by Olly RichardsIn the past, there were only three alternatives if you wanted to learn Italian or any other language:
- enrolling in a language school
- paying a tutor
- or travelling
The difficulty in accessing these resources was a good excuse if you lacked the determination to learn a new language.
Today, however, there are no more excuses. You don't have to travel to Italy or sit in a classroom to learn Italian. That's because the internet makes it easy to find the resources to learn a new language.
And in this post, you'll discover my favourite online learning Italian resources that will help you learn Italian wherever, whenever.
By the way, if you want to learn Italian fast and have fun while doing it, my top recommendation is Italian Uncovered which teaches you through StoryLearning®.
With Italian Uncovered you’ll use my unique StoryLearning® method to learn Italian naturally through story… not rules. It’s as fun as it is effective.
If you’re ready to start, click here for a 7-day FREE trial.
My Personal Selection Of Online Resources To Study Italian
Actually, there are so many learning Italian resources online that finding the right ones is no mean feat.
But I know some first-hand and I decided to spare you the struggle by creating a list of the 25 best online resources to learn Italian (+1) that you should check out, grouped into different categories:
- online courses
- vocabularies and dictionaries
- apps
- podcasts
- YouTube channels
- blogs
Let's check them out!
Online Italian Courses
A complete course is the most classic method of learning a language. And today on the web there is one to suit every taste. These four in my opinion are the ones you should try:
1. Rocket Italian
Rocket Italian is undoubtedly one of the most popular courses to learn Italian online.
Well-structured and comprehensive with grammar, examples and audio material, it features a clear, level-organised structure, with the plus of a leaderboard that helps you keep up with your studies, thus defeating the inconsistency villain.
2. Italian Uncovered
Italian Uncovered is my course which teaches you the basics of Italian in a fast, effective, and fun way thanks to the power of stories.
It's the course for you if you're looking for a path that is creative and immersive while being at the same time structured enough to go up to the intermediate level.
Perfect for learning without the burden of memorising rules, in addition, it offers the possibility of completing the course with a series of collections of short stories in Italian to continue the fun even during free time.
3. Italy Made Easy
Italy Made Easy is another one of the best known and loved online Italian courses up to the intermediate level.
Thanks to a massive amount of material and the easily likeable teacher Manu, this course is a point of reference for students who want to study hands-on language passing through the bits and pieces of Italian culture.
4. Bitesize Languages
Bitesize Languages is an audio course based on the language learning technique of comprehensible input.
According to this theory you can learn a language faster and easier if you listen to or read texts that are always slightly above your understanding.
Following this theory, this course is composed of short audio lessons directly in Italian with transcripts available. The aim is to naturally improve Italian listening and pronunciation skills and better understand the use of words in context.
Italian Learning Apps
The number of apps dedicated to studying a language today seems to grow as the hours go by.
But obviously, not all of them are of good quality or offer a proven method for succeeding without falling for the app villain.
I have chosen four that from my experience or the experience of fellow teachers and students can help grasp the language effectively.
5. LanguaTalk
So technically LanguaTalk is website and not an app (yet), but we love it for it's excellent tutors and intuitive booking system.
In fact, LanguaTalk is my number one recommendation for finding talented, native Italian tutors to help you reach your learning goals. You can book a free trial session (no card required) here.
By the way, if you're interested in getting better at understanding people chatting, check Italian Conversations.
6. Pimsleur
Pimsleur was a pioneer among the apps for online language study, and today has still a large following of Italian language students.
Created by Doctor Pimsleur, this app puts into practice his studies on memory and interval repetition. And it promises to teach the language quickly and efficiently.
Among Pimsleur's many pros, surely there is a boost to pronunciation thanks to repetition.
7. Duolingo
Duolingo is probably the most popular app for learning a new language on the web thanks to a large amount of free content and its fun and intuitive gamification system.
I recommend it for a very first approach to the Italian language. But it might not be the best choice if you want to go deeper.
8. Busuu
Busuu is similar to Duolingo, but with more structured content and an extended premium version.
A big point in favour of Busuu is the presence of an active community of language learners who are available to correct and evaluate your writing and speaking skills. Thus creating a useful and fun feedback circle.
The Best Italian Online Vocabularies And Dictionaries
In the past, a dictionary was always on the desk of any language student. Today, with most study activities going online, even vocabularies and dictionaries have become virtual, and knowing which ones to consult is important.
9. Wordreference
Wordreference.com is the best-known bilingual dictionary on the web because it's easy to use, full of synonyms in both languages and comprehensive.
It's also famous for its valuable forum in which the most experienced users answer and clarify doubts about translations, idioms, and context.
10. Collins Dictionary
The Collins Dictionary is another very popular bilingual online dictionary due to its simple and intuitive website.
Written by expert linguists with a focus on students' needs, it also offers a handy translator tool and a quiz to practise some words in the Italian language.
11. Cambridge Dictionary
A much-loved dictionary is also the English-Italian and Italian-English Cambridge Dictionary.
