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Polyglot Youtubers seem to be divided when it comes to Anki's effectiveness for language learning:

Anki Vs. Input-Based Learning

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=t26IPxExmzs

How to Learn a Language: INPUT (Why most methods don't work)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J_EQDtpYSNM

It's not either one or the other. Anki is a supplement to input received from native speakers and media. The idea of spaced repetition is to help one efficiently remember the thousands and thousands of words needed for a sophisticated vocabulary.

I definitely don't recommend anyone to try and learn a language from e.g. Anki only.

Indeed it's not one or the other, but if Krashen's "comprehensible input" theory [1] is (mostly) true, the role Anki (or any SRS system) or grammar books plays would be very small (if not non-existent), and many polyglots' opinion on Anki seems to back it up.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VYfpL6lcjE

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