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FOR MOVING ABROAD

Moving abroad: learn the language before and after you land

The first months abroad are full of conversations you can’t postpone: the landlord, the town hall, the doctor, your kids’ school. A tutor can rehearse them before they happen, and prepare the language certificate some countries ask for.

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Couple unpacking boxes in a sunny Mediterranean apartment during a video call
Buongiorno!
Bienvenue !
¡Bienvenidos!

Sounds like you?

  • We move in six months and I can only order a coffee.
  • I need the language for residency or citizenship.
  • The paperwork is in a language I don’t read yet.
  • I want to make friends, not just survive.

What to look for

  • A tutor from (or who knows) your destination country
  • Role play of real errands: rent, town hall, doctor, school
  • Preparation for the certificate your application needs
  • Lessons that continue once you’ve moved

Guides for you

Adult learner at a kitchen table with an Italian exam workbook, headphones and a timer, practising for the B1 citizenship test
EXAMS · 8 MIN
Italian B1 test for citizenship: which exam and how to prepare
Learner at a desk in a live online Spanish class, a phone timer and a notebook beside the laptop
PLATFORMS · 8 MIN
Online Spanish classes: private tutor, group class or app?
Person at a table in a sunlit Spanish flat, among moving boxes, practising from a notebook of handwritten Spanish phrases
EXPATS · 8 MIN
Learning Spanish before moving to Spain: a 6-month plan
Learner at a kitchen table comparing tutor profiles on a laptop, with a notebook of handwritten prices beside it
PLATFORMS · 9 MIN
Best online language tutoring sites, compared
Student at a desk with a laptop, a timer and two practice exam booklets, comparing English test formats in a notebook
EXAMS · 8 MIN
IELTS vs TOEFL iBT: differences and which to take
Adult learner at a home desk marking study hours on a paper wall calendar, a laptop and an open vocabulary notebook beside them
BEGINNERS · 8 MIN
How long does it take to learn a language? FSI data explained
Adult learner at a home desk between a laptop picture-matching lesson with headphones and a tablet video call with a tutor, an open vocabulary notebook between them
PLATFORMS · 9 MIN
Rosetta Stone vs Preply: self-study or live tutor?
EXPATS · 6 MIN
Spanish for heritage speakers: from understanding to speaking
PLATFORMS · 9 MIN
Preply trial lesson: how it works and how to make it count
Woman taking notes at a wooden table with two laptops open, one showing a group video class and the other a one-on-one call with a tutor
PLATFORMS · 9 MIN
Preply vs Lingoda: private tutor or structured classes?
Woman in a blue sweater at a kitchen table smiling at a tutor on her laptop screen, a notebook of first French phrases and a red coffee cup beside her
PLATFORMS · 9 MIN
Is Preply good for beginners? An honest answer
Woman in a green sweater on a sofa speaking out loud with a phone in her hand, while a laptop on the coffee table shows a video call with a smiling tutor
PLATFORMS · 9 MIN
Babbel vs Preply: which one gets you speaking?
Woman in a green sweater laughing with headphones on during an online English conversation lesson at a kitchen table, laptop, open notebook and a red mug
PLATFORMS · 9 MIN
Preply vs Cambly: which one for English conversation?
Woman in a cream sweater comparing handwritten notes on Spanish tutors in a notebook at a sunny desk, laptop, coffee cup, headphones and a Spanish phrasebook beside her
PLATFORMS · 6 MIN
Superprof Spanish tutor vs Preply: what you really pay
Woman in a knitted cardigan working out the cost of online lessons with a calculator and a notebook at a kitchen table, laptop and headphones beside her
PLATFORMS · 9 MIN
How much does Preply cost? Real prices and fees explained
Woman in a yellow sweater talking out loud to herself while pouring coffee, phone and open notebook on the kitchen counter
BEGINNERS · 6 MIN
How to practice speaking Spanish with no one around
Woman in a green sweater talking with a Spanish tutor on a laptop video call, notebook and coffee on the desk
PLATFORMS · 9 MIN
How to find a good online Spanish tutor (and what it costs)
Woman at a kitchen table talking to a tutor on a laptop video call, phone face down next to her notebook
PLATFORMS · 8 MIN
Duolingo vs Preply: app or tutor to actually speak?
Student with headphones writing in a Spanish exam workbook at a wooden table by the window
EXAMS · 6 MIN
Spanish language certificate: DELE or SIELE?
Young woman in a yellow cardigan on a city bus, earbud in, saying a phrase out loud into her phone
PLATFORMS · 6 MIN
Speakly vs Duolingo: which app teaches you to speak?
Young adult at a kitchen table with two open laptops and a notebook, pen in hand, comparing lesson budgets over a mug of coffee
PLATFORMS · 9 MIN
Preply vs italki: which is better for your budget?
Office worker in a blue shirt with earbuds, smiling during a video lesson on a laptop at lunch, sandwich and notebook on the table
BEGINNERS · 6 MIN
The best way to learn Spanish fast when you have a job
Person comparing tutor profiles on a laptop and taking notes
BEGINNERS · 5 MIN
How to choose a tutor in 10 minutes
Person unpacking boxes in a sunny Italian apartment
EXPATS · 5 MIN
Moving to Italy? Start with these 30 words

Questions about moving abroad: learn the language before and after you land

Do I need a language test to become an Italian citizen?

For citizenship by marriage, Italy requires Italian at least at level B1 of the CEFR, shown with a recognised certificate. Check your consulate’s page for the current rules.

How early should I start learning before a move?

As early as you can. Even a few months of regular speaking practice makes the first weeks far easier.

Should my tutor be from the country I move to?

It helps for accent, vocabulary and daily-life details, especially for Spanish (Spain vs Latin America) and French (France vs Québec).

SOURCES
  1. Consulate General of Italy in Chicago: citizenship through marriage
Rehearse your first week abroad

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  • Free tutor switch if the first isn’t a fit
  • Cancel anytime
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