Learn Filipino – Perapera

The 5 Best Apps for Learning Filipino

Josiah — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 23:33:27 +0000

FlipinoPod101 boasts an enormous selection of video/audio lessons and a fully customizable syllabus.

100% audio based, Pimsleur helps you to achieve an intermediate conversational level very quickly.

Highly gamified & fun to use, Ling is packed with dozens of short ‘mini-lessons’ with interactive dialogues

For many, the Philippines is a place of paradise. Friendly locals, dreamy beaches and exquisite cuisine makes this unique country an ideal destination for travelling, with over 7000 islands to explore boasting some of the best natural beauty on Earth. But how important is it for you to learn the Filipino language?

Whilst it’s true that English is widely spoken in the cities, once you get outside the urban areas and really start to explore the country you’ll quickly discover that everyone speaks Tagalog, the official language of the Philippines.

Tagalog is a fascinating language, with a complex grammar system that’s vastly different to English. And yet, those who take the plunge and commit to studying it soon discover that it’s well worth the journey.

So, what’s the best way to learn Tagalog without actually being in the country? Which apps & language programs are the most effective and affordable to quickly get up to speed with Tagalog? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Read on to discover our list of top five apps for learning Tagalog (and a few more runners up at the end).

Are you ready to check out the best apps for learning Filipino?

‘Tara na!’ (it means ‘Let’s go!)

1. Filipinopod101

Best Overall – Most Comprehensive

Overall, the best app by far is FilipinoPod101. A subscription to the app grants access to an enormous library of video and podcast lessons, ranging in topic from travel to dating. The company behind FilipinoPod101, Innovative Language, has been around for a long time and it shows. Not only do you get high quality video lessons with full dialogues & transcripts, but a myriad of extra learning tools all tied up nicely into an intuitive and easy-to-use app.

FilipinoPod101 gives you the ability to fully customize your own learning by selecting specific learning ‘pathways’ from their vast lesson library. The pathway guides you through each lesson, completing exercises & focusing on specialised topics. Alongside the lessons you’ll find frequency word lists, flashcards, topical vocab lists, a word bank, and more. Plus, you can sign up today using our unique coupon code and get up to 77% off.

Click here to read our full FilipinoPod101 review.

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2. Pimsleur

Most Effective Conversational App

The Pimsleur app isn’t for everyone. It’s a rather heavy & intensive course that gets you up to a basic conversational level of Tagalog in a very short space of time. Each 30-60 minute lesson first introduces you to an authentic dialogue and then proceeds to deconstruct it into it’s basic phrases, words and sounds, whilst testing you throughout with a spaced repetition system of learning. It’s not cheap either, but it’s backed by decades of research and is a very effective tool for developing a fluent conversational level very quickly.

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 5/5

 4/5

3. Ling

Most Fun & Interactive

Ling is a highly gamified app for learning over 50 different languages (including Tagalog). It motivates you with the possibility to earn bananas, compete with friends and unlock new levels to complete, similar to how Duolingo operates. The basic version is free, and beyond that you’ll need a monthly subscription granting access to a whole library of lessons, games, activites and reading/writing exercises.

The lessons all incorporate high quality audio files, which includes the interactive chatbot that allows you to ‘talk’ with the app by selected pre-programmed responses. Overall, the effectiveness of the app is up for question since it’s mostly just passive learning (without any actual speaking or writing practice) however it certainly is very engaging & motivating, which is an essential ingredient to long term language success.

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 5/5

4. Learn Tagalog by Dalubhasa

Most Cost Effective

Sometimes the best apps are those that are developed by native speakers, and certainly ‘Learn Tagalog by Dalubhasa‘ is well worth checking out. The app teaches basic vocabulary, phrases and grammar. It’s split into 5 levels, from beginner to expert, with the first two levels being completely free (after this you’ll need to buy a subscription). Whilst it starts off with very basic topics like colors, numbers, pronouns and conjunctions, the content quickly transitions into more colloquial Tagalog which is far more useful for everyday life & speaking like a local.

