How to learn Italian

Looking for a fresh challenge? Learning Italian might be exactly what you need!

While Italian isn’t spoken across every continent, it opens doors to incredible cultural experiences, valuable career paths, and genuine human connections. Plus, learning Italian shows curiosity and respect towards the people and traditions you’ll encounter.

In this guide, you'll discover practical strategies to begin your Italian learning journey and stick with it.

Why Italian?

Italian isn't just the language of opera and Renaissance art. Italian is also spoken in parts of Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, and across global Italian communities.

Here’s why learning Italian is worth your time:

• Boost your career in fashion, design, tourism, or culinary arts
• Enjoy deeper travel experiences beyond tourist hotspots
• Connect with Italian-speaking friends and colleagues
• Appreciate Italian films, books, and songs in their original beauty
• Train your brain by learning a phonetically rich and expressive language
• Embrace a lifestyle that values art, conversation, and “la dolce vita”

Is Italian difficult to learn?

Italian can look intimidating at first, but for English speakers (and especially if you know Spanish or French), it’s actually quite approachable.

Why is Italian easier than it seems?

• Romance Language Family: Italian shares many words and grammatical patterns with Spanish, French, and Portuguese.
• Predictable Pronunciation: Words are generally spoken exactly as they’re spelled.
• Straightforward Grammar: Compared to French or German, Italian verb conjugations and sentence structures are more regular.

What might challenge you?

Pronunciation quirks:

Though Italian is phonetic, some sounds need extra attention:

• Gli (like in figlio) – a soft “lli” sound
• Gn (as in gnocchi) – similar to the “ny” in “canyon”
• Double consonants (pizza, notte) – pronounce with a slight pause
• The iconic rolled R – essential for sounding authentic

Dialects and Regional Flavors:

Italy is home to over 30 dialects, with some so distinct that they sound like entirely different languages.
Take the word “bread” (pane) for example:

• Pane – Standard Italian
• Panino – Often refers to sandwiches
• Pagnotta – A large rustic loaf, common in Umbria
• Michetta – A bread roll from Milan
• Frisella – A double-baked bread from Puglia

Even Italians sometimes struggle to understand dialects from other regions, making this an exciting challenge for learners!
 

How to make learning Italian enjoyable and effective:

1. Set realistic goals and make a study plan

To make real progress, first ask yourself: Why do I want to learn Italian? Is it for your career, for travel, or simply to explore the culture? Knowing your purpose helps you choose the right learning path.

Set both short-term and long-term goals to stay motivated. When you reach these goals, even small ones, you’ll feel more confident and motivated to keep going.

You can also use the SMART goal method to structure your plan:

• Specific: Clear and focused
• Measurable: Track your progress
• Achievable: Set goals that are realistic for your time and level
• Relevant: Match your goals to your personal reason for learning
• Time-bound: Set a deadline to stay on track

2. Immerse yourself in Italian daily life

The more you hear and see Italian in your daily life, the faster you’ll improve. Try to include Italian in your everyday routine:

• Change your phone’s language to Italian
• Watch Italian movies and TV shows
• Listen to Italian songs and podcasts
• Read Italian newspapers and books

This kind of daily exposure helps your brain get used to the language naturally, just like how you learned your native language.

To help you get started, here are some great Italian series, films, songs, and podcasts to explore:

• Italian TV Series: Un Medico in Famiglia, Tutti Pazzi per Amore, The Young Pope
• Italian Movies: La Vita È Bella (Life Is Beautiful), Manuale d’Amore (Manual of Love) , Viva la libertà (Long Live Freedom)
• Italian Podcasts: Coffee Break Italian, Podcast Italiano, Learn Italian with Lucrezia
• Italian Singers: Måneskin, Laura Pausini, Eros Ramazzotti

3. Discover the culture while learning the language

Italian is a beautiful and lively language that originates from the Latin spoken in ancient Rome. Known for its musical sound and emotional expression, Italian is much more than just words it’s a bridge to Italy’s rich culture and daily life.

Learning a language is not only about grammar and vocabulary; it’s about embracing a new way of living. When you learn Italian, you start to experience:

• The heart of Italian identity through traditional food
• The beauty of Italian music, fashion, and cinema
• The deeper meanings behind Italian traditions, values, and celebrations

You don’t just visit Italy, you become part of it by:

• Celebrating Ferragosto (mid-August holiday), Natale (Christmas), or Carnevale (Carnival) with locals
• Understanding the cultural significance of family dinners and social habits
• Picking up on the small gestures and expressions Italians use in everyday conversations

4. Practice makes progress

When you start learning a new language, don’t expect perfection right away. In the beginning, what really matters is practice and consistency. Focus on using the language regularly, not on avoiding mistakes.

