Learn Italian online
Learning Italian online has several benefits.
First of all, you can adjust your schedule to your needs and decide where and when you want to learn.
Also, you can combine different resources to create your learning path.
For example, you can decide you want to improve your listening skills through audio lessons and podcasts and learn new vocabulary through flashcards or PDFs.
Or you can decide to read the Italian news to expand your Italian vocabulary and, at the same time, get updated about Italian culture.
You can also take an Italian language course and practice with a tutor to have constant and personalized feedback.
As you see, there are plenty of choices to learn Italian online. All you need to do is find the resources that best fit your needs.
Learn more about the best resources to learn Italian online.
How can you learn Italian online?
The Internet is filled with resources to learn Italian. You have to choose wisely; otherwise, it would be like stepping in the dark with no clue which direction to take.
I know it sounds a bit drastic, but that’s how it goes. Think about it: if you don’t have a clear intention and a direction to follow, your progress is inconstant and doesn’t lead to any improvement.
If you want to learn Italian online, ask yourself what your goals are.
Maybe you want to speak Italian fluently. Or you aim at watching a whole Italian movie without subtitles. You might also need Italian for your job.
As you see, there are many reasons why you’d need to learn Italian, and it is essential to be aware of what motivates you to learn.
Once you have set your goals, you can choose the best online resources to learn Italian.
10 best websites to learn Italian
Each of us has different needs and goals when it comes down to learning a foreign language.
Some people want to take an Italian course; others spend hours on workbooks and struggle with grammar and vocabulary.
Other people prefer to listen to a native Italian speaker and practice speaking themselves.
With that in mind, I have listed my top 10 websites to learn Italian online, each one with its main features and advantages.
Think In Italian
One of the main struggles people face when learning a new language is being able to think in that language.
Think in Italian is designed to make you think directly in Italian without first translating in your head.
The website is run by a polyglot who knows how to learn and teach new languages and applies the best techniques to teach Italian.
Think in Italian offers a broad collection of audio lessons (Ripeti con me) and short readings with slow audio (Leggi con me).
The courses gradually expose you to the Italian language – with little time, you’ll be able to hold real conversations and feel comfortable doing so!
You can also find free Italian grammar lessons, which are a useful tool to complement the audio courses – the lessons are engaging and clear to make learning grammar less stressful.
Think in Italian courses are designed for all levels, from total beginners to advanced.
Think in Italian is an excellent resource for those who want to master Italian in all its aspects.
The lessons are engaging and gradually expose you to new grammar topics and vocabulary. The course and the blog posts are completely focused on Italy: its history, geography, and culture.
This will allow you to learn common Italian phrases and expressions and be aware of how Italians talk in day-to-day life.
Learn more about Think in Italian courses.
Italian Pod 101
Italian Pod 101 is one of the most popular platforms for learning Italian.
It offers a comprehensive set of audio lessons and video lessons.
The audios introduce new vocabulary and grammar, while the video course is designed to improve your pronunciation by mimicking a native speaker.
You can also access flashcards, word lists, and slideshows. These resources are available with the premium version and are helpful for practicing what you have learned.
Italian Pod 101 is a great tool for beginners who want to learn Italian, but it lacks adequate resources for more advanced learners who want to progress.
Also, some learners claim that the material lacks structure and is a bit hard to follow.
However, Italian Pod 101 remains an excellent online resource for those learners who want to get familiar with the Italian language.
Learn more about Italian Pod 101’s pros and cons in this review.
Duolingo
Duolingo is one of the most downloaded and popular language-learning apps.
The app uses a lot of visual learning techniques, which makes language learning similar to playing a game.
One of Duolingo’s advantages is that you can easily use it on your phone or tablet and learn anywhere.
Learning Italian on Duolingo is fun and engaging: there are no lessons but small tests and quizzes, like filling in the blanks, translating sentences, or listening to a sentence and typing the words.
However, this game-like design makes Duolingo weak when it comes down to actually mastering a language.
In fact, language learning is not exactly like playing a game. If you want to speak Italian, you need to practice.
Apps like Duolingo won’t teach you how to communicate with locals or speak fluently.
Duolingo can be a good supplement to other learning activities, but you cannot use it as a primary source of Italian learning.
Learn more about Duolingo in this comprehensive review.
Memrise
Learning new Italian vocabulary can be stressful if you don’t apply a proper method: you risk learning lots of new words and forgetting them after a little while.
One of Memrise‘s top features is the easiness with which you learn and memorize new words.
Memrise’s motto is to “feel immersed, not stressed“.
The learning material is friendly and entertaining: you can access flashcards and games, which makes it easier to learn Italian and memorize new Italian vocabulary.
