The 7 Best Online Courses to Learn Italian Fast
Kelsey Wetherbee Published on February 13, 2023 Langoly is supported by our readers. We review products independently, but we may earn affiliate commissions if you buy through links on this page. Please read our full disclosure for more information.
If you want to learn Italian, figuring out where to start can be daunting. It’s a popular language so there are many resources available, but some are better than others. To save you time and stress, we’ve compiled a list of the best online courses available to learn Italian from the comfort of your home. Whatever your language goals, budget, and schedule, you’re sure to find something helpful in this list.
Best Overall Italian Course
Best for Beginners
Best for Self-Paced Study
Italian is the 4th most spoken language in Europe and has over 65 million native speakers. It’s the official language of Italy as well as San Marino and Vatican City. Since it’s a Romance language, it’s most similar to Spanish, French, Portuguese, and even Romanian. It’s also considered the closest language to Latin.
Italian is considered an easy language for English speakers to learn because the two languages share many similarities. However, the Italian alphabet only has 21 letters. The letters J, K, W, X, and Y are only used in loan words that come from other languages.
Italian has also influenced the English language. There are many common words that come from Italian such as fiasco, influenza, volcano, paparazzi, and many more. Even the name America comes from the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci.
What Are The Best Courses To Learn Italian?
To find the best online Italian courses, I searched the internet to find choices that were popular for Italian learners as well as looking at what reputable language learning sources offered. Then, I researched each course to see what it offered, the main features, and price. After deciding the pros and cons of each course, I narrowed the selections down to the final options.
In the table below, you’ll find the best online courses to learn Italian. Scroll down to learn more about each one.
| Best Overall Italian Course | Rocket Italian |
| Best for Beginners | Italian Uncovered |
| Best for Self-Paced Study | Ouino Languages |
| Most Convenient Course | Saga Baldoria |
| Best for Audio Lessons | Coffee Break Italian |
| Best for Live Classes | Scuola Leonardo Da Vinci |
| Best to Learn for Free | The Italian Experiment |
Rocket Italian
Best Overall Italian Course
Rocket Italian is an excellent option for anyone who is studying without a teacher. You’ll learn the most important building blocks of the Italian language. The course is broken down into manageable 30-minute lessons that teach you speaking, vocabulary, and grammar.
In each lesson, you listen to a unique dialogue that will help you learn how to navigate everyday situations in Italian. Additionally, this will help you learn pronunciation and speaking. There are also practice activities that help you reinforce what you heard in the lesson. If you’re interested, you can learn more in this Rocket Italian review.
Key Features
- Learn to navigate everyday situations in Italian
- Hear correct Italian pronunciation
- Learn about Italian language and culture
Pricing
Rocket Italian has three different levels. Each individual level costs $149.95 for lifetime access. You can also get two levels for $299.90 or all three levels for $449.85. You can try Rocket Italian with a free 7-day trial to see if it’s a good fit for you.
StoryLearning: Italian Uncovered
Best for Beginners
Italian Uncovered is the best course for beginners because it gently immerses you in the language while providing enough instruction and detail to help you learn and understand. It’s comprehensive and focuses on all necessary skills to become communicative.
Italian Uncovered follows a story throughout the course. In each unit, you first listen to a chapter of the story that’s completely in Italian. Then, you take video lessons that explain what you heard and dive into important grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation topics. There are also lesson notes and practice exercises to help reinforce what you learned.
Key Features
- Learn with stories
- Audio and video lessons
- Extensive lesson notes and practice material
Pricing
You can try Italian Uncovered for free for 7 days, but you have to enter your credit card information to access the free trial. The entire course costs $297 and gives you lifetime access to all the material. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee if you aren’t satisfied with the course.
Ouino Languages
Best for Self-Paced Study
Ouino Languages is a comprehensive computer program and mobile platform designed to be an all-in-one stop to learn Italian. It focuses on the most important language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. It’s best for beginners because you can start from the basics and gradually increase your level as it fits your schedule.
It’s self-guided which means you can choose what lessons you want to take and in what order. The lessons are interactive and have many practice activities. There are 5 different types of lessons, that cover grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. You can try each of the 5 types of lessons for free to see if you like Ouino Languages.
Key Features
- Learn independently
- Covers all language skills
- Many practice activities
Pricing
The price depends on how long you want to access Ouino. A 3-month subscription costs $12.99 per month and can go as low as $6.99 per month for a 12-month subscription. There’s also the option to get lifetime access for one payment of $95.76.
Saga Baldoria
Most Convenient Course
Saga Baldoria is the most convenient Italian course because the lessons arrive daily to your inbox. Each personalized lesson includes an audio or video and different practice exercises that test what you learned. Over time, the AI technology adapts the lessons to your specific level and language needs.
After you complete the lesson, you are given immediate feedback about your answers so you see exactly what was correct/incorrect and why. This is a useful feature that not many other apps and courses offer. You can try Saga Baldoria for free for 7 days or read more about it in this complete Gymglish review.
