If you’re looking to learn a new language but are unsure which platform to use, this is my personal review of Preply, an amazing platform for learning a language online.
Why I Chose Preply
Having travelled to 152 countries and lived in five, learning the basics of a language is really important to me. Even just saying hello and thank you in a language can go a long way when you’re travelling solo.
I’m now confident in Spanish-speaking countries when I’m travelling (thanks to living in Colombia and Barcelona), and can get by in French-speaking countries.
And now it’s time for Arabic! But unlike Latin languages, I was worried about how to learn Arabic. It has a completely different alphabet and different sounds. Even though I have Arabic books sitting in my cupboard, it just felt too overwhelming.
After trying Duolingo for a couple of months, I needed a different way of learning, so I signed up for a personal tutor. I love learning but knew that having a tutor would give me some extra encouragement.
What is Preply?
If you haven’t heard of Preply, it’s a platform for taking private online lessons to learn any language with flexible payments. As well as the website (that I use on my desktop), they also have an app.
It connects you with native-speaking tutors from around the world and they have thousands of tutors at affordable rates.
You don’t need to learn Arabic either as they also offer Spanish, French, and many other languages and with more than thousands of great reviews on Trustpilot, the platform is one of the best out there.
How Preply Works
You choose which language you want to learn, then look through the list of tutors. Tutor rates vary so you can choose one that fits your budget. You can check how many reviews they have and how many lessons they have taught too.
For Spanish, for example, there are more than 14,000 tutors to choose from.
You then choose your goal, which can be:
- Career and business
- Exams and coursework
- Culture, travel and hobby
I chose Culture, Travel and Hobby as I have Arab friends and wanted to be able to hold a conversation with them.
It then asks when you want to achieve this goal and you can choose from 1–4 weeks to “as long as it takes.” Or you can even choose just one lesson.
For “What’s inspiring your language journey?” I chose Family/Friends, but there’s also the option to choose Travel. It then asks your level, so I chose “I’m just starting,” but there are also the options:
- I know the basics
- I’m conversational
- I’m fluent
You then choose your available days and times, from mornings through to evenings. You also choose your budget for a 50-minute lesson (from around £2 upwards), and Preply shows tutors that match. Each tutor has an introduction video so you can get a feel for their personality before booking.
You can then book either:
- A 25-minute trial lesson
- A full 50-minute lesson
* Save 70% off a trial lesson through this link! *
Why I Chose My Tutor
Wanting to support people living in Lebanon during this time, and having friends from both Lebanon and Egypt, I chose to look for a tutor from Lebanon.
I watched three tutors’ introduction videos before choosing Abdul. His fun personality really came across in his video, and I immediately felt like we’d be a good fit. I booked a 50-minute trial lesson so I could experience both his teaching style and the platform.
The Platform
The platform is so easy to use. Believe me, I use so many platforms with my blog and some of them are so frustrating when you can’t find where you think a function should be.
There’s a Canvas option, which is an interactive whiteboard that both you and your tutor can write on. This is what we use for grammar and sentence building. There’s also a chat function where your tutor can send messages and encouragement between lessons. Scheduling lessons is simple too. I can reschedule and change them depending on my tutor’s availability.
My Learning Experience
When I started lessons with Abdul, I was hoping to build my confidence in speaking. I didn’t expect to enjoy every lesson as much as I do. Abdul explains everything really clearly and, when I don’t understand or have an evening when my brain is tired, he saves the more complicated learning until the next session.
My confidence has increased and my pronunciation has improved so much. With Spanish you pronounce every single letter, but Arabic is completely different. Listening to my tutor say the words and correct my pronunciation has been something I would have struggled with on my own.
Teaching Styles
You can choose which teaching style works best for you.
I always thought I was a visual learner, but I actually found repetition worked brilliantly for vocabulary. Abdul pointed to each item on the screen and I remembered many of them without even seeing the spelling.
Having a native speaker has also helped me understand the culture. I ask him questions about how things work in Islam and daily life, and he asks me questions too, so it feels like a genuine cultural exchange.
Lesson Schedule & Flexibility
Preply recommends taking three lessons each week.I currently take 50-minute lessons, although you can choose 25-minute lessons if they suit you better. If life gets busy, you can pause your subscription for up to 20 days or simply reduce the number of weekly lessons.
Why I Love Preply
One thing I really like is how encouraging the platform is. I receive a reminder the day before every lesson saying, “Your Arabic lesson is coming up.”
After five weeks I received an email saying, “You’ve taken a lesson every week for 5 weeks!” along with a message congratulating me on my commitment. When my monthly subscription renewed, I also received an email showing all of my scheduled lesson dates. They even rewarded me with 20% off additional lessons too.
It constantly celebrates your progress, which makes it much easier to stay motivated and I always get messages from my tutor saying “Abdul said you did great work today!” With a champion cup icon that I can share on social media if I want to.
I’m the kind of person who thrives on making progress so the platform really suits my style with he content praise and encouragement. It’s great!
* Save 70% off a trial lesson through this link! *
How Much Does Preply Cost?
Tutor prices vary depending on experience, language and location. Lessons start from around ££3 for a 50-minute lesson, with more experienced tutors charging higher rates. Because you choose your tutor, you can find someone who suits almost any budget. And you just top up
Who is Preply For?
- Anyone who wants to learn a language with a native speaker.
- Whether you’re learning for travel, work, studies or simply as a hobby, there’s a tutor to suit your goals.
- It also works well for different budgets, as tutors start from just a few pounds per lesson.
Pros & Cons
|
Feature |
My Experience |
|
Ease of use |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
|
Tutor quality |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
|
Value for money |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
|
Flexibility |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
|
Best for |
Speaking confidence with native tutors |
|
Languages |
50+ languages |
|
Trial lesson |
Yes |
Pros
- Huge choice of tutors
- Native-speaking teachers
- Flexible lesson scheduling
- Affordable pricing
- Interactive classroom and whiteboard
- Encouraging progress tracking
- Learn about the culture as well as the language
Cons
I usually write what I don’t really like about a platform or service when I review it, but honestly, I struggled to find any real negatives.
If I wasn’t enjoying lessons with my tutor, I could simply choose another one. And if I found the pace too much, I could reduce my lessons or pause my subscription altogether.
My conclusion
Is Preply solo female-friendly? Yes! Absolutely. I love the platform and my experience so far.
If you want to learn a language with a native-speaking tutor, I definitely recommend Preply, especially if your goal is to build confidence in speaking.
For me, having a real person to practise with has made a huge difference compared to learning through an app alone. My confidence has grown, my pronunciation has improved, and I’ve also learned so much about the culture alongside the language.
I’m excited to continue my Arabic journey and can’t wait to see how much more progress I make over the coming months.
* Save 70% off a trial lesson through this link! *
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