Instead of wondering, “When should I start?”, the answer is simple: Start now. The earlier you begin, the faster you’ll notice progress. Daily practice helps your brain store new knowledge in long-term memory.

Don’t be afraid to:

• Speak out loud, even when you’re alone
• Talk to people, even if you make mistakes
• Embrace errors as learning opportunities

Every small mistake is a step towards better fluency and confidence.

Daily practice tips to improve your Italian:

• Repeat words and phrases out loud
  This improves pronunciation and boosts your speaking confidence.
• Write a short text about simple topics
  For example: describe a movie you watched or something you saw online.
• Look around and name things in Italian
  Identify the Italian words for objects or actions you see in your daily environment.
• Talk to yourself in Italian
  Describe what you’re doing, how you’re feeling, or narrate your thoughts (even silently).

These may seem like small actions, but if you do them every day, your Italian skills will improve much faster.

5. Learn with a real teacher

One of the best ways to learn a new language is with a qualified teacher. When people try to learn a language on their own, they often stop after some time. This can happen because they lose motivation or find it too difficult to continue alone.

But learning with a trained teacher has many advantages. A good teacher can:

• Correct your mistakes right away
• Explain grammar clearly and simply
• Help you stay motivated and make steady progress

Thanks to online platforms like coLanguage, it’s now easy to learn with a real teacher from anywhere. You can choose your own schedule, learn at your own pace, and study from the comfort of your home with the help of a trained professional Italian teacher.

6. Stay consistent and stay motivated

Consistency is one of the most important factors for success in language learning. By dedicating a little time each day, you'll see significant improvement over time. Here's how to make the most of your practice:

• Practice Daily:
  • Spend 15–20 minutes each day practicing Italian.
  • Review new vocabulary and reinforce words you’ve already learned.
  • Write short texts: Describe your day, a recent experience, or even a fictional story to practice grammar and vocabulary.
  • Engage in simple conversations: Practice speaking out loud, even if it's just with yourself. Use language exchange apps or talk to a native speaker when possible.

• Set Achievable Milestones:
  • Break down your long-term goals into smaller, manageable tasks.
  • For example: “Learn 10 new words each week” or “Hold a 5-minute conversation in Italian by the end of the month.”
  • Celebrate these small wins! When you meet your goals, give yourself credit to stay motivated.

• Stay Positive and Keep Going:
  • Don’t be discouraged by mistakes; they are a natural part of learning!
  • Accept that you won’t be perfect at first, and that’s okay.
  • Every mistake is an opportunity to learn and improve. Keep practicing, and you’ll get better over time.

Italian language certificates

There are several official Italian proficiency exams, including:

• CILS (Certificato di Italiano come Lingua Straniera) – for students learning Italian as a foreign language.
• CELI (Certificato di Conoscenza della Lingua Italiana) – recognized worldwide, useful for academic purposes.

These exams are aligned with the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), which helps you gauge your language skills from A1 (beginner) to C2 (proficient).

Learning Italian with coLanguage is the smart choice

Finding the right environment to learn a language can make all the difference, and that’s exactly what coLanguage offers. It connects you with qualified Italian teachers who guide you step by step in your learning journey.

Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to refine your skills, you can learn at your own pace, choose your own schedule, and study from anywhere in the world.

What makes coLanguage a smart choice:

• Flexible scheduling: Book lessons when it works best for you, mornings, evenings, or weekends.
• Online learning from anywhere: All you need is an internet connection.
• Track your progress: See how much you improve with each lesson.
• Free learning materials: Access extra exercises, grammar tips, and vocabulary lists.

coLanguage makes it easy, accessible, and enjoyable to learn Italian. With the right teacher and the right support, your goals become much more reachable and your learning experience more rewarding.

Survival Italian for beginners

Before you master complex grammar, it’s useful to memorize key phrases for everyday situations:

• Buongiorno – Good morning
• Buonasera – Good evening
• Ciao – Hello/Bye
• Per favore – Please
• Grazie mille – Thank you very much
• Scusi – Excuse me
• Quanto costa? – How much is it?
• Non capisco – I don’t understand
• Può ripetere? – Can you repeat?
• Dove si trova la stazione? – Where is the station?
• Mi può aiutare? – Can you help me?

Your Italian journey starts now

There’s no such thing as the perfect time to start learning a language; the perfect time is now.

Whether you're learning Italian for travel, career, education, or simply for the love of the language, the most important step is to begin. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be consistent, and open to the process.

With a bit of daily practice, the right goals, and the guidance of qualified teachers, learning Italian becomes much easier and more enjoyable. Platforms like coLanguage make it possible to learn anytime, anywhere, with full support and flexibility.

Ready to start your Italian journey?