Lingotino
Become fluent in Italian, from your first ciao to C2. Lingotino is a complete Italian course for iPhone that teaches you before it tests you, gets you speaking out loud from day one, and gives you Tino, a cheeky monkey who teaches, marks and chats with you in Italian. And it's completely free.
Coming Soon to the App Store
Taught First, Then Tested
Most language apps quiz you on words you've never seen. Lingotino doesn't. Every new word, verb, phrase or grammar rule appears first on a learn card, with audio, before any question asks for it. Then you climb a ladder: recognise it, recall it, then produce it yourself. Get something wrong and Tino explains why, showing the verb table or the article that fits, and the question comes back at the end of the session and again in your reviews until it sticks.
A Real Course, A1 to C2
Lingotino is planned the way a good teacher would plan a course: six levels, each split into short units of lessons, listening and speaking, with about 5,400 words and 950 verbs from everyday basics to the passato remoto. A short placement test finds your starting point, from complete beginner to C2, and Today always shows you one clear next step.
As you progress, the app itself moves into Italian. Instructions, hints and feedback are in English at A1, Italian with English underneath at A2, Italian with English hints at B1, and all Italian from B2.
- Lessons & Grammar: Every grammar point in the CEFR syllabus, from articles and gender to the congiuntivo, with grammar terms explained in plain English.
- Speaking & Pronunciation: Repeat, translate and answer out loud, with word-by-word feedback.
- Listening & Reading: Natural Italian voices, recordings and texts at every level, with questions that check you really understood.
- Writing: Write short texts and get marks and corrections on task, grammar and vocabulary.
- Word Cards: Pronunciation, gender, plural, usage notes and spoken examples for every word.
- Verb Tables: Every tense, with ending tables and a drill for each one.
- Culture & Phrases: Notes on everyday Italian life and the phrases Italians really use, at every level.
Meet Tino
Tino is your teacher, your marker and your conversation partner. He explains every mistake, writes you a note at the end of each activity, and looks back over your last 30 days to tell you what's going well and what to work on next.
Want to talk? Chat with Tino about whatever you like, or practise real situations, from ordering at a restaurant to calling about a flat to rent. He speaks at your level, has his own opinions, and asks what you think. Conversations run on your iPhone with Apple Intelligence.
Practice That Keeps It Fresh
Lessons move you through the course; daily practice makes sure you keep what you've learned. Lingotino plans your reviews so old material comes back just before you'd forget it, without taking over your day.
- Daily Practice: A short mix of due reviews and a couple of long-unseen refreshers every day.
- Weak Areas: Lingotino spots the words, verbs, tenses and grammar you struggle with and trains them.
- Quizzes & Timed Tests: Flashcards, quick quizzes, timed tests with a results history, and a My mistakes review.
- XP, Combos & Daily Goals: Earn XP for every lesson, build combos of right answers, and hit your daily goal.
- Streaks: A streak calendar shows every day you've practised, and streak savers keep it alive on a day you miss.
- Weekly Recap: Once a week, a look back at your days practised, XP, lessons, words and accuracy.
A Certificate for Every Level
Finish a level and prove it. Each level from A1 to C2 ends with a Lingotino certificate exam in the five-part format of the standard CEFR exams: listening, reading, grammar and vocabulary, writing and speaking. Pass all five and you get a certificate you can share, and the next level opens up.
Preparing for CILS B1 Cittadinanza?
If you're applying for Italian citizenship, Lingotino has a dedicated CILS B1 Cittadinanza section. See how ready you are, sit full mock exams in the format of the official papers, work through past papers, and practise the oral role-plays and writing tasks, with your spoken test marked by an AI examiner.
Private by Design
No account, no email, no sign-up. Your progress, settings and reports live on your iPhone and sync only through your own iCloud. Lingotino sends anonymous usage data so we can improve the questions learners find hardest, never your name or your own words, and you can turn it off in Settings. Read the Lingotino privacy details.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Lingotino cost?
Nothing. Lingotino is completely free: every level, every lesson, every conversation with Tino and every exam.
What level of Italian is Lingotino for?
Every level, from complete beginner (A1) to mastery (C2). A short placement test puts you at the right level, and you can retake it at any time.
Who is Tino?
Tino is the monkey who teaches you in Lingotino. He explains your mistakes, analyses your progress, and chats with you in Italian about anything you like or in real-life role-plays, at your level.
Do I get a certificate?
Yes. Each level from A1 to C2 has its own Lingotino certificate exam in the five-part CEFR format. Pass it and you get a certificate you can share.
Can Lingotino help me pass the CILS B1 Cittadinanza exam?
Yes. Lingotino has a dedicated CILS B1 Cittadinanza section with a readiness check, mock exams in the format of the official papers, past papers, oral role-plays and writing tasks, and a spoken test with an AI examiner.
Do I need an account?
No. Your progress is stored on your iPhone and synced through your own private iCloud account. We don't run a server that holds your learning data.