How to learn Italian fast?
Learning a new language is always an adventure, but it doesn’t have to be a hard one.
Learning Italian is fantastic!
You get to know a new culture, learn about their different habits, specifics, and even similarities.
However, when it comes to learning Italian on your own, Italian for beginners may seem confusing at the start.
You don’t know exactly what to do or what to expect.
It’s not a hard process, but it’s a process that takes time and resources.
It all depends on you and on how much and how often you are willing to practice.
Here are a polyglot’s tips to improve your Italian learning.
My tips to improve your Italian fast
#1. Focus on conversation
Learning Italian shouldn’t be complicated.
My first study tip to speak Italian is to focus on conversation. Not grammar, not reading.
Hours and hours of awkward and strenuous conversation with people better than you in the Italian language.
An hour of conversation (with corrections and a dictionary for reference) is as good as five hours in a classroom and 10 hours with a language course by yourself.
You’re going to be far more invested and motivated to communicate with a live person in front of you than a book or audio program on your computer.
#2. Learning Italian every day
Studying a language four hours a day for two weeks will be more beneficial for you than studying for one hour a day for two months.
Language requires a lot of repetition, a lot of reference experiences, and a consistent commitment and investment.
To speak Italian for real, it’s better to allot a particular period of your life, even if it’s only 1-2 weeks, and really go at it 100%, than to half-ass it over the course of months or even years.
#3. Focus on speaking and listening
The greatest return on investment in language learning is forcing yourself to speak Italian and communicate with Italian speakers.
When you’re sitting in your bedroom with a book or a software program, you’re not being forced to formulate meaning and significance in the new language on the spot.
That’s not the best way to learn the Italian language or any language.
#4. Take 1-on-1 tutoring
If you have the money for learning Italian, grabbing a solid tutor and sitting with him or her for a few hours every day is the fastest way to learn a new language I’ve ever found.
If you can’t afford 1-on-1 tutoring, find a language buddy online
On the contrary, you get a really poor return for your time and effort in group classes for learning Italian because the class moves at the pace of its slowest student.
#5. Follow your passion
Even if you’re totally excited about this new language learning journey you’ve embarked on, at some point or another, chances are studying this new language is going to feel like a chore.
No matter what your learning style is, my advice is to incorporate your studies into things you’re already interested in.
#6. Think directly in Italian
Obviously this one is going to be hard if you only know like, 20 new words in this new language, but get used to expressing everything you possibly can with those few words you do have.
It’s extremely hard to translate directly between two languages, especially if they’re totally unrelated, and
#7. Don’t study grammar
You want to speak and think directly in Italian. So, don’t start with grammar rules.
If you’re overwhelmed by boring grammar lessons, you’ll give up because you lose interest and stop putting in the effort.
Instead, the first tool you should look for is something that will quickly give you the confidence to start speaking and understanding a bit of Italian.
#8. Read aloud
Look up a topic in English on Wikipedia and then read a piece on the same subject in Italian.
Choose a book by a favorite author that’s available in English and Italian.
Choose a topic you are familiar with in English and then read an article on the same subject in an online Italian newspaper.
#9. Build your vocabulary
Collect all the new words you learn in a notebook.
Highlight every word you look up in your Italian-English dictionary.
As you look up future words, the previously highlighted ones will pop up at you.
#10. Move to Italy
If you need to learn Italian on your own in order to move to Italy, chances are you will start by using immersive learning.
It’s something that comes naturally and you will be enjoying the process.
Living in Italy is the best way to learn Italian on your own if you’re free to leave your country.
Choose your way to improve your Italian
There’s plenty of ways to practice Italian.
Today is the perfect time to get yourself up and start learning.
I showed the best ways to learn Italian on your own, and now it’s your turn to start getting it done!
