JAKARTA, 26 September 2026 — Indonesia has emerged as one of Duolingo’s five fastest-growing markets globally, based on year-over-year growth in daily active users, highlighting the country’s increasing interest in language learning. During a conversation with Indonesian content creator Raditya Dika at Duolingo’s New York City office, CEO and co-founder Luis von Ahn highlighted the strong motivation among Indonesian learners and the company’s interest in expanding access to language education in the country.

“We’re very interested in the Indonesian market,” von Ahn said, noting the potential to help more people in Indonesia learn languages including English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and others. The growing learner base reflects a wider interest in using language education as a tool for personal development, academic advancement and international opportunities.

According to Duolingo’s learner data, Indonesia ranks first globally in the proportion of learners who identify “Support my education” as their motivation for studying a language. Indonesian learners are 37% more likely than the global average to learn a language for educational purposes, while they are also 41% more likely to learn as a way to spend their time productively. These figures point to a strong focus on self-development and education among Indonesian users.

English remains the most widely studied language on Duolingo in Indonesia, followed by Japanese and Chinese among the country’s top three most learned languages. Interest in Chinese has recorded particularly strong growth, with the share of Indonesian daily active users learning Chinese nearly tripling since 2023.

Indonesian learners are also increasingly combining multiple languages in their learning journeys. Users in Indonesia who study on Duolingo are 4.15 times more likely than the global average to learn English and Chinese concurrently. The combination of Japanese and Chinese is also 3.3 times more common, while English and Japanese are studied together at 2.8 times the global average. The trends highlight growing interest in East Asian languages alongside continued demand for English.

For von Ahn, Duolingo’s expansion in markets such as Indonesia is closely connected to the company’s founding mission of making education more accessible. Drawing from his childhood experience in Guatemala, he has spoken about how access to quality education can be influenced by a family’s financial circumstances.

“I wanted to do something that would give equal access to education to everyone,” von Ahn told Raditya Dika. He emphasised Duolingo’s mission to provide high-quality education and make it universally accessible, including to people who may not be able to afford traditional learning options.

As Indonesian learners increasingly pursue languages for education, careers and international opportunities, Duolingo is also expanding its curriculum to support more advanced and practical language skills. Nine of the platform’s most popular language courses now reach the B2 level, allowing learners to progress beyond basic language knowledge and develop more advanced communication skills.

AI-powered conversation practice is another area being developed to support learners as they build confidence in speaking. Von Ahn explained that AI-based practice can provide learners with an opportunity to speak without the fear of being judged, helping them gain confidence in using a language they may not yet feel comfortable speaking in real-world situations.

The visit also highlighted Duolingo’s efforts to build a closer connection with Indonesian users. During his interaction with Raditya Dika, von Ahn sampled Indonesian snacks, wore a batik shirt gifted by the creator and practised introducing himself and thanking Indonesian learners in the local language. Having previously visited Bali, he also expressed interest in exploring more of Indonesia’s islands.

The growing popularity of language learning in Indonesia reflects a broader interest in education, self-development and global communication. With increasing engagement among Indonesian learners and continued expansion of its language courses and AI-powered learning tools, Duolingo is seeking to make language education more accessible to users pursuing opportunities both locally and internationally.

Watch the full conversation on Raditya Dika’s YouTube channel here.