Although English is the official language of the Philippines, hundreds of other languages are spoken throughout the country’s islands. Because Tagalog is the most widely-used language in the country, it often acts as a bridge between native speakers and foreigners. Whether you’re planning a trip abroad, seeking education help, or looking to make work-related communication easier, learning Tagalog with an online tutoring service is a great way to ensure better communication with any native speaker.
How to Pick an Online Tagalog Tutoring Service
Learning Tagalog often isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, and your learning experience doesn’t have to be either. The tutoring industry provides a variety of services. However, some may be more suitable for specific learning goals than others.
To find the perfect tutoring service for your Tagalog studies, consider your preferred learning method. While some students will benefit from the time and attention of a private tutor, others might choose to study independently with a structured online course or a learning app.
Second, consider your individual learning goals. While a private tutor can often accommodate any learning goal, app-based content might be geared more toward another purpose. If you want to learn Tagalog for travel, try an app that focuses on building conversational vocabulary. For those studying Tagalog for work or school, try apps that focus on traditional Tagalog and specific vocabulary sets.
Lastly, keep your budget in mind. Our list has budget options for all sizes, from affordable private tutors to one-time purchases for lifetime access to a learning app. While some services might have a higher up-front cost, many offer a money-back guarantee if you aren’t totally satisfied.
Learning a new language for travel
As an increasingly popular travel destination, a trip to the Philippines isn’t complete without learning Tagalog. Consider Italki for their selection of private tutors who can help you get conversational in no time, or download the app from Dalubhasa Review Center to learn traditional Tagalog alongside slang, or “Taglish.”
Learning Tagalog for work
While the Philippines has become an increasingly important hub for commerce and business, learning Tagalog for work has become more of a necessity. Try Cudoo for their ascending courses that promise to build knowledge or their Tagalog for Business course to establish the necessary vocabulary.
Help with studying Tagalog for school
Whether you’re a student just beginning your Tagalog education or an advanced student looking to brush up on your proficiency, Ling App is the best learning companion for your studies. Its game-centered approach makes learning fun and engaging and is sure to feel less like a chore than traditional studying.
How We Picked the Best Online Tagalog Tutoring Services
Beginning with a list of dozens upon dozens of services, we selected these ten online tutoring services based on a variety of factors, such as user recommendations and reviews, affordability, and the availability of a free trial.
Past experiences with providers can go a long way, so we put this criterion at the top of our list. What current and past users have to say is crucial to determine which providers are truly the best, so you’ll find only the highest-rated options for Tagalog language learners here.
Even the most highly regarded services must be affordable and accessible, so we evaluated that next. Here, you’ll find various to accommodate any budget. Nothing says accessibility like the availability of a free trial, so we kept an eye out for those services, too. While not all services listed have a free trial, many offer a money-back guarantee.
The 10 Best Online Tagalog Tutors
With so many different online tutoring services out there, it can be challenging to determine which one is the best fit for you. This list has been compiled to help you find your perfect tutoring match so you can meet your learning goals faster, whether searching for a Tagalog tutor to improve communication with friends or family, preparing for a trip abroad, or something entirely different.
Drops
Studying Tagalog with Drops is a flexible, accessible alternative to learning a new language. In just five minutes a day, you can learn new vocabulary on a user-friendly interface that makes visual association and memory retention easy. Their self-paced app features high-quality audio and unique word lists that are curated to fit any educational need.
Reddit user tegamihime wrote of their 155-day streak that the app is “very addicting” and “aesthetically pleasing” but might not be ideal for those looking to learn more than one language. They continued, “you have to get premium to study more than one language…and the premium is very expensive.”
To begin, simply download the app from their website. It can be used on any device, making it a great language-learning tool that can always be close at hand.
| Price | $11 per month
$76.50 yearly, 7 days free, then billed annually $149.99 One-time purchase |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial |
| Device | Any device |
| Format | High-quality audio
100 well-curated word lists that can customize to fit learning needs |
| Certificate of completion: | No |
| Knowledge level | Beginner |
Learn more about Drops.
Clozemaster
Clozemaster is a gamified approach to learning Tagalog. Try their convenient app that offers fun, memory-boosting games to practice passive and active recall. Exercises include multiple-choice questions and text input specifically designed to help expand vocabulary while keeping language learners engaged and entertained.
