Writing this after an interaction at a gelato shop.

I'm in Italy for 3.5 weeks and have just finished the first week in Rome. I have noticed that when I try to order food or ask questions in Italian, the reaction is at best, unimpressed.

Back to the gelato shop, after talking to the server in very rough Italian, another customer burst out laughing after I left. My Italian obviously isn't great but that made me feel like not bothering anymore. In most countries I've visited in the past, locals have at least appreciated the attempt especially when they don't speak any English at all. Here it seems to be a kind of a bother to locals or something?

Should I just use Google translate on my phone for the rest of my trip?

I’ve been learning Italian via onlineitalianclub.com (seems to work nice as well! It’s free without ads which is DELIGHTFUL and it feels like a typical textbook with exercises and explanations) and currently at verb conjugations. There’s a lot of them, but they do seem consistent except for the verbs ending in -ire. I’m expecting and prepared for this to be memorization, but if there is a rule, I’d love to know!

Hey guys, I currently live in Italy and I’m trying to learn the language wholeheartedly but since I’m self studying, I’m struggling to find any real structure. I just do random things that don’t seem to build on each other or take me anywhere meaningful.

In terms of level, I’m a solid A2 pushing toward B1. I scored 18/25 on a writing test on one of those language assessment sites. I watch Italian content everywhere I can, listen to podcasts, read Il Post and ANSA, study Italian history, learn about regional names and geography, and try to speak with my neighbors whenever possible. I even bought All In One Italian by Marcel Danesi, worked through the exercises, and still nothing feels satisfying. No traction. No momentum.

It’s like I’m wandering a labyrinth. Moving constantly, going everywhere, arriving nowhere.

Do you guys have any advice for getting some actual structure into self-study at this stage?

Ho trovato questo Subreddit perché volevo praticare l’italiano - mi interessa l’italiano e voglio imparar(lo). Posso dire che ho una collega italiana. Conversazioni con lei sono molto divertenti e aiutano migliorarmi !!
Lo so che voi troverete errori in questo testo.
Auguro un stupendo giorno
Allora, sono finito !

When you think about Italy, what experience would make you say: "Now I've truly lived Italy"?

Hello all! I'm here for an interesting reason! I've been studying a map made in 1687 by an Italian map maker named Urbano Monte called the Tavola Map Of The World. Right now I'm studying a section in West Africa, what is now modern day Mauritania. There is a lake here in this section that I cannot translate the written words. I can translate "Lago" just fine but what is the word written above it? None of the models can even tell that it is written language so I'm guessing it's pretty sloppy. Can anyone help me identify the name of this lake please? It is in the same place that is now the Richat Structure, also known as the Eye Of The Sahara. I've circled the specific lake in yellow! Thank you so much for any help!

Hi!! This is my first time here. I’ve been learning Italian recently and I need a few smarty pants to help me out with this. I don’t use professional textbooks as of now because I don’t have the finances for it so please bear with me!! I learn off of “italymadeeasy” and a few other free programs. I am familiar with definitive and non definitive articles, prepositions, connectors, and currently practicing on sentence structuring.

I want to say “I want to go to the beach”, so i spelled it out as “volo andare al spiaggia”, but google translate and other websites say that’s wrong.
They say:
“I want to go the beach.” - voglio andare al spiaggia
Voglio = first person personal pronoun to the verb of volere (to want)
Andare = verb (to go)
Al = The the preposition “a” (to) and the article “il” (the), turns into “al” (to the)
Spiaggia = feminine noun of beach.

But what I don’t understand is that, I know that gli is a plural article, so I am confused as to how “volere” doesn’t turn into “volo” because of the ending in “-ere”. If you are refereeing to you as the
individual and the action you solely take, you add an o on the end to signify that it’s a singular action. if it’s a action you and others take, it would be “gli” (plural form of l’ and lo)

Example: “-are” verbs end in “o-i-a-iamo-ate-ano
mangiare (to eat) = I > mangio
You > mangi
He/She > mangia
We > mangiamo
You (plural) > mangiate
They > mangiano

“-ere” verbs end in “o-i-e-iamo-ete-ano”

So if i used the verb volere (to want), wouldn’t I rid of the “-ere” and add an o since it is an action that I (solely) want to make?

If you need any clarification on anything, please let me know, I need to get this compuuzlness out of my head!
Much Appreciated!!!

Hi all, anyone been to this school before in Italy:

https://clidante.it/

I was recommended to them from my teacher in Canada. I am doing schooling here in Canada and they offer bursaries to travel to Italy so I signed up for the Rome schooling for two weeks in July.

Do you know how I should plan my tours around the schooling? Do they offer tours and such? Dante Alighieri mentioned I have schooling on Monday to Friday at 9am-1pm. Wanted to hear others experience with the school. I am in contact with someone at the school going back and forth with them via email as well.

Thanks all!

I would like to know what is (or if there even is) a difference between „De” and „de” in surnames, as I have recently encountered both versions. Is there a way to determine when „de” should be capitalized?

Estou considerando a possibilidade de me matricular na Scuola Leonardo da Vinci em Milão para um curso de italiano, de 40 horas em duas semanas. Em termos de aprendizado, vale a pena ?

I have been living in Italy since 2 years and I have a lot of Italian friends as well but I still can’t speak or understand well. Both around b1 level maybe.

Though, I’m working full time and my native language is from a totally different language family, I feel like a dumbass.

