How to start learning the Italian language in 3 simple steps
LikeFrom my eight years of experience as a private tutor for Italian, I have learned some great tips for language learning and can give very useful advice on the best way to start learning Italian.
Many of the students that contact me have already started to learn Italian by themselves, but after a few months, when they don't see any progress, they decide to contact a private tutor.
The reason progress can be very slow when you study alone is that you may not have the right approach or motivation. Most of the students, when they study by themselves, will just use some language-learning apps. While these are a great tool for learning some basic vocabulary and phrases, they don´t really teach you grammar rules nor how you can structure a sentence yourself.
The right approach for learning a language has to be very systematic. From my experiences, I have broken this down into 3 steps.
Step 1 - Practise pronunciation
One of the first things you should do in learning a language, particularly Italian, is spend some time learning the right pronunciation. As you likely did with your mother tongue, one of the best places to start with is learning the alphabet. This will surely help you with mastering pronunciation later on. In order to practise your pronunciation and ensure you´re doing it correctly, is with the help of a private tutor. They can go over the sounds with you repeatedly until you´ve perfectd them. A great way to help with your pronunciation down the line is through improving your listening skills. You can listen to Italian music, watch Italian films or series, or listen to podcasts in order to hear how different words sound in native accents.
Step 2 - Learn the basics of grammar
The next step in language learning is to gain an understanding of the grammar. While this may be one of the more boring sides of learning a language, it is necessary. Try not to overlwhelm yourself at the very start of your language-learning journey. Establish with your Italian tutor what the most important and most-used verbs are and learn the basic conjugations of present, future, and simple past for these verbs. Also ensure that you put the grammar you´ve learned into practice by constructing sentences or using them in conversation.
Step 3 - Learn vocabulary
The third step is to learn some basic words and how to use the singular, plural, and the article. Through your private Italian lessons, your tutor can teach you the vocabulary that is relevant to you - for example, vocabularly relating toy where you live, or your likes and dislikes. You can refresh and practise the vocabulary you´ve learned by using flashcards or downloading language learning apps.
Once you´ve followed these three steps, you will be able to create some basic phrases yourself which you can use in practising conversations. From this point, as you´ve created a solid foundation in Italian, you´ll find learning becomes a lot easier and you´ll make a lot more progress.
With the right private tutor, in about 10–15 lessons, you should be able to travel to Italy and be able to order in a restaurant, present yourself, ask for directions, buy in a shop, buy a ticket, and reserve a room in a hotel.
If you´d like private Italian lessons, don´t hesutate to reach out to me to start learning Italian the right way.
