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.
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.
FilipinoPod101 Review: Summary
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:
Overall Score: 4.2
Pros
- Beginner courses start small and build up to the next level
- Native speakers teach audio and video lessons
- New lessons are added often
- Loads of fun and interactive learning tools
Cons
- There is no real speaking practice with feedback unless you upgrade to the PremiumPLUS subscription.
- The community of other Filipino learners is rather small
- Content can feel unstructured and clunky at times
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.
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:
- need feedback or additional instruction
- lack focus and dedication
- thrive in a classroom environment
- find comfort in following a set syllabus or rigid program
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.