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 4/5

 3/5

5. Italki

Best for Conversational Practice

Italki is an absolute godsend when it comes to developing natural, conversational Filipino language skills. Students who use italki regularly find that their speaking confidence skyrockets and they end up enjoying the learning process much more, and therefore keeping up their motivation to maintain a study habit.

You can browse through the many hundreds of available tutors, book a trial class and get speaking right away. Don’t worry if you are just a beginner, the tutor will adjust their level to cater to your experience. Lessons are affordable and can be carried out on zoom, google or using their own built-in learning platform.

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 4/5

Runners-up for Best Filipino App:

Maybe these top five apps didn’t quite satisfy your tastebuds? Here’s some additional runners up that you might find more useful.

Memrise

Memrise is a very popular option for learners of all sorts of languages, from Chinese to Hungarian. They’ve recently widened their market to loads of new langauges – including Tagalog. You can expect videos of native speakers, natural dialogues, gamified quizes & a nice user interface.

However, the app now allows you to choose from several difference courses that are created by independent course creators. This means that whilst the amount of content & variety is awesome, the quality does vary somewhat. So be a bit careful with this one. It’s also a bit pricer than the other apps we’ve mentioned so far.

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 3/5

 4/5

 5/5

Tandem

If you like the idea of practice with native speakers then you’ll love Tandem. Along with other similar apps (like Hellotalk), Tandem creates a digital space for language exchange students to connect. Rather like a social media site, you can fill in your own profile about your own interests and learning goals and then start messaging other students who share your same interests. The app will automatically pair you with someone looking to learn a language you already possess (English or maybe Russian, for example).

The app makes it easy to spend equal amounts of time speaking each others target language and even suggests conversational promts and questions to ask. It has a built in error corection feature to allow you to correct mistakes, plus a translate button – very handy! It can get quite addictive, I often have many language partners all on the go at the same time, but it’s a great way to get real exposure to the native language and make meaningful cultural exchanges.

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 5/5

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 5/5

Language Drops Tagalog (Filipino)

Drops is a fun app for learning new vocabulary through games & activities. It follows a predominantly visually-based method of learning by assosiating words with images. Whilst there’s not much in the way of grammar, the short puzzles & word games can be a great way to build up your Filipino vocabulary.

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 4/5

Conclusion: The 5 Best Apps For Learning Filipino

If you’ve get anything out of this article I hope that it’s the fact that there’s loads of really cool apps out there for learning Tagalog. Now you have literally no excuse to get out there and start learning this beautiful language.

To recap, overall we recommend checking out FilipinoPod101 as our choice for the best app for learning Filipino. It’s both entertaining & very effective for learning Tagalog, providing you are disciplined enough to follow the learning paths through to their end. Couple this with an app for speaking like italki and your all good to go!

But most of all, try to find out which method works best for you, and have fun!

Josiah

Josiah is a digital nomad with a passion for language learning and adventure travel. He’s taught English as a foreign language for many years and is currently learning Georgian, French and Chinese.

FilipinoPod101 Coupon Code

Editorial Team — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 10:50:16 +0000

If you’ve decided to learn to speak Filipino—a fun language spoken by over 83 million people—you can’t go wrong with FilipinoPod101, a comprehensive language-learning program by Innovative Language. We even have these incredible discount codes to help you save money while getting started.

FilipinoPod101 Coupon Codes

Both new and existing members are eligible to take advantage of the following FilipinoPod101 Coupon Codes.

Each deal has been verified to work as of Sept 2024, so contact us if you encounter any issues.

FilipinoPod101—30% Off Coupon

The link below can save you 30% on regular subscription costs when you sign up for a two-year subscription. Simply, click the link and your discount is automatically applied.

FilipinoPod101 30% OffGet Up To $165 Off

FilipinoPod101—60% Off Special Promo

Save 60% on regular subscription costs when you sign up for the exclusive Lifetime Subscription plan. Pay a one-time fee and gain access to FilipinoPod101 for life, allowing you to take your time learning without feeling like you’re wasting money.