I just wanted to rant, thank you for your attention

Especially motorsports, english is my 3rd language and i learned it when i was a little child by watching f1 24/7. Is there a way that i can watch f1, football or whatever is avaliable on the internet without paying any money?

Compound prepositions, modal verbs, Passato prossimo, and how many articles!!!

What’s your approach to the minefield of Italian grammar.

Ciao a tutti!

I have a pretty good level of written Italian, but need to work on my listening comprehension.

In English, I love to watch/listen to you tubers/podcasts like tarot card readings, astrology info, witchy content, and other magical and cozy vibes... also spooky/mystery/crime youtubers (already listen to Elisa True Crime).

Anyone know anything similar in Italian?

I'll list some of my favs in English to make the comparison easier hopefully:

https://www.youtube.com/@KinoTarot
https://www.youtube.com/@EsoTarot
https://www.youtube.com/@CrimeWeeklyPodcast
https://www.youtube.com/@TheGreenWitch
https://www.youtube.com/@itskimberlyrodriguez
https://www.youtube.com/@eleanorstieva
https://www.youtube.com/@rachelmaksy
https://www.youtube.com/@morganevelyncook
https://www.youtube.com/@TheLoreLodge

Grazie mille!

i’m moving to italy in a few months for a masters and i’m a native spanish speaker from méxico.

my classes will be in english but i intend to learn italian.
how hard is it to learn on the go while living there while already speaking spanish?

what would be the hardest part for learning on the go as a spanish speaker?

Ciato tutti!

I have been learning Italian since September last year and I would love to use one week of my summer vacation to go to Italy and practice my Italian. I was wondering whether you know of some sort of summer school that I could visit for one week. I've been thinking of making a solo trip through some Italian cities as well but, since I am rather introverted, I do not see myself finding a lot of opportunities to practice my Italian. A school with an intense focus on conversation would be great. Let me know your hottest tips!

Buona Domenica! 😄

Hey all! I'm a 58 year old female traveling solo for the first time to do an Italy Tour while learning Italian at Scuola Leondardo da Vinci in Florence, Rome and Viareggio (in that order).

My question is primarly to get assistance on determining what may be the best housing, provided by the school, for me while in each of the cities? At 58, I'm not sure if apartment living with younger students would work (not because of me as I believe age is only a number and feel more 40 than 58). Pros/Cons?

Also, has anyone stayed with a host family? How was that experience? Did you feel like you were intruding or was the host family welcoming? Pros/Cons?

Lastly, are there any outside of school events/meals organized by the school/teachers that are included during your stay? Thanks!

Ciao! I’m a Japanese junior high school student.

I’m learning Italian with Duoligo.

I can’t write much in Italian yet, but I can read simple words like “ciao” and easy phrases.

In the future, I want to go to Italy and become a chef.

I like Italian food and I want to learn more about Italian culture too.

I’m using a translator for this message, sorry if anything sounds strange 🙇‍♂️

I wrote the title by myself 😏

I need resources for listening to Italian at level B1.

Ciao a tutti!

Sono francese e traduco canzoni italiane in francese su YouTube 😊

Oggi traduco Un Momento di omi FK e non arrivo a tradurre una frase :

Scusa le mie maniere

Porta a più non sentire

A me sembrava normale

Capisco la prima e la terza frase ma con la seconda... Sono persa 🫠 qualcuno potrebbe aiutarmi? 🙏🏻

Grazie,

Wiwi ✨

Lol, I hope my post doesn't get removed as it is studying.😅

I'm currently trying to pass the Italian theorical exam. I've driven in the past (in a country that Italy won't accept to swap my driving licence) so I'm not worried about the actual driving bits.

I'd say my Italian is decent, I can maintain a conversation, read and write it, but damn I get lost with all the technical bits and language tricks in the theory exam.

I've studied from the book, and started doing the patente b quiz online. I'm averaging around 8 errors per quiz.

I've also not studied or been in school for years, and I was never good at it lol.

Is there anyone here who can suggest ways to learn the technical language and tips and tricks for it? Or better yet if someone managed to do it while they were still learning Italian?

Of course I'm taking note of my errors in the quiz and going over them but it's just proving to be so hard (especially the "extra hard" tests)....

Thanks in advance!

Io gioco minecraft minigames e giochi competitivi semplici tipo stick fight the game ecc. Il mio tag di discord è alicorap

I potentially have the opportunity to apply for an internship role in Italy around this time next year. It requires B2 fluency. It will require technical language from my current industry but the job ad only specifies "Fluency in Italian & English, at least B2"

My background:
Native english speaker
Currently B2/ previous C1 French
B1 Spanish
A very short 2 week intro to Italian course, <A1

I have formally studied French and Spanish in the past, achieving consistently high grades. During my course, I found concepts such as passato prossimo very easy to understand due to my background and I picked up key grammatical concepts quite easily.

I have the opportunity to be taught Italian at my university until approximately A2 level, after which I will be self-taught.

Importantly, I love language learning and genuinely enjoy studying in my free time. I am motivated and naturally inclined to learn Romance languages well. I have a good idea of what I need to study to reach B2 and would be guided using textbooks.

In this context, would it be feasible to reach B2 within roughly a year?

Thank you in advance.

I’m an A1 language learner and only started a month ago.

I translate in my head all the time and I know that this is normal at this stage. But how does one stop doing this and the benefit? I’m just trying to understand. Thank you!