How to learn Italian: best free language resources online
Are you preparing for your CELI or CILS exam to obtain Italian citizenship? Or maybe you need to prove your fluency for university, or you want to learn Italian just for fun. Whatever the reason, there’s one thing you’ll definitely need: good resources to boost your language skills (especially if you are teaching yourself!).
Here’s a list of free language resources you can start using today to learn Italian, from free apps to podcasts and grammar websites.
Good apps to learn Italian
Learning a language through an app is often controversial: some people love it and others hate it. Sure is, language apps can be a really efficient way for practicing your Italian when you only have a little time available. You can take a vocabulary test on your bus and practice a short conversation during your lunch break. Here are some good apps to learn Italian that are totally worth a try:
Duolingo
Duolingo is the most popular language app at the moment (in 2024 has been the most downloaded language learning app). It’s a nice app if you are starting and want to learn the basics. It focuses on conversation, with short exercises and everyday phrases. The downside is that it doesn’t go deep into grammar, and it can get a bit repetitive.
Busuu
Busuu is a very good alternative to Duolingo. It helps you build real sentences (rather than just translating from English), learn useful phrases, and even listen to conversations between native speakers. You also get grammar explanations and pronunciation tips along the way.
Quizlet
This app works great to review the vocabulary you already know and learn some new ones. You can create custom flashcards or use sets made by other Italian learners.
Kahoot
If you’re learning Italian with a friend, Kahoot is a good way to make your study process fun. You can browse through a huge database of quizzes, look for a topic you want to review and challenge each other with quizzes and games.
Reverso Context
Reverso is a great tool to see the words used in context; it shows you many real-life examples of sentences where that specific word or expression is used.
Useful websites for learning Italian
Youglish
Youglish (italiano) lets you type any Italian word and hear it spoken by real people in YouTube videos. It’s a brilliant way to pick up pronunciation and see how words naturally fit into conversation.
Lernamo
On this website – created by some native Italian teachers – you can find grammar explanations and many lessons divided by level (from A1 to C2). At the end of each lesson, you have an exercise to check your learning progress.
Loescher editore
Loescher is a publishing house from Turin, publishing all sorts of academic books. On their website you can find tons of free Italian lessons for foreigners. You can explore exercises by grammar topic or proficiency level. It’s perfect for self-study if you want a more structured approach.
Wordwall
On this website, you will find a lot of games and exercises to review grammar, sentence structure and vocabulary (fill-in-the-blank, memory games, quizzes).
Learn Italian with a podcast: our suggestions
If you want to boost your listening skills and sound more natural when speaking, start listening to a learn Italian podcast. They’re great for fitting Italian into your daily routine: while having breakfast, driving, or walking the dog.
Here are some of the best ones you can find on Spotify:
Italiano con Amore (beginner-intermediate level)
This podcast is hosted by Eleonora, an Italian teacher based in the beautiful Umbria region. The podcast episodes are a mixture of Italian culture and lifestyle. Her slow, clear pronunciation makes it easy to follow.
Italiano Automatico (intermediate level)
Alberto, the host, focuses on helping you think directly in Italian. The approach feels less like a traditional Italian lesson and more like a natural conversation.
News in slow Italian (intermediate level)
If you like keeping up with current events, News in Slow Italian is for you. It delivers real news stories, read slowly and clearly, so you can practice listening and stay informed at the same time.
Podcast Italiano (intermediate-advanced level)
Italian culture, interviews with native speakers, and sometimes some focus on grammar rules, all delivered in a very natural, engaging style.
Some tips to learn Italian fast
Is Italian hard to learn? The answer to this question depends on many factors:
- your level of motivation;
- your consistency;
- the amount of time you can dedicate to studying.
It is never “easy” to learn a new language, but you can make your life simpler by following a few tips:
- immerse yourself daily, even 10–15 minutes a day can make a huge difference;
- don’t use all of the apps and podcasts we recommended in this blog post, choose your favourite ones and stick with them;
- focus on learning phrases you’ll actually use in daily life;
- set small and achievable goals, such as learning 10-20 new words a week.
Also, if you like face-to-face classes, you can learn Italian with an on-site course: here are some good Italian courses that you can check out.
And remember, if you are an English speaker, Italian is actually one of the easiest languages to learn for you. It’s phonetic (you pronounce words exactly as they’re written), and once you learn the patterns, grammar starts to make sense quickly.
Are you studying Italian because you are moving to Italy? Check out our free guide for incoming students and contact us for more personalized support.
