How can I learn Italian quickly and easily? This is a question we get a lot on the blog, and one that deserves a fair answer.
In fact, learning a language, like learning any other skill, takes time, practice, and perseverance.In fact, it is estimated that in order to become proficient in a Romance language such as Italian, the average English speaker would need spend about 600 hours Achieve basic fluency in the classroom. Granted, some academics seem to pick up the language effortlessly, but the vast majority of us don’t fall into that category.
Having said that, there are various methods that we can use to teach ourselves Italian and see satisfactory results in a relatively short amount of time. Below you’ll find five methods that I personally recommend based on my own experience as a successful language learner.
1. Take an Italian language course
Let’s start with the most traditional method of language learning: taking courses.
While not my preferred method, taking a language class can give you the basic tools you need to construct grammatically correct sentences and build your vocabulary. Not to mention you’ll have ongoing support from teachers and fellow students.
Courses also hold you accountable – not only are you expected to meet deadlines, but success also benefits you financially. So if you’re the type of person who thrives on the pressure to do well academically (as you really are), taking an Italian class might be a great way to start.
High schools and universities/colleges offer a variety of programs, but if you prefer a program tailored to your needs, I highly recommend checking out italian. as I explained in my full review, italian is a platform where you can take online courses with qualified tutors at very affordable rates.
Of course, if you prefer to work at your own pace and have the necessary discipline to complete your studies, there are many free and paid online courses you can take to improve your Italian, including:
Helpful hints: One helper app I use all the time when I start learning a new language is Angie, a virtual flashcard program that helps me review new words and expressions. It’s completely free on desktop and Android, and on Apple devices, you’ll need to pay a small fee.
2. Find an Italian conversation partner
This brings me to the second way to effectively learn Italian, which is to find a conversation partner.
The most affordable route is a language exchange, or in other words, an arrangement between you and an Italian who is interested in practicing your English skills. Because this is an equal exchange of services, money is excluded.You can find conversation partners like this in apps like hello or in series. My advice is to find someone whose English level is comparable to your Italian level so that one does not dominate or take advantage of the other.
Then there are social media options. I personally use WhatsApp and Facebook groups a lot to chat with like-minded Italians. In fact, I was even part of a group of Italian and English-speaking moms who helped each other out with the target language. Within minutes of texting a question, I’m guaranteed to hear back from someone in the group!
Of course, there is always the option of paying someone to talk to you, and again, italian (affiliate link)is the perfect platform for this.
3. Immerse yourself in Italian media
One of the best ways to teach yourself Italian at home is to immerse yourself in all kinds of Italian media, from movies and songs to books, podcasts and the radio playing in the background while you make dinner. This method is especially useful if you don’t have someone to practice speaking on a daily basis. Media won’t replace real, live conversations, but it’s certainly the next best thing.
Watch Italian Movies and TV Shows – both original and dubbed in Italian – are effective because you expose yourself to real dialogue at native speed. If you don’t understand something, you can always rewind and listen to the conversation again. This method works well even at the beginner level because you expose your ears to the sounds of the language.We always recommend activating Italian subtitlesNever English, as doing so will allow you to keep up with the conversation while learning new words and expressions.
A very useful app designed to help you improve your vocabulary by watching movies and TV shows is called Spirit fruit pie (affiliate link). All shows come with two sets of subtitles (Italian and English) where you just click on a word and get an instant translation. In short, the more you watch, the more you learn!But of course, you can always stick to a more traditional platform like Netflix, amazon main (affiliate link) or disneyAll of these have extensive Italian content.
learn your lyrics favorite italian song Singing along with karaoke is another very fun way to teach yourself Italian. Not only will you learn lots of new words, but you will also improve your Italian pronunciation and accent. After all, who could pass up the opportunity to sing a classic like this? oh my sun or fly in blue painted blue?
An app I recently discovered to practice the lyrics to your favorite Italian songs lyrics training. Simply choose a song you like, choose a “game mode” (beginner to advanced), and enter the missing lyrics while the song plays.
Speaking of music, let’s not forget the humble radio.When I’m at home, lounging around the house doing chores or cooking, I always listen to radio italy, one of the only radio stations that only plays Italian music. The beauty of the radio is that you can listen to all kinds of songs, commercials and presenters talking about all kinds of topics. I recommend downloading it as an app on your phone, as the desktop version is only available in Italy. Alternatively, you can listen to podcasts in Italian, a great option for traveling by car or public transport.A few of my favorites include coffee time italian and slow italian news.
Finally we read the book. I realize that books may not be the easiest way for beginners to start learning Italian as there will be a lot of words to look up at first. But once you reach the lower intermediate level, there’s no reason not to start reading simple stories or even children’s books.My favorite Italian reading app is called Ling Q – Simply upload an eBook or article to the app and tap unfamiliar vocabulary as you read it. The words will be saved to a file that you can review later.
4. Join the Italian Club
Joining an Italian club in your area is a great way to learn a conversational Italian and make new friends who share your passion for the language.
I’ve never really used this tactic in Italian, but when I was studying Japanese in college, I used to join a free hour-long talk club every Friday morning in the lunchroom. I also ran a Welsh conversation club for a few years where I met many people who were eager to help me improve my Welsh.
Even if you didn’t go to college, most big cities have at least one club dedicated to Italian language and culture.For example, in Toronto there are Toronto Italian Connection, a group of Italian-Canadians, Italians living in Canada and Italian speakers who meet regularly at various Italian restaurants in Toronto to enjoy Italian food, converse in Italian, discuss Italian films and novels, and enjoy each other’ company . “
5. Travel to (or move to) Italy
The most obvious way to learn Italian quickly and easily is to move to Italy, or at least travel there for a while. I know this option isn’t an option for many of us, but there’s no getting around the fact that a fully immersive experience that can take you from scratch to a conversation in just a few months.
If you have just graduated, or are a university student on vacation, one of the affordable ways to live in Italy is become an Au PairAn Au Pair is just another word for a “live-in nanny” whose job it is to take care of the family’s children for a certain amount of time each day and, in some cases, teach them your native language (English in our case). This is exactly what I did for the first two years of my life in Turin. None of the three children I cared for when I first moved in spoke English, so I had to learn some Italian to understand their needs in order to survive. In many ways, it was a perfect language exchange!
People in their 20s or older may prefer to attend language school in Italy – I attended italian porch In Turin – or just traveling the country and interacting with the locals. A word of warning though: if you insist on going to the touristy areas of Italy, most people will probably try to practice English on you!
look at these 27 must-have phrases for travelers to Italy!
Bonus: talk to yourself
A very effective and often underrated way to improve your speaking skills in a second language is talking to yourself, especially if you are very shy or have no one to talk to.This approach is known in the language tutoring industry as soliloquy.
By talking to yourself, you can improve your pronunciation, solidify your new vocabulary, and develop the habit of using language every day. Doing so can also help you gain a clearer picture of where your strengths and weaknesses lie. The real bonus is that if you say something wrong, or if you repeat the same sentence to yourself ten times, no one will judge you!
Did you like these tips for learning Italian quickly and easily? Do you think I might have missed any tips? If so, drop me a comment below!
