006. Italian Language Resources & Proficiency Tests

There are literally thousands of free or very cheap Italian language learning tools online. These are some of my favorites. There are also endless tips on how to learn but here are some things that seem to be working for me (even though I still have a looooooong way to go … more about that at the end.)

Finding five or six platforms/channels I really like and sticking with them instead of jumping all over the place or looking for more/better ones (i.e. procrastinating.)
Not procrastinating! I really wish I would have gotten serious and consistent five or twenty-five years ago!
Being consistent and committing to studying 20-60 minutes EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Keeping a streak going on Duolingo. Wish I would have done this years ago.
Finding a quiet place to practice speaking without inhibitions. This really helps get my mouth ‘adjusted’ to saying things in Italian and to become braver about speaking in real life.
Having fun with it – I’m going to make lots and lots of mistakes but I’m getting old and I don’t care. I may always think “undici” means one in the afternoon and that will always make me laugh.
Knowing that I am making progress. At first it felt so mind-boggling (like the reflexive verbs!) but slowly and with lots of repetition it starts to click and stick.
Giving the cartoon-y and AI-generated videos a try because they are actually very useful.
Only watching and listening to “full immersion” videos and audio that don’t jump back and forth between Italian and English or try to explain everything.
Listening to sleep stories or conversations while I fall asleep. I love these!

Italian Language Learning Resources:

Duolingo – What I like about this website/app is that you gradually learn grammar without even knowing it – and you definitely DO make progress if you’re consistent and use it every day. FREE but I use the paid version.

TalkPal – My first forage into AI learning and so far, I love it! FREE but I upgraded to the paid version.

Online Italian Club – This is a fantastic COMPLETELY FREE resource. It lets you test your Italian level and there are sections on listening, grammar, dialogues, verbs and vocabulary – all great! There’s also a newsletter, but I didn’t find that very useful. Here is the link for the full website:

Quizlet – You can download or create your own flashcards and quizzes on the website or app. This is really fun and COMPLETELY FREE. This was a great stress distraction when we were buying our house and waiting for things to move forward.

Free Italian Proficiency/Level Tests:

YouTube Channels (in no particular order:)

The last two are a little weird. I absolutely LOVE the TV show “4 Hotel” and can’t get enough of Bruno Barbieri saying, “Allora, albergatori.” I have found the more I listen – even if I don’t understand much – the less Italian sounds like complete gobeldy-gook.

I’ve also watched a few episodes of QVC Italia and some movies and TV shows in Italian but really need to get a VPN to be able to watch more.

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I tested on Jan 24th, 2026, as “low intermediate” on Online Italian Club apparently. My listening/comprehension is pretty good, but when I go to open my mouth, seriously, one time I could not even remember “sto bene” when someone in the shop asked me “como stai?”

So, my ONLY regret about buying a place in Italy is not taking learning Italian much more seriously – and being disciplined and committed and consistent – like, thirty years ago! Or at least five.

If you’re in the same boat or stuck in a rut with the same materials or feeling unmotivated, I really hope some of these resources help. Below is some of my progress with links.