The Clozemaster app is free to download from Google Play and the App Store. For an additional purchase, language learners can access Clozemaster Pro, which offers new features and an easier way to track personal stats and achievements.
| Price | $8 per month
$60 per year |
| Free trial | Mango Languages |
| Device | Any device |
| Format | Gamified, scientifically proven approach, learn in context |
| Certificate of completion: | No |
| Knowledge level | Intermediate to advanced |
Learn more about Clozemaster.
Italki
Italki is a great place to start if you’re looking for a private, one-on-one tutor. Featuring over 200 Tagalog tutors, their simple, user-friendly interface makes it easy to find your ideal tutoring match. Use their handy search feature to filter for lesson type, time, and price. You can also search for native speakers, community tutors, or professional teachers.
Reddit user cantfindausername99 wrote of their Italki experience, “I’ve hired many tutors and done a ton of lessons. Only one tutor wasn’t that great, but was still good enough that I never regretted a lesson. Coaching goes both ways. You have to give your coach enough information to help them help you meet your objectives.”
Click on any tutor’s profile to learn more about them, and check out their listed statistics, including their number of lessons taught and attendance rate.
| Price | $7 – $15 per hour |
| Free trial | Discounted 30-minute trial |
| Device | Any device |
| Format | Italki classroom or Skype, Facetime, Zoom, or WeChat
Instant Notepad and Whiteboard |
| Certificate of completion: | No |
| Knowledge level | Beginner to advanced |
Learn more about Italki.
Pimsleur
An excellent option for beginner and intermediate students alike, Pimsleur offers courses in Tagalog 1-2. Based on the Pimsleur Method, a technique that focuses on the optimal spacing of information to transfer from short to long-term memory, all Pimsleur courses are designed to make learning a new language easier. With just 30 minutes a day, you can make considerable progress in your journey to speak and understand Tagalog.
Pimsleur offers a free audio lesson for those still on the fence. Select your country of origin and Tagalog as the language you want to learn, and you’ll be on your way to fluency in no time.
| Price | $300 per course |
| Free trial | Free audio lesson |
| Device | All devices |
| Format | Audio language instruction
300 digital flashcards, Quick Match interactive phrase game |
| Certificate of completion: | Yes |
| Knowledge level | Beginner to Intermediate |
Learn more about Pimsleur.
Udemy
For those completely new to Tagalog, Udemy has a course that promises beginners the ability to introduce themselves and maintain brief conversations in a relatively short amount of time. With two hours of video and multiple downloadable resources, students can learn Tagalog at their own pace in interactive, conversation-based lessons.
While this course is a great option for students looking to learn the basics, it might not be the right fit if you want to work on verb tenses or more advanced topics. Add the course to your cart and complete the check-out process to get started.
| Price | $29.99 per course |
| Free trial | No free trial, 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Device | Any device |
| Format | 2 hours of on-demand video
7 downloadable resources 1 article |
| Certificate of completion: | Yes |
| Knowledge level | Beginner |
Learn more about Udemy.
Cudoo
Cudoo offers an approachable online learning environment for beginners just starting on their journey to learn Tagalog. Students learn vocabulary and helpful phrases to better navigate a first trip to the Philippines or become more conversational with Tagalog-speaking friends and family members.
After completing the Level 1 course, students can learn advanced language skills in Levels 2 and 3. Cudoo also offers a Tagalog for business course, perfect for those looking to brush up their proficiency for corporate needs. All students earn a certificate for each course they complete, perfect for sharing on LinkedIn or other social media sites.
| Price | $12.99 per course, One-time payment |
| Free trial | No free trial, 14-day money-back guarantee |
| Device | Any device |
| Format | 100% self-paced, lifetime access through web and app |
| Certificate of completion: | Yes |
| Knowledge level | Beginner |
Learn more about Cudoo.
Dalubhasa Review Center
Dalubhasa Review Center provides Tagalog beginners with an app-based learning experience that teaches traditional Tagalog vocabulary and slang. Students learn how to construct basic and advanced sentences through lessons on grammar mechanics alongside audio recorded by a native speaker. Additional features include practice assessments to test your knowledge and the option to speak in real-time with a native Tagalog speaker.
Simply download the app for iOS or Android directly from their website to get started.
| Price | $0.99 – $19.99 per item |
| Free trial | No free trial |
| Device | Any device |
| Format | Audio-recorded, Practice Tests
Built-in Music Player which includes Tagalog Songs, and lyrics with English Translations Quizzes |
| Certificate of completion: | No |
| Knowledge level | Beginner to advanced |
FilipinoPod101
FilipinoPod101 offers a variety of online Tagalog courses to satisfy any learning need. Students can choose from options such as “Absolute Beginner,” “Conversational Phrases,” and “Extensive Reading” and begin learning immediately. Be sure to make good use of their search filters, where you can specify the desired media type or learning category to find exactly what you’re looking for quickly.
