FilipinoPod101 Review: Is It Effective for Filipino?
Maria Claudia Alvarado
Published on January 18, 2024
FilipinoPod101 is useful for complete beginners who want to learn Filipino quickly.
FilipinoPod101 has a complete Tagalog course that you can start as a complete beginner to start speaking the language quickly. Its audio and video lessons explain the proper use of the language, its formalities, and colloquial variations. All the content is voiced by native Tagalog speakers, so you can listen and repeat after to improve your pronunciation skills.
PROS
- Learn conversational Tagalog quickly
- All the content is voiced by native speakers
- Choose what you want to study next
CONS
- Doesn’t teach you to read or write Tagalog
- Can be expensive if you want the help of a personal tutor
- Some features are difficult to find
Table of Contents
Who Should Use FilipinoPod101 FilipinoPod101 Overview FilipinoPod101 Price FilipinoPod101 Review: Overall Learning Experience FilipinoPod101 Alternatives and Competitors FilipinoPod101 Review FAQWho Should Use FilipinoPod101
FilipinoPod101 is a valuable resource that focuses on developing your listening and speaking skills. The Tagalog course includes podcast-style and video lessons voiced by native speakers, so you can hear the correct pronunciation for each word and phrase. While FilipinoPod101 is a useful tool for all levels, intermediate and advanced language students might need to combine it with other language resources to get a more complete study routine.
FilipinoPod101 Overview
FilipinoPod101 is one of the 34 language courses created by Innovative Languages. It has video and audio lessons that teach Tagalog (also called Filipino) from the absolute beginner to the advanced level. You start the language course learning basic Tagalog phrases for introduction, greetings, honorifics, and more. All FilipinoPod101 lessons are presented by native speakers, and they break down each line of the dialogue to help you understand the words and pronunciation.
Every lesson comes with a downloadable transcript and audio tracks that you can use to practice listening and repeating the phrases you heard in the lesson. FilipinoPod101 includes English translations so you can understand even if your listening skills aren’t advanced. The Tagalog language course also includes grammar notes and interesting cultural information to teach you more about the language as you study. There are flashcards, slideshows, vocabulary lists, quizzes, a word bank, and more. However, there aren’t reading or writing exercises in FilipinoPod101, and more advanced learners might need to supplement their study with other resources such as Tagalog textbooks or apps.
FilipinoPod101 Price
FilipinoPod101 has three types of subscription tiers: Basic, Premium, and Premium Plus. A Basic subscription starts at $8.00 per month, but you can buy 3 months for $21.00, 6 months for $36.00, 12 months for $60.00, and 24 months for $84.00. A Premium subscription costs $25.00 per month, while the Premium Plus plan costs $47.00 per month.
Depending on your language goals, I think the Basic or Premium subscriptions are good options to start your Tagalog studies. You can use all the tools available on FilipinoPod101 with a Premium plan, and its price is a bit similar to the Pimsleur All Access subscription or Rosetta Stone’s 3-month plan. The Basic subscription is in the same price range as Mondly or Drops and unlocks all the lessons and lesson notes on the platform. In my opinion, the Basic subscription is the best option if you want to speak Filipino. With the Premium Plus plan, you’ll get the personalized help of a tutor, but this is not necessary unless you’re struggling to understand the content.
FilipinoPod101 Free Trial
FilipinoPod101 has a free 7-day trial that gives you access to all the features included in its Premium subscription. During this time, you can explore and try all the content on the platform, but you won’t get the personalized help of a Filipino tutor that comes with the Premium Plus plan. FilipinoPod101 also has a 100% money-back guarantee for 60 days if you don’t feel like this is the right language course for you.
FilipinoPod101 Review: Overall Learning Experience
After using FilipinoPod101 for a couple of hours, I can say that the platform has everything complete beginners need to start speaking the language. One of my favorite FilipinoPod101 features was the audio tools and transcriptions included in each lesson. Tagalog can be hard to learn if you don’t know a similar language, like Indonesian or Javanese, but FilipinoPod101’s audio tracks offer an easy way for Tagalog students of all levels to improve their listening comprehension and speaking skills.