How I test and score
I sift through the plethora of language apps, delivering reviews based on deep expertise in language learning and teaching.
My review process starts with an initial walk-through, using the app for at least 15 minutes to capture first impressions and usability.
I then conduct a criteria-based evaluation focusing on key features like spaced repetition, user customization, and the balance between educational content and gamification.
My reviews are thorough, with a scoring system that emphasizes course quality (70%) over user experience (20%) and price (10%).
Importantly, I do not receive payment for these reviews.
Learn more on my review policy and process page.
Summary
Course quality
User experience
Pricing
Pros
- Wide variety of video topics
- Useful filtering by level and format
- Immediate feedback on quizzes
- Hover-to-pause video feature
Cons
- Outdated and clunky interface
- No speaking exercises
- Some navigation issues
Best suited for
Learners seeking to improve listening and comprehension skills through video content.
At a glance
App name
FluentU
Made by
Enux Education Limited
User base
Sentiment
- Users struggle with staying engaged unless they find content that resonates with them personally.
- Many users report being charged unexpectedly and finding it difficult to cancel subscriptions or get refunds.
- The app is often described as buggy, with issues like mismatched subtitles, speech recognition errors, and poor interface design.
- Many users find the app fun and impactful, noting that it makes language learning enjoyable and effective.
- There is criticism about the quality and quantity of content, including too many children’s videos, lack of beginner-friendly resources, and insufficient content updates.
Concept
FluentU offers language learning through video content like music videos, movie trailers, news, and inspiring talks.
Available on
Web, iOS, Android
Levels covered
(A0) Total beginner, (A1) Beginner, (A2) Elementary, (B1) Intermediate, (B2) Upper-intermediate, (C1) Advanced
9 languages taught
English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Spanish
Pricing, free trial, refunds
Pricing
Free trial
Refunds
First-hand review
Walk-through
What is FluentU Italian?
FluentU is essentially a video library. It provides various exercises based on the content of the videos, and it is designed to help you practice your listening and comprehension skills. The platform offers exercises based on these videos, but notably lacks any speaking activities.
This is more of a tool for reinforcing your existing language skills rather than a standalone method for achieving fluency.
Exploring the Website
The first thing that stands out is that the website feels a bit outdated. As I browsed through the sections, I noticed some empty spaces and a slightly clunky interface. Despite this, it seems functional enough for its purpose. While exploring the website, you\’ll find two main sections:
The \”Explore\” section, where you can find all available videos, and the \”My Library\” section which stores the videos you\’ve watched to practice.
Features and Functionality
The app includes several standard features commonly found in language learning tools today, such as tracking points and practice days. However, these features often lack depth as they are primarily designed to gamify the app rather than provide substantial educational value.
Video Filters
One crucial feature to highlight is the \”Sort By\” option. This feature allows you to filter videos by level, progress, topics, and format. This helps you find the most relevant content for your learning needs.
Practical Demonstration
While watching a video, FluentU provides subtitles, translations, and additional word information. Clicking on a word gives you sentences and other videos where the word appears.
Interactive Quizzes
After watching a video, you can take a quiz to test your comprehension. The quizzes often involve filling in the blanks, translating sentences, and selecting the correct word from multiple choices. While taking the quiz, I did not encounter any kind of speaking exercise.
Word Learning and Practice
The app highlights keywords from the video and gives you detailed information, including example sentences and where you can find the word in other videos.
Convenient Video Controls
One interesting, and very useful, feature is the ability to stop a video just by hovering your mouse over a specific area. This allows for precise control without needing to click, which can be particularly handy for language learners who may want to stop and start frequently to catch tricky phrases.
Final Thoughts
While FluentU is a valuable tool for practicing listening and comprehension, don\’t expect it to make you fluent on its own. It fails to help users develop speaking skills, which I consider essential for learning a language.
Therefore, I wouldn\’t recommend it as a primary learning resource. It serves as an excellent supplementary tool for those already learning Italian with a teacher or through other means.
Features
Spaced repetition
Does the app offer plenty of repetition to acquire vocab and grammar naturally?
Customization
Can users customize settings, interface, content, etc.?
Focus on learning
Is the interface and content focused on the course content instead of fluff and gamification?
Personalization
Are the materials automatically tailored to the user’s profile?
Sentence accuracy
Are sentences free from typos, grammar errors? Do they sound natural?
Sentence relevance
Are sentences realistic and useful?
Variety and depth
Is there enough variety of materials in terms of topics, formats and levels?
Audio quality
Are audio materials easy to listen to in terms of recording quality and speech rate?
Speaker's quality
Do speakers speak correctly, clearly and naturally?
Speaking practice
Does the app offer plenty of speaking practice?
Ease of use
Is the app easy to set up, use and navigate?
Interface and design
Is the user interface neat and visually appealing?
Performance
Does the app load fast? Is it free from glitches and crashes?
Grammar notes
Do the courses come with grammar notes?
Learning path
Do the courses follow a well defined path?
Speech recognition
Does the app recognize user speech?
User-generated courses
Can users actively generate materials from their interests?
Offline access
Are the courses available offline?
Conclusions
Would I take these courses?
I would use this app as a supplementary tool for listening practice but not as a primary language learning resource due to the lack of speaking exercises.
How to get the most out of the app
Combine FluentU with other learning methods for speaking practice and use the filtering options to target specific learning needs.
Alternatives
Think In Italian is better than FluentU to master Italian
Think In Italian is the only app that gets your to speak Italian all the time. It comes with hundreds of grammar lessons and readings to listen and repeat, plus an AI tutor to review the courses and practice conversation. See the full review.
FAQs
Does FluentU have speaking exercises?
No, it focuses on listening and comprehension.
Can I filter videos by level when using FluentU?
Yes, videos can be filtered by beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
Does FluentU quiz you after each video?
Yes, quizzes follow video lessons for practice.
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Rave Reviews
★★★★★
Rated 4.9/5 based on 170+ reviews
