All Duolingo Icons and Symbols Meaning (Including Status Icons)

Duolingo is a great way to learn a new language, but all those icons can be a bit confusing. You’re not alone if you’ve ever wondered what they all mean! This guide will walk you through every icon and symbol in the Duolingo app so you can understand what each one does and get the most out of your lessons. Let’s get started and make learning even easier!

Table of Contents

Duolingo Home Screen Icons Meaning

When you open Duolingo, you’ll see a bunch of icons at the top and bottom of your screen. Let’s take a look at what each one means, so you can make the most of your learning.

Course (Flag) Icon: This little flag icon in the top-left corner tells you which language course you’re currently working on. So, if you’re learning Spanish, you’ll see a Spanish flag.
Streak (Fire) Icon: That’s your streak! It shows how many days in a row you’ve practiced on Duolingo.
Gems (Blue Hexagon) Icon: Those blue gems are Duolingo’s currency. The number shows how many you have. Tap on it, and you’ll see options to buy more or use them for boosters.
Hearts Icon: The hearts show how many mistakes you can make before you have to start a lesson over. If you run out of hearts, you’ll need to practice to get them back.
Unit (Book) Icon: The book icon shows which unit you are currently working on.
Level (Star) Icon: These stars show your progress within a unit. When you complete four lessons, you’ll earn a star. Collect all the stars to move on.
Duolingo Character Icon: Once you’ve earned three stars, you’ll unlock a new Duolingo character. These characters are like little buddies that help you along your learning journey.
Reward (Chest) Icon: Everyone loves rewards! This chest icon is where you’ll find special rewards and bonuses. Tap it to see what you’ve earned.
Trophy Icon: When you finish an entire unit, you’ll get a trophy. It’s like a badge of honor for completing a big step in your learning.
Home Screen (Hut) Icon: This little hut icon is your home button. Tap it anytime to go back to the main Duolingo screen.
Chest Icon (Bottom Menu): This chest icon at the bottom menu gives you access to different chests, that contain different rewards.
Duolingo Max (Dumbbell) Icon: This dumbbell icon is a gateway to Duolingo Max. You can tap it to access extra premium features.
Leaderboard (Medal) Icon: This shows how you stack up against other learners. Tap the medal icon to check out the leaderboard.
Super (Running Duolingo Character) Icon: This icon opens up the Duolingo Super options, where you can find more premium features.
Menu (Three Dots in Circle) Icon: The three dots icon opens up the main menu. Here, you’ll find options like Feed, Profile, and Kana.

Duolingo Leaderboard Icons Meaning

The Leaderboard in Duolingo is where you can see how you’re doing compared to other learners. Here’s a look at what the icons mean:

League (Trophy) Icon: At the top of the Leaderboard, you’ll see a trophy icon. This trophy shows you which league you’re currently in, like Gold League, Silver League, etc.
Online (Green Dot) Icon: You might see a little green dot next to some of the profile pictures. That means that person is currently online. It’s a way to see who’s actively learning at the same time as you.
Special Event Icon: This is the special event section that shows you how much time is remaining for the current league.
Timer Booster (Purple Clock) Icon: This purple clock icon is your Timer Booster. It gives you an extra minute during challenges.

Duolingo Profile Icons Meaning

Your Duolingo profile is where you can see your progress and share it with others. Here’s what the icons mean:

Share (Up Arrow in Half Square) Icon: This icon is your share button. Tap it, and you can share your Duolingo profile with your friends.
XP (Thunderbolt) Icon: The thunderbolt icon shows your total XP (experience points). XP is how Duolingo tracks your progress. The more you learn, the more XP you get.

Duolingo Status Icons Explained

Duolingo Status Icons are a fun way to express yourself and connect with other learners. You’ll find them in the leaderboard section. Here’s how:

Open Duolingo.
Go to the Leaderboard section.
You’ll see an emoji with a plus sign on your profile icon.
Tap on it and you can set your Status icon.

What Are Duolingo Status Icons?

These icons let you show your feelings, support something, or just have a bit of fun. They’re like little emojis for Duolingo.

There are few emojis with the Gem icon which means that you need to pay gems if want them in your status. However, there are some free icons as well.

Static Status Icons Meaning:

First Row of Icons:

Cool Duo (Smiling Duo with Sunglasses): Shows a relaxed and positive vibe.
Play Button: Represents being ready to learn or engage.
Flex (Duo Lifting Weights): Expresses excitement, strength, or putting in effort.
Eyes (Two Googly Eyes): Suggests you’re watching or observing something.
Popcorn: Shows you’re watching something interesting unfold, like a competition or event in your league.
Indian Flag: Show support for India or the Hindi language (depending on your course).

Second Row of Icons:

Happy Duo (Smiling Duo): Express happiness or a positive mood.
100: Represents achieving a perfect score, reaching a goal, or general excellence.
Turd: Used humorously to express that something is bad, silly, or not going well.
Trophy: Signifies achievement, victory in a league, or reaching a milestone.
Angry Duo (Red-faced Duo): Expresses frustration, annoyance, or being upset.
Cat (Smiling Cat Face): General, lighthearted icon with no specifically defined meaning within the Duolingo status.

How to Get Animated Status Icons (Mobile):

On mobile, you’ll see animated or dynamic versions of these icons. To get a specific animated icon, you can either:

Pay 500 Gems to get the icon.
Set the icon on the desktop version first, which will then appear as an animated version on your mobile.

Dynamic Status Icons (Mobile):

Cool Duo: (Shows a laid-back, positive vibe)
Flex: (Expresses excitement or strength)
Party-popper: (Celebrates an achievement)
Eyes: (Shows you’re watching or observing)

These are available for a limited time, so you have to be quick to get them. The Diamond tournament icon is a special icon for those who have won the Diamond League trophy.

The Crown Icons

You might have noticed little crowns next to some of the skills in Duolingo. These aren’t just for show, as they actually represent how well you’ve mastered that particular topic. Think of them like levels in a game. You start at the basic level (maybe a single crown) and work your way up by doing more lessons and proving you know your stuff.

Getting more crowns means you’re getting more confident in that area of the language. It’s a cool way to see your progress on a bigger scale than just individual lessons.

Achievement Badges

Duolingo celebrates your wins, and that’s where achievement badges come in! These are like little virtual trophies you can earn for hitting certain milestones in your learning journey. Maybe you finished a certain number of lessons, kept a super long streak going, or reached a high level in a skill.

Duolingo Levels/Lessons Icons Meaning

As you go through a unit in Duolingo, you’ll notice different icons next to the lessons. These icons tell you what kind of activity you’ll be doing on that level. Let’s break them down:

Book Icon: Means this level will be based on a story.
Headphone Icon: Means this level will focus on your listening skills. You’ll hear words and phrases spoken, and you’ll need to understand what’s being said to answer the questions.
Star Icon: To practice and prove how well you’ve learned the material so far. These levels often test a mix of skills you’ve picked up in the unit.
Video Camera Icon: You’ll see this if you have Duolingo Max. It means you’ll get to practice through a video call with Lily, one of the Duolingo characters.
Dumbbell Icon: Designed to help you practice skills you might be struggling with or that you are weak in.

And there you have it! Hopefully, this guide has cleared up any confusion and helped you understand what each one means. We’ve got more icon guides for other apps, too. Check them out below!