Learn Thai – Perapera

The 5 Best Apps for Learning Thai

Josiah — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 11:32:21 +0000

A sleek, well-designed app that features a massive library of video/audio lessons.

Highly gamified and fun, Ling teaches the basics using native dialogues and quizzes.

The best option for learning how to read and write all 72 letters of the Thai alphabet.

Learning a new language can be an exciting endeavor, and learning Thai is absolutely no exception. It can open doors to wonderful new travel experiences – whether it’s navigating the depths of Bangkok’s exotic food markets, or getting local recommendations for the most off-the-beaten-track island beaches, the Thai language is a powerful entry point to experiencing Thailand’s wonderful culture and friendly people on a whole new level.

But it’s not easy. And without the right tools it can feel like hitting your head against a brick wall, with all it’s complex tones and confusing characters. But here’s the good news – there’s a TON of amazing apps out there to get you up to speed quickly, reading street signs and conversing with locals. Whether you’re a seasoned polyglot or just looking to know a few phrases to avoid being ripped off, there’s an app for everyone.

But which apps are actually worth your time? In this article, we’ve created our top 5 list of apps for learning Thai. We’ve taken into account everything from effectiveness, user experience and price. Furthermore, we know how important it is to develop all your language skills simultaneously so we’ve included the best resources to improve speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. With this list you can’t go wrong. Let’s dive right in!

1. ThaiPod101

Best Overall – Most Comprehensive

Coming in at number one on our list is ThaiPod101, one of the most comprehensive and regularly updated language courses on the market. And, they have an awesome app. The lessons are mostly based around short podcasts (hence the ‘pod’) however there’s loads of video lessons too, all delivered by native speakers in a relaxed and engaging tone.

The unique thing about ThaiPod101 is the ability to completely customise your own learning by selecting your own ‘pathways’. You can filter by level, category, skill type etc. and add pathways to your dashboard to track your own learning. There’s a ton of interesting content, from food to dating. Plus, the app includes flashcards, word lists, a dictionary, and all sorts of bonus features. The only thing lacking is the speaking element of Thai, and the writing lessons could be better.

Click here to read our full ThaiPod101 review.

Pros

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 3/5

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 5/5

2. Ling

Most Engaging & Fun

Ling is a highly gamified app (much like Duolingo) that offers short themed lessons for over 50 languages, including Thai. It’s not the most comprehensive app out there but it does offer a great entry point into the language and it’s very engaging for new learners to use. Unlike duolingo the activities don’t feel overly repetitive and are generally very varied with everything from dialogues to vocab-matching. We love that they’ve incorporated native voice clips into the activities and best of all it’s free! Note, we did find some mistakes in the material and there’s not much in terms of grammar explanations

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 5/5

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 5/5

3. Write Me

Best App for Learning the Thai Alphabet

To learn any language, it’s a good idea to start with the alphabet. Once you can read, every street sign, menu or newspaper becomes a language lesson. Plus, you can get locals to write words down for you that you don’t understand, making translation much easier. Write Me does an excellent job at teaching you the Thai alphabet in a pain-free way. This is quite a task given that there’s over 70 letters!

Similar to Ling, it incorporates quizzes and games to keep you motivated to continue – you’ll grow virtual flowers as you progress through the levels. But not only is it fun but seems to be very effective. They’ve incorporated a spaced recognition system to gradually up the ante, until you’re eventually identifying each letter and writing it with precision. The writing software is similar to skritter, giving you real time feedback with handy arrows & animations. It also has voice clips so you can start learning the pronunciation alongside the writing.

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 5/5

 4/5

 5/5

4. Simply Learn

Most Useful for Travel

Planning a trip to Thailand? This app isn’t really a comprehensive course but more of a travel phrasebook that conveniently has all the key phrases you’ll need to get around in Thailand. The app is laid out nicely to make navigation quick and easy, with intuitive categories and search functions. Every phrase has a voice clip by a native speaker and a transliteration to help you. We love that you can favorite specific phrases if you know you are going to use them often.

