Do you have a loved one who’s studying Italian?
Here are some great gift ideas for Italian learners!
What do Italian learners need?
All we language learners want is to be fluent in our target languages.
We want to practice our Chinese. We want to master Japanese kanji. We want to finally nail Italian gender rules.
So handcrafted soaps, wool socks, and the usual selection of holiday or birthday items aren’t at the top of our wish lists.
Of course, any nice person will appreciate a thoughtful present.
However, there are instances when you truly want to show someone how much you care by giving them a thoughtful present that is tailor-made for them.
If you’re looking for a gift for a language-addicted friend or loved one, I’ve got you covered.
A gift for someone learning Italian
It’s always a good idea to gift something special and thoughtful. It doesn’t necessarily have to be extremely expensive or sumptuous.
Remember, it’s the thought that counts! In Italian, we have a special word for this: pensierino.
Pensierino literally means a small thought, but we use it to refer to a small and thoughtful gift.
You can also use this word if you want to sound modest with the present you’re giving, even if it’s not exactly that small.
Being thoughtful means thinking about what would make your loved ones happy. It’s about showing them that you care and that you know exactly how to make them smile.
One of the characteristics of a pensierino is you can create something just for them. In other words, give a custom gift. An example can be designing t-shirts not only using their favorite color but including as well an Italian sentence, joke or photograph you know they love.
Birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, parties… it’s always the right time to make your loved ones happy!
By the way, do they know how to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in Italian?
Amazing plans
If they’re learning Italian, you could consider something that would help them master the language.
They would definitely love it because other than being thoughtful, it’s also useful!
So why not offer them one of our plans?
It could be a subscription for one, three, or six months which includes full access to premium resources.
You can check out the three plans here.
A present that involves learning is always an amazing idea! Even more so if you go for something they’re already working on.
This way, you’ll contribute to them improving their Italian, so they’ll definitely appreciate it!
Plus, it’s at a very reasonable price.
Gadgets for online learning
Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic forcing so many of our social and professional interactions online, we are now in the era of video calls.
Is your loved one learning Italian online?
If you want to spoil a traveler and language enthusiast with a bigger-ticket gift, this is the way to go.
Webcams, headsets, laptops, and microphones you choose.
Find out the best webcam and the best headset for online language classes.
Read also our dedicated articles about laptops and microphones to maximize their experience of language learning.
Film and poetry
If your loved one likes movies, you could gift them a season ticket to a local cinema.
You could also organize a movie night.
Here’s a list of some of the best Italian movies:
- La dolce vita
- Amarcord
- Ladri di biciclette
- La vita è bella
- Cinema paradiso
- Lazzaro felice
- Chiamami col tuo nome
- La grande bellezza
- Io non ho paura
If your friend prefers reading, you could gift them a book or a collection of poems.
You could also spend the evening together reading poems by major Italian authors Dante Alighieri, Petrarca, Ugo Foscolo, Ungaretti, and Leopardi.
Even though, in general, women have been forgotten and erased from history, it’s important to highlight that, of course, women have also contributed to poetry.
Here’s a list of female poets: Silvia Batisti, Ippolita Avalli, Biancamaria Frabotta, and Dacia Maraini.
To make all of this even more special, you could accompany it with an aperitif or some nice homemade Italian food and a glass of nice Italian wine.
Classy gifts: arts and fashion
You could also offer them something related to arts, music, or fashion if this is what they’re into.
Why not an afternoon at a museum? Wherever you are, you could check out what local museum has works by Italian artists to make it even more personalized.
If you prefer something more material, why not gift them a replica of a painting by an Italian artist?
You could also see if there are any interesting events, shows or concerts and invite them. Or just give them a CD by an Italian musician/singer.
If they like fashion, then why not a great afternoon out shopping with you? Or maybe a voucher to buy some clothes or shoes. Even better if they’re from Italy!
And if it’s for someone very special, how about some gorgeous Italian Jewelry? Read more about these 5 amazing Italian jewelry brands.
Dinner at an Italian restaurant
You could also treat them to dinner at an Italian restaurant.
Wherever you are, try to find a traditional restaurant. Usually, small and family-owned restaurants are better than big chains and touristy places, especially during Covid times.
The best you can do is ask for advice from someone who knows. So, you could ask an Italian friend or someone who’s into Italian food.
In any case, you will probably not be disappointed since Italian food is well-known for being of excellent quality.
You’ll start with an antipasto (a starter), and you’ll then have a primo piatto (first course). You’ll go for the secondo piatto (main dish), and you’ll end with cheese and dessert.
Oh, and don’t forget to order a glass of wine!
And if they are into coffee, here is an easy guide about Italian coffee and the best coffee brands.
A trip to Italy
Still looking for a gift for someone learning Italian?
If they love traveling, you could invite them on a trip to Italy.
It might be worth waiting a few months for the worldwide situation to get better, but they’ll certainly love the idea for now! In any case, make sure you keep safe and travel responsibly.
If you’re in Europe, it could be just for the weekend. If you’re further away, it could be for a week.
In Italian, we say “hai l’imbarazzo della scelta” which literally means “you have the embarrassment of choice”. In other words, you’re spoilt for choice!
There are so many options indeed. You could either go to one of the metropoles like Rome, Milan, Naples, or Turin, or you could visit smaller cities like Venice, Florence, Palermo, or Pisa.
You could also pick a small town like Cinque Terre, Cefalù, Alberobello, Iseo, Positano, or Taormina.
If you like the mountains, go somewhere along the Alps, like the Dolomites or Mont Blanc. If you like the sea, go to the South of Italy, or one of the islands, like Sardinia.
Natural brain boosters
Language learning is like a sport. It needs consistency and requires an effort to keep concentration.
That’s why it makes sense to give your brain an extra boost to learn faster, think clearly, and speak fluently.
Brain supplements for language learning make an excellent gift idea because every time your lucky friend takes them, they’re reminded of you.
The ingredients of nootropics for verbal fluency are safe and designed to improve your language skills, not only in Italian but also in your native language.
Final thoughts
That’s the end of the list. Are you feeling inspired?
Hopefully, I’ve given you some good gift ideas for that special language learner in your life, so you can make their days a little brighter.
Which of these gifts will you buy? Do you have any other items you would add to this list? Tell me in the comments!
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