How I Use italki to Learn 5+ Languages

From finding a tutor to having a great lesson, here's how I use italki to learn my target languages!
Learn 150+ languages with quality native-speaking teachers on italki🎉. Buy $10 get $5 for free for your first lesson using my code PROGRESS5:
Web: go.italki.com/polyglotprogres...
App: italki.app.link/polyglotprogr...
✨ Are lessons like these nerve-wracking? Check out my tips for overcoming the fear of speaking!
↳ • Overcome the Fear of S...
Thank you to my current patrons Josh K and Narwhal for supporting my content! I appreciate you so much :)
✨ Support my content on Patreon
↳ / polyglotprogress
✨ Find more language content over on my blog!
↳ polyglotprogress.com/
✨ Hang out with me on social media
↳ Twitter! / polyglotprogres
↳ Instagram! / polyglotprogress
✨ Business inquiries
↳ [e-mail]
✨About/FAQ
↳ Hi! I’m Abigail (she/they). I love learning languages and using them to live a multilingual life. I post videos sharing my honest experience learning, improving, and maintaining multiple languages, and tips and advice based on the things I've learned along the way. My goal is to create a supportive community of people who love languages and the things we can do with them as much as I do! My current languages-- English (native), French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Bulgarian.
✨ Music
↳ share.epidemicsound.com/1vufuq
✨ Chapters
0:00-1:00 Into
1:00-2:27 What is italki?
2:27-6:43 Picking a Tutor
6:43-9:41 Preparing for a Lesson
9:41-13:48 Lesson Structures
13:48-14:30 After the Lesson Ends
14:30-15:25 Building a Routine
15:25-16:30 Outro
✨ Disclaimer
↳ This video is sponsored by italki.
#italki #onlinelessons #languagelearning

[@PolyglotProgress]

Learn 150+ languages with quality native-speaking teachers on italki🎉. Buy $10 get $5 for free for your first lesson using my code PROGRESS5: Web: go.italki.com/polyglotprogress2023 App: italki.app.link/polyglotprogress2023

[@languageishard]

I've been using the same italki tutor for 5 years and love her so much!

[@PolyglotProgress]

Finding a tutor you click so well with is so great!!

[@rhezer]

If you haven't learned the lenguage in 5 years that tells a lot

[@languageishard]

@rhezer Really? What does it tell you? Because my comment gave you no indication of how often I meet her, whether or not I took any breaks in that 5 years, if I have any learning disabilities, if I'm learning a language similar to one I already know, or even if she's teaching me with a textbook or if she's someone I just meet for conversation practice in a language I speak well 😉

[@sonjah.6209]

I have never taken structured lessons on italki, only conversation classes. And that’s why I only have one criterion: I want a person that I like, that I feel comfortable with. Because this is such a personal thing, I find it difficult to tell anyone the reason I ruled them out. I have developed this strategy for me: Whenever I try out a new person, I clearly tell them both in my previous message and at the start of the lesson that I only want one single lesson to chat a bit. This means I don’t have to give any explanations if I don’t come back. If we are a good fit, I will book again. And a second recommendation that I read somewhere or maybe heard on youtube and that might be useful for some: Do not only look at the number of classes a tutor has taught, but divide it by the number of students they’ve had. If someone has 5 students and has taught 400 lessons, it means their students are loyal and come back again and again, which might be an indication of good classes. On the other hand, 400 lessons taught to 300 different students are maybe not the best sign.

[@eldredsashes]

I use italki to improve my French speaking skills. Before booking my first lesson, I checked on the intro videos of several tutors. Once I decided on a tutor, I booked a trial lesson with her. The lesson went so well that I started taking regular lessons with her. My tutor is awesome; I adore her. I now compare every other tutor to her. I have been hesitant in taking lessons with other tutors because I work so well with this tutor. I eventually booked a lesson with another tutor; he sent me a message beforehand to ask what I wanted to talk about during the lesson. A few days later, I sent him a message with some ideas. He was great; he gave me some great tips. I must admit, thou, I do prefer my original tutor. I plan on taking lessons with her until she stops being a tutor on italki.

[@user-gs3fv3cb8c]

Can you tell me the name of the French(original)tutor, please?

[@Allijosondy]

This sounds like how I would be 😂

[@bryonyrigby2468]

It'd be nice if you were able to film clips of the different types of lesson that you mentioned, as you did with the debate style clip - for someone who's not very confident with or familiar with taking online lessons, it'd be helpful to see examples so that I can know what kind of things to ask for, my options, and what they look like!

[@PolyglotProgress]

Thank you for the feedback! I'll definitely keep that in mind for future videos like this one 😊

[@nendoakuma7451]

I’ve used Italki off and on since 2014. I have also used other services and worked with language schools (online). It’s definitely convenient

[@AtticBoy68]

Great video Abigail. I've just started using italki and these tips will no doubt help me get the most out of the lesson.

[@flashgordon6510]

I have had the same teacher on iTalki for Japanese for two years, and she's amazing, and I've also taken conversation classes and classes focused on grammar with other teachers, and they've all been great.

[@ekaterinavolkova4348]

I've got you promo code, and I'm gonna take my first lesson on italki. Thanks a lot.

