Beginner Italian Tips

Since, non è tutto rose e fiori — literally: it’s not all roses and flowers.

In other words, it’s not all rainbows and unicorns —we’ll also talk about the cons and pains of learning Italian as well as the most difficult aspects of it.

Let’s get started!

Why learn Italian?

First of all, it’s always good to learn another language.

It gives you the beautiful gift of being able to understand and speak with more people. And this means you’ll be able to understand other cultures.

Also, if you speak Italian, you’ll probably understand other languages like Spanish or French.

You’ll be able to read Italian literature or listen to traditional Italian songs.

And Italian is just beautiful, musical, melodic, and gentle!

Finally, if you enjoy food, you’ll be able to talk about your best dishes in Italian. How amazing is that?!

Read more about why you should learn Italian.

Is Italian Easy to Learn?

This will depend on your primary language, among other aspects.

For instance, if you already speak another Romance language (like Spanish or French), it will be relatively easier to learn Italian than if you didn’t. This is because the grammar and vocabulary are similar.

If you don’t, don’t worry. You may be naturally talented in languages, and that counts too!

One of the good things about Italian is that pronunciation is easy. You just need to follow some basic rules.

Check out our post about how easy it is to learn Italian.

Is Italian more complicated than English?

Again, this depends on your native language.

If you already speak Spanish, probably learning Italian will be relatively easier.

If you speak German, then you may find English easier than the Italian language.

Also, a language is made of different aspects, such as vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and spelling.

For instance, in terms of verbs, Italian is richer. It has a complex verb conjugation system. English doesn’t. So, we could argue Italian is harder.

On the other hand, Italian spelling and pronunciation are easier than English since Italian has very consistent rules.

Learn about whether Italian is more complicated than English.

Is Italian the most beautiful language?

What a tough question!

Many people think Italian is the most beautiful language in the world. This may be because people relate the Italian language to great landscapes, music, art, fashion, landscapes, people, and food!

We can’t deny the fact that Italian sounds rhythmical, musical, and melodic.

In fact, the majority of Italian words end in a vowel, which makes the word easier to pronounce and the discourse smooth.

Also, because of Italy’s geography and history, there are so many varieties that make this language absolutely diverse and rich. And beauty lies in diversity!

Read more about whether Italian is the most beautiful language.

What is the benefit of learning Italian?

There are many benefits of learning the Italian language.

First, if you like socializing, you’ll be able to hang out with Italians and speak to them in Italian, even at a beginner level.

If you speak Italian, you can consider finding a job in Italy or tell potential employers that you speak (at least) two languages.

You’ll be able to understand Italian music, TV, and radio shows, and news in Italian.

So, basically, you’ll do a big favor to your brain.

Remember your brain is a muscle and the more you exercise it the better it’ll work the older you get.

Check out our post about the benefit of learning Italian.

What are the pros and cons of learning Italian?

As we already mentioned, there are many positive aspects of learning Italian such as being able to communicate with Italians.

Italians are witty, funny, outgoing, friendly, and loyal (in general, of course). So, being able to speak and understand their sense of humor is great.

And you’ll appreciate the Italian culture and food much more if you speak the language.

One of the cons is that Italian is not a very widely spoken language.

Also, Italian grammar is a bit complicated. But all you need is motivation, and you’ll be ok!

Read more about the pros and cons of learning Italian.

Italian for beginners: top 8 Pains of Learning + Solutions

One of the main pains of learning Italian is not knowing how to learn on your own.

Another one is feeling embarrassed because you can’t speak Italian (you can!) and nervous because you make mistakes. And if you do learn, you may think you’ll forget it after you quit studying.

You may feel frustrated and think you’re wasting your time and money or think it’s too late to start. Or you may feel like you don’t have enough time.

You may feel discouraged because you can’t travel or live in Italy.

Well… the good thing is that there are solutions to all of these fears!

Read more about the top 8 pains of learning Italian + solutions.

What is the most difficult aspect of learning Italian?

Probably any Italian learner will tell you the most difficult aspect of learning Italian is verb conjugation.

This is because, in Italian grammar, there are many verb endings considering the fact that there’s a verb tense for the present, one for the past, and one for the future.

You might have heard of the subjunctive. This is probably the most famous difficult aspect concerning verbs.

This type of verb has to do with doubts, hypothetical ideas, and possibilities. So, it’s pretty specific.

Another aspect that English speakers may find hard is the fact that things have a gender. Strange, right?

Learn more about what is the most difficult aspect of learning Italian.

Can I become fluent in Italian in 6 months?

If you’re an absolute beginner, becoming fluent in Italian in six months depends on many factors.

First of all, think about how motivated you are. If you are really motivated, it’ll be easier to become fluent.

Also, do you have enough time? Like at least ten hours a week? If you do, that’s great news!

Then consider the fact that you already speak another foreign language. It’ll definitely be easier to become fluent in Italian than if you didn’t.

So, the answer is yes, you could but make sure you study and are motivated enough.

Read more about how to become fluent in Italian in 6 months and how long it takes to learn Italian.

How many words do you need to speak in Italian?

First of all, a language is not only made of words. If you just need to learn words, why not just grab a dictionary?

It’s probably because you don’t just want to learn words in isolation.

Languages are powerful tools made of vocabulary, grammar, idioms, expressions, culture, traditions, gestures, etc.

You can start having a conversation in Italian even with just very few words.

Also, words without context are difficult to learn and boring.

Anyway, a few hundred words are already enough for survival, and with 2,000 words, you can say virtually anything (not in the most correct or natural way, of course).

Find out more about how many words you need to speak Italian.

How to take a beginner Italian lesson on Skype? 10 tips to learn Italian online

First of all, start by speaking and saying complete sentences.

Don’t worry about making mistakes.

If you make a mistake during your Italian course, and your Italian teacher gives you the correct form, try repeating them.

Focus on the sounds in the language and not on the written part of it.

During your lesson, ask your teacher to spell a word only after you have acquired the sound of it.

If you’re learning something new, don’t try to use the language you haven’t seen yet but focus on what you’ve just learned.

Stick to Italian!

Ask if you don’t understand, and don’t pretend to understand!

Take this quick course on how to learn Italian.

Read more about how to take an Italian lesson on Skype.

Can you translate Italian word for word like English?

No, you definitely cannot translate Italian word for word. That is called literal translation, and it just doesn’t work.

First of all, many words don’t have a direct equivalent in English.

Also, many words have different meanings, and the meaning of some words will depend on the context.

Translating word for word can be very stressful, tiring, and confusing.

This way you’re focusing on single words rather than a whole topic.

Instead, try to really listen to Italian but focus more on context rather than single words.

If there’s some Italian vocabulary you definitely don’t understand, you can always ask your interlocutor to repeat it, or you can ask someone to explain what you just read.

Find out more about whether you can translate Italian word for word.

How long will it take a teenager to learn Italian?

The younger you are, the easier it will be to become fluent in a foreign language.

So, being a teenager and learning a new language is great in terms of language learning!

In fact, in general, a teenager can learn Italian faster than an adult.

However, we can’t tell you exactly how long it’ll take a teenager to learn Italian.

It depends on how motivated they are and how much time they have available to study Italian.

It also depends on whether they live in Italy and have Italian native-speaker friends.

This is because, for a teenager, friends are essential in their growth process, which includes their language skills.

If they do, they’ll probably learn Italian within a year.

If not, probably a few years.

But it really depends on motivation, dedication, time, and environment.

Read more about how long it’ll take a teenager to learn Italian.

Still translating in your head? Wanna speak Italian for real? Check out Stefano's courses to think directly in Italian and become fluent fast!