Each Italian word you learn is associated with a picture, and it becomes easier to memorize it.
On Memrise, you learn helpful Italian words that you can use in your daily life in Italy and have access to video and audio clips from locals.
The latter is one of my favorite Memrise features: by watching and listening to native speakers, you feel truly immersed in the Italian culture – it feels like you’re in Italy, even if you’re sitting on your couch!
Online Italian Club
Online Italian Club is a platform that offers free online material to learn Italian.
The website was developed by an Italian learner who knows what problems other Italian learners face, and that’s what makes it stand out.
The website’s runner knows the best techniques to master a new language and learn it effectively.
You have access to several free resources: there are exercises from A1 to C2 levels.
The material is organized into all the different topics of language learning: grammar, listening, conversations, and vocabulary.
You can also download checklists to monitor your progress and sign up for the mailing list to get articles about learning Italian.
What’s more, signing up for the mailing list allows you to get free lessons three times per week.
Last but not least, the platform also offers Skype Italian lessons held by qualified teachers.
Italearn
Italearn is designed by a native Italian who is – first of all – a language learner who knows how to learn new languages.
The website is easy to use, and the lessons are very creative.
On Italearn, you can get grammar insights and word lists together with additional features:
- spelling help (Come si scrive? section);
- grammar infographics;
- YouTube videos about survival Italian;
- stories in Italian.
You can also access a paid extra (the Italian language advent calendar).
The calendar is a collection of 25 short Italian stories that you receive in your inbox from December 1st to 25th.
You will learn how to write a poem in Italian, sing Italian Christmas songs, send holiday cards in Italian, and much more.
News in slow Italian
News in slow Italian is a podcast with a broad collection of news in Italian.
Listening to this podcast is a great way to learn more about Italian society and lifestyle.
You can find episodes for all language levels: from beginner to advanced learners.
You can listen to the news at the pace you’re more comfortable with and read the English translation to understand the meaning.
Listening to the news in Italian allows you to learn the most common Italian expressions and expand your Italian vocabulary naturally.
FluentU
FluentU is a language-learning platform that offers subtitled video lessons in a variety of languages.
The courses make learning a foreign language as easy as watching a movie.
Learning Italian on FluentU is based on watching videos such as music videos, ads, movie clips, interviews, and many more.
You can take quizzes at the end of each video to test your progress.
FluentU is a great platform for visual learners, but it lacks speaking practice.
Using FluentU is okay if you want to understand most of the shows and movies Italians watch, but it could not be enough if you want to become fluent in Italian.
Read more about FluentU’s pros and cons in this review.
Italki
Italki is the largest community that connects students and teachers for online language learning.
Italki itself doesn’t offer educational services; it rather acts as a database of teachers where you can choose the one that suits you.
The number of teachers on Italki is really huge, and you can certainly find a tutor that bests fit your learning style.
You can choose an Italian tutor according to:
- Native speakers or non-native;
- Hourly price;
- Languages spoken;
- Country of origin;
- Weekly availability.
Lessons take place on Skype, Zoom, or Google Hangouts.
Italki is one of the best options if you want to take Italian classes online.
You can take a look at this detailed Italki review to know more about its features.
One World Italiano
One World Italiano is designed and run by Italians.
The platform focuses on different aspects of language learning: dialogues, idioms and proverbs, vocabulary, grammar, and much more.
Various resources are available, such as:
- link to Italian news websites like Corriere della Sera or Rai News 24;
- movie trailers in Italian;
- a YouTube channel with videos about learning Italian;
- high-level Italian courses, with the option to attend the courses in Cagliari.
One of the website’s main advantages is that there’s plenty of choice for everyone, and you can certainly find something challenging for your proficiency level.
What is the best website to learn Italian?
As I have already said before, choosing the best website to learn Italian depends on your goals, learning preferences, and proficiency level.
However, some common requirements may guide you. A good Italian learning website:
- Covers all the aspects of language learning (grammar, speaking, listening, and vocabulary);
- Offers clear and engaging lessons;
- Is focused on Italy and its culture;
- Is designed and run by qualified Italian teachers.
Last but not least, having solid motivation is essential as it gives you the proper commitment to learning.
Remember also to check out this post about Italian language classes prices.
One Response
Thanks for sharing this list! I’ve been wanting to learn Italian and these websites seem like a great place to start. Grazie mille! 🇮🇹
Alexis: These websites are a game-changer! I’ve always wanted to learn Italian, and now I can do it from the comfort of my own home. Can’t wait to get started! Grazie per la lista!
Nathan: Wow, these websites look amazing! I’ve been looking for a convenient way to learn Italian and these seem perfect. Thank you for compiling this list, it’s incredibly helpful!