Key Features
- Daily lesson to your email inbox
- AI technology adapts the lessons to your level
- Recieve immediate feedback to your answers
Pricing
The price for each Gymglish course varies based on which tier you choose and the length of your subscription. You can pay monthly or pay for 6, 12, 24, or 36 months. The price decreases if you buy a longer subscription. The price ranges from $21.00 to $32.00 per month.
Coffee Break Italian
Best for Audio Lessons
Coffee Break Italian is a completely audio-based course. Each lesson is about 15-20 minutes, and the idea is that you can learn a language in the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee. Since it’s audio-based, you can hear correct Italian pronunciation. You also practice speaking along with the teacher.
There are 3 seasons (levels) available: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Each season has 40 episodes except for season 3, which is still in progress. Episodes cover the most important vocabulary and grammar topics you need to learn to speak Italian. There are also additional courses for advanced learners, like the Coffee Break Italian Magazine series.
Key Features
- Audio-based lessons
- Lesson notes and bonus content for subscribers
- Focus on conversational topics
Pricing
All of the Coffee Break Italian audio content is available for free. But if you really want to learn Italian, it’s best to sign up for the complete course which gives you access to additional study materials and bonus lessons which costs $124 per level. If you sign up for the free trial, Coffee Break Italian will send you the first 3 lessons for free.
Scuola Leonardo Da Vinci
Best for Live Classes
Scuola Leonardo Da Vinci is a language school with physical locations all over Italy. But they also offer online courses that you can take from the comfort of your own home. They offer both small group classes and 1-on-1 lessons. All classes are taught by qualified Italian teachers and are accessed over Zoom.
You can also choose if you want to take an intensive or part-time course depending on how much time you have available. Additionally, there are different seminars you can sign up for that go in-depth on a specific language or culture topic.
Key Features
- Small group or 1-on-1 lessons
- Choose how many hours per week you want to study
- Lessons taught on Zoom
Pricing
The price of each course depends on how many hours per week it is and if it’s a group or 1-on-1 lesson. Scuola Leonardo Da Vinci doesn’t offer a free live class, but you can watch videos of past classes to see if you think the platform is a good fit for you.
The Italian Experiment
Best to Learn for Free
The Italian Experiment is a completely free resource to learn the basics of Italian. You can take Italian lessons that cover basic topics like days of the week, asking directions, and adjectives. While advanced learners won’t get much from the site, it’s a great way for travelers, or those seeing if they want to study Italian to learn a little bit without committing to a long course.
One resource the Italian Experiment has that others don’t are stories in Italian. You can listen to stories like I Tre Porcellini (The Three Little Pigs) or Il Polletto Carletto (Chicken Little) completely in Italian. While it’s geared toward kids, it’s an excellent way for anyone to practice listening and reading in Italian.
Key Features
- Basic Italian lessons
- Stories in Italian
- Completely free
Pricing
The Italian Experiment is a completely free resource.
Why You Should Take an Online Course To Learn Italian
Online courses are one of the best ways to learn Italian because they are comprehensive and can help you develop all language skills. They are a flexible way to learn because you take lessons on your own schedule. There are many different options available, from group to individual lessons, and self-paced learning to live classes, you’re sure to find something that fits your learning goals and your study habits.
How To Use Online Courses To Learn Italian
The best way to learn with an online Italian course is to be consistent. Dedicating time every day, or at least a few times per week, will help you remember what you already learned and then build upon it. An online course is also best used alongside other learning methods such as Italian language apps or self-study books. Using multiple resources is more effective for improving all language skills since each type excels in different areas.
Best Online Courses To Learn Italian: Final Thoughts
There are many reasons to study Italian. Whether you want to sip espresso in Milan or talk with your grandmother in her native language, you’re sure to find a course on this list that can help you achieve your goals. Once you’ve found the best option for you, it’s time to buckle down and practice. Consistent studying is key to seeing improvement. With hard work and patience, you’ll be speaking like an italiano in no time!
Best Online Courses To Learn Italian: FAQ
There are many good options to learn Italian with an online course such as Italian Uncovered. It’s a comprehensive course that teaches all language skills necessary to become conversational. Other courses like Ouino Languages and Rocket Italian are good options if you prefer to learn at your own pace.
The best site to learn Italian is Rocket Languages. It’s a comprehensive way to learn the language. The detailed audio lessons teach you the most important vocabulary and grammar topics. Since they are audio-based, you hear how Italian is spoken. There are also many practice exercises to reinforce what you learned in the lesson.
Realistically, in 3 months you can reach a basic conversational level, but you won’t be proficient in the language. Italian is considered an easy language for English speakers to learn, but there are still significant differences that make learning a challenge. To see how long it will take you to learn Italian, check out this fluency calculator.
The easiest way to learn Italian depends on how you like to learn. Now, there are many excellent online options that can fit any learning style and budget. For example, you can use a language app like Duolingo or Mondly if you just want to learn a few words and phrases. But if you want to become conversational, taking an online course or studying with an online tutor are more effective options.
