Learn Italian Now

Learning another language creates an opportunity for you to gain an insight into another culture, a genuine chance to broaden your horizons. Looking in from the outside is all very well, but having the ability to communicate and understand the culture on its own terms, provides much greater access and understanding. Cultural sensitivity is immensely important since this is the foundation of trust, understanding, cooperation and unity. Arriving in another country demonstrating an ability to speak their language will mean you are welcomed with open arms and will give you a great deal of personal kudos.

As the world becomes a smaller place there is an increasing need to be able to speak more than one language whether this is for commercial or cultural reasons. If the latter is more important to you, then what better languauge could you choose than Italian? One of the great romantic languages, Italian is derived from Latin, and as such has many similarities to English. This may not seem obvious at first, but did you know that over 50% of English vocabulary comes from Latin?

Italy is one of the great places to visit as a tourist. As the home of the Roman Empire there are numerous ancient sights to see - It has more than half of Europe's Unesco-protected sights and monuments. The majority of the world's most famous artists are from Italy, that is why art is all over the country. Historical sites such as museums, sculptures, cathedrals, and much more can be seen in Italy. Italy is also the home of Opera.

Renowned in the United States, United Kingdom, and even Japan as the home of culture and style, Italy is a fantastic place to visit for art history,interior design, clothes design and of course, Italy is the home of stylish car design with famous names such as Ferrari, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Maserati to name just four.

And, is there anyone who doesn't enjoy Italian food?

Anyone planning a career in any of the above or any such related fields would benefit greatly from knowing how to speak Italian. There is an estimated 7,500 American companies that do business with Italy. More than 1,000 United Stated firms have offices in Italy. Knowing how to speak Italian would add a competitive edge to any career that a person may undertake.

Knowledge of any language will help tourists, travellers and business people to have the comfort of being able to cope comfortably with different kinds of situations, like ordering at Italian restaurants, asking for directions, looking for accommodations in Italy, negotiating cheaper prices for souvenirs or items, handling meetings and talking with people in general. It is a real fact that in most countries, the locals show appreciation for people or travellers who have taken the trouble to try to learn their language.

Whether it is for travel or economic purposes, studying to learn to speak in Italian would be a rewarding and enjoyable experience.

For many of us it is difficult or impossible to enrol at a language school to learn Italian. However there are now many self teaching courses available online or in the form of books and CDs.The thing with these though is that many people buy these courses and dive straight in, expecting to learn the language in five minutes. As with anything that you are trying to become skilled at, the key is to try to learn at a sensible pace and practice the language.

If you have a realistic timetable, being able to speak Italian will be much easier for you. Forget anything like “speak Italian in 10 days” - you can guarantee that any such assurance will only end in disappointment.

The tips below are intended to help you learn the language effectively, so that you will soon be able to use it as a conversation tool:

One small step at a time

Learn a few Italian words each day and know them by heart. The secret here is to be really familiar with only a few at a time. It is better to learn 10 to 15 words accurately than trying (and failing) to remember 50 per day. Don’t get stuck though - if you think you are already comfortable in the ones that you have learned, try to move on to a few more which you find confusing. This will help widen your Italian vocabulary in no time.

Practice makes perfect

Carry a pocket Italian-English dictionary with you. If you have a spare five minutes try to think of short, everyday English sentences and try to translate them into Italian. If you are unsure of how to translate a particular word, consult your handy dictionary. Repeat them in your mind or, say them out aloud again and again. Hearing yourself say those phrases will help you remember them better. And you will gain added motivation hearing yourself speak the foreign language you so desire to learn.

Anticipating works

Practice saying common Italian phrases, especially the ones that you think you are most likely to use in the future when speaking Italian is the only way to do it. Picture yourself being in a scenario, like in an Italian airport, restaurant or a famous landmark. What are you most likely to ask or say to an Italian? You will probably ask for directions at the bus stop, or order an exquisite Italian meal in a café. Throw in a few frequently used greetings that will come in handy when interacting with others. Anticipate which phrases you are going to use in expressing gratitude, making a request or saying goodbye.

Watching Italians speak Italian

Rent an Italian movie to learn more vocabulary, structuring of sentences, and proper pronunciations and intonations. Each time you encounter a relevant line in the film, hit the pause button and repeat the line. But do so slowly and clearly; your goal is to be able to express yourself in Italian, and not try to pass as an Italian. You might want to write them down for practice and future reference. You could also listen to Italian songs.

When you try to learn Italian language on your own, remember that it is best developed if you are able to put it into good use. Incorporating Italian sentences into your daily life will not only give you practice, but ease and confidence in the use of the language as well.