You may want to learn Italian just because you love learning languages, or you may like to learn it for business, professional development, or to hear what you sound like when speaking Italian. Whatever your reason may be, Italian is a very popular and fascinating language to learn, not to mention it’s great fun taking Italian lessons too.
While simply flying to Italy and learning Italian grammar may be the best (and most exciting) way to learn the language, this is not a feasible option for all. However, fortunately, you don’t have to go all the way to Italy to learn to speak Italian. Today, there are loads of excellent online Italian courses you can take up without leaving the comfort of your home or office. How amazing it is that we can learn new languages online!
Taking an Italian course may sound scary and expensive; however, that’s not necessarily true. Online Italian courses are a great way to learn the language because they are structured to cover all the essential aspects of the language learning process, i.e., listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Online courses can be the best way to build your skills, fundamental vocabulary, grammar and Italian pronunciation, and comprehension, and you need someone to explain how the rules of the language work.
These online Italian courses offer an excellent audio course, video, and reading resources that are timed perfectly for your specific learning level. And some lessons even allow you to connect with the instructors and fellow Italian learners for added direction and practice to perfect your Italian communication skills.
There are so many inexpensive options to learn Italian online that making up your mind about the best course can be mind-boggling. To make things easier, we have reviewed some of the best online Italian courses and websites for you in this guide. So, read on and decide which of these online Italian courses is right for you.
Italian Made Easy by Manu Venditti
The Italian Made Easy has been developed by Manu Venditti, who has over 20 years of experience teaching Italian. His website has many Italian courses, some of which are free. The classes are comprehensive and involve several activities that actively push you into using Italian.
Structured very well, Manu’s online language learning course is fascinating with a mix of English and Italian so that you get good listening practice and understand everything very well. Currently, there are four courses from the beginner to intermediate levels. Many video lessons, quizzes, assignments, and grammar exercises ensure that you use the Italian you have learned. You also have the option of getting feedback on your assignments.
FluentU
FluentU enables you to learn everyday real-world Italian comfortably by using the best Italian video content available on the website. The music videos, movie trailers, commercials, business videos, etc., are a fun way to learn this foreign language. Furthermore, the videos are available with interactive Italian subtitles and English translations with in-context examples and definitions, making them more understandable and enjoyable.
Once you have watched a video, you have quizzes that allow you to practice all the Italia words you have learned. FluentU also keeps track of the words you have learned, recommends videos, and asks questions based on what you have learned already. You can also learn Italian on the go by downloading the FluentU app on your iOS or Android device.
Cyber Italian
Suppose you love learning about the Italian culture and language or want to become fluent like native Italian speakers. In that case, Cyber Italian is an excellent resource that offers audio courses, pronunciation practice, exercises, grammar lessons, and exams to learn and practice Italian.
The Cyber Italian online course provides 4 types of courses – Self-study courses, Tutored courses, 1-to-1 private lessons, and School and University courses. The self-study course is self-paced and has three levels — beginner, intermediate and advanced comprising 20 lessons of audio and video resources, grammar references, pronunciation guides, voice recording systems, etc.
If you want a more structured course with the guidance of a tutor, then you can opt for the Tutored courses that have special assignments, personalized feedback, homework correction, and certifications. In addition, the 1-on-1 private lessons are customized and taught by a dedicated teacher via interactive video and audio chat. At the end of the language course, you would have learned Italian words and be a step closer to sounding like native speakers
Italian Language and Culture (edX)
The Italian Language and Culture course has an introductory-level course offered by Wellesley College on the edX platform. Daniela Bartalesi-Graf teaches the course at Wellesley College and the course can be completed in 12 weeks if you spend around 2-5 hours per week.
The online Italian language courses are a mix of videos, podcasts, and textbook work and will teach you four basic skills listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Italian. And at the end of the online Italian classes, you will acquire the vocabulary necessary for everyday communication and be able to master Italian pronunciation and describe situations, people, and events.
Italian Language Courses (Babbel)
Babbel is an excellent language platform where you can learn Italian naturally and conversationally to sound like Italian native speakers. You can take Italian online courses right from the beginner to the intermediate level. The courses offer a combination of vocabulary and grammar explanations with excellent audio and video content.
Apart from the regular courses, themed courses focus on idioms, the Italian language for vacationers, etc. Each Italian course offers plenty of exercises that let you practice your skills, and the self-paced courses allow you to work towards proficiency at the pace you want.
The interactive dialogue practice gives you the confidence to use the Italian language in day-to-day situations, and the speech recognition technology lets you engage in speaking practice and improve your pronunciation like a native Italian speaker. In addition, the grammar and vocabulary courses have a review system that enables you to remember all that you have learned so that you can use Italian in real life.
Rocket Italian
Rocket Italian is a top-rated site that has been around for over a decade, making it one of the most popular Italian courses online. The website has a comprehensive Italian course that helps you perfect your listening skills, accent, and retention of whatever you learn. The website is suitable for structured language learners who like following a linear progression kind of learning.
The audio lessons are in an interactive format and are extremely easy to follow, and the use of flashcards and reinforcement activities ensures that you remember all that you learn to improve your language skills. You can also track your progress, and the downloadable app for your iOS and Android devices allow you to learn while you’re on the go.
FSI Italian Fast
This course has been developed by the Foreign Service Institute of the U.S. government, mainly for diplomats and other government personnel. There are around 30 lessons, which are extensive and focus on getting beginner and intermediate learners to speak the Italian language effectively and fluently. The FSI Italian Fast course learning style involves a combination of textbook-based learning along with several hours of audio recordings.
Apart from the teaching material, the course has several exercises that allow you to practice and become proficient in the Italian language basics. Therefore, this online course is ideal if you want to develop your comprehension skills, as well as your speaking skills and Italian translation. At the end of the free Italian courses, you and other beginner Italian learners should be capable of tackling basic Italian conversations.
ItalianPod101
ItalianPod101 is another top pick for the best online Italian courses. While the ItalianPod101 platform has a massive library of lessons, it works better as an additional resource than a standalone course. Most lessons on the site are audio-based and structured in podcast style. So, it is not the best option for visual learners.
The lesson follows the format where two hosts listen to an Italian dialogue and then discuss the same by explaining the cultural context, vocabulary, and grammar. The platform also has flashcards, grammar notes, and other valuable tools. ItalianPod101 has lessons aimed at beginners, intermediate and advanced learners, although most of the content is beginner level. Also, the classes are grouped thematically, and most lessons aren’t connected.
Learning Italian Online
Pimsleur Italian and Rosetta Stone are other platforms you can consider for Italian language learning. They are perfect for complete beginners to learn spoken Italian before moving to advanced Italian courses. There are several free resources online if you’d rather not pay for a class.
You could take a free Italian course on Duolingo or Memrise. Wellesley College also offers free Italian lessons, or you could listen to Coffee Break Italian free podcast-style Italian course.
So, as you can see, there are plenty of great online Italian courses that you can take up to help you become proficient in the language. After reading our article, we hope you can pick the best online Italian course suitable for you.
Want to learn more languages? How about Spanish? If you’re interested in studying other foreign languages, check out our article on the best online Spanish courses and challenge yourself to learn more!
