r/learnitalian

Hi all! I’m looking to start learning Italian for a trip in a few years. I am a native English speaker with basic Spanish knowledge. I have no experience with learning Italian and do not know where / how to start. Any suggestions for materials or good study sources would be incredible :)

Hey, I'm really interested in learning either Italian or Spanish (as I'm a MotoGP fan, they're the most used languages in a sport). I wanted to ask if online textbooks are good to start with (if yes, what schedule should I use)? Keep in mind I wanna learn it on my own for free, without paying any courses. Thanks!

Hi everyone! 👋
I’m an Italian native speaker, and I’d love to help anyone who wants to improve their Italian.
In return, I’m looking for someone to practice my English with. I already know the basics, so I’m not looking for formal lessons—just someone to have relaxed, easy conversations with and help each other improve naturally.
We can chat about everyday life, hobbies, travel, movies, games, food… anything really! The goal is simply to become more fluent and confident in our respective languages.
If you’re interested, feel free to send me a message! 😊

Hi! I run free exchanges between Italian and English native speakers.

30 minutes, half in each language, relaxed, just talking, no pressure.

We meet every Monday and Wednesday at 6 PM Italy time (5 PM London · 12 PM New York). Nothing to book, you show up and I pair you with someone 1:1 or 2:2.

It's completely free.

If you're learning Italian and want regular speaking practice with native speakers, comment or DM me and I'll send you the group link.

What's your level and time zone?

Today I very spontaneously booked myself a flight to Italy that's in 3 weeks, and now I have decided I want to try speak as much of the language as possible as to not be completely screwed when I'm there.

I'm hoping someone may be able to help me conversationally and give me pointers. I have started on Duolingo and have been spamming that for the past 5 hours whilst also writing down everything I learn and watching YouTube videos on conversations as to improve my pronunciation and try not to end up sounding insanely formal. I think nothing would help me more though than another human to read my attempts and be able to tell me I am doing terrible.

I'm mainly trying to get a decent grasp on ordering at like a coffee shop and bars, then basic conversation so that I can try speak to some very patient people whilst I'm there.

Thanks guys! Love Italy so much.

I want to clear imat in the very first attempt and as a non eu student i have chance of applying to only 1 uni in italy .. so can you guys suggest best imat study resources free and paid both that can help

As my title states, I am looking to learn Italian! My husband and I plan to go there someday and I love learning so I figure why not! What is the optimal way to learn? Textbook type curriculum? Reading books? listening to music/watching tv? Apps? I just have no idea where to start. For background, I took 2 years of French in high school and had learned some German as a child as well. Definitely rusty but I seem to pick up on languages relatively well. Any advice or resources would be phenomenal, TYIA!! :)

So, I want to learn Italian. at quite a fast pace, since I am moving to Italy from Australia. I am learning the language at school but I want to hopefully achieve full fluency, but again, school language is certainly not enough to achieve full fluency or close to. Is it possible to get somewhere between B2-C1 maybe even B1 in 6 or less months or so? I know about the term 'avere', I also know somewhat of the differences between 'lo', 'la', 'gli' 'le' 'il' etc. I don't always have the time to do stuff at home because I do quite a lot of sports and extra curricular activities, as I mentioned before, is there a fast way to learn the beautiful Italian language in 6 or under months? Can you guys please give me some tips to learning this language and staying motivational etc. Thank you.

I'm just coming up to the end of my first year of learning italian independently and quite intesely. One of the methods I've been using is HelloTalk for language exchange and while they're somewhat superficial, I've developed friendly relationships with the people on there with whom I convserse regularly.

I know the app discourages talking about politics (which in some respects I understand, but in reality I think it's impossible to NEVER talk about it, particluarly when you're getting to know someone on a personal level.)

We talk about our day, the things that are happening in our lives... so, a few weeks ago I was deeply disturbed by the riots in Belfast (where I grew up.) I now live in London (I'm a white male and gay for some personal context.) So naturally I said I wasn't feeling great and was upset by the violence and what I see as the rise of facism, frankly. I know I really shouldn't be shocked, but I was still upset to hear some of the converstion that followed, racist tropes, anti-refugee/immigrant sentiment. I know Italy is a conservative place and generally the world is descending into this type of choas, but It's putting me off my journey to be honest. I'm conflicted about continuing to develop relationships with people who hold these types of views. I definitely know this is not ALL italians, the UK is a disgusting shitshow too obviously. I guess I'm writing this post to try and be re-assuered by someone out there that there are a healty amount of positive and non-racist Italians out there, worth being friends with.

I'm conflicted about how to proceed with people like this in general. My malaise, brought on by current events, is effecting my optimism about life (but especially now my optimism for this hobby which I had been LOVING). But I somehow want to maintain relationships with people and hope to change their minds or be a positive influence. But I'm struggling to exchange niceities with people who deep down are supportive or ambivalent to the dangerous ideas shaping our world.

Could somebody recommend an app to learn basic words and phrases, I’m not sure where to start. Thank you

Guys I applied to a foundation course and they told I need to get atleast 35 marks in the L2 exam. Im a total beginner and cant understand or speak italian. I need to write the exam in 17 days. What do I do. Help pls 😭😭😭

Hi everyone, I would like to embark on the journey of learning Italian. I was hoping that all of youse could give me advice on how to start learning the language. Thank you!

I suppose this is a valid frustration maybe idk? Im just really tired and overwhelmed by all that is needed to be done and idk how to move forward. I have been taking Italian classes and it has been going really slow I think I have been doing classes for 6 months and all the grammar I know is related to the present tense which is just presente indicativo. Maybe i should change the tutor? Im not sure. Or maybe I'm being a little impatient. The thing is I have myself learned passato prossimo as well so i suppose im not very concerned about the pace of the grammar. But i need soooo much help in speaking and listening.