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 4/5

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 4/5

5. You too can learn Thai (podcast)

Best for Listening Practice

You too can learn Thai is an absolute gem for Thai language students. It’s designed specifically for learners of Thai by linguist Dr Khru Nan. Every week she releases a new episode on interesting and relevant topics, often with special guests, all in Thai! But don’t fear, she always guides you along with short interjections of English to avoid confusion, and she’ll repeat everything at both slow and natural speeds. It might be a little too much for complete beginners, but it never hurts to listen anyway to get used to the language and pick out the words that you do know.

The podcasts are available on Apple, Spotify or Youtube, and they are free – supported only by amazon affiliate links.

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 5/5

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 4/5

Runners-up for Best Thai App:

Here’s our list of apps that didn’t make it into our top five but are still worth checking out.

Glossika Thai

This app is best for only upper-beginner to intermediate learners. It’s audio based and focuses on learning key phrases through their spaced-repetition system. It works very efficiently and is easy to use, however you are expected to already have a good grasp of the Thai alphabet since you’ll be expected to write in Thai. It’s very clever how it adjusts to your level, however for beginners we recommend avoiding Glossika and sticking with ThaiPod101.

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Effectiveness:

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 3/5

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 3/5

Pimsleur

Pimsleur is a well known name in the language learning space, and for good reason! They are awesome at getting you up to a basic conversational level fast. Again, it’s purely audio based which is very handy for when travelling or out and about, and the 1 hour lessons each focus on an authentic dialogue and then breaks it down, prompting you to repeat and ‘participate’ in the dialogue. Many students find it very effective for boosting their speaking and listening skills however it does nothing for reading and writing. Furthermore, their Thai course only has one level, so it’s very limited in scope.

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 3/5

 5/5

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italki

FInally, this article wouln’t be complete without mentioning italki. It’s always a great go-to resource for getting real conversation practice woth native speakers. The tutors are affordable and lessons can be scheduled to fit around your lifestyle. The only con is that you can’t expect the tutors to do all the work for you – to get the most out of each lesson you should keep it focused and structured.

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Effectiveness:

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 4/5

Conclusion: The 5 Best Apps For Learning Thai

I hope you’ve found this list useful – now you have no excuse to get out there and start practicing your Thai! And most of, have a lot of fun whilst doing so.

To recap, serious Thai learners should consider a ThaiPod101 subscription, the number one app for learning Thai. For those just looking to wet their feet we reccomend having a play around with Ling or Simply Learn. For writing, we strongly reccomend the Write Me app, and for listening you should check out the ‘You too can learn Thai‘ podcast.

Josiah

Josiah is a digital nomad with a passion for language learning and adventure travel. He’s taught English as a foreign language for many years and is currently learning Georgian, French and Chinese.

ThaiPod101 Coupon Codes (2022)

Editorial Team — Wed, 13 May 2020 06:06:01 +0000

These ThaiPod101 coupon codes have been tested to work as of February 17th, 2022.

Please note that we receive a small commission if you use our links below (at no cost to you) and it helps support our site.

ThaiPod101 Coupon Codes (Verified February, 2022)

If you are interested in learning to speak Thai, now is a great time to start. With up to 77% off the retail price, ThaiPod101 by Innovative Languages is a great place to begin this journey. Without further ado, here are the discounts you’re looking for!

30% Off ThaiPod101 Coupon

This ThaiPod101 discount code can save up to $165 off a two-year subscription plan. By clicking the link, the 30% discount will automatically be applied.

30% Off ThaiPod101Get Up To $165 Off

Both new and existing ThaiPod101 subscribers can benefit from this offer.

60% Off ThaiPod101 (Premium Only)

This discount is for premium accounts only, and is the secret, lifetime membership offer. The 60% discount is based on using the program for 5 years. If you use the account longer, the actual discount will be higher.

ThaiPod101 6060% Off ThaiPod101

77% Off ThaiPod101 (Lifetime, Multiple Languages)

This offer is only available if you are purchasing multiple lifetime accounts for Innovative Language programs. For example, you can purchase Thai, Chinese and Japanese and get them all for 77% off. This assumes a 5 year use period — if you use them longer, the discount will be even higher.

ThaiPod101 Lifetime77% Off ThaiPod101

How to Use the ThaiPod101 Coupon Code

New ThaiPod101 Users

Grabbing your discount for ThaiPod101 is a piece of cake. Just follow the steps below to start your journey toward speaking Thai.