[@chrisr4679]

Thanks...going to try it to improve my french...I think that any opportunity you have of exposure to the targeted language is a win...No matter how bad it was...:)

[@louandbarb]

Thank you so much for this excellent video. You have made me want to try italki again. I am just barely A2 in Spanish and am just not sure how to go about online lessons with so little vocabulary. I thought that I might do better working on my own, learning vocabulary and then go back to italki, but you seem to have had good experiences when you were at a beginner level. This is encouraging me to try it again.

[@PolyglotProgress]

There are lots of tutors who work with beginners!

[@miloslavastepanova9398]

I love italki. Thank you for the vide😊

[@PolyglotProgress]

Thank you!

[@annikam8147]

I never used iTalki, but I'm considering to take lessons. -

[@PolyglotProgress]

I'm excited to hear what you think if you end up trying it out!

[@annikam8147]

@@PolyglotProgress i have my first lesson tmr AHHHH

[@PolyglotProgress]

@@annikam8147 you've got this!!

[@abukitten]

@@annikam8147 howd it go? 😬

[@okno2277]

@@annikam8147 how did your first lesson go? i also want to take classes on italki so i want to hear about your experience

[@paulwalther5237]

I wish it were easy to see teachers that use their language to teach it instead of English. That’s the biggest concern I have when selecting a tutor.

[@anikaslanguages6292]

This sounds nice :) I am also mainly studying through italki, at the moment learning 5 languages simultaneously. I mainly search for tutors who teach through comprehensible input, like a story or picture description that is comprehensible to me with some new words. But I've had all sorts of different lessons as well, from super structured ones to those where you only use conversation. And I can totally relate to sleeping until 10 minutes before class :D Are you still teaching english on italki? I have found it very difficult to get in and still haven't managed to do it.

[@PolyglotProgress]

I'm not anymore, no! I stopped when I started a different full-time job a few years ago and wasn't able to dedicate time to tutoring anymore. Has it been the application process or something else you've found difficult?

[@anikaslanguages6292]

@@PolyglotProgress Thanks for responding! German has been closed for application for months, I keep checking but it is not reopening. Maybe it would be good to go through a different platform for now. Ah, okay, I can understand that - a full-time job is, after all, full time!

[@plavitch]

I last took Italki lessons in 2016 and as you mentioned, a lot has changed since then. If I remember correctly, Skype was pretty much the only option for classes in those days but my current computer doesn't even have Skype installed. I see that now Italki has its own Classroom platform and there are probably other options as well. Do you favor using a certain application for your lessons or is it instructor's choice?

[@PolyglotProgress]

Yes! It was skype only back in those days haha I actually use the classroom most of the time now, but if you prefer a different platform I've found most teachers are really flexible

[@user-id6ig3ld1t]

I use preply because there are more cheaper options.

[@allthingsenglishsa]

I worked on Preply for 4 years and left because of the "cheaper options". You get what you pay for...

[@user-id6ig3ld1t]

@@allthingsenglishsa it's called balance. It's like where you have less work rights where you have to work more.

[@user-id6ig3ld1t]

@@allthingsenglishsa I have gotten what I've wanted. My goal was practicing speaking therefore I didn't need to teach me

[@user-id6ig3ld1t]

@@allthingsenglishsa a lot of Filipino people make price to small

[@katewhitely]

I have found that a conversation based lesson is best for me if I am at least an A2 in the language. I haven’t found anything that really works for me in the lower levels. (A1 and absolute beginner.) It’s probably best to wait until you are closer to an A2 level, in my opinion. Italki doesn’t really seem appropriate for persons of less than an A2 level. I have been using iTalki for several languages over several years, and have dropped most as a result. I will probably only use iTalki for Spanish until my German level is high enough.

[@alyaaalmuraish]

I wanna know how can I set another language in the italki to learn ?

[@annap1871]

Hello, Happy New Year! I was wondering if the new year will be a year of Japanese for one of us?

[@PolyglotProgress]

I hope so! Happy New Year!

[@IHaveNoLaifu]

I've been interested in trying italki to improve my french, but my social anxiety says no. 😅

[@PolyglotProgress]

I totally get that, but I promise it's not as bad as you'd think! A lot of tutors have experience working with social anxiety and will make sure you feel comfortable and then it gets easier the more you meet with them

[@Abdi-zg3br]

What do the levels of A1, A2 and B1,2 and C1,2 stands for?

[@PolyglotProgress]

They're a way of describing your language level based on the common european framework of reference for languages (aka CEFR). I made a quick video on it a while back you can watch here-- kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4TGnKyXftCFpJIsi=ZcuN_vKEDiVBrhL3

[@davidbrisbane7206]

How can anyone afford the number of italki lessons one would need to become fluent?

[@576kg8]

Exactly my question

[@asanengineer_]

You're very charming! I wish I can meet you personally.

[@myselfme767]

Здравей, защо избра да учиш български език?

[@sanetersoy4512]

Good luck with your new hair.

[@EMVelez]

Luck?

[@Zapatero078]

Do not learn many languages at the same time unless it is just for fun lol