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italki Review

Saturday, February 8th

2025 Italian Lesson Reviews

italki Review 4.5 Star Rating

italki

4.5 Star Rating
  • Affordable lesson prices with Professional Teachers ranging from $10 to $80 and Community Tutors from $5 to $80
  • Two types of tutors available: Professional Teachers for a structured learning plan and Community Tutors for conversation practice
  • New AI feature to create a personalized learning program
  • Teacher profiles include introductory videos and teaching materials
  • Flexible lesson durations between 30 and 90 minutes
  • Offers three trial lessons to help you decide
  • italki credits available for purchase to save on service fees
  • Discounted lesson packages offered by teachers
  • Free resources and exercises available in the community section
  • Tailored lessons to meet your specific language learning needs

italki differs from the other services in our review of online Italian lessons. While those services offer you self-directed lessons, usually designed like a game, italki does not create any lessons itself. Instead, it serves as a hub to connect you with Italian tutors who can create an Italian curriculum just for you.

Community Tutors are usually just as good as Professional Teachers

On italki, you can choose between two types of teachers: Professional Teachers and Community Tutors. Professional Teachers have formal training and can give you a structured plan to reach your goals. Community Tutors are there to help you with conversation practice. You need to know that Professional Teachers can set lesson prices from $10 to $80, while Community Tutors can charge from $5 to $80. Also, Professional Teachers can teach more types of lessons (Business, Test Preparation, Kids) than Community Tutors, who can only offer General lessons and Conversation Practice. Only Professional Teachers can list their work experience, education, and certificates on their profiles. That said, functionally, we don't see a huge difference between the quality of the lessons you'll receive from one type of teacher or the other. Plenty of Community Tutors are rated just as well by students as the Professional Teachers, so don't rule them out.

New AI personalized program creation tool

italki has just rolled out a cool new AI feature that helps you create a personalized learning program. When you sign up, you start by sharing why you want to learn Italian - we chose "brain training”. Then, during the learning program creation process, the AI offered specific goals aligned with that, like keeping the brain active, boosting memory, or supporting a learning disability through language skills. Then, we got to set our learning pace and duration - like 2 hours a week for 10 weeks, or 3 hours a week for 7. (To put it in perspective, studying 19 hours on italki is theoretically like doing a semester of university-level language learning.)

Best Italian Lessons

Lessons based on interest

The AI even helps you choose the focus for your first lesson based on your interests. For instance, if you indicated during sign-up that you were interested in art, it might recommend starting with reading and understanding articles about Italian art. Once you're done setting up, italki shows you teachers that match your preferred lesson time and focus. Then, all you have to do is pick a teacher and start your first lesson.

Teacher profiles include introductory videos and teaching materials

italki will show you personalized teacher recommendations, or you can explore popular teachers. italki teacher profiles give you a comprehensive overview of what to expect from a lesson. Arsena, for example, has four years of experience and makes learning Italian (and English, and Albanian) interactive and fun. She prepares lessons for each student, involving listening, writing, reading, and speaking exercises. She also uses a variety of teaching materials, like text documents, video and audio files, quizzes, and presentations. You can see this information in the "Me as a Teacher" and "My lessons & teaching style" sections. You can also check out the teacher's ratings, the number of students they've taught, the total lessons they've given, and their attendance rate. For example, Arsena has a perfect attendance rate and a 5-star rating from 406 students. Profiles also include brief introduction videos by the tutors to help you get a feel for their personalities and accents.

Lessons are between 30 and 90 minutes

Once you've found a teacher on italki that you like, you can easily schedule lessons with them. First, click on the "Book now" button. Then you choose the language you want to learn and the type of lesson - Arsena, for example, offers 30 minute trial lessons for $15, and general Italian lessons or Deep Italian Conversation lessons for $17 each. Next, you decide how long you want the lesson to be. (Every teacher offers 60-minute lessons, but some also include 30, 45, or 90 minute options.) You also pick the date and time for the lesson, which will be shown in your own time zone. Once you've made your choices, you select the tool you'll use to communicate during the lesson. Finally, send a lesson request and wait for the teacher to accept it. You can pay for each lesson individually or buy italki credits to use for scheduling lessons.

Best Italian Lessons

3 trial lessons before you need to make a choice

At italki, you can dip your toes in the language-learning pool with three budget-friendly trial lessons from different teachers. You'll get to try various teaching styles and materials, helping you figure out your learning preferences. It's best to let teachers know about your language skills and goals before starting to make sure they can design the lesson for your needs. italki stands behind their service with a satisfaction guarantee, even offering a refund if the trial lessons don't hit the mark. We've reviewed another language tutoring platform similar to italki (though not in this review of Italian online lessons), and, spoiler alert: it wasn't as impressive. They take all the dough from the trial lesson fee and a whopping 33% commission from other lessons. italki, on the other hand, doesn't charge tutors anything for trial lessons and only takes a humble 15% cut from regular lessons. It's clear to us that italki is the more fair and likable of the two.

Save on service fees by buying credits

italki credits are the virtual currency you use to buy lessons on the italki platform. You can either pay for each lesson individually (which incurs a small service fee) or preload your student wallet with italki credits to streamline the payment process. There's a slight benefit to buying italki credits in bulk because you'll save a bit on transaction fees, but the difference is minimal. Remember, if you cancel a lesson or if a teacher declines your request, you'll get a full refund to your italki student wallet. However, be aware that if your account is inactive for more than 12 months, any italki credits you've purchased will expire.

