13 Best Apps for Learning Italian

Luckily we found the best ones so you don't have to 👻

Girl with Italian flag

Are you planning a trip to Italy, taking a language class, or learning Italian to make new friends? Well, great news! Learning Italian has never been easier to learn and apps are a great way to start. There are literally hundreds of apps to help you learn Italian and most of them are free to download.

With so many choices, how do you find the best one for your needs? In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best apps for learning Italian and explain why each one may be best for certain types of users.

But first, did you know that Italian is spoken by over 85 million people? According to Wikipedia, over 65 million Italians speak it, but it's also widely spoken in countries such as Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, Istria, Albania, Lybia, and Somalia.

If you are learning Italian to go on a trip, be sure to consider apps with lists of travel phrases for situations like getting through airports and checking in to a hotel. Apps including phrase translators can also be useful when you need to communicate on the fly with locals.

If you've ever taken music lessons, you are sure to have come across Italian words such as crescendo, tempo, piano, forte, soprano and alto. These terms were popularised in music notation during the Ranaissance when many prominent composers were Italian. Ever since that time, Italian is considered the official language of music.

If you are studying Italian for a class, or to increase your appreciation of the arts, you may want to consider apps offering dictionaries, verb conjugation or tools to test your vocabulary.

In all cases, you’ll want apps that hold your interest to ensure you stay engaged long enough to become proficient in Italian. Look for fun, contemporary content instead of old-fashion textbook lessons.

So get ready for a new Italian language adventure. If you hop on it today, and download a few free apps from the list below, you could be speaking your first Italian phrases before you know it. Good luck, or “buona fortuna” as they say in Italian.

Lingidy

If you wish to speak Italian like a natve, learn common phrases, and travel to Italy with peace of mind, then you absolutely need to try Lingidy. It's one of the best apps to learn Italian because it focuses on real-life scenarios instead of spending excessive time on the ABCs or grammar. Lingidy is user-friendly and it has over 100 lessons that will keep you engaged on your quest to learn Italian. I found it to be one of the most amazing language learning apps out there and it's free to try.

Some of the scenarios you can learn about have lesson names such as Airports, Train Stations, Passport Control, and Hotel Check Ins. But that's just the classic situations you are likely to learn about in class or in other courses. How about the fun stuff like meeting people and going out on the town? That's where Lingidy shines. There are lessons for learning about how to converse In a Bar, At the Pub and In a Club. And then some more spicy lessons including Flirting, Romance and what to say On a Date. You will even find lessons on Pick-up Lines and Rejections that you won't find in any other app!

You can tap on any phrase in a lesson to hear it pronounced. In the app settings, you can choose the speed and accent for pronunciation. If you are completely new to Italian, you may want to choose a slower pronunciation speed to make the phrases easier to comprehend. Lingidy also allows you to practice your own pronounciation. Some excersises prompt you to speak a phrase into the app, then tells you if you pronounced it correctly. Other lesson ask you to arrange words in a phrase, select the correct translation or spell the missing word in a phrase.

If you are a world traveler, Lingidy may be the best app to become master conversations quickly. Tourist will appreciate the practical lessons and students will like the cheeky ones. Download Lingidy for free in the App Store.

Lingidy for iPhone

Babbel

Babbel is a German company that publishes a language app in addition to hosting podcasts and live language classes. They focuses on teaching students real world conversations that draw from Italy's culture, history, people and places. The courses are created by a team of teachers and cater to beginners as well as intermediate learners, classified as A1 to B2 CERF Levels by the Council of Europe.

The company describes the Babbel Method as being the "shortest path to real-life conversations". They use techniques developed by academics from Yale University, City University of New York and Michigan State University. Interactive exercises include games to learn vocabulary and grammar, as well as tools to practice Italian pronunciation. You'll start with phrases such as How are you? and What is your name? and work your way up to more difficult language learning materials.

In addition to subscriptions for students and travelers, Babbel proposes a special track for professionals. If you’re a business person trying to seal a deal in Italy, then Babbel may be the best option for you. Download Babbel for free on Google Play or in the App Store.

