If you’ve ever looked up online language classes, you’ll probably have come across Preply, an online language learning platform that gives you a personal tutor. It covers almost 50 languages and costs between USD$1 and $40 per hour, covering all levels of proficiency.
Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced learner, Preply has the right tutor for you. In this Preply review, we’ll give an honest look at how Preply helps users learn the Japanese language and whether it’s the right platform for you.
Want to find out more about Japan language? Check out:
- Top 30 Japanese slangs to help you sound like a pro
- Common mistakes people make when learning Japanese
- Best way and tips to learn the Japanese language quickly and easily
- Japanese phrases for your night out in Tokyo
- Useful Japanese slangs
- Japanese onomatopoeia
Preply Review: An Honest Look
How Does Preply Work?
To use Preply, simply type the language you want to learn into the search box, and you’ll be presented with a list of tutors to choose from. By default, the website recommends top tutors based on reviews. However, many of these recommended tutors are more expensive and have fewer available time slots. To avoid this, I suggest adjusting the filters to match your budget and schedule.
Preply offers a free trial lesson, allows you to send messages to tutors, and lets you add tutors to your favourites list. When you’ve chosen a tutor, Preply directs you to sign up. I appreciated that I could browse tutors without having to sign up immediately. Some other platforms collect your information early and often send unwanted emails, even if you’re not ready to commit. Personally, I prefer chatting with a tutor before making any decisions, so I signed up to send a message.
Tutors on Preply: Are They Reliable?
A common question that students have is, “How good are Preply tutors?” Unfortunately, it’s difficult to know for certain. When looking for an online tutor, it’s not always easy to verify their background and experience. However, Preply minimises this risk through its review system.
Each tutor has a rating based on feedback from students after every lesson or lesson package. Many of these ratings include detailed comments and reviews. Preply also verifies tutor accounts to ensure the accuracy of the information provided. After each lesson, payment is released to the tutor once a review is left. While reviewing every lesson can feel tedious, it’s reassuring to know that payment can be auto-confirmed after 72 hours if you enable this option.
Since most Preply tutors are native speakers, it’s an excellent platform to improve conversational skills, especially by learning commonly-used phrases.
Packages on Preply
Preply offers several lesson packages to make it easier for students to pre-schedule both payments and classes. You can choose from 5, 10, 15, or 20-hour packages, depending on your needs. However, this Preply review shows that while short-term packages are convenient, they may not be ideal for long-term learning.
Unlike other platforms that provide a range of tools, such as audio and video lessons, Preply focuses solely on tutor-led teaching. The benefit, however, is that you can try a tutor before committing to them. You can take up to two free lessons per tutor to find the best match for you.
I recommend setting clear goals and sharing them with your tutor to ensure a focused and productive learning experience.
Final Thoughts on Preply
As an online platform, Preply offers a brilliant way to learn from native speakers and tutors. If you already have a basic understanding of the language and want to improve your conversational skills, expand your vocabulary, and learn more everyday phrases, then Preply is ideal for you.
However, if you are shy about practising, have no prior knowledge of the language, or prefer a more formal, structured approach, you might consider other options like Udemy courses or Genki textbooks. For those seeking step-by-step lessons, Rocket Languages is a good alternative. Additionally, if you’re interested in audio and video lessons, JapanesePod101 is highly recommended for bite-sized learning sessions.
Have you tried using Preply to study Japanese? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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