FilipinoPod101 60% OffPremium Only

FilipinoPod101—77% Off Secret Promo

Those who want to learn more than one language can benefit from another exclusive subscription plan: the Three-Language Lifetime subscription. Pay a one-time fee and gain access to FilipinoPod101 and two other languages of your choice for life. This will save you 77% on regular subscription costs if you use the programs for five years or more.

FilipinoPod101 77% OffPremium Only

Using Your FilipinoPod101 Coupons

New FilipinoPod101 Members

1. Choose one of the above discounts.
2. Next, select the monthly plan that best fits your needs: Basic, Premium, or Premium PLUS—which will be covered in more detail later.
3. Set up your payment information using Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or PayPal.
4. Determine the length of the subscription—remembering longer subscriptions will save more money.
4. Check your email for a link to verify your account and begin your studies.

Existing FilipinoPod101 Members

1. Log into FilipinoPod101 and then return to this page.
2. Choose one of the above discounts.
3. You will be guided through the steps to claim your deal.

Can These Discounts be used Everywhere?

Yes, as long as you have internet access, you can use these discount codes.

Which Plan is Best?

Basic

The Basic plan is best for you if:

• You are on a budget but still need access to the entire lesson library
• You are traveling soon and would like quick phrases to get by

Premium

The Premium plan is best for you if:

• You want access to all the learning tools available including flashcards and voice recognition
• You prefer interactive lesson quizzes to make sure you know your material
• You have friends and family who speak Filipino

Premium PLUS

The Premium PLUS plan is best for you if:

• You prefer some one-on-one instruction
• You want ongoing testing to make sure you are progressing
• You like the idea of personalized learning plans

If you can’t decide, another option is trying out the Premium plan for just $1 for your first month.

Premium Plan $1 FilipinoPod101

Editorial Team

Our Editorial Team is a group of language learning enthusiasts who are passionate about testing new apps and finding the best ways to learn a language.

FilipinoPod101 Review

Michael — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 04:05:43 +0000

Editor’s Note: This FilipinoPod101 review is up to date as of September 19, 2024. The article contains affiliate links, however we only recommend products that we have personally used and believe in.

The Philippines has recently been designated as a Newly Industrialized country and also as an Emerging Market, making now the perfect time to learn or brush up on the Filipino language.

The Philippines has over 64 million people living on its over 7,600 islands that speak some form of Filipino.

Filipino is, in fact, one of the most geographically dispersed languages in the world—second only to English. Whether you’re planning your next vacation, connecting with business prospects, or learning about other cultures, it’s likely you’ve encountered the Filipino language or one of its close relatives.

FilipinoPod101, created by Innovative Languages, is one of the quickest ways we’ve found for learning Filipino at your own pace.

Already made up your mind and looking for our FilipinoPod101 discount?

FilipinoPod101 Review: Summary

Name: FilipinoPod101

URL: www.filipinopod101.com

Operating System: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

Currency: USD

Price: Free lifetime account. 7-day trial period. Basic subscription is $4/month. Premium subscription is $10/month. Premium PLUS subscription is $23/month. Sign up for 3-, 6-, 12- or 24-months and receive a discount.

Application Category: Language Learning Software

Description: Innovative Language is breaking new ground with FilipinoPod101 and its counterparts. Designed to quickly immerse you in the Filipino language, FilipinoPod101 also lets you learn at your own pace and style. You will find skill levels ranging from Absolute Beginner to Advanced Speaker.

In a Nutshell: FilipinoPod101 takes a logical approach to language learning by offering a myriad of podcasts, videos, and assorted learning tools. With mobile apps and desktop tools, how you learn Filipino is entirely up to you.

Quality of Learning Materials:

Quantity of Lessons:

Effective and Efficient:

Teaches Useful Phrases:

Price:

 5/5

 4/5

Overall Score: 4.2

 4.2/5

Pros

Cons

Filipino vs. Tagalog

Wait, you might think, shouldn’t I learn to speak Tagalog? Isn’t that what is spoken in The Philippines?

