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The Top 10 Best Ways to Learn Italian

Paul Kilinga
The Top 10 Best Ways to Learn Italian
While learning Italian may seem challenging, becoming proficient can positively impact your life. Speaking Italian can help you if you travel or move to Italy, if it is a job requirement, if your partner is a native speaker, or if you simply want to order food in an Italian restaurant. Here are 10 of the best ways to learn Italian so you can enjoy the tremendous benefits it brings.

1. Sign Up for a Class

Registering for Italian language classes is the easiest step you can take to learn the language. It is a direct path to learn Italian vocabulary and pronunciation. You’ll interact and study with other students who can motivate you when the language-learning process gets tough.

It’s vital to attempt to communicate or ask questions in Italian in order to familiarize yourself with the language, and class requires you to do just that. Take the Italian class exercises seriously, and you should start to pick up the language sooner than you think! 

Other students are a useful resource. For instance, students who speak a language related to Italian may be able to interpret some words in their own language and explain it to you. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Italian is part of the Romance Languages, which bear a few similarities in vocabulary. That means a Spanish speaker who interprets “Read a book” as “Lee un libro” may translate it in Italian as “Leggi un libro,” thereby guiding you as you transition to understanding a new language.

2. Read an Italian Book

If you prefer to study by yourself, buy an Italian language guidebook to learn the basics, vocabulary, and phonetic pronunciation of Italian words. You have to be careful not to overwhelm yourself with too much grammar and too many expressions at once, though. The goal is to learn at a steady pace, understand and memorize the lessons, and practice your word exercises to speak well later.

Consider also getting Italian story books with stories you already know in your native tongue, for example, folk tales like Chicken Little (Il Polletto Carletto). As you read a familiar book in Italian, it’ll be easier to follow along because you know the story. If you spot any words you don’t recognize, immediately note the word down and check the meaning. 

Arm yourself with an Italian dictionary if you don’t have one already. Use an online dictionary if you don’t have an alternative, and make sure to review the listed word meanings to learn related words.

3. Get a Language Program

For many, the best way to learn Italian can be through one of the many language-learning software courses on the market. Examples include Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur, Babbel, and Lingopie. While these programs used to supplement traditional learning in class in the past, they’ve now become more advanced and useful for independent language learning.

To find the right language-learning program for your needs, consider these factors: cost, user experience, teaching model, and additional features. The software must provide training in reading, writing, listening, and speaking Italian for your language study to be successful. Select a program that doesn’t overwhelm you with information, but provides steady guidance and memorization training to help you understand Italian.

4. Learn Through Online Courses

You can learn Italian online through websites like Pimsleur and pick up sufficient vocabulary to begin speaking the language. Some of the learning is gamified to make the lessons more engaging and fun.

There are many reasons for using online courses to learn Italian. For one, some of the websites offer free lessons and no limits on how long you can learn. You can study from anywhere in the world with an internet connection, and you can decide what time your lessons should be. Furthermore, you can study at your own pace and refer back to previous lessons. Some sites also have online communities where you can join others who are learning the same language.

5. Install and Use Language-Teaching Mobile Apps

Smartphones have brought all the advantages of the internet into the palm of our hands. One such benefit is the ability to use language-teaching mobile apps that are available on the Android or iOS play stores. Apps like Rocket Languages offer step-by-step instruction straight from your mobile phone in an engaging and interactive manner.

Apps to learn Italian can be super convenient, as you can learn from anywhere, at your own pace, or listen to interactive audio courses as you handle other tasks. Learning on mobile also provides different types of teaching formats. For example, you can learn through audio, video, or gamified exercises, or you can download documents to help with your coursework. Different apps offer different types of learning, so with a little quick research, you should easily be able to find the best app to learn Italian for you. 

6. Use All the Multimedia at Your Disposal

Watching movies and listening to music and podcasts can provide a route to learning Italian that some might miss. YouTube has various channels discussing Italian, and you can use them as part of your pathway to building a foundation in the language. You can also select subtitles in the playback settings and set them to Italian to start making correlations between words, sounds, and possible meanings.

Listening to Italian music throughout the day may guide you on pronunciation and even introduce new words into your vocabulary. Make sure to read the lyrics and their translations to understand Italian further. You can also try watching movies in Italian or set subtitles in Italian for English movies. If you prefer podcasts, you can search for Italian ones and begin acquainting yourself with the language.   

7. Immerse Yourself in Italian

Immersion is a significant component of language learning—this is when learners practice a language exclusively until they learn it. While language programs, such as Lingopie, use immersion to teach their students, one great way to immerse yourself is by traveling to Italy and trying to learn Italian by speaking it every day! 

Be focused on learning every day, listen intently, and talk to locals as much as possible. Learn about the culture by reading tour guidebooks and visiting landmarks and museums. Ask questions about Italian culture, and try to familiarize yourself with people’s verbal and non-verbal cues as you begin to adopt the native tongue.

8. Find an Online Tutor or Conversation Partner

If you prefer to have a teacher guiding you rather than learning independently, consider getting an online Italian tutor. You can use online tools, such as dictionaries, have flexibility in scheduling sessions, and get instant feedback on your progress. You can search online for private language lessons and tutoring platforms like Busuu, which connects students with teachers on video chat. Or, you can organize a less formal agreement to chat in Italian with a friend or someone from a language-learning forum.

Speaking to an Italian conversation partner can be a more relaxed way to learn the language. Conversing with a native speaker enables you to learn in a safe, non-judgmental environment. It helps you think about daily conversation in a different language, building your confidence in speaking Italian.

9. Challenge Yourself

Learning a language has to be a deliberate effort every day to push yourself out of your comfort zone and put yourself in the mindset of change. Our first language is all many of us have ever known, and we’re now trying to shift to adopting a new set of vocabulary, pronunciation, non-verbal cues, and grammatical rules. 

Challenge yourself by turning everything around you into something Italian-related. For example, change your phone language settings to Italian. It will force you to figure out the phone menus and everything you click on, thereby learning something novel. Write labels around the house in Italian, and use flashcards and other memory-training tools to ingrain the language in your mind. 

10. Take Notes and Listen Carefully

Research shows that we remember more when we write down what we’ve learned. It’s also better to write down notes than to type them on a laptop because writing engages the mind in a different way, enabling the brain to think and connect ideas. Additional research concluded that taking notes activated more brain regions than typing them out.

As you’re learning Italian, it is essential to not only listen carefully but also write down notes. It will enhance memory recall, enabling you to pick up the vocabulary and language rules faster. Active listening also trains your mind to pick up the voice inflection and articulation of a native speaker. 

Conclusion

Learning Italian can make a big difference in your life and expose you to many fresh and exciting experiences. The best way to learn Italian depends on the learner, and the tips above will help you find the ideal approach for you.

Consider signing up for a language class or an online course if you prefer teacher-student learning. Visit a language-learning website or download a learn Italian app to access interactive audio lessons. Buy Italian guidebooks and storybooks or pay for an affordable language program to learn from home.

Finally, challenge yourself and immerse yourself in the Italian language. Consume video and music content daily to add Italian words to your vocabulary. If you focus on the method that makes you most comfortable and motivates you to continue learning every day, you’ll become proficient in Italian.

Paul Kilinga
Paul contributes to Top10.com as a technology and business writer. He has over 5+ years of experience crafting informative, research-driven articles for B2B and B2C audiences. Paul's work has appeared on such websites as TechRadar Pro, Tom's Guide and Southeast Asia's Tech Collective in domains as diverse as cybersecurity, eCommerce and entrepreneurship, in addition to gracing the blogs of a slew of private B2B SaaS and tech start-ups.