Save on lessons by buying Packages

Lesson Packages are bundles of lessons given by a teacher, often at a discounted rate. For instance, Arsena offers a package of Italian conversation, reading, listening, and pronunciation lessons at 5% off if you buy five lessons. These packages are paid for upfront and are valid for six months. You need to finish all your lessons before they expire. Once you've bought a package, you can't change the teacher or the length of the lessons. If you need to extend or terminate your package, be sure to talk to your teacher first. To schedule your lessons, you'll need to follow the instructions provided on the website. One of the benefits of buying a package is that since you're committing to a set of lessons, it can help you stay focused and consistent in your learning.

Best Italian Lessons

Free resources and exercises

Under the community section of italki, you'll find a bunch of free resources. This includes podcasts, exercises, and a platform for asking questions. The exercises are created by tutors and might involve filling in missing words or responding to prompts. Be sure to set the language filter to Italian so that you only see exercises related to your studies. In the questions section, you can ask or answer questions about Italian culture, grammar, or anything else you're curious about. This is a great way to learn from and contribute to the italki community.

A great choice for Italian lessons

Looking to learn Italian for work or school? italki could be your perfect match. Here, learning Italian isn't just about memorizing words for "cat” or "nose”, but where you take the reins and set your own goals. Need business lingo or academic jargon? Your tutor won't waste your time teaching you how to say "elephant”. They'll zero in on what matters to you. This means with italki you're not just learning Italian, but learning the Italian that's useful to you. We recommend italki as a great choice for Italian lessons because, no matter your skill level, your lessons will be tailored just for you.

Where Can You Find the Best Italian Lessons?

Learning any new language opens up a world of opportunities, and Italian, with its rich history, captivating culture, and melodious rhythm, is no exception. Learning Italian online has become an increasingly popular choice for people around the globe, thanks to the convenience, flexibility, and variety of resources available at their fingertips.

It's no wonder that learning Italian online has surged in popularity. You've got plenty of options to fit just how you like to learn. If you prefer to learn by listening and getting the hang of how Italian sounds, there are programs made just for that. They help you get used to the language's rhythm and pronunciation. And if you love games, there are fun platforms where you can learn new words and grammar through play, earning points and badges along the way.

The Best Italian Lessons Compare Italian Lessons Compare Italian Lesson Reviews What are the best Italian Lessons Best Italian Lesson Reviews

Italian Lesson FAQ

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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Compare the Best Reviews

Continued from above...

If you're someone who likes a clear and structured plan, there are courses that mix video lessons, quizzes, and even writing tasks. This way, you can get better at reading, writing, speaking, and listening to Italian, all in a balanced way.

Prefer talking to real people? You can connect with native Italian speakers through tutoring services. They can talk with you in real time, which is a great way to learn how people actually use the language and learn more about Italian culture.

Whether you're drawn to Italy's enchanting cities, passionate about its cuisine, an admirer of its contributions to art and music, or simply looking to connect with family roots, learning Italian can enrich your life in myriad ways.

Imagine strolling through the cobbled streets of Rome, ordering gelato in flawless Italian, or enjoying the operas of Verdi and Puccini in their original language. Or perhaps you're an avid cook, eager to dive into authentic Italian recipe books without the crutch of translations. Learning Italian can also be a stepping stone in your career, especially if you're involved in fashion, architecture, or the culinary arts, industries in which Italy holds a prestigious position. Moreover, for those with Italian heritage, learning Italian could be a bridge to understanding your ancestry and connecting with relatives in a more meaningful way.

When comparing the process of learning Italian to other Romance languages, like Spanish, there are a few unique aspects you might encounter. Italian's pronunciation is often more straightforward than a language like French, with most letters having a consistent sound, which can make speaking it a bit easier for beginners.

However, Italian has its share of challenges, such as the use of gendered nouns and a plethora of verb conjugations, aspects that are also present but differ slightly in Spanish. The musicality of Italian, with its emphasis on the flow and melody of speech, offers a distinct learning curve but can be incredibly rewarding to master.

Not sure where to start? Think about these things as you weigh your options:

  • Your starting point. Are you brand new to Italian or do you know a bit already? Pick lessons that match where you're at.
  • How you like to learn. Do you prefer using apps, listening to audio, or sitting down at your computer? Choose a format that fits your routine and how you learn best.
  • What skills do you want to focus on. Do you want to get better at talking and listening, or are you more into reading and writing? Or maybe you want to work on everything! Knowing this will help you choose the right lessons.
  • Different Italian accents. Some programs might teach a specific regional accent in addition to the standard Italian that's used all over Italy. Italy's full of different accents, but everyone understands standard Italian.
  • Cost. Some lessons are free, while others cost money either upfront or through a subscription. Think about what you're willing to spend and what you get from free versus paid lessons.
  • What other learners say. Look for reviews from people who've used the lessons before. Their experiences can tell you how effective the lessons are and how quickly you might learn.

To steer you towards the best Italian lessons that align with your goals and preferred learning style, our team at Top Consumer Reviews has evaluated today's leading options and provided honest feedback on what each one offers. So, what are you waiting for? Start your Italian learning journey today!

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