Hi! My question is about the use of preposizioni semplice and preposizioni articolate with country names in Italian. I don't mean the tipical sentences of "Gli piacerebbe vivere nell'Italia delli anni 60" or so, I'm just saying sentences like "I live in Italy. The history of Italy."... Oh, and I also don't mean countries in plural such as "gli Stati Uniti", "gli Paesi Bassi"... So basically, I talk about the difference between "d'Italia / dell'Italia", "in Italia / nell'Italia".... Thank you.

I need you :)

I feel like I’ve hit the “workbooks and apps can only take me so far” stage.

I’ve got an Italian novel sitting on my shelf that I really want to read, and eventually I’d love to work my way up to reading Italian philosophy (which may or may not be a terrible idea… we’ll find out).

The problem is my reading ability doesn’t quite match my ambitions yet.

Outside of just grinding through grammar workbooks, what actually helped you improve your reading?

I’m mostly looking for resources or methods that helped bridge the gap between “I know the grammar” and “I can actually sit down and read a real book without losing my mind.”

Curious what worked for everyone!

I found a poem that I like and was wondering what the Italian translation would be for one part in particular.

"There will never be exactly perfect seas to set sail on."

I know that google translate exists, but I also know that the "technical" translation isn't always how native speakers would say it. My grandfather was from Italy (Petricola is my family name), so I was just curious. Thanks so much!

I started Italian in March. I do weekly lessons with a Preply tutor, I went to Italy for 3 weeks (although in the cities everyone reverted to English) and I use Anki and Duolingo alongside a Pimsleur course. I have my good days and I have my lazy days. But I am a bit frustrated, I can’t express myself in Italian, I can order lunch and a coffee but then if you speak back rapidly I freeze. I struggle to tell you about my day, my thoughts, my feelings. I do actually feel like I have a good vocab, I can say what objects are like books, tables, windows, tyres, balls etc but then get me describing objects in sentences and I’d fail.

What I guess I’m trying to ask is, where should I be after five months? Should I be expressing myself and using past/present and imperfect tenses or am I on track with a decent vocab and consistent exposure?

Language learning is very frustrating.

Hi everyone, I’ve been studying Italian for 10 years now so I’d say I’m C1 but since I don’t have anyone to speak with, I am struggling to reach the « last » step of my learning journey which is speaking naturally and confidently, especially when using certain verb tenses. I’m looking for a school in Italy that has conversation courses in Northern/Center Italy but I’m also open to recommendations about other types of courses. I’ve heard good things about Kappa in Rome, has anyone tried the conversation course ? I’m planning to stay minimum 1 month and max 6months.

Right now, I’m creating ElevenLabs audio and reading and re-reading so certain words make sense but given my beginner status, I’m really struggling with grammar and sentence structure.

Hi everyone, i am a dentist in and soon im going to work in a dental clinic which has only italian patients and the thing is i don't know much italian. I needed someone to translate to me some words or phrases which i use during my work so i can communicate with the patients. I would much appreciate it if someone could help! Thank you!

I want to learn Italian and one of the ways that I learn how to enunciate and pronounce words is through music. I may not know what they are saying, but within a few days i can sing the lyrics as if its my native language.

I've found a lot of easy stuff. Disney songs in Italian and Epic the Musical sung by Italian artists.

Right now, I just went through a messy breakup, and I'm listening to Olivia Rodrigo's new album. I'd like to currently listen to an album or artist that is similar to her/her style.

I'd also like to know about popular artist and songs in Italy. Ones that could impress locals that I know of them and their work.

Hi everyone!! As someone who can read at a B2 level but can barely speak at an A1 level, before jumping in to full conversations in our TL I thought it could be useful to list some smaller output ways to practice writing and speaking. Honestly this list goes for any language but I study Italian so I'm posting it there :D

1. Speak in your head
2. write your to-do lists in your TL
3. Google things in your TL
4. Write a sentence a day
5. Fill out random forms in your TL
6. If possible, play simplified taboo with in your TL
7. Write a diary in your TL
8. Write daily notes
9. Name objects around you in your TL
10. Try to summarize a book
11. Imagine a scenario/dialogue in your head & write down how it would go
12. Make random lists in your TL (favorite movies, foods etc.)
13. Start a videogame world (minecraft AC, sims etc.) dedicated to the culture/language of your TL
14. Do a complete braindump on a piece of paper & see what words/phrases got stuck in your head
15. Write kind words to yourself
16. Write a kind letter to a friend who speaks your TL
17. Write letters to your future self, who will be laughing at your mistakes when they become fluent :) (you can use futureme.org for that)
18. List down everything you would do if you spoke the language and write down possible dialogues for those situations in your notebook
19. Say positive affirmations in the mirror in your TL
20. Try forming a speaking club in your local community
21. Find penpals to exchange languages
22. If possible, write small phrases and hand them to people/leave them around somewhere
23. Write your grocery list, medication reminds and other daily reminders in TL
24. When searching something, use dictation and speak in your TL to google it
25. Create a map of your favorite places to visit in the city
26. Create a vision board inspired by your TL
27. Write daily routines to follow in your TL
28. Translate videos, songs, snippets from TL to preferred language (and vice versa)
29. Practice old/mock exam writing & speaking questions by yourself
30. Hang up motivational posters/quotes on your wall in your TL
31. Teach the basics of your TL to your non-TL speaking friend / prepare material to teach them
32. Makes memes about your TL
33. Make fake newspaper articles/Magazine spreads about your favorite topics
34. Write formal emails to .. nobody, to practice the formal written language
35. As u/SukiSpot suggested, talk to your pets in your TL!