Babbel for Android


Italian Translator +

Wouldn’t you love to have an Italian interpreter to help you speak the language while you’re visiting the best cities in Italy? Thankfully, you don’t need a person for this, as Italian Translator + will do the job just fine. It’s really one of the best language learning apps out there because it can translate any thought of yours in real-time. Whether you wish to order a pizza or find your way to the Colosseum, Italian Translator + can help.

Italian Translator + has three modes to help you translate words and phrases. You can enter them manually with the keyboard, speak them in, or take a photo and translate any words found in the picture. Speaking in the phrases is a great way to practice your pronunciation. If the app understands what you are saying in Italian, you are doing pretty good. You can also ask a native speaker to speak into the app and translate if you are not sure what they are saying. The photo translator is especially helpful for street signs and restaurant menus.

Unlike most translators that cover many languages, this one is specific to Italian. It includes an Italian English dictionary which can be very useful to gain a deep understanding of a specific word. It also includes an Italian verb conjugation tool with over 800,000 verb forms. As you might know from school, every sentence must contain a verb so mastering verb conjugations is a key part of mastering the Italian language.

Italian Translator + includes a phrasebook with useful sentences to help you make the most of a trip throug Italy. To improve vocabulary, Italian Translator + provides multiple choice quizzes and flashcards.

When you are traveling, access to Wi-Fi isn't always guaranteed. Fortunately, Italian Translator + works offline. If you want to make the most of a trip to Italy, then Italian Translator + might be the best app for you. Download it for free in the App Store or on Google Play.

Italian Translator + for iPhone


Duolingo

Duolingo is an app you have surely heard of before. We have probably all downloaded it at some point in our life. It’s just one of those foreign language apps one would use when they want to take on a new language. Duolingo has certainly come a long way throughout the years, but it’s still mostly useful for people who are at the beginning of learning Italian.

The app is considered among the best language learning apps as it features around 39 languages. When you start to learn Italian, you can choose to take a test and the app will place you on the correct level. So if you already know a few words or expressions, why not start at a later level rather than going through the same lessons you might already learned? Don’t forget to earn extra points for listening to real-life conversations besides your regular lessons.

Download Duolingo for free on Google Play or in the App Store.

Duolingo for Android


Lingo Pie

Many people spend time and money to learn second languages. They’re taught vocabulary words and grammar in a classroom, an environment that is often unexciting and sometimes even boring. Lingopie takes you out of class and teaches you through Youtube videos. With this unique approach to language learning, they believe that acquiring a new language will be stress-free, more efficient and fun!

Just pick your favorite show on Youtube and click on any word in the subtitle to get an instant translation. Then review and track your language learning using unique and immersive methods. There is even a version of Lingopie for kids.

Download Lingo Pie for free on Google Play or in the App Store.

Lingopie for iOS


Mosalingua

MosaLingua is an effective language learning app that provides an innovative approach to learning Italian. The app is designed to help users learn Italian quickly and efficiently by utilizing the principles of spaced repetition, active recall, and personalized learning. The app features over 3,000 Italian words and phrases, which are organized into different categories based on their level of difficulty.

One of the most impressive features of MosaLingua is its use of a unique learning system that adapts to each user's learning style and pace. The app tracks the user's progress and performance, allowing it to adjust the difficulty level of the content as the user progresses. Additionally, MosaLingua offers a variety of tools and resources to support the user's learning, including flashcards, pronunciation exercises, and grammar lessons.

Download Mosalingua for free on the App Store or on Google Play.

Mosalingua for iOS


Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone is one of the oldest software that enabled people to learn foreign languages. According to their statistics, it would take about 20 weeks for the average learner to master a level and some languages have five levels. Although it started out as software, Rosetta Stone now has an app and it’s one of the best language learning apps in the world.

Anyone who wishes to learn Italian can download the app, and sign up for either a 3-month or 12-month subscription, alternatively Rosetta Stone also offers a lifetime option. One of the key learning points of the app is learning through immersion. This means that the app offers real-life scenarios and puts you in different situations like checking in at a hotel or ordering a meal at a restaurant. This way you don’t just learn words and grammar, but you also learn how to implement them in your daily conversations.

Download Rosetta Store for free in the App Store or on Google Play.

Rosetta Stone for iPhone


Ouinolanguages

Ouinolanguages is an innovative language learning app designed specifically for individuals eager to master the Italian language. With its user-friendly interface and comprehensive curriculum, the app offers an immersive and effective learning experience.

