This Platform is Changing the Way I Learn Languages.

It’s been over 10 months since my partner and I moved to Germany, and started calling Berlin “home.”

Even before we moved base, I knew this was my only opportunity (and motivation) to learn German. So I dived right in, with an intensive A1 course at Goethe Institute in Mumbai, followed by an intensive A2.1 course at a language school in my Berlin neighborhood.

On paper, I was making great progress in my Deutsch learning journey. But in reality, I struggled to speak German beyond the basics, like ordering food at a restaurant or paying at a supermarket. I didn’t have the confidence to strike up a conversation in German, afraid of messing up the crazy grammar and making a fool of myself. In all honesty, I felt burnt out and wanted to give up on the idea of learning this rather difficult language.

This felt quite unlike my Spanish learning experience. I have little formal education in Spanish, but over the course of ad-hoc lessons and my travels in Spanish-speaking countries, I’ve learnt enough to express myself and hold deep enough conversations in the language.

So instead of jumping into the next level of German, I knew I had to try something else… and thank heavens I found Preply!

If you’re already familiar with the platform, use my referral link to sign up and get 70% off your trial lesson!

Also read: Creative Gardening, Deep Work and Living in Berlin at 38

What is Preply?

Preply is a language learning platform where you take conversational lessons with a private tutor, tailored to your skills and goals. It was founded by three Ukrainian entrepreneurs in 2012, born out of co-founder Kirill Bigai’s own English language learning journey. It now has over 100,000 tutors teaching 90+ languages in 180 countries!

Unlike formal courses, this is 1-on-1 time with a native (or highly proficient) language teacher. It is structured towards what you want to achieve in your language learning journey – whether that’s conversational skills like in my case, or preparing for a language exam or even job interview.

Unlike most other language learning platforms, you can choose to subscribe to one private tutor, so you don’t start from scratch with a new teacher every single time. There is no syllabus. You discuss with your chosen tutor what you’re keen to practice and learn.

Preply brings together tutors specializing in many languages. Besides German, you can learn European languages like Spanish, French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Ukrainian and Dutch, Asian languages like Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Thai, and even my dream language Farsi (someday!).

My experience with Preply vs other language learning platforms

Over the years, I’ve tried out multiple online language platforms like Duo Lingo and Lingoda.

While I like the gamification on Duo Lingo, I realized early on that it’s really hard to become conversational in a language using the app alone. It only helps to complement language learning in a structured school or private lessons.

I used Lingoda for several months on my Spanish learning journey. It offers structured classes with a pre-determined syllabus, much like a regular language learning school – except that you learn with a different teacher and different fellow students each time. While it was helpful to learn more grammar and vocabulary, I would have preferred to learn with a single teacher and fixed cohort.

I think Preply fulfils a different need than Duo Lingo and Lingoda. Through private lessons with the same tutor, I’ve found it possible to address my personal challenges. I also find the short classes (25 min) more enjoyable than a 1 hour commitment which can get quite exhausting. I usually leave the class wishing there was more time to chat, which motivates me to return for another class. A study found that Preply learners are 9x more motivated to learn than those using self-learning apps! I do think to make the most of Preply, you should be quite clear on your learning goals.

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How does Preply work?

In a nutshell, here’s how the platform works:

• You start by scheduling a trial lesson with one or more tutors, to assess how you like their teaching style. Read Preply reviews from other students, watch their intro videos and decided who is worth trying out.
• When you find a tutor you want to continue learning with, you can subscribe to them – choosing as many classes of 25 or 50 minutes per week as you feel comfortable with. This frequency can be changed every month, and also paused to give you more time to complete the month’s lessons.
• You can then schedule lessons with them either on the same day / time every week, or choose timings based on your mutual availability. I do the latter, since my days vary quite a bit depending on whether I’m travelling, my work plan and my mood.

How do you find the right tutor on Preply?

When I first started looking for a German tutor on Preply, I felt overwhelmed with the wide range of choices. The platform enabled me to filter tutors by multiple preferences. I knew I wanted to learn with a native speaker (and get used to the accent) who could be born/based anywhere in the world, and was open to a price range of 20-40 Euros per session of 50 minutes, which can be split into two smaller sessions of 25 minutes each.

Among this shortlist of tutors, I listened to their introductory videos and set up lessons with two different tutors. While they were both pretty good, I felt a great sense of camaraderie with one of them. She grew up in Switzerland, married an Indian guy and now lives in India. We had lots of common threads to talk (and joke) about. I’m now subscribed to her on Preply, and take German classes with her 4-6 times a month depending on my schedule.

For a while there, the idea of continuing to pursue German had started feeling like a drag, especially with all its crazy grammar and rules. But thanks to my tutor, I’ve now started looking forward to my German lessons!

What are classes with private tutors on Preply like?

This depends entirely on you and your tutor.

My goal was simple – to speak and listen as much as possible, build my muscle memory to speak German in different situations, and enjoy sharing about each other’s lives.

We usually begin the 25 minute session by asking about each other’s day / weekend, talking about my travels or upcoming plans and exchanging notes about life in Europe vs India. My tutor usually brings a quiz or roleplay scenario for us to explore daily subjects – travel, blogging, shopping etc. These are way more fun than simply learning grammar and vocabulary.

Depending on the language skills you want to focus on, your Preply tutor will typically tailor sessions to meet your goals.

Also read: How I Connect Meaningfully with Locals as I Travel the World

Is Preply really worth it?

When I started using Preply a couple of months ago, I was barely able to have a conversation in German beyond ordering food at a restaurant, despite having studied A1 and A2.1 (maybe I haven’t been the best student ;-)).

But just a few lessons with my private tutor later, I feel confident to ask general questions in German in different settings – at airports, hotels, cafes and events. I feel motivated to practice writing a paragraph or two in German every few days, so my tutor can correct them during our sessions. I’m yet to revisit my notes from A1 and A2.1, but I am slowly finding the motivation to do it. I think more than anything else, it’s made me feel excited again about the prospect of learning a difficult language like German, and helped me get over my burnout after A2.1.

Also read: Why Lubeck is Not on Your Germany Radar, But Should Be!

How much does Preply Cost?

Lessons on Preply depend on the tutor you choose. Prices start at 4 Euro for a 50 minute lesson and can go upto 89 Euro. I’ve tried tutors in the 20-40 Euro range, and feel like that’s my sweet spot in terms of budget and quality of lessons.

You can use my referral link to get 70% off your trial lesson with tutors charging 7 Euro or more. If you find a tutor you like and subscribe to their classes, I will also earn some credit to continue my German learning journey 😉

Also read: Insider Tips: How to Get Paid to Travel the World in 2026!

FAQs

Who is Preply best suited for?

Preply is best suited for anyone looking to go to the next level of their language learning journey. If you’ve already made some basic progress learning a language, this is a great way to practice, build your conversational skills, address your personal challenges, and enjoy the process of learning the language.

Since you connect with a private language tutor on Preply, it’s also a good way to prepare for an upcoming language exam, job interview or specialized goal.

Is Preply safe? Is Preply legit?

I’ve tried a couple of tutors on Preply and subscribed to one of them. As with most things digital, I read reviews carefully to manage my safety. I’ve had positive experiences with both a male and a female tutor. The platform is definitely legit, and has been a gamechanger in my German learning journey!

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What language are you learning / dream of learning? Have you tried Preply?

Note: I first tried Preply in collaboration with the platform, loved the experience, and continue using it. As you know, opinions on this blog are always mine.