1. First, click on the ThaiPod101 Discount Code you wish to use.

You will be sent to ThaiPod101 to choose your subscription plan. Please note that your discount has already been figured into the listed subscription prices.

2. Choose a Plan

Determine which plan works best for you. Decide between Basic, Premium or Premium PLUS. We will go over the plans in detail later on.

Note: Some discounts apply only to certain subscription levels.

3. Enter your Payment Information

You can pay by Visa, MasterCard, American Express and PayPal. You will also need to provide a valid billing address.

4. Choose your Subscription Length

Choose the length of your subscription – keep in mind that the longer the subscription, the cheaper the monthly cost. On top of this 30% discount, you can save extra money with a longer subscription. You can choose a term length from as little as one month to 24 months.

5. Verify your Account

You will need to enter your email address to verify your account. After this is completed, you are free to begin studying with ThaiPod101.

Existing ThaiPod101 Users

If you’re already using ThaiPod101, you can still benefit from this deal. Simply log into your ThaiPod101 account, then click on one of the above discount links.

Does the ThaiPod101 Discount Code Work Everywhere?

Yes. These discount codes can be used as long as you have access to the internet.

Should you Choose Basic, Premium or Premium PLUS?

Basic

The Basic subscription offers complete access to all lessons over a variety of platforms including iOS, Android and computers. You can also view or print PDFs for later review. There are new lessons being added all the time.

Opt for the Basic subscription if you:

do not have a lot of money to invest in learning
want to learn enough Thai to get by during travel/simple conversation
want to see if you like speaking Thai before making a bigger commitment

Premium

The Premium subscription plan includes all that the Basic subscription plan offers plus extensive word and phrase lists, HD video, interactive learning tools, voice-recording, flashcards, daily lessons and quizzes.

Opt for the Premium plan if you:

would like more learning features
want to work toward fluency in Thai
want periodic tests & assessments
want to be able to communicate with Thai friends or family
want to be able to understand Thai movies, music and culture

Premium PLUS

The Premium PLUS subscription unlocks all of the ThaiPod101 features. It contains all the Premium plan contains plus one-on-one teaching, recurring assessments and personalized learning plans.

Opt for Premium PLUS if you:

prefer the option of one-on-one instruction with a professional tutor
want a learning plan designed just for you
like to know where you stand with regular assessments

Tips to Get the Most out of your Subscription

We are so happy you are learning to speak Thai with ThaiPod101. We’re certain you will have a rewarding adventure. Here’s a few tips that can help you make the most out of your subscription whether you are a new or current ThaiPod101 subscriber:

1. Plan to study at least 30 minutes each day.
2. Take advantage of all features of your subscription including the daily emails.
3. Use commute times or whilst running/waiting in line to listen to Thai podcasts.
4. Print out and read over lessons when you cannot go online.
5. Use all the interactive learning tools to help with vocab memorization.
6. Keep track of your progress with your dashboard.
7. Be sure to use your one-on-one instructor time for important questions — Premium PLUS members only.
8. Learn with friends by sharing this discount code:

ThaiPod101 Lifetime77% Off ThaiPod101

Editorial Team

Our Editorial Team is a group of language learning enthusiasts who are passionate about testing new apps and finding the best ways to learn a language.

ThaiPod101 Review

Michael — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 15:54:46 +0000

Thanks for checking out our ThaiPod101 review. This review is up-to-date as of Oct 18th, 2021.

The Thai language opens doors to a much deeper travel and living experience in Thailand, and over 20 million native speakers to communicate with. It’s a fascinating language with five tones, 44 consonants and 36 vowels. But don’t worry! It’s much easier to learn than you might think – there’s no articles, conjugations, genders or even tenses!

But actually choosing which language program to go for can be like walking through a minefield. With so many options out there all trying to grab your attention you can find yourself getting lost in all the noise. One of the more popular options (and one that’s stood the test of time) is ThaiPod101, one of many language programs by Innovative Language. It’s affordable, comprehensive and contains dozens of features that give you almost everything you need to master the Thai language once and for all.

In this article we’ll take a closer look at ThaiPod101 – what we liked and didn’t like, how the program is structured, it’s main features, and whether it’s worth handing over your money.

