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If you enjoy listening to the sounds as the opera and listening to the voices of the Italian stars in foreign film, then you will love learning to speak Italian. Here are some step by step instructions on the correct way to pronounce the Italian words. Most Italian words are stressed on the next to the last syllable. When the final –e is omitted from a word, as it [...]

In Italian pronunciation can be difficult especially for beginners  Yet much like the vowels the sound each consonant makes is a regular sound and remains the same, so once the rules are understood, it is simple to pronounce the words correctly. Here are the step by step instructions on the way the consonants are pronounced in Italian. The consonants B, F, M, N, and V are pronounced exactly as [...]

The correct pronunciation in Italian can be difficult for some beginners. Yet it is standard and stays the same. Once the rules are understood it is simple to pronounce each word correctly. Here are some step by step instructions on how to pronounce the Italian vowels. A – sounds like a in father E – has two sounds: short vowel like e in pen and the long vowel similar [...]

As a student learning Italian you will have a tendency to look for grammatical patterns. This is normal. Studying Italian verbs in a regulated fashion is a wise idea. In other words take it in as a computer would accept a new program, without thinking about it or trying to analysis it.  Mainly because it is an efficient use of time, plus Italian verbs are grouped in a variety [...]

In checking out Italian courses this is an online course and what they offer for beginners only. Beyond “Italian for Beginners” is not listed here. This is just to give you an idea of what to expect when you start taking instructions on how to speak Italian whether it be in a classroom online or a correspondence course. Lessons -The lessons they offer are simple, direct lesson in grammar, [...]

This is the first category in the essential phrases for travelers.. Here are the greetings. Salve! – Hello! Pronto! – Hello! When you answer the phone Ciao! – Hi! or bye, bye! Buon giorno! –Good morning! Buon pomeriggio – Good afternoon! Buona sera! – Good evening! Come sta? – How are you? Come va? – How’re you doing? Ci sentiamo bene – We’re feeling fine. Grazie, va bene cosi [...]

When you are listening to two people speak a foreign language, does it seem they are able to rattle off words at about 78 rpm? You feel like you are doing well at speaking about 33 rpm. Research was published in the January, 2000 issue of Nature Neuroscience. The findings of this research stated the primary language a person is raised with affects the way he or she thinks [...]

If you visit Italy and don’t speak Italian, it will appear as if everyone speaks Italian but you. That is not necessarily true. There are several languages spoken in Italy other than Italian along with several dialects of Italian. Most regions have their own dialect, accent and even their own language. The languages spoken in Italy have evolved over the centuries. The different dialects are all noticeably different from [...]

When dining in Italy, there is one thing you will notice right off la cucina locale, which means the local cuisine. This is not unlike here in our own country. If you live in Texas, you will find on the menu of most restaurants an entrée called “Chicken Fried Steak”. Once you cross the Texas state border, you will not find “Chicken Fried Steak” almost anywhere else in the [...]

When you think of romance, your mind might go to a candlelight dinner, a bottle of Champagne, roses, or strawberries dipped in chocolate. The last thing, if it ever came to mind, would be Italian, Spanish, or Portuguese. What are Romance languages? When discussing language, Romance languages are the descendants of the spoken form of Latin, which is also known as Vulgar Latin. The word vulgar in this instance [...]

Many Italian Australians are learning Italian to get in touch with their family heritage. They are basically looking for way to identify, understand and bond with their family’s ethnic background. By learning their family’s native tongue they are able to use it as a tool to uncover their family roots when they visit Italy. It must be a very touching, emotional experience to go to the town in Italy [...]

After you have learned quite a bit of Italian and you are comfortable with the Italian verbs and can congiuntivo trapassato, which in English means past perfect conjunctive or compound tense. If you are still repeating grammatical mistakes, you will never sound like an Italian native. It’s these little grammatical errors, habit or tics, which will always give you away as a native English speaker regardless of how well [...]

When learning to speak a language like a native, you will need to forget your native tongue. Spending time in Italy speaking only Italian will help you speak as a native. If you want to read Italian, you can pick up an Italian newspaper and read the section that interests you most. The goal is to increase competency in Italian. To do that you must learn to think like [...]

Even though you might want to email Dante Alighieri to ask him questions about Italian grammar and usage, you are unable to because he is no longer living. Even if he were still alive chances are he would be tied up in writing his new book, or a screenplay for one of the books he has already written, such as the La Divina Commedia. However, there are more practical [...]

When you take a class to learn Italian, you will review definite articles, direct object pronouns, and preposition. Your instructor will probably show you how to pronounce Italian words and there will probably be an Italian audio lab. You will come to a point where you will want to learn some shortcuts and quick pointers, which will give your lessons more power. Here are some things they don’t teach [...]

The quickest and the most successful way to learn Italian is the total-immersion or concentration method. This includes traveling to Italy for an long vacation, studying in one of the many language schools located all over Italy, and conversing only in Italian.  Many programs include a component which improves the cultural exchange. You will literally eat, breathe, and dream in Italian. Because many of us do not have the [...]

We live in an age of instant messaging and microwave pizzas.  We even have language instructors promising you will learn a language in just one weekend.  I am not sure about learning a language in a weekend, but here are some tips, which will help you learn Italian quickly. The first suggestion is to go to Italy.  Submerse yourself in the language.  You will be forced to speak only [...]

You may or may not have heard some of the misconceptions about learning Italian.  It all boils down to how much you want to learn Italian or would you rather sit around and make excuses as to why you can’t.  Learning Italian is not unlike going on a diet or start an exercise regime.  You can dig in and get started, or you can come up with the excuses [...]

Italian words have made their way into English over the course of many centuries, you will be happy to know that you already are using quite a bit of Italian.  If you are a musician, you will be familiar with the terms such as bel canto, cello, mezzosoprano, pianoforte, and solo.  Structural design has borrowed words like cupola, loggia, and stanza.   Of course then there is Italian foods such [...]

The Italian language is a member of the Romance group of the Italic subfamily of the Indo-European family of languages.  It is the predominately spoken language on the peninsula called Italy.  However, you might be surprised to know that Italian is also spoken in southern Switzerland, San Marino, Sicily, northern Sardinia, and on the northeastern shore of the Adriatic Sea, as well as in North and South America. Italian [...]

Phonology according to Marian Nespor, and Italian linguist and author of the book “Fonologia”, it is the part of grammar that deals with the sounds made in natural languages for communicating meanings. Basically what that boils down to is the study of the meanings of the sounds we make as we speak. There is an important fact we must make clear and that is there is a difference between [...]

As a beginner learning Italian can be very rewarding and inspiring, or it can be an extremely frustrating and miserable experience. Whether or not you enjoy studying Italian depends on your attitude, your expectations and your learning technique. Here are some tips on how to learn Italian. Find an Italian course you like and make sure you stick to it. Don’t go with just any old course, the cheapest [...]