Click on any learning pathway to view the outlined lesson plan. Pathways consist of a series of audio or video-based lessons specifically structured to promote student learning and better comprehension.
| Price | $8 – $47 per month: 1-Month Subscription
$21 – $125 per month: 3-Month Subscription $36 – $220 per month: 6-Month Subscription $60 – $316 per month: 12-Month Subscription $96 – $549 per month: 24-Month Subscription |
| Free trial | 7-Day Free Trial of Premium access |
| Device | Any device capable of playing MP3 |
| Format | Short Audio & Video Lessons
With word lists, slideshows, and flashcards |
| Certificate of completion: | Yes |
| Knowledge level | Beginner to advanced |
Learn more about FilipinoPod101.
Ling App
With a focus on creating a fun, engaging online learning environment, Ling App is a great companion for any student looking to improve their Tagalog. Students learn to read, write, and speak Tagalog through puzzles, challenges, and games. The best part? The Ling app can accommodate any learning need, from beginners looking to learn the basics or fluent speakers wanting to brush up on their proficiency.
With over 50 different languages, Ling App is a great option for those looking to grow multilingual quickly. To begin, download their iOS or Android app directly from their website.
| Price | $8.99 per month: 1-month subscription
$4.58 per month: 1-year subscription $149.99 Lifetime subscription |
| Free trial | No free trial |
| Device | Any device |
| Format | A variety of mini-games and interactive learning techniques |
| Certificate of completion: | No |
| Knowledge level | Beginner to advanced |
Learn more about Ling App.
Mango Languages
Equipped with a user-friendly and adaptive online interface, Mango Languages is a great partner for any language-learning journey. Students benefit from self-paced reading and listening exercises and an all-in-one learning interface that incorporates a progress tracker alongside individual lesson plans. Their multifaceted curriculum gives cultural and grammar notes, so you can be confident that your Tagalog education is comprehensive.
Many libraries offer free access to Mango Languages with a library card membership. Check with your local library to see if this is an option for you. Regardless, Mango Languages offers a generous two-week free trial to all new members, so you can try their service before making a financial commitment.
| Price | $7.99 per month: Single language
$17.99 per month: All languages |
| Free trial | Two-week free trial |
| Device | Any device |
| Format | Listening and reading, critical-thinking and memory-building exercises, grammar and culture notes |
| Certificate of completion: | No |
| Knowledge level | Beginner |
Learn more about Mango Languages.
Other Tagalog Tutoring Services to Consider
Outschool is an online tutoring service that offers group classes with a live instructor. Classes meet twice a week and are focused on rotating themes, including color, parts of the body, and family, to name a few.
For those searching for pronunciation help, consider Tandem. They offer live support from native Tagalog speakers, guaranteeing on-the-spot pronunciation correction.
What to Expect When Using Online Tagalog Tutoring Service
Many online Tagalog tutoring services are independent online courses that you can access through an app, or a website optimized for mobile use. This format is an excellent option for those looking to practice Tagalog on the go, with many apps offering a variety of language-learning games to keep students engaged. Most services provide vocabulary and conversational help, and some offer the occasional assistance of a Tagalog tutor or a native speaker.
Other online tutoring services might offer a structured online course or a private tutor. An online course may consist of either recorded or live video instruction and downloadable resources and are most often self-paced, independent learning experiences. Private tutoring involves meeting with a live instructor for one-on-one learning, usually through video conferencing software like Zoom or Skype. Rather than working from a set curriculum, private tutors often tailor their lesson plans to the student’s individual learning goals.
What You Need to Learn Tagalog Using an Online Tutor
Most online tutoring services can be best accessed through a high-speed internet connection. While this is often optional for app-based learning, which can function on public Wi-Fi or your device’s data plan, it is often necessary for online courses with live instruction or private tutoring through video chat. Most services can accommodate a variety of devices, but some might recommend using a laptop or desktop computer to guarantee the best possible experience.
Free vs. Paid Online Tagalog Tutors: What’s the Difference?
While free services can be helpful companions for any Tagalog learning experience, many users find that paid services can help them reach specific learning goals faster. When compared to a free service’s vocabulary list, paid services often offer courses at multiple levels, making learning easier and more achievable.
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