Already made up your mind and looking for our unique discount code?

ThaiPod101 Review: Summary

Name: ThaiPod101

URL: www.thaipod101.com

Operating System: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

Currency: USD

Price: Free or Paid Subscription. You can choose monthly plans (Basic through Premium+) that cost between US$8 to $47. Other subscription plans are 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-month plans that are highly affordable when compared to other language learning software programs.

Application Category: Language Learning Software

Description: ThaiPod101 is another language learning program designed by Innovative Language, creators of JapanesePod101. ThaiPod101 features audio classes, podcasts, PDF notes, and a phone app for studying on the go. Beginners through advanced students of Thai can get use of the application through digital immersion.

In a Nutshell: ThaiPod101 offers total digital immersion without any restrictive scheduling or additional work. The lessons are based on either podcasts or videos with energetic hosts. Thorough PDF lesson notes can be printed out or downloaded into a digital library for on-the-go study. The software is comprehensive and can take you from absolute beginner right through to advanced. ThaiPod101 is a great alternative to the traditional classroom method, because users can take their learning into their own hands, customize their own syllabus, and study wherever and whenever they have the time. To get the full value of ThaiPod101, a subscription plan is highly recommended.

Quality of Learning Materials:

Quantity of Lessons:

Effective and Efficient:

Teaches Useful Cantonese:

Price:

 5/5

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 3/5

Overall Score: 4.2

 4.2/5

The Goods

The Bads

What is ThaiPod101?

ThaiPod101 calls itself the “the fastest, easiest and most fun way” to learn Thai. While the podcasts and audio lessons are geared more towards beginners, there is plenty of content that will help both intermediate and advanced learners improve their Thai language skills. Thousands of audio and video lessons are enhanced with a built-in flashcard system, downloadable notes, and even a smartphone and tablet app that provides access to studying options no matter where you are or how much time you have.

You can sign up for free, which gives you access to the following features:

Over 1670 Audio and Video Lessons
Knowledgeable and Energetic Native Teachers
Vocabulary Tools and Spaced Repetition Flashcards
Detailed Lesson Notes, Line-By-Line Transcripts & Lesson Checklists
Relevant and Interesting Lesson Topics
Community Forum Discussions
Cultural Insights About Thailand and the Thai People

However, if you are truly serious about studying Thai, then we reccomend investing a little more money into ThaiPod101 to unlock hundreds of additional features. The Basic subscription is ideal for those on a shoestring budget, however those who really want to accelerate their studies would enjoy Premium or Premium+ subscriptions.

For example, the Basic subscription ($8 per month or $60 for a year) gives you access to free printer-friendly lesson notes for each audio lesson and one-click lesson downloads. Meanwhile, Premium ($25 per month or $180 per year) unlocks lesson specific tools like voice recording, flashcards, quizzes, downloads, and a dictionary. Premium+ ($47 per month/$316 per year) has all the features of Premium but also includes 1-on-1 instruction.

The Pros: What We Liked About ThaiPod101

Pro #1: Lots of Content

Some of the other language programs by Innovative Language are a bit sparse in terms of content, especially at the higher levels. However, with ThaiPod101 we were really pleased to see that there’s really a LOT of content, and a huge library of lesson pathways to choose from. Whatever your needs, you’ll find a pathway that’s right for you, whether you want to focus on a specific skill like reading or writing, or a particular topic like ‘Thai for Emergencies’, ‘Asking for Directions’, or you just want to brush up on your Thai alphabet.

Pro #2: Great For Novice and Intermediate Learners

Quality resources for Thai at a beginner level are hard to come by, even as Thailand becomes an ever more popular place for expats and travelers. The bulk of the audio and video lessons in ThaiPod101 are designed to give people from all walks of life an excellent foundation from which to build their language studies. Getting the chance to listen to native Thai speakers at a slowed rate, with line-by-line audio clips really helps to train your ears to distinguish those tricky tones and to nail the pronunciation and intonation. We feel the lessons are graded perfectly for those without any prior experience of the language.

