Memrise vs Fluenz for August 2022 | Best Italian Lessons

Item: Memrise vs Fluenz
Rating: 4
Author: Top Consumer Reviews

Tuesday, August 16th

2022 Italian Lesson Reviews

Memrise

Free basic account
Uses video clips of native speakers in authentic Italian settings
Large variety of topics/content
User-created materials plus Memrise content
30-day money-back guarantee

Over the last 10+ years, Memrise has become one of the most widely-used apps for learning languages. You can learn Italian through native speaker video clips, vocabulary relevant to your needs, and focused review that lets you go over as much or as little as you like. Be aware that you won't get much in the way of explicit grammar instruction here, but for most people that's a plus and not a minus! Memrise is a great way to get Italian lessons that are fun and affordable.

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Fluenz

Lifetime access for a one-time fee
30-day money-back guarantee
Up to 5 levels of Italian available
Can be used on mobile app and desktop
Can have up to 3 user accounts per household

Fluenz takes advantage of the language you already speak fluently (English!) to explain Italian in ways you can easily understand. You can get up to five levels of Italian with this program, ranging from basic intros to telling stories in the past tense, all with a one-time cost that grants you lifetime access to the content. Your purchase is covered by a 30-day refund policy, but this is one of the only options among Italian lessons that doesn't give you any way to try before you buy. That's a big part of why Fluenz only gets an average rating here and ranks below most other Italian language teaching platforms.

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The 11 Best Italian Lessons

Where Can You Find the Best Italian Lessons Online?

Sight-seeing at the ancient ruins of Pompeii, a romantic gondola ride along the canals of Venice, or a visit to the art museums of Florence: if you're dreaming of a vacation to Italy, you would be in good company among the 94 million tourists who visit annually. In addition to being able to ask for directions or order your dinner without a hitch, there are many benefits to learning Italian before your trip.

If you're after a unique, more authentic experience in Italy, speaking the language can help you gain a deeper understanding of the culture, become friends with locals, and give you the confidence to explore places off the beaten track. Plus, Italian is an official language of other popular travel destinations, including Switzerland, San Marino, Slovenia, and Malta.

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Italian Lesson FAQ

How many people speak Italian worldwide?

As many as 85 million people speak Italian as their native language. Besides Italy, it is an official language in Switzerland, San Marino and Vatican City, and Italian has official minority language status in Croatia and Slovenia.

Is there more than one dialect of Italian?

Yes, but the one you'll learn and hear spoken most widely is the Tuscan dialect. Anywhere you travel in Italy, you'll be understood if you speak in the Italian commonly taught in schools and used in Italian media. But, with more than 30 regional variations of Italian, some of which are mutually understandable and some that are not, don't panic if you venture into Sicily or the wine region and find yourself struggling to grasp what's being said!

How hard is it to learn Italian?

Good news: Italian is one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn! Because English borrowed from Romance languages (like Italian, Spanish and French), people studying Italian find a lot of familiar words and grammatical concepts. If you put in the time and effort, you should have no problem speaking Italian as fluently as you like.

What are some good tips for studying the Italian language?

Start with the type of vocabulary you'll need for your intended use of Italian: travel, business, family history research, and so on, Italian uses gender for nouns, so memorize which ones are masculine and which are feminine (because it doesn't always make sense!). Another great tip for studying any language is to watch movies and TV shows with the captions on: you'll pick up accents, phrases and even some slang without even realizing it!

Why should I choose online Italian lessons?

Italian is a fun, popular language, but that doesn't mean you'll be able to find in-person classes near you. On the other hand, online lessons are plentiful and you can study whenever (and wherever) you prefer, at a price that is almost always much less than tuition for a college course.

How can I write in Italian on my computer or phone?

Fortunately, the Italian alphabet is the same as English, with the exception of accented vowels. If you're using a smartphone, holding down the base letter (a, e, i, o u) will usually pop up all of the available options for accents. On a computer, you can use an online Italian keyboard that lets you click on accented letters, or you may be able to use keyboard shortcuts.

Are online Italian lessons expensive?

They're surprisingly affordable. You can find month-to-month subscription plans for anywhere from $6 to $25, depending on the platform and features, or one-time purchases for under $250 for multiple levels of Italian lessons in one package. Either way, you'll be able to learn Italian for much less than you'd pay for a college course.

Can I get a refund if I don't like the Italian language program?

Yes, sometimes. If you're on a monthly subscription, you can usually cancel future payments with no penalty but you might not get your money back for previous months. With one-off purchases, you often have a 30- or 60-day trial period in which you can request a refund if you're not satisfied with your Italian lessons. We always suggest that interested students look for sample lessons or free trials; most platforms want you to know exactly what you're getting beforehand, so that you can choose the Italian lessons that are the right match for your goals and your learning style.

Continued from above...

Italian is spoken by 63-85 million people around the world. Among tourists planning Mediterranean getaways, adults who want to find a use for their high school Latin, and people interested in reconnecting with their roots, Italian continues to be a popular choice for avid and casual language learners alike.

Aside from hopping on a plane and spending time in Italy, what's the best way to learn the language? Some of that depends on you! Are you most comfortable learning in a more traditional, structured way, with detailed grammatical explanations in English and lots of exercises for practice? Or would you prefer a smartphone app that you can use when killing time during your day, to do a quick flashcard session of key words and phrases? There are Italian lessons for each approach - and there's nothing stopping you from using several different services to get a good mix of materials.

Besides the overall teaching style, what other factors should you consider when deciding how to learn Italian? Keep these criteria in mind to help you choose:

Ease of Use. The best Italian lessons make it clear what to learn and when. Most services let you try them out, either with a sample lesson or a trial period of their complete program. Take advantage of any free content to see how well you like the overall feel of using the platform.
Value. Many Italian language programs give you plenty of lessons for free, with the option to subscribe for more features. What will you get if you decide to upgrade to a paid membership? Are the extra capabilities worth the investment? Is it a one-time fee or a month-to-month cost?
Amount of Content. Some Italian lessons just cover a beginner level of fluency, while others reach all the way from absolute newbies to advanced students. You'll need a program that has enough for you to learn, whether you're just starting or you've had some experience with the language.
Satisfaction Guarantee. If you pay for a subscription but wind up not liking the Italian lessons, can you get a refund? Most refund policies are limited to anywhere from 14-60 days, and some companies don't offer them at all.
Reputation. What do other students say about their success using a particular type of Italian lessons? Does it get a lot of positive feedback or more mixed results?

To help you get the most out of your studies, TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked today's best options for online Italian lessons. We're sure this information will help you find the right path for your language journey. Buona fortuna!