Published on November 26, 2024
10 of the best online Italian courses (2024)
Looking for the best online Italian language courses? You’re in the right place! Thanks to the internet, learning new skills from the comfort of home is easier and more affordable than ever, no matter where we might be. This flexibility is especially helpful for anyone looking to learn a new language, whether it’s for personal or professional growth… and Italian, with its beautiful musicality and rich vocabulary, is one of the most popular choices among language learners.
But with so many options out there, how do you find the right one? We’ve rounded up 10 of the best Italian lessons you can find online to help you choose the option that matches your learning style and goals. Ready? Andiamo (let’s go).
With all the online Italian courses out there, it’s easy to get lost among all the features and subscriptions these platforms offer. Keeping a solid list of what you’re actually looking for will help you narrow it down. How can we assess all of our options? We’ve put together some pointers that will make it easier.
Are you looking to learn enough Italian just to get by on your next trip? Or are you eyeing a promotion that could land you in an Italian-speaking country? Getting clear on your goals will make it easier to pick the right option.
If you’re aiming to reach fluency, you should go for an alternative that offers live classes where you can get personalized feedback and grammar instruction. If your objective, however, is to be able to have basic conversations, a platform focused on common vocabulary and phrases might just do the trick.
Would you rather be self-paced or go for a structured course with a schedule? To figure this out, here are two things to keep in mind:
Learning from qualified teachers is the best way to ensure you’re learning the right grammar and progressing at a sustainable, steady pace. Don’t be shy and ask about their certifications and teaching experience.
Now, if refining your pronunciation is part of your goal, it’s a good idea to go with a native speaker who can teach you the correct phonetics.
Finally, think about the class size that works best for you. Here’s a quick breakdown of your options:
Italian Uncovered uses “StoryLearning,” a method created by language expert Olly Richards. The idea is to teach you Italian in a natural, immersion-focused way – just like how you learned your native language as a kid. How do they do this? Through storytelling. Instead of drilling repetition, this program uses engaging stories to grab your attention and help you learn vocabulary.
Here’s how it works: you’ll start by reading a story, then listen to the audio version. After that, you’ll dive into a recorded lesson with a qualified teacher, who will break down the grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation from the story.
The bonus is that it doubles as a culture course, since a lot of the stories explore not just the Italian language, but also Italian history and culture.
Looking for maximum flexibility without sacrificing quality? Rest assured, no one beats Lingoda in that department. Lingoda offers live classes that are available online 24/7, so you can learn from certified teachers whenever it fits your schedule. Lessons focus on building confidence, practicing real-world language and getting you to speak from day one.
Another plus? You can choose between private lessons or small group classes (capped at fivestudents). This gives you plenty of chances to practice speaking, ask questions and get personalized feedback. Lingoda also provides great tools (like AI-powered Lingobites) to help you practice. And if you’re looking to turbo-charge your journey, you can check out the Lingoda Sprint – a 2-month challenge designed to propel you toward linguistic confidence.
Note: Lingoda’s courses are structured around the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Lingoda only teaches Italian A1 (beginner) at the moment.
The Pimsleur Method is all about teaching Italian in an intuitive way through audio lessons, about 30 minutes long. It’s built upon research-based principles that get rid of information overload, which can discourage learners.
Here’s the gist: Dr. Paul Pimsleur, a linguist, discovered that spacing out vocabulary learning at the right intervals helps us remember better. That’s why Pimsleur’s audio lessons introduce a manageable amount of words and grammar at a time, giving us the chance to really memorize the content before moving on.
The Leonardo da Vinci School, with over 40 years of experience, sits right in the heart of Florence, offering amazing views of the city’s iconic Cathedral. But if you don’t want to travel all the way (alas!), you can join their online group or one-on-one classes instead. They cater to all levels, from beginner to advanced, and new lessons kick off every Monday. A downside? Group class sizes, capped at 14 students, may get crowded.
The school uses an immersive teaching method and, from day one, everything in class is done in Italian. Lessons are interactive and also include insights into modern Italy and Italian culture, providing extra motivation.
Italiano Automatico offers a variety of pre-recorded video lessons, covering everything from beginner Italian to pronunciation tips and common expressions. It started as a YouTube channel and evolved into lessons centered around the cultural richness of Italian heritage.
Their lessons don’t explicitly teach grammar or vocabulary. Instead, they rely on authentic Italian-speaking content that will help students learn the language in a natural, fun way. It’s a great resource for students who want extra practice.
FluentU is another video-based platform that teaches Italian through real-world content. It offers a bank of music videos, movie trailers, news and more media with which students can learn common vocabulary and grammar structures. These videos are sorted by level and topic, so you can focus on what interests you most.
You’ll also get tools like flashcards, quizzes, interactive subtitles and example sentences to support your learning.
Babbel Live gives you unlimited access to live classes – yes, you can take as many as you want! Their teachers are either native speakers or certified C2 level, and lessons focus on real-life scenarios. For example, you can choose classes centered on vocabulary for food, travel or navigating a city.
Lessons are available anytime (even for last-minute bookings) and are capped at six students. However, private classes are also an option.
The cherry on top: your subscription includes access to the Babbel app for bonus practice.
Coffee Break offers quick, podcast-style lessons to help you learn Italian. The episodes mix grammar, vocabulary and listening practice, all through conversations that get more difficult with each season.
You can pay for ad-free episodes and extra materials (like video lessons), but there’s also a bunch of free content to get you going.
Mondly is an app offering free daily lessons to help you build vocabulary and practice basic grammar. Their lessons are bite-sized and focus on practical words and phrases, with weekly quizzes and monthly challenges to keep you engaged.
Need extra practice? Chat with Mondly’s Italian-speaking bot, which can give you instant feedback. Plus, their voice recognition software checks your pronunciation and helps you improve.
If you’re planning to learn a language online, chances are you’ve come across some free tools to help with your studies. But are they as effective as paid courses? Let’s check it out.
Pros
Cons
Paid lessons are paid for a reason… They promise to deliver and help you reach your goals. They offer structured programs to help you build skills step by step, with interactive classes and personalized feedback.
The biggest perks? You can ask questions, practice speaking and listening regularly and get tailored guidance to help you reach your goals – all with the help of a native-speaking teacher and from the comfort of your home.
Okay, so we’ve checked out 10 of the best Italian lessons online – all of them with something special to offer. How does Lingoda stand out?
| Platform | Level | Certificate | Mobile app | Live classes | 24/7 classes | Private lessons |
| Italian Uncovered | Intermediate | |||||
| Lingoda | Beginner | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Pimsleur | Beginner- intermediate | ✅ | ✅ | |||
| Scuola Leonardo da Vinci | Beginner- advanced | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Italiano Automatico | Beginner- advanced | ✅ | ||||
| FluentU | Beginner- intermediate | ✅ | ||||
| Babbel Live | Beginner- advanced | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Coffee Break | Beginner- intermediate | |||||
| Mondly | Beginner | ✅ |
Want to level up your Italian faster? Here are some tips to maximize your journey:
When choosing the best online Italian language course, think about your goals, learning style and what will keep you consistent. That way, you’ll pick the right option and stay on track to reach your objectives. So, make the best of the (super flexible) tools we have today and learn this beautiful language with the help of qualified, native speakers who are just one click away. Buona fortuna (good luck)!
