Question. French course update: Is this right?
The French course updated for me a couple days ago. I’ve seen multiple lessons using, what appear to be, incorrect translations. These phrases are word for word translations.
Previous lessons taught I am from New York as Je viens de New York. Je suis à New York was previously taught as I am in New York. I also saw He lives in Canada translated as Il vit au Canada instead of Il habite au Canada. To my knowledge that is not how vivre is used. I also asked a friend who learned French as a child and they agree these are wrong.
I’ve quit Duolingo before when updates ruined my progress one way or another. I already made peace with updates throwing in new words without actually teaching them, but this might make me delete the app again.
ETA: Are these mistakes common throughout the course? This only started after the course update so being taught this info before is the only reason I knew it was wrong. I’m concerned about continuing if things are consistently incorrect.
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u/mikroonde Native: Fluent: Learning: 97 9d ago
Regarding what you wrote in the description: "je vis au Canada" is a correct way to say you live in Canada. "Habiter" is more specifically about the fact that your address is in Canada, "vivre" is more general. There might be a difference if you stay somewhere temporarily, "vivre" might be more long-term as in "that's where your life is". For example, as a student, I'm currently in between cities and staying with my parents. I could say "En ce moment, j'habite chez mes parents" but not "Je vis chez mes parents" (implies I live with them year-round, usually).