Italian is a Romance language spoken by 60 million people in Italy and other parts of the world. There are many regional dialects in Italy, but the Tuscan version of Italian is one of the most widely spoken dialects. To learn to speak the language, start with the alphabet and basic grammar, seek professional tuition, and immerse yourself in the language if your goal is to become fluent.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Mastering the Essentials
Step 1. Learn the Italian alphabet
Most of the letters in the Italian alphabet are the same as in our language, but the pronunciation is different. The consonants “j” (i lunga), “k” (cappa), “w” (vi / vu doppia), “x” (ics) and “y” (i greca) are not part of the Italian alphabet, but appear in foreign words. Practice in Italian before you proceed to pronounce whole words.
- A = A
- B = Bi
- C = Chi
- D = Di
- E = E
- F = Efe
- G = Yi
- H = Acca
- I = I
- L = Ele
- M - Eme
- N = Jan
- O = O
- P = Pi
- Q = Cu
- R = Erre
- S = That
- T = Ti
- U = U
- V = Vi / Vu
- Z = Zeta
Step 2. Practice some essential phrases
Learning a few essential phrases will help you navigate Italy and decide if you are interested in delving into the language. Getting a little familiar with these phrases will also give you a head start if you decide to take an Italian class. Practice. UYp8Diugmeg by pronouncing the following phrases with an Italian accent:
- Buon giorno ("Hello / Good morning / Good afternoon")
- Ciao ("Hello / Bye")
- Arrivederci ("Goodbye")
- Per favo / Per piacere ("Please")
- How are you? / Come stai? ("How are you? / How are you?" [Formal / informal])
- Sto bene. ("I'm fine / fine")
- Scusi / Scusa (“Excuse me / Excuse me” [formal / informal])
- Grazie ("Thank you")
Step 3. Familiarize yourself with Italian grammar and vocabulary
Buy yourself a Spanish-Italian dictionary and grammar book to help you begin to understand how this language is formed. Memorize some essential vocabulary words and practice pronouncing them out loud, plus do the grammar exercises until you feel comfortable forming basic sentences.
- To expand your vocabulary, label items around your house with Italian words and pronounce them out loud every time you pass.
- Look online for more resources to help you practice your grammar and vocabulary.
Method 2 of 3: Seek Career Teaching
Step 1. Take an Italian course
Enroll in a course at a local college or university. You could also look for classes at a special language school; Very often, these schools offer intensive programs designed to help you learn a foreign language quickly. Look online for more course options as well, as they are generally less expensive than the in-person options.
- Do your Italian homework. There is no point in taking a language class unless you do all the homework and exercises. Although it may seem tedious, it is absolutely necessary, as learning a completely new language requires many hours of practice.
- Participate in conversations in class. Raise your hand frequently to answer the teacher's questions. Talking out loud as often as possible and getting feedback from the teacher on your pronunciation will help you improve much faster than if you just listened quietly in the back of class.
Step 2. Buy a program that teaches Italian
Companies like Rosetta Stone offer programs that help you learn languages quickly and at your own pace. These language packs have audio so you can hear the correct pronunciation and practice it too. These types of programs could be expensive, so look to buy a used record collection or buy a program together with a friend who also wants to learn this language.
Step 3. Get an Italian teacher
Having a personal teacher is of great value when learning a new language. Hire one to help you be the best in the classes you are taking. Even if you don't take classes, consider meeting with a language teacher a few times a week to give you the instruction you need to learn Italian effectively.
- Check your university's dashboards to see if graduate students or others fluent in Italian offer their teaching services. Your university's language department may also have a list of professors available for interested students.
- If you are not affiliated with any university, search the Internet for advertisements for people offering their teaching services. You could study with someone who is in Italy via Skype or another video conferencing program.
Method 3 of 3: Immerse yourself in the language
Step 1. Spend your time with people who speak Italian
Talk to students in more advanced classes or make friends with people who are fluent in the language. Talking with people who speak Italian will be the best tool to improve your knowledge; it will be impossible to get this kind of practice by reading only a textbook or by using other educational resources.
- Start an Italian conversation group that meets a few times a week. The goal should be to speak only Italian for about a full hour. You can ask everyone to talk about a certain topic or just go with the flow of the conversation.
- Plan to date Italian speakers so that you can practice the language in a variety of contexts. For example, you could go to a museum and talk about art in Italian.
- Find some way to speak it for at least half an hour a day. Even on the days when you don't meet with your group, call an Italian speaker and chat in Italian for half an hour. Meet with a language teacher during work hours and discuss the class in Italian. Practice as much as you can.
Step 2. Take advantage of the Italian media
Immersion in the media is excellent for further improving your knowledge and will help you gain a greater understanding of the language through popular culture and other contexts. Rent movies in Italian and watch them with or without Italian subtitles. Focus on understanding the language and soon you will be able to understand what the actors are saying.
Step 3. Study Italian in Italy
If you want to master this language, there will be no better method than to go to Italy and study the language for as long as possible. Achieving full fluency could take many years, but even a stay of 6 months to a year will greatly improve your knowledge.
- See if your university offers study abroad opportunities. You could spend a semester or a year studying in Italy.
- If you are not affiliated with a university, look for job opportunities in Italy. Foreigners could work in art programs, organic farming, and other exciting opportunities.
- When in Italy, speak Italian. Do not always surround yourself with other Spanish-speaking foreigners whom you will inevitably run into. Many well-meaning Italians might assume that you prefer to speak in Spanish, but you should politely ask them to continue speaking Italian, even if it is difficult at first. With enough time and practice, you will begin to assimilate this language and will be able to speak it fluently.
Advice
- There is a list of Italian newspapers available at
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To better guide you with the pronunciation of vowels, follow these rules:
- The vowels ¨a¨, ¨i¨, ¨o¨ are pronounced the same as in Spanish. The closed ¨e¨ is the same as in Spanish, but the open ¨e¨ is pronounced like the Spanish ¨e¨ (with the mouth more open). The ¨o¨ is the same case as the ¨e¨.
- Double consonants must be vocalized by lengthening the affected consonant itself.
- The Italian ¨b¨ is stop, to pronounce it the lips have to come together completely.
- The letter ¨c¨ before the ¨a¨, ¨o¨, ¨u¨ is pronounced as in Spanish. In front of ¨e¨, ¨i¨ as ¨che¨, ¨chi¨.
- The Italian ¨d¨ is pronounced the same as the Spanish, always being stop.
- The ¨q¨ is pronounced the same as the ¨c¨ in Spanish, only that the ¨u¨ is going to be pronounced.
- The Italian ¨z¨ has to be pronounced sometimes ¨ds¨, and sometimes ¨ts¨. There is no fixed shape.