I’ve spent almost two decades travelling the world. From bustling souks in Marrakech to remote villages in the Andes, I’ve wandered through markets where I couldn’t read a single sign, shared meals with families who spoke no English, crashed weddings, and navigated everything with little more than a smile, a handful of local phrases, and a willingness to look completely ridiculous while trying. Travel has taught me that people are generally kind when you make an effort. But it has also taught me that language is still the biggest barrier between being a tourist and genuinely connecting with people. Ironically, despite travelling to more than 100 countries, I still only speak one language fluently. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve used probably every language learning app under the sun. But like many of us, I never found a way of learning that actually stuck. Technology has made travel easier than ever before, and apps like Google Translate give us enough to get by. But I’ve never found an actual shortcut to learning a language. That’s not because the apps are bad, but because language learning is ultimately about communicating with another person. Once I realised that, I stopped looking for the smartest app and started looking for an actual tutor. Preply is an online platform that connects you with one-on-one tutors across more than 90 languages, allowing lessons to be tailored to your goals, pace and learning style. And I’m excited to announce that I have started learning Spanish with Zoe!
TLDR: Check out Preply here
Selecting Your Tutor
I chose Zoe for my Spanish lessons (her direct tutor profile is here), and one of the things I appreciated immediately was that I wasn’t simply assigned a random teacher. Preply has 100,000 experienced tutors, and you can browse their profiles, watch introduction videos, read reviews and choose someone whose teaching style feels like a good fit before booking your first lesson. How do you find a Spanish tutor out of 13,000 on the platform who teach Spanish alone? Preply filters are fantastic, and allow you to filter their database of tutors based on which language you want to learn, your price range per lesson, their country of birth (ie, do you want to learn Spanish from someone from Spain, Argentina, Mexico etc).
You can filter based on your availability, what their specialities are (ie, Spanish for beginners, conversational, Latin American etc), which other languages they speak, you can view only native speaking tutors for the language you’re learning, sort tutors by popularilty, their reviews, the best ratings, or search for a name or keyword. A list of tutors pops up, and you can view their profile to find someone who is a good match for you; tutor profiles include a video of the tutor introducing themselves, their reviews, their experiences, how many students and lessons they have taught, their resume, and also their schedule, so you can book your lessons. The videos are a great way to get a vibe for their energy! I found Zoe, a Spanish tutor and translator listed as one of Preply’s ‘super tutors’, and decided to book a trial lesson. Booking the lessons is exactly the same as booking a Google calendar call, very easy, by clicking on the time you’d like from your chosen tutor’s calendar.
Meeting Zoe
Within minutes of meeting Zoe, something changed. There were no flashing notifications telling me I’d answered incorrectly, no streak to protect. Just a conversation, from someone who genuinely felt like my friend. She quickly worked out what I already knew (not a lot!), where my confidence disappeared, and what actually needed improving, and instead of following a generic lesson plan, she adjusted everything to where I was. And this is probably the hardest thing to explain unless you’ve experienced both app based learning, and one-on-one classes with a real tutor, but it’s so different when someone notices your progress. Apps measure progress, but tutors notice progress, and these are completely different things. A language app tells you you’ve completed Lesson 18, but a tutor notices that today you didn’t hesitate before answering. An app marks an answer incorrect, but a tutor explains why it was incorrect. An app teaches everyone exactly the same way; a tutor notices the mistakes you make repeatedly and adjusts the lesson around them. That human feedback loop is something I didn’t realise I’d been missing. Ultimately, real progress happens when you’re not learning alone. We started our lesson with alphabet and pronunciations, and I learned that I had been saying ‘paella’ completely incorrectly for the past two weeks I’ve just spent in Spain! Because lessons are personalised, you’re not wasting time covering things that you already understand, and can work on the areas that will genuinely help you communicate better, in the specific areas you need to.
I will say, that even though Zoe is perfect for me, the best tutor isn’t the same for everyone, so I do recommend taking time to assess your own goals, and really use the Preply filters. Your tutor shapes each lesson around your level, goals, and how you like to learn. That means less time on things you already know, and more time on what will actually help you improve. Whether you’re preparing for something specific or just learning for yourself, your learning plan is completely personal, so it’s important to put time into choosing your tutor.
Human-led learning, powered by smart AI
With Preply, you’re learning with someone by your side; a tutor who listens and keeps you going, even when learning gets a little challenging. And, as your tutor gets to know you, your strengths, and what’s holding you back, that relationship just gets better. Technology strengthens that relationship, and I was incredibly impressed by how Preply uses AI to enhance their human led learning. Lessons are completed in an inhouse virtual classroom, where you have features like a chat, vocabulary list, a library with files, notes, and also a speaking assistant. You have the option to practice between lessons with daily exercises which transform your last lesson content into short, personalized practice tasks. Based on what you covered with your tutor, AI generates bite-sized exercises. Scenario Practice is also something Preply has, using AI to simulate real-life situations, such as work meetings, travel conversations, or presentations. And lesson insights provide feedback through an AI-powered summary of what happened in class, which includes personalized grammar and vocabulary feedback, pronunciation and speaking metrics and key corrections and examples. Having an inbuilt online classroom makes it possible to keep learning wherever you happen to be, so I appreciate how easy it is to work lessons into my daily life. It does take commitment though, and you have to actually show up. Unlike downloading another app you’ll abandon after two weeks, booking regular lessons creates accountability, which for me has actually been one of the biggest benefits. Knowing Zoe is waiting for me each week means I don’t quietly postpone learning until “next Monday.”
Pricing
One thing I appreciated was that tutors set their own prices, so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all cost. You can compare tutors based on their experience, teaching style and hourly rate before booking a paid trial lesson to make sure they’re the right fit. Once you’ve found someone you enjoy learning with, lessons move onto a subscription that renews every 28 days. You choose how many lessons you want each week, and if life gets busy you can reschedule, pause your subscription or even change tutors.
Preply Final Verdict
Preply is available on App (iOS and Android) or their website (available in 18 languages). It works especially well for:
- Beginners who want clear structure, guidance, and confidence from the very first lesson.
- Intermediate and advanced learners focused on improving speaking fluency and real-world communication.
- Professionals learning a language for work, career growth, or relocation.
- Learners preparing for exams, interviews, or presentations, where targeted feedback matters.
- Busy learners who need flexible scheduling and a pace that adapts to their life.
- People who learn best through conversation, feedback, and human connection with a tutor who understands their goals.
If your goal is actually speaking another language, I think Preply is a fantastic option to try. I like that you can learn with the same tutor over time, and that you can swap solo study for real conversation. I also like that regular lessons means more accountability, because I do actually need to stay motivated and accountable! I’ve found that I’m far more likely to stay consistent with a tutor (and consistency is what leads to progress). I can confidently say that learning with another human makes an enormous difference, and for the first time in years, I genuinely feel like I’m moving forward instead of simply collecting vocabulary (which is an important distinction). Technology still has a place in my life, and I’m definitely still going to use translation apps while travelling. I’ll probably still maintain the occasional Duolingo streak because, let’s be honest, those little green owls are strangely persuasive. But if my goal is one day sitting around a dinner table in Barcelona, chatting naturally without mentally translating every sentence, I need to learn that from another human. I’ve realised that progress doesn’t happen alone, it happens through conversation, encouragement, because another person notices your mistakes, celebrates your improvements and gently keeps you moving forward.
