Learn To Speak Italian The Best Way

Learn to speak Italian to conversational level in as little as eight weeks. We present objective reviews on the best learn to speak Italian courses. The important factors to watch out for are the tools which aid learning. In particular, those related to simulated immersion are given strong weighting, as you will never get conversational in any language unless you immerse yourself in conversational settings. Sadly, some of the more established courses from a branding perspective are a little behind the times in this respect, although they are catching up.

Another important aspect is the availability of upgrades, and online forums and communities, so that you can get support on an ongoing basis, as well as access to upgrades as tools are improved. Practice and continued exposure are very important, even when you have successfully completed the course. Unlike riding a bicycle, you can loose your Italian skills without practice. Here are our reviews!

Summary of Reviews
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Top Ranked Learn To Speak Italian Program

Rocket Learning Italian Premium®

Our Rating: (5 / 5)
Five Stars
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The best way to learn to speak Italian is through “immersion”, and Rocket Learning Italian Premium®is the closest we have found to achieving that! The powerful and unique MegaVerb(TM), MegaVocab(TM), and MegaAudio(TM) tools make it easy to learn conversational Italian on-line fast in a fun and easy way! This program covers all the bases, is available for immediate download, and includes access to a Private Learn To Speak Italian Italian Forum and lifetime membership to the Rocket Learning Italian Lounge(TM). Lifetime upgrades are included also. The interactive tools are first rate, and the focus is on getting you conversational as fast as possible so you can use your new language to learn it, instead of learning your new language to use it – an interesting approach that works! It also has the lowest price of any of the programs presented here, which is an added bonus. Overall, an extremely well put together course, with attractive pricing, which comes with our highest rating. rocket-italian
Review Highlights:

  • Interactive audio course – 32-lessons will quickly get you speaking confidently, fluently, and naturally. A lot of thought has gone into the content and context
  • Custom grammar lessons – over 100 hours of comprehension lessons. These do work quite well, and in our opinion are structured better than any of the other courses we have reviewed
  • MegaVocab(TM) software tool – a unique tool which really accelerates learning and expands your vocabulary at amazing speed
  • MegaAudio(TM) software tool – this simulates immersion – the fastest and easiest way to learn any language
  • MegaVerbs(TM) software tool – will help you quickly master verbs and tenses, even with irregular verbs
  • Private Learn To Speak Italian Forum, available 24 hours a day – something you might find useful as it can be quite motivational to track your progress against others as you learn to speak Italian
  • Lifetime membership to the Rocket Learning Italian Lounge(TM)
  • 60 Day 100% satisfaction guarantee means you can try the program absolutely risk free
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Current Pricing: $99.95 (reduced from $299.95 for a limited time) MoreInfoBlue
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FREE 6-Day Introductory Learning Italian Course: One of the things we really like about Rocket Languages® is that they provide a totally free 6-Day learn to speak Italian course, delivered daily via e-mail, which really allows you to evaluate their learning Italian program with no obligation. That’s a sign of real confidence in their product. If you would like to get the free 6-day course, just click the blue button on the right. smiwantthecourse
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Other Ranked Programs

Fluenz Learning Italian F-2 (L1-2)®

Our Rating: (4 / 5)FourStar
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The Fluenz® learn to speak Italian rogram is based on sessions led by an on-screen tutor, so it very much tries to simulate the classroom approach. It recognizes that adults will learn to speak Italian differently than children, and we concur with that logic. The program endeavors to explain the language in a way which makes sense to English-speakers. The Fluenz® approach is based on getting learners to understand how to structure relevant sentences rather than relying on the association of words and images to learn how to say words. Fluenz® builds steadily from useful structures like questions and commands and useful vocabulary (related to restaurants, transportation, directions, etc.) to more complex learning italian situations. The classroom approach is not for everybody, although we do like this program. However, it is difficult for us to see the justification for the significantly higher price compared to the learn to speak Italian program reviewed above.
Review Highlights:

  • Classroom approach – very much a teacher / student approach which is not for everybody. The screen tutor is clearly an expert
  • Focus on sentence structure – the program really focuses on sentence structure as opposed to individual words, which we like
  • Cultural nuances – they spend a lot of time going into cultural nuances as a way of explaining things like sentence structure. Informative, but at the risk of getting side-tracked from the main goal of getting conversational in the language
  • Supplemental podcasts – Fluenz®offers supplemental podcasts. Their main program is very much CD / DVD based, so perhaps this is their way of moving towards a more interactive solution
  • Challenging workouts – they certainly do dig deeply into analysis of sentences during each session, perhaps a little too much
  • Fluenz® navigator(TM) – assists with cultural and travel information. Not necessary, but nice to have
  • Satisfaction guarantee – 30 days
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Current Pricing: $323.00 (Amazon discounted price) MoreInfoBlue
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Other Ranked Programs

