Italian Podcasts

I while back, I posted that I had found some Italian language podcasts that I was listening to. I received a couple of comments from readers stating that they would like to learn Italian. After listening to several of these podcasts for a few weeks, here is my review of the top 5.


The Power Of The LingQ: This claims to be a revolutionary new way to learn a language, but so far, I haven't seen anything revolutionary or new about it. That's not to say it isn't a good program, just that it isn't all that different from other language instruction programs. The podcasts are a simple one or two minute long podcast, but they are completely in Italian--even the beginner lessons. No translation, no vocabulary. Just Italian. To get the English, you have to sign up for an account on the website and spend much time at the computer studying and translating. That's OK, if that is what you want to do and have time to sit at the computer all day, but if you want an actual podcast lesson, pass this one up. (The quality of the recording leaves a lot to be desired as well. The two people sound like they are sharing a single microphone in a large bathroom.) Cost: there are several levels of membership, which range from Free (in which you barely get anything) to $79 per month.


Let's Speak Italian: This seems like it would be a good series, but there is a drawback. You cannot go back and download previous lessons. They are up to lesson 80-something, so if you are an absolute beginner, you will be lost. Cost: The current lessons are free, but to go back and start from the beginning, you have to buy the entire series. It is $15 for the first 100 lessons, which is not a bad price, but why pay for what you can get elsewhere for free?

Learn Italian: This seems to be a very good language study series, however, I personally didn't like the format of the lessons. The way the podcast is set up is that they will have a brief dialog in Italian. They speak this dialog three times, then the teachers will translate explain what it means in terms of Italian culture. Then they repeat the dialog three more times. The thing about this one is that it doesn't seem to start at the beginning. Most language courses start off teaching you how to say things like hello and my name is. This one starts you off with what seems like a random bit of language, rather than an introduction. With this podcast, you feel like you are jumping into the middle of something that is already going on, even if you go back and download the very first lesson. Cost: The website has many resources to supplement your language study, and the costs range from free to $125 per month.

ItalianPod101.com: In my opinion, this is one of the better language learning podcasts out there. It offers several different levels of lessons--from the absolute beginner, to the more advanced student. All the podcasts are free and comprehensive enough that one can learn quite a bit of the Italian language just by listening to them. If you have no knowledge of Italian at all, you would want to start with the Newbie series. There are also resources available on the website, such as PDF downloads of the lessons and vocabulary lists, but one must buy a subscription to obtain those. Cost: The website offers four different levels of subscription, from free up to $199 per month. Also, if you sign up for multiple months, you get a discount.

My Daily Phrase Italian: I really like this podcast, even though it seems to be designed for the tourist planning a visit to Italy rather than a serious language student. It is a good introduction for those whose only knowledge of the Italian language are the words pizza and spaghetti. The podcasts are short, three to five minutes each, and the lessons are simple. You will learn just a couple of words or phrases each day, which prevents you from being overwhelmed by the amount of material presented. There are a total of 100 lessons, all of which have been released and are available for free download. Cost: The podcasts are free, and there are bonus materials available at the website for a one time fee of 25 British pounds or about $48 US.


The last two podcasts I listed are the subscriptions I kept. I've listed the others because everyone has a different learning style. What fits me may not fit you. I suggest you review all of them for yourself and decide which one best fits you.

E tutto per oggi. Arrivederci!

(Ok, one thing about learning from podcasts is that they don't tell you how to spell the words! A good Italian/English dictionary comes in right handy there.)