At this point, everyone’s at least heard of Duolingo—the friendly little green owl that just wants you to learn a new language. But over the past few years, Duolingo has gone from a simple learning app to a full-blown pop culture icon. From viral TikToks to its strangely aggressive notifications, the app has managed to turn education into entertainment in a way no one expected.
If you’ve ever downloaded Duolingo, you know how it goes. At first, it’s fun. You’re learning Spanish, French, or maybe even High Valyrian (yes, that’s a real option). Then, the owl starts reminding you to practice—once, twice, then aggressively. The notifications are borderline threatening: “Looks like you forgot your lesson…again.” Suddenly, you’re not just learning a language—you’re avoiding the wrath of an unblinking green bird.
Duolingo’s marketing team has fully embraced the chaos. The company’s official TikTok account has millions of followers, and for good reason. Their social media manager has turned the owl, Duo, into a chaotic internet gremlin, constantly thirsting over celebrities, starting random internet beef, and even playing into the app’s reputation for guilt-tripping users. One of their most viral videos? Duo dramatically falling over in heartbreak when someone deletes the app. It’s unhinged, hilarious, and surprisingly effective marketing.
But Duolingo’s pop culture takeover doesn’t stop at memes. The app has collabed with some major brands, including Spotify and Twitch, and has even been referenced in TV shows. Remember the viral moment when Duolingo jokingly “threatened” Taylor Swift to take Spanish lessons? Swifties and language learners alike lost their minds. And let’s not forget that time Duolingo trolled NFL fans by pretending to give lessons in “Kelce” after Taylor Swift started dating Travis Kelce.
A sophomore here at Hillcrest, Ryan Hurson, says, “I love Duo. I think the social media team is pretty funny, but the app isn’t that bad either.” Many students here at Hillcrest love Duolingo and interact with the app daily, whether that be learning new terms in German or binge-scrolling through their TikToks. However, it is noticeable that the lore of Duolingo never stops.
Then came the moment no one saw coming: Duolingo’s “death.” In 2023, Duo’s social media team made a bold move by staging the owl’s funeral. A black-and-white post with the caption “he never missed a lesson” had the internet spiraling. Fans mourned, people made tribute videos, and conspiracy theories spread like wildfire—was the owl actually gone? Had Duo finally given up on making us fluent? Of course, this was all an elaborate marketing stunt, and within days, Duo “rose from the dead,” stronger (and pettier) than ever. It was an iconic moment in internet history and proof that no other language app has ever been—or ever will be—this dramatic. In 2025, Duolingo once again died. For sevreal days the bird was missing off of Tiktok, and came back once again for sinister purposes.
Beyond the jokes, Duolingo has genuinely changed how people approach language learning. Another Sophomore here at Hillcrest, Cadence, says “I think the app is pretty funny and cool.” It’s made education accessible, humorous, and—somehow—fun. Whether you’re actually trying to become fluent or just competing with your friends on the leaderboard, Duolingo has made itself a daily habit for millions.
At the end of the day, Duolingo isn’t just an app—it’s an experience. Whether you’re in it for the memes, the learning streaks, or the sheer fear of disappointing Duo, the little green owl has officially cemented itself in pop culture history. Just don’t forget your lesson today… or else.