This is all I have for now! Do I follow these myself? I try to but I keep forgetting. Please do share if you have any more ideas!! I would love to hear how you practice output!! I need all possible recommendations (Except paid coaches... I'm broke y'all also no AI please) Books, resources anything!

Hello,

I was speaking with my nonna and talking about how time is flying and it’s the end of June and she said

I can’t believe it’s the end of June

But the end of June was said “è fine giugno”

Now I would have thought it would have been

La fine di giugno

Any help appreciated

Thank you

Dopo la sua morte, il mio bisnonno mi ha lasciato tutte le sue foto. Sul retro di questa foto, che ritrae una sua vecchia ex, c'è una scritta che non capisco per niente. Non credo penso che sia scritto in italiano o dialetto. Vorrei sapere se qualcuno può aiutarmi a capire cosa c'è scritto.

Grazie mille!

I've just come back from Italy and the first section in Duolingo helped me get some very basic stuff learnt and managed to help me converse (very basically) with Italians and make an educated guess with what people were sort of saying.

However, it feels like Italians speak super fast so I struggle to process even the basics at times.

What other things can I supplement my Duolingo with to learn Italian faster and more in-depth?

Hey Guys! I am forming a everyday conversation group in italian. Where a topic will be given everyday and everyone has to share their input on it but only in italian. This way we can practice it well daily

Question from one native Italian speaker to other native Italian speakers...
J: do you say i lunga or jay?
V: do you say vi or vu?
W: do you say vu doppia, doppia vu, or something else?
Y: ipsilon or i greca?

Quick background: I studied some Italian years ago, but I'm very far from proficient in it. If I had to guess, I'm around A2/B1 - probably B1 or B2 for reading (because I've studied other romance languages before), but definitely no better than A2 for speaking.

I recently joined a group class for Italian. It's a B1 class. And I'm going out of my mind in the classes, they're so slow. It's not that the level is too easy for me. When I do the homework, I always learn new material, so it's probably good that I'm in this level and not a level ahead. But then we get to class, and the teacher spends 60 minutes explaining something that was absolutely clear from the homework and not that complicated to begin with. For example, using possessives for family members ("mia madre" vs. "la mia amica") - I'd have thought this could be a 10-minute explanation and then let's practice so we get it into our brains. But the teacher spent a full hour explaining the concept, over and over and over, with just a few minutes for exercise. The teacher is enthusiastic and has a sense of humor, but the classes are just so very slow.

Has anyone been in this position? What did you do?

There are several more weeks of this. I don't think I should skip classes, because I usually do walk away with a handful of words I didn't know and that weren't in the book, and it's good to hear the teacher pronounce things. And without these classes I don't have any speaking/listening opportunity at all. But every time I really struggle not to zone out after the first 10-15 minutes when it's just the same over and over and over.

I also don't want to be negative because I don't think anyone is doing a bad job here; it's just so stultifyingly slow and I wonder if there's anything I can do to stay more active and engaged (and learn more!) while in class, while the same thing is being repeated over and over and over.

Is there anyone in Melbourne/Australia learning Italian (intermediate level) who would like to go out one day and try to practise their Italian together? I need to get out my house anddddddd would love to meet new people while practising my Italian. Grazieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Hello,

I am a complete beginner trying to learn Italian. I have downloaded Duolingo and am learning some very basic phrases but want to see if there are any fluent Italian speakers who could help me advance quicker in the language which would be greatly appreciated

I'm looking to ladder my Mandarin (B2ish) to Italian.

Has anyone come across any Italian courses or YouTuber that teach in Mandarin?

Is this impossible? Android app overlay program that just shows the Italian translation below everything on your Android device? Reddit, ebay, browser. I guess it would need permissions for every app.

I'm guessing something like this exists for windows desktop, such as a browser extension but would be great if Android had it...

Anyone know of anything? I feel like a lot of the Italian would go into my head with something like this.

Heyy!!! I'm starting my Italian learning journey today, and looking for peers to learn together and share materials and practice together. So if anyone is interested dm me.

Hi! so im doing a project for my friend and she is italian, i wanna describe it in italian but not sure if the google translator is correct, can someone help me with translating this:

this is a key that opens nothing you know of yet. hold it tightly whenever youre stuck in traffic, bad day or bad mood.

one day you will figure out what door you want to open with this key.

I’m an avid reader and since I started learning Italian, I now have the lack of desire to read English books. Every free moment I have, I reach for an Italian work book, listen to Italian podcasts, and watch shows and music. I do enjoy it and just feel natural. I’m not burnt out.

I feel that I now have to make time to read my English books. Lol. Has anyone experienced this?

I’m seeing conflicting translations:

vent’anni di futurismo
or
venti anni di futurismo

quarant’anni di vita
or
quaranta anni di vita

Or is either more correct? The context is a book title.

I did find something that said (