One of the app's standout features is its emphasis on real-life communication. It offers practical dialogues and vocabulary related to everyday situations, ensuring that learners can quickly apply what they've learned in real-world contexts. Additionally, Ouinolanguages incorporates speech recognition technology, allowing users to practice their pronunciation and receive immediate feedback.

Download Ouino Italian for free in the App Store or on Google Play.

Ouino for iPhone


Drops

When we teach kids any language, we use engaging games, songs, and colorful cards, basically we make it as fun as we can so the little ones pay attention. Although Drops isn’t for small kids, it is the best app to learn a language for pretty much anyone. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t like boring lessons that become repetitive, try out Drops.

It supports over 45 languages and one of them is of course Italian. As this list isn’t about which app is better or worse, we couldn’t really compare Drops to any other language learning app. It’s great for building up your vocabulary and making sure you remember those words later too.

Download Drops for free in the App Store or on Google Play.

Drops for Android


Memrise

Memrise has over 60 million learners and supports 23 languages, but that’s not the reason why it’s on our list of best apps to learn a language. Learning Italian is one thing, but learning to speak Italian like a local is only possible if you’re in Italy. Or is it?

Well, Memrise fixed the issue for this too. It shows video clips of real locals teaching you the language. There are thousands of examples, you get to practice the phrases and exercise them over and over until you get them right. You’ll learn how to pronounce Cacio e Pepe and other words that seem impossible to pronounce in no time!

Download Memrise for free in the App Store and Google Play.

Memrise for iPhone


Busuu

If the first 8 languages were not enough to learn Italian, then check out Busuu. This isn’t an app that will help you become fluent in Italian, however, it’s useful when you’re a beginner and you just want to reach an intermediate level. Busuu can be used by different age groups and it’s not limited to students or business people.

You can access the app for free or try out the premium membership. There are memberships for 3, 12, and 24 months and even within these categories, one can also take out premium plus. It’s difficult to say what is the best language learning app out there, as they were all built for different purposes, but you can learn Italian on all of them.

Download Busuu for free in the App Store and Google Play.

Busuu for Android


Mondly

This app has been recognized by Forbes, Bloomberg, and CNN and received some very nice awards in its lifetime. Of the best language learning apps, it’s one that teaches you a number of different languages, not just for English speakers but for Italians, Spanish, German, French, Japanese, and many others.

It has over 1000 language combinations which are what allows you to learn from your native languages. The app was designed to have 50 or more topics that are everyday situations. It also features vocabulary builders, real conversations as well as grammar lessons. It’s really easy to learn Italian with Mondly.

Download Mondly for free in the App Store and Google Play.

Mondly for iPhone


Beelinguapp

Beelinguapp is definitely a special one. One can learn languages by reading and listening to audiobooks, news, and songs. There are only 14 languages available in Beelinguapp, however, Italian is one of them. Read the stories of history, science, and culture as well as using flashcards to memorize the words.

Listening to audiobooks is a great way to save time, so doing this while learning Italian is even better. As you can imagine, these stories are read by native speakers so you can acquire that Italian accent fast. And after you’ve read or listened to the story, the app will help you exercise with flashcards. Have you decided which are the best language learning apps worth your time?

Download Beelinguapp for free in the App Store and Google Play.

Beelinguapp for Android


Wrapping up the best Italian language learning apps

So what is the best language learning app? We’d love to choose one from this list, but each of them is unique in its own way and will help you learn Italian. If you’re a beginner then Duolingo is a great start, and travelers can choose between Lingidy or Italian Translator+, or both!

What about the best language learning apps for anyone who’s on an intermediate level? The Babbel language app is amazing for this purpose, but so are many others from the list. There are plenty of free language learning apps, you don’t have to commit to a plan, however, if you want to take your language skills to the next level, it is recommended to purchase a membership.

If we missed one of the best apps for learning Italian, even if it's yours, don't hesitate to email us at outreach@vidalingua.com


Happy learning!
Piroska Vigh

Piroska Vigh has been studying languages from a young age, and she speaks fluently Hungarian, English, Spanish and Romanian. Recently she started studying Hindi and Italian as well. As a travel writer at Wandering Zone, and Italy Best, it's important for her to know as many languages as possible, so language apps are essential for her everyday life.


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