The answer is yes, along with many other dialects that are all variations of Filipino. Tagalog is spoken by about one-third of the country’s population and is widely spoken around the world.

Essentially, Filipino is the standardized form of Tagalog and is considered the national language.

It is widely used in public communications and government affairs. The relationship between Filipino and Tagalog can be compared to the relationship between British English and American English: speakers of both can understand one another, with the main differences being spelling and dialect.

FilipinoPod101 Review: Overview

FilipinoPod101 boldly claims to teach you Filipino in the most fun, easy, and fast way possible. You can quickly try a free lesson before signing up, and once you do decide to subscribe, you’ll receive a free lifetime account. Then, you can choose your subscription plan. A seven-day trial period is completely free.

With a free account, you’ll be able to access a wide variety of curated audio as well as video lessons, learning tools like flashcards, and lists of common Filipino words. If you choose to upgrade to one of the monthly subscription plans, you’ll also gain access to:

English translations, lesson notes, and quizzes
Interactive vocabulary and phrase learning tools
Thousands of video and audio podcast lessons by native Filipino speakers
Mini lessons delivered to your inbox each day
One-on-one instruction with a native speaker (only the PremiumPLUS subscription)

The Pros: What We Liked About FilipinoPod101

Here are the things we enjoyed the most:

Pro #1: Complete Access to Video and Audio Library

As soon as you start your subscription you will gain full access to thousands of videos, podcasts, and learning tools. There are numerous word and phrase lists that are relevant in today’s world. Whether you want to quickly ask someone for directions to the gym or where to find a smoothie shop, you’ll easily find what you need.

Pro #2: Extensive Lesson Library, Modern Topics

With over 215 hours of real lessons delivered by professional language tutors, FilipinoPod101 boasts the largest lesson library in the world. The range of topics available is just as vast – from ‘A Filipino Feast’ to ‘Essential Filipino for Emergencies’.

Whatever you need, you’ll likely find an entire lesson on it. Plus, you can search through the entire library for the topic you’re looking for. With so many language programs offering outdated and boring content, FilipinoPod101 is a breath of fresh air, providing engaging and relevant material to study.

Pro #3: Mobile Applications

Take your lessons on the go and listen to them right on your phone. With the ability to learn anytime you want, you can easily review lessons almost anywhere.

Pro #4: Fully Downloadable Content

From the MP3 files to the comprehensive lesson notes, everything can be downloaded for offline learning. This way you can listen on the go and also study in areas without wifi. With each lesson averaging about 15 minutes long, you can really squeeze extra language practice into your schedule and fit your studies around your life, picking up again exactly where you left off.

Pro #5: Immersive Lessons with Native Speakers

All of the instructors on FilipinoPod101 are native speakers of the Filipino language. This means you get to get to hear the authentic dialect of a true Filipino speaker and improve your pronunciation when practicing with other speakers.

The Cons: What we Didn’t Like About FilipinoPod101

No language learning program is perfect and this one has a few downsides. Here’s what we didn’t like as much:

Con #1: Advanced Learning is Lacking

Although FilipinoPod101 is an excellent tool for beginner to intermediate speakers, advanced speakers wanting to take their fluency to the next level may not find the content very challenging. It may be a better fit for those who were once fluent in Filipino and are seeking a refresher course. Just keep in mind that it is lacking in advanced learning content.

Con #2: Higher Price

The price for the PremiumPLUS subscription is one of the highest around. While the quality and quantity of learning materials are superb, this cost may be hard to justify for all but the most dedicated learners.

Con #3: Feels a Bit Unstructured

Unlike a traditional textbook or set syllabus, FilipinoPod101 is all about letting you (the learner) select your own lessons from their vast lesson library. For this reason, some students have commented that it can feel a bit disorganised without a clear syllabus to follow.