Pro #3: Hundreds of Features

Even if you are just using the free function, you get access to quality content that cannot be easily matched with other apps and programs. Once you get a membership however, you unlock a whole new treasure trove of items, including in-depth and varied podcasts, a dictionary, grammar charts, downloadable notes, flashcards, lesson transcripts, playbacks, one-on-one tutoring, community interaction, and so much more.

Pro #4: Relevant and Interesting Topics

Nothing is worse than droll and boring lessons. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about that with ThaiPod101. The Thai conversations featured in the audio and video lessons focus on daily scenarios that you are likely to run into when living in Thailand. This ensures that the vocabulary stays relevant and useful, keeping you interested and motivated to learn more.

Pro #5: Cultural Insights

We believe that learning a language really is the key to unlocking a new culture, and so we wouldn’t expect anything less from a language program than to include lots of cultural insights. Thankfully, ThaiPod101 exceeded our expectations on this front, with a bunch of interesting cultural information weaved directly throughout every lesson. You can even filter the lessons by ‘culture’, and you’ll find a dedicated section to Thai culture in the lesson notes. You’ll discover fascinating topics on Thai food, historical figures, traditional clothing, history, artists and musicians. The culture classes are really the best part of ThaiPod101, in our opinion.

The Cons: What We Didn't Like About ThaiPod101

Con #1: Lack of Speaking Practice

There are not many downsides to ThaiPod101, but the one that sticks out the most would be the overall lack of speaking practice within every single membership level (excluding Premium+). ThaiPod101 will improve your vocabulary and listening skills, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a way to practice speaking. You’ll eventually need to find someone to practice with so you don’t lose your Thai skills. We recommend sites such as italki to supplement your language studies.

Con #2: Small Community

In a similar vein to the lack of speaking practice is the relatively small community of Thai language learners in the program. If you are searching for someone to practice speaking with, you may have to venture beyond the ThaiPod101 community. Besides, some of the community functions are limited in Free and Basic subscriptions.

Con #3: Easy to Get Side-Tracked

Whilst there are recommended curated pathways for each level, the sheer amount of extra lesson pathways to choose from can get a bit overwhelming at times, not knowing which lesson to choose next. This is where the overall concept and methodology of ThaiPod101 might not be best for learners who prefer a more structured ‘by the book’ approach that walks you through each lesson in turn.

It definitely takes some discipline and self awareness to choose the lessons that you need to work on most, which makes ThaiPod101 best suited to independent learners. If this is something that worries you, then we’d recommend the Premium+ membership where you’ll receive a fully personalised study plan with one-on-one instruction and guidance from a professional language tutor.

What Are The Lessons Like?

Depending on the membership that you choose, the lesson plans will be different. Lessons are divided into five levels: Absolute Beginner, Beginner, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate, and Advanced. The lessons are then divided up into sub-sections beneath these levels. For example, if you are looking at the dashboard for beginner content, you might see “Beginner Season 1,” which contains 25 lessons, audio and video lessons, must-know beginner-friendly slang words, review notes, beginner-level listening comprehension, and more. The app is set up very much the same, but the functionality differs depending on your membership.

At the end of every lesson you complete, you are presented with an oral quiz that aims to improve upon your speaking and listening abilities. This helps you understand what your weaknesses are and gauge how well you are progressing through the content.

The podcasts are set up to teach you how to work through everyday scenarios. Animations are bright and cute, and the dialogue is written out for you to follow. If you have a subscription, you can access transcripts pertaining to the lesson, play back the content to take notes, or you can move onto flashcards to study grammar points and words on your own time.

You also get vocab lists, like the Thai Core 100 Word List, which has foundational content, sample sentences, and audio files attached for you to listen to and then repeat. As you level up, the word lists get longer. Some of them are up to 2000 words long. Using these lists alone, you can pick up thousands of unique phrases.

Who Is ThaiPod101 For?

ThaiPod101 is an ideal program for people who:

Consider themselves beginners in Thai language
Like listening to audio and podcasts rather than reading textbooks
Like studying on their own time
Are starting from the beginning and need to build a sound foundation
Are intermediate and advanced speakers looking to review previously learned content

Who Is ThaiPod101 NOT For?