It contains words for the basic levels of Italian up to intermediate. One of the strengths is the presence of many translated examples.
12. Reverso Context
Reverso Context is an interesting resource with a different nuance than bilingual vocabularies.
It offers an AI-assisted search that scans the web for a great number of examples, making it possible to check the use of a word, idiom, or sentence in all the possible contexts.
Italian Podcasts
Whether for pleasure or study, listening to an Italian podcast is always an excellent idea to train your listening skills, perfect your pronunciation and understand vocabulary in context.
13. Coffee Break Italian
Coffee break Italian is a podcast that does exactly what the title suggests.
It accompanies Italian learners in the discovery of the language through lessons that last the time of a coffee break.
A plus of this podcast is that it features natural conversations between native speakers, which then are used as the starting point for grammar lessons and are broken down by levels.
14. News In Slow Italian
As once more the name suggests, News in slow Italian helps you keep up with the news read slowly and in a level of Italian suitable even for beginners.
In addition, the podcast offers useful transcripts to check the words you don't know.
15. Con Parole Nostre
Con parole nostre is a podcast created by three Italian teachers who chat about their daily life.
It's perfect for listening to real (and fast) spoken Italian about several topics and then comparing it with the useful transcripts for each episode. Suitable for intermediate level students and above.
16. 4 Verticale
4 Verticale is a podcast produced by the Babbel app with the Italian learners audience in mind. And it features many anecdotes and stories to learn the language while having fun.
The series ended a while ago, but it's worth hearing the seasons that came out.
17. La Bottega Di Babbel
Another must-listen podcast for Italian students is La Bottega di Babbel, which took over from 4 Verticale after its conclusion.
Once again, the concept is to learn the language through curiosities and anecdotes, with many guests and attention to learners' doubts and questions.
YouTube Channels To Learn Italian
Video content can help you memorise concepts better thanks to the power of visual communication. Here are some Italian YouTube channels I recommend starting your language journey on the right foot:
18. Italy Made Easy
Italy Made Easy is the Youtube Channel of the course of the same name.
It features a large amount of free and fun videos to learn more about the language through Manu's chatter, curiosities, and jokes.
19. Italian Bites
Another Youtube channel much loved by Italian learners for the richness and variety of its content is Italian bites.
On Martina's channel, it is possible to find the basics of the language Italian, plus a focus on Italian dialects and Italian culture.
20. Learn Italian With Lucrezia
If you are interested in a perfect pronunciation of both normal Italian language and dialects, then you should also take a look at the Youtube channel Learn Italian with Lucrezia.
Without doubt, it is among the most comprehensive on the web about it.
21. Learn Italian With ItalianPod101
Learn Italian with ItalianPod101 is the video channel for studying Italian by the famous series of Pod101 language courses.
While the courses are paid, on the YouTube Channel are available many free resources perfect for starting or completing basic knowledge of the language.
Check out my review of ItalianPod 101.
Best Blogs To Learn Italian
Reading is also important when learning a new language, and Italian is no exception. Fortunately, on the web, there are many interesting Italian blogs to follow and read to help you along the learning path.
22. I Learn Italian
I learn Italian is a blog for learning Italian in a classic way, but with a particular focus on the cultural aspect, including music, radio, cinema, and books.
23. Fluent In 3 Months
Fluent in 3 months is the blog where the Irish polyglot Benny shares his useful tips for learning Italian – and any other language – in 90 days.
The perfect read to get ideas on the most effective learning techniques.
24. Learn Travel Italian
If you are searching for a source that can help you with the language while travelling to Italy, then – as the name suggests – Learn Travel Italian is the right blog for you.
Its articles are focused especially on travel, but there is no shortage of grammar lessons and recipes!
25. Italian For My Girlfriend
Italian for my girlfriend is a blog on Tumblr that has over 1000 original beautiful drawings with the corresponding words in Italian and English.
Completely hand-drawn by an Italian artist for her English-speaking girlfriend, it's truly one of a kind and is the perfect addition to your method if you are a student who finds it easy to learn through visual memory.
26. GialloZafferano
I've decided to add a bonus point to this list because I know that in many cases the love of the Italian language and the love of cooking go hand in hand.
If you're a foodie and you want to improve your language skills, then I recommend you to browse the GialloZafferano cooking portal.
It's the biggest collection of independent Italian food blogs and it contains an immense number of traditional recipes.
Of course, it's in Italian, but if you find it difficult, many recipes are also translated into English. And you can prendere due piccioni con una fava (kill two birds with one stone, discover more Italian idioms here) and eat well while learning the language!
Find Your Perfect Mix Of Online Resources To Learn Italian Your Way
I can't give you the magic formula to learn Italian, because every student has their own and only you can discover it.
But I can assure you that a well-balanced mix of all these learning Italian resources can offer you a rather complete window on the language.
So, first, try the links above to find your pace and style, and then keep up with the good work.
And when in doubt, make sure you use the StoryLearning® method and read books and stories in Italian to immerse yourself in it so you can pick up the language naturally, without studying!