For students who prefer guided learning and find the idea of taking control of their studies daunting, we recommend using the course alongside a more structured textbook. Otherwise, the PremiumPLUS subscription will be highly beneficial, as it provides a personalized learning program with a 1-on-1 instructor guiding you along way.

Personally, we feel that the learning methodology is a significant advantage to your studies, allowing you to focus on the topics and content that interest you most and the ones that need the most work. Grammar can be absorbed as you encounter more authentic language in context which is why we love that nearly every lesson includes a dialogue or some form of authentic audio text broken down line-by-line for you to study.

What are the Lessons Like

The lessons do not need to be completed in order, which allows you to further customize your learning experience. They all are, however, designed to increase your fluency over time. Absolute Beginners start out with learning things such as how to say “hello” and how to introduce themselves. The Beginner level starts with learning simple phrases such as “I love you”.

Intermediate lessons begin with a focus on more conversational topics and interactions with other people, while Upper Intermediate and Advanced learners begin to learn more about topics such as Filipino festivals, Metropolitan Manila, and the government. No matter the level, all lessons feature the Philippine culture, immersing you deeper into the history of the country.

In each lesson you can select ‘Follow’ to add it to your dashboard for easy access. You can then track your progress in one place and see other similar recommended lessons.

There are also learning pathways that consist of many individual lessons, centered around either an audio podcast or YouTube-style video. It’s first recommended to listen or watch the video to hear the language initially in context. The instructor also often drops in interesting cultural information and takes their time to clarify any complicated grammar.

The real meat of the lesson then comes next, with the line-by-line dialogue, vocab list and grammar bank. You can now take your time to listen to each line in isolation, and even record your own pronunciation! The vocab list includes any new words that the lesson introduces, each with plenty of example sentences.

Finally, everything is summarised rather concisely into the lesson notes. You’ll probably find yourself spending most of your time studying these since they contain everything from the lesson and do an amazing job of explaining the grammar rules and structure of the language.

You can then test your knowledge by taking a short quiz or assessment (depending upon the pathway type) and move onto the next lesson in the series. And remember – everything is fully downloadable at no extra cost!

Vocab Tools

To help you expand your vocabulary, FilipinoPod101 offers some highly useful built-in tools that you can utilize at any time, whether between lessons or directly from the app.

1) Vocab Lists

We found the vocab lists to be a great resource. They cover all sorts of random and fascinating topics. From surviving a zombie apocalypse to Filipino chat-up lines, there’s enough material to keep you browsing away for hours.

2) Spaced Repetition Flashcards

The flashcards work similarly to the vocab lists; however, not only do you have a large pool of pre-existing sets to choose from, you can also create your own from scratch and share them with friends. Like the more popular Anki or Quizlet, you can test yourself by translating the English, Filipino, or image. Your progress is tracked, and the ones you get wrong most often will appear more frequently until they are committed to memory.

3) Core 2000 Word List

Want to bypass any obsolete and useless language and jump straight to what locals actually say? The Core 2000 Word List is a comprehensive collection of the most frequently used words in the Filipino language. You can even filter the list to show only the top 100, 200, 300 and so on as well as filter by category.

4) Word of the Day Emails

You’ll receive a new word daily in your inbox, which is optional. However, we do recommend it as it is a useful tool to keep your language learning progressing steadily, while introducing you to new vocabulary each day.

5) Word Bank

As you progress through your lessons or activities, you will encounter new words you won’t want to forget. The word bank allows you to save any word you’d like as well as categorize or label them individually. You can also export your list at any time.

Who Should Buy FilipinoPod101?

FilipinoPod101 is an exceptional learning tool for those who:

want to quickly learn useful phrases for an upcoming vacation or business trip
plan to expand their business to the Philippines
do not have time to attend or cannot find classes
want to know how to learn Filipino quickly and effectively
thrive with independent study programs

Who Shouldn’t Buy FilipinoPod101

Since everyone learns in different ways, those who may not benefit from FilipinoPod101 include those who:

FilipinoPod101 vs. The Competition

There are a number of other apps and programs out there that promise to teach you to speak Filipino quickly. However, the truth is that most of these free apps are nothing more than a glorified translation dictionary and can’t compare to the in-depth learning you will find in FilipinoPod101.