Even the best programs have some disadvantages and negatives that make it less useful for some people. ThaiPod101 is not for the following people:

ThaiPod101 vs. Competitors

Since Thai is not as popular as Japanese, Spanish or Chinese, you won’t find that many programs available. The ones that are out there are not as fleshed out as ThaiPod101. Here are some competitors and alternatives:

Pimsleur Software vs. ThaiPod101

Pimsleur is one of the few CD-ROM-based courses like Rosetta Stone that offers Thai. Each CD has 30+ lessons that takes you through beginner to intermediate then from intermediate to advanced. However, the cost of Pimsleur and other similar programs is on the high end. You also don’t get any printer-friendly content and have to make due without a smartphone or tablet app to make the content more portable.

Italki vs. ThaiPod101

Unlike ThaiPod101, Italki is excellent for connecting you with real people to help you learn a new language. You meet up for lessons over Skype whenever you can. Sometimes you can find language exchange partners for free tutoring, or you can pay a professional for one-on-one lessons. The downside is that you are focusing solely on conversation and may not get the same quality as you would through audio, video, and downloadable lessons.

Walen Thai vs. ThaiPod101

Walen Thai is a free app that can be downloaded onto your Apple or Android phone. It is not as immersive as ThaiPod101, but it does help you with learning the essentials of the language through visual recognition tasks, audio, and video. You can also choose which characters of the Thai alphabet you want to learn.

SpeakThai vs. ThaiPod101

The Tourism Authority of Thailand took language learning into their own hands to develop the SpeakThai app. Rather than being language learning software, SpeakThai functions more like a portable translator that has over 2,500 words and phrases. You can use the translation option or study by listening to well-known phrases. The app is great for travelers who want to learn a few essential phrases for their trip.

You could also opt for a student visa then enroll into a language school in Thailand, but a lot of students find that they are unable to have conversations with the locals. Most language schools, regardless of the language they are teaching, focus on outdated rote memorization. You are lucky if you get to interact with native speakers. That’s why ThaiPod101 is such an excellent option, because you learn from Thai teachers anywhere in the world.

Is ThaiPod101 Worth The Money?

In our opinion: Yes, ThaiPod101 is worth every penny. With the largest Thai lesson library in the world, boasting over 275 hours of real content by experienced teachers, you can be sure that you’ll be getting your money’s worth with ThaiPod101. The platform allows you to study completely on your own time, to select only the topics that are really interest to you, and to start speaking Thai with confidence from the get go.

You can choose between either a free trial or sign up for a paid membership. With the minimum cost of $8 a month, you can certainly start breaking into the Thai language and picking up useful phrases straight away. Even the most motivated of students who choose more expensive packages, like Premium, for $180 a year, are getting excellent value with all the bonus features.

Compared that to the cost of other competitors, like Pimsleur language learning software, which contains less than 40 lessons. If you decide to go to a language school, you might end up paying thousands of dollars a year. A ThaiPod101 subscription costs a fraction of that for two years.

And best of all? If you don’t enjoy ThaiPod101 or are not meeting your learning expectations, there is a full 60-day money back guarantee with every purchase. You can also cancel your subscription any time you want.

If it sounds like I’m really selling it, it’s because I really do like the programs put out by this company. I’ve been using their Japanese program, JapanesePod 101, for years, and have been super happy with the results!

Our Exclusive 30% Off ThaiPod101 Coupon Code

We’ve approached the creators of ThaiPod101 and managed to get our hands on an exclusive 30% off coupon code.

If you use our link to sign up, you get 30% off the regular prices that we mentioned above (excluding the Premium+ tier with 1-on-1 lessons).

Here’s the link:

I don’t know how long this code will be available, but I think at this price the program is a no-brainer to recommend.

The Secret Lifetime Membership Option (Not too many people know about this!)

Some people don’t like monthly payments, and I don’t blame them. Usually when I have a choice between a one time payment and smaller monthly payments, I choose the one-time deal.

This deal isn’t really advertised, but you can get lifetime access to ThaiPod101 for $599.

There are other lifetime deals where you can get the entire course catalogue of 34 languages (this deal is a little expensive, but if you’re a big language learner if might be worth it!).

You can get the lifetime membership to ThaiPod101 here.