Im not able to talk to my Italian friends on text without automatically switching to just a translator because ofc my Italian is no where close to the level needed to talk to friends about the topics we speak of. I don't get any luck when it comes to language exchange on apps, nobody replies. Also still I guess for my level I still manage to just express myself in broken Italian but I don't understand when others are speaking to me!! What do I do.

I have social anxiety as well so i just can't go to a random person and start talking. But I'm working on my mental issues as well. But at the same time it's been difficult handling everything at once.

Hi, this is probably a super common question, apologies, but I will be traveling to Italy in a little less than a year from now. What’s the best way I can learn a fair bit of the language before then.

What is a good curriculum?
How much time daily is recommended for decent progress? (What will 1 hour daily get me for example?)

Ciao Ragazzi,

Always see people asking questions about different schools so here is my experience. I just spent three months in Italy and got to spend 6 weeks doing intensive language courses at schools  whilst I travelled around that most people will be familiar with. They all have the pros and cons but I’ve written a few notes on my experience so it will help yours. For me all the schools are comparable and where I go the next time I come back will pretty much come down to the city and the experience I want. I highly recommend staying with host families as an affordable way of travelling, for $200 a week you get a comfortable room with friendly and city proud people who want to ensure you have a great time. Italians love showing off their cities and language to foreigners.

 

Madre Lingua Bologna:

My favourite school of the trip and favourite city.

The class was split up into two sessions, grammar then conversation with a short break at a café in-between which is a relaxed start to the conversation session.  Class sizes were small, maybe 8-10 and it generally was an older demographic of students, in saying that it was one of the more actively outgoing schools for after schools activities. Students would often catch up after classes and there was a lot of return students who have developed good relationships with other students and teachers.  The after school activities were the better ones I noticed available from schools on this trip, think trips to Modena for balsamic vinegar tastings and budget friendly tortellini cooking classes. After both classes they make one of the rooms available and leave a teacher in there for an hour n half so students can complete homework and have assistance with any questions, I tried to make the most of this as its effectively a free Tudor which no other school offers. They often have discounts around Christmas which just require you to put down a deposit.

I was placed with a host family and had a nice room for $200 a week.

 

Parola in Firenze:

Really enjoyed this school and would happily return if I could time it off-peak with tourism at the start or end of the year.

The class was split up into two sessions, grammar then conversation but they have affordable private lessons. If I was to go back, I would just partake in the grammar class each morning and then request a private session with the same teacher. I feel like this would benefit me more and I would try and make up the conversation through an online resource. Class sizes were comfortable around 12 people give or take and I thought they had good course content and moved through at a good pace. The after school activities were good and Gian Luca who runs the school really goes above and beyond trying to ensure you have an enjoyable stay. The only downside for me personally with this school has nothing to do with the school itself, Florence is crazy with tourists. Everywhere you turn are people waiting in line for something they saw on Tik Tok and want to repost, it makes it hard to quickly do anything like quickly grab a bite when pressed for time. The sheer density of tourists in Florence counteracts the immersion effect of studying in Italy, everyone in the street is speaking English and most venues will speak to you in English.

I was placed in a host house for $200 a week and she was lovely, she wouldn’t let me speak English and really helped with my Italian. 

 

Scuola Leonardo Davinci Milano:

Very professional program, if I was going to be in Milano for a lengthy amount of time this would be a good school.

I was only here for a week and found the program very professional and they moved through it quickly. It’s the biggest school I attended and they even run morning and evening classes.

The start was a little frustrating, I arrived early Monday morning because they insist on doing a speaking test in addition to an online grammar test. I pushed for doing it over the phone in the lead up to try and streamline the process and I ended up waiting 2 hours to do my test which was just being asked in Italian where I’ve studied. I was then told to go to the wrong class and wasted a day.

There content and program they teach is very clear and its obvious they are designed for getting students through their CILS. It was a very young demographic of students compared to any of the other schools I’d visited. The week I was there none of the activities appealed to me, they were mostly eating out in groups.

Found my own accommodation while I was here because apparently I booked too late.

 

Scuola Leonardo Davinci Roma:

Good school with a good mix of students. Would happily study here again if I found myself staying in Roma.

The content was like the Milano school but slightly different, completely different set of books we worked off. This was the first school I attended where they really focused on repetition and not rushing through a number of things in a week instead thoroughly teaching  a few things. It suited my learning style and I felt confident in what I’d learnt by the end of the week. The activities midweek were mostly eating out based in groups, perhaps its harder in the larger cities to organise activities cost efficiently that aren’t just meeting up for food/drinks.

I stayed with a host family here that was $300 for 6 nights not the usual 7.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking for a local to walk around with, grab a bite to eat, mainly just speak Italian and work on pronouciation and key phrases. Will be in the country for 2 weeks and want to start right.

Let me know if anyone knows someone. €60/2 hours? negotiable?

hi i'm brazilian and I’m trying to practice english and italian more consistently, but I really want to do it in a more natural way... not only by studying alone, but actually talking to people. my english is around B1/B2, and my Italian is still beginner level, so I’m looking for welcoming groups/communities where people chat, practice together, and don’t mind mistakes.

I’d love spaces where people talk about:
books
music
culture
everyday life

basically just fun normal conversations lol do you know any discord servers, reddit communities, apps or study groups that are actually good for this?

thanks 🫶