Since Filipino is not a highly sought after language, you will find little in the way of local community college courses and even online materials.

Here is a brief comparison of the few that we did find:

FilipinoPod101 vs. MyLanguageExchange.com

My Language Exchange claims to be the best way to learn Filipino. You are paired with a Filipino speaker who wants to learn English (or your native language). All lessons are planned by a certified teacher and are hosted on the website.

While we feel that this can be a great way to learn colloquialisms and idioms, the lessons are not as structured nor as comprehensive as those found on FilipinoPod101.

There is also no educational requirement of your paired speaker, so you may not receive correct information from them. If used in conjunction with another learning application, this could be highly beneficial but not as a primary way to learn Filipino.

FilipinoPod101 vs. Rosetta Stone Tagalog

First, we must note that standardized Filipino language learning programs are few and far between, but we did find Rosetta Stone offers Tagalog. While many speak this version of Filipino, we prefer to start learning with the standardized version first.

That being said, Rosetta Stone offers a 3-day trial period for their latest available lesson. You can then decide whether you want to sign up for a 3-, 6-, 12- or 24-month subscription with an increasing discount for the longer the term. You can add tutoring online for an additional fee. Though you receive access to both the desktop version and mobile app, you will need to purchase a microphone and speakers to get the most from this system.

All in all, we found this course wasn’t as comprehensive as FilipinoPod101.

Is it Worth the Money?

Ultimately, that depends on how keen you are to learn Filipino. We recommend testing out the platform first with a free 7-day trial and then deciding if you find it useful for your level and learning style. This is a great option for those who are sitting on the fence about learning Filipino.

Dedicated learners will certainly benefit from a Premium or PremiumPLUS subscription with one-on-one instruction included. If you’ve already made up your mind and have decided to get a membership, use our link below to get 30% off:

The 1 Dollar Initial Offer

If you’d like to try the program out for longer than 7 days you’re in luck! After you’ve signed up for your free account you’ll be offered a full 30 days of FilipinoPod101 Premium for only $1. We’re sharing this now because once you click away you won’t be offered this deal again.

Be careful, though—after the 30 days are up, you’ll automatically be signed up for the Premium subscription and charged $10 per month. So it might be best to sign up for a 3-, 6-, or 12-month membership from the get-go to take advantage of the subscription discounts, in addition to our 30% off coupon code.

The Secret Lifetime Membership Option

I’ll be honest: I’m not a big fan of paying monthly (or even yearly) for something. If this is you too, there’s an exclusive lifetime membership option that you may not have heard about.

For the price of roughly 3-4 years of membership, you can get lifetime access to FilipinoPod101. If you’re a lifelong learner and committed to a long-term goal, this might be your best bet.

For the obsessive polyglots out there, there’s also an option to purchase lifetime premium access to all 34 languages (Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Italian, French… etc). It’s not cheap, but could be great value for the right person.

Important Note I think it’s worth noting that Innovative Language isn’t one of these fly-by-night product makers that abandon their products after selling a bunch of lifetime memberships. They’ve been around for years and are constantly improving the interfaces and releasing new lessons. In fact, I’ve been using their JapanesePod program for years!

FilipinoPod101 Review: Summary

We can confidently recommend FilipinoPod101 for both expats in the Philippines and leisure travelers alike. With a mobile app and online access to FilipinoPod101’s entire learning library, you can easily fit learning Filipino into your busy lifestyle.

Conclusion: With few ways to learn the Filipino language, FilipinoPod101 makes a great case for being one of the most extensive programs available. In line with competitors’ prices, we think it offers the best value for the self-motivated and determined learner.

Michael

Michael has lived in Japan on and off for almost 10 years. He loves studying Japanese, and is currently working on going from N2 to N1 on the JLPT.