Transparent Learning Italian Complete Edition®

Our Rating: (4 / 5)FourStar
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Transparent’s approach to learning Italian is to provide you with a full range of multi-media tools – programs, online resources, mp3 files, audio lessons, virtual environments, immersion videos. Their view is that everybody will learn to speak Italian differently, and they are trying to cover all the bases. Honestly, we found it a little bewildering, but you certainly have choices! Their Byki® tool is very interesting. It’s memory algorithm technology is claimed to tailor learning based on the user’s strengths and weaknesses. Interesting stuff!! Transparent Languages have been around a long time, and unlike some of the other older competitors, they have spent the time updating their courses to take advantage of new technologies. We applaud them for that, as they are not treating their product as a cash-cow, instead they are continually investing to make it better. No question, this is a comprehensive learn to speak Italian course, with lots or resources. And because immersion is so important, we liked their 30 virtual reality scenarios. Overall, a strong course! complete_150_italian
Review Highlights:

  • Online resources – Transparent Languages® are pretty good at updating resources on their website regularly, so you can always expect updated learn to speak Italian resources
  • Everywhere audio lessons – lots of mp3 resources, so you can take your learn to speak Italian lessons with you anywhere better than any of the other courses we have reviewed
  • Byki(TM) tool- a unique tool which claims to tailor learning based on individual strengths and weaknesses, based on memory algoritm technology
  • Linguamatch(TM) tool – this simulates immersion – with 30 virtual reality scenarios – we liked this a lot
  • Lexicon(TM) translation dictionary – access to full dictionary so that, as you come across new words, you can instantly look them up
  • Written skills – dealt with in the course also, many courses focus just on conversation, or spoken vocabulary – this course takes it a little further to focus on the written language. Nice – if that’s what you’re looking for!
  • Satisfaction guarantee – 6 months
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Current Pricing: $179.95 MoreInfoBlue
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Other Ranked Programs

Rosetta Stone Learning Italian 3 (L1-3)®

Our Rating:(3.5 / 5)ThreeHalfStar
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The Rosetta Stone® learn to speak Italian approach is based on an immersive environment, and a sequence of learning Italian which they have thought through quite well. They use combinations of words and images in a manner which is designed to assist with memorization. They do not use translation or grammar rules to help guide you to learn to speak Italian, which we found a little strange. You will hear, write and pronounce a lot of words. Their voice recognition tool needs a bit of work, although it has improved. Their whole learn to speak Italian program, which they refer to as adaptive immersion(TM), feeds you many words and phrases, along with images. You will learn many words and expand your vocabulary. You won’t get much help on tenses and conjugation, which we feel is an integral part of learning any language to conversational level. Their thesis is that an adult can learn to speak Italian in the same manner as an infant, which we do not agree with, as an adult is already thinking in their native language, whereas an infant has no language until they absorb their first one! Very restrictive licensing – it is hard to transfer from one computer to another (if you upgrade your computer, for example) and you can’t have it on a desktop and laptop at the same time!! You will expand your vocabulary significantly with this program. Pricing is not competitive at all – this is an expensive course for what you get.
Review Highlights:

  • Dynamic Immersion(TM) – eliminates translation and grammar explanations. This will help you learn to speak Italian with many new words, but it doesn’t really get you there with respect to complete sentences, particularly in tenses other than the present tense
  • High graphics interaction – you are presented with lots of images, along with written and verbal meanings, great for memorizing individual words in your new language
  • Adaptive review – this feature adjusts the timing of review activity for lessons based on your performance in first review of the lesson, and is quite well done
  • Satisfaction guarantee – 6 months for CD version, but only if you buy from the company website, at a higher price!! Strange to say the least. This is not a very flexible company!
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Current Pricing: $485.10 (Amazon discounted price) MoreInfoBlue
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Review Summary:

Program Rating Price
Rocket Learning Italian Premium®

Five Stars

$99.95 (limited time)
Fluenz Learning Italian F-2 (L1-2)®

FourStar

$323.00
Transparent Learning Italian Complete Edition®

FourStar

$179.95
Rosetta Stone Learning Italian 3 (L1-3)®

ThreeHalfStar

$485.10
Pricing subject to change Full Reviews
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Rocket Languages®, Fluenz®, Transparent Languages®, and Rosetta Stone®are trademarks or registered trademarks. All trademarks, trade names, or logos mentioned or used are the property of their respective owners. Every effort has been made to properly capitalize, punctuate, identify and attribute trademarks and tradenames to their respective owners.
We hope you have found these reviews useful as you search for the best program for learning Italian. With any of these programs to can easily learn to speak Italian, with a little effort on your part, of course. We are not associated with or endorsed by any of the programs we review on our site. While in some cases we may receive compensation for referrals we do not allow that to influence our recommendations. We have reviewed all of the courses we feature to the extent necessary to evaluate the features and qualities of each program.

Accordingly, we would classify ourselves as reviewers of the programs rather than bona fide users.

We welcome your feedback.