ThaiPod101 Review Conclusion

All in all, ThaiPod101 is an Excellent Resource That’s Worth Every Cent (With Only A Few Downsides)

Because Thai is not a popular language, resources for learning the language are few and far between. Fortunately, with resources like ThaiPod101, you don’t need hundreds of apps and programs to get fluent. We’d like to see a bigger community to practice with on ThaiPod101 with features to allow students to connect with one another more easily. That being said, in our opinion this is the best app to learn Thai on the market right now. ThaiPod101 is a solid language learning program that provides hundreds of lessons ranging from absolute beginner through advanced. You can learn pronunciation, grammar, and enhance your vocabulary rapidly—especially if you invest a little money into a subscription plan.

Overall, we think ThaiPod101 is an great investment that can accelerate your understanding of Thai and fast-track your path towards fluency.

Michael

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.

Assimil Review: An Underrated Gem for Asian Languages

Rohan — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 06:48:26 +0000

As far as I’m concerned, Assimil is one of the best kept secrets in language learning. They offer materials for a number of Asian languages, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian and Thai.

I was first introduced to Assimil by Professor Arguelles, who claims to have extensively used their courses to achieve a grounding in a multitude of languages.

Largely unknown in the English-speaking world

If you have ever been to a bookshop in France, then you will know that Assimil titles can be found there in abundance. Their unavailability in stores across the UK and US is a crying shame because Assimil produce some excellent courses for the independent learner. There is a certain French academic rigor to their books with no dumbing down permitted.

Great dialogues

Assimil seem to create more interesting and realistic dialogues than other publishers. I was especially impressed by the quality of the conversations in their Japanese course (see below).

Helpful explanations

Perhaps my favorite thing about Assimil is the detailed notes which are placed on an adjacent page to the dialogues. They are well-written and to the point, so you easily pick up tons of cultural and grammatical knowledge. It’s nice to be treated like an adult for a change, with new items explained properly, but not too much that you get confused.

Logical progression

Assimil’s courses progress in a systematic manner with acquired knowledge being built upon later. What you learn today will be used again tomorrow and next week. This is a common factor shared with other good courses such as MT and Pimsleur.

Recommended Assimil Courses

Assimil Chinese

I have successfully used both volumes of the Chinese with Ease course. The content is a little basic but the dialogues are both humorous and of high quality. You can pick up a brand new copy for only $50. Check it out here.

Assimil have also produced a course for learning to write Chinese characters but I have yet to check it out for myself.

Assimil Japanese

I have not personally used Japanese with Ease, but I got my dad onto it. He has been learning some basic Japanese for his annual trips to visit me here in Tokyo. According to him, a combination of this course and Michel Thomas have been very helpful. He still can’t remember how to say “Gochiso sama deshita” to save his life though.

I have listened to the Japanese dialogues and they are extremely authentic. None of the stilted, oversimplified crap you often find in audio courses produced by publishers in the UK and US (sorry guys). It’s impressive how far they take you by the end of the course. Some of the points covered took me years of living in Japan to understand! It would have been a much faster process for me if I’d had this course at my disposal. Highly recommended.

Assimil Korean

Unfortunately, the Assimil Korean Course is only available in French. If you have a decent base in Korean then you may still find it useful. If you are feeling particularly adventurous, it will also help you brush up your high-school French too! By the way, the “Sans Peine” (literally “Without Pain”) series is the equivalent of the English “With Ease” courses.

Assimil Indonesian

After a business trip to Southeast Asia sparked my interest, I have recently started on learning some basic Indonesian. Assimil was naturally the first course I turned to and it has delivered so far. Again, it is only available in French but give it a shot if you fancy a challenge or simply want to show off in front of your friends!

(Update: We recently tested out IndonesianPod101 and loved it)

Assimil Thai

Thai is another language that has long been on my wish list. I will definitely pick up the Assimil Thai course if and when I decide to learn Thai. Too many languages, too little time!

(Update: We really like the Innovative Languages Thai course. Read our Review of ThaiPod101 here.)

That is all for today. Do you know of any other high quality courses for Asian languages? Let us know in the comments!

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Rohan

Rohan has spent years studying Japanese, Chinese and Korean, and currently lives in Japan. He created the perapera pop-up dictionary plugins to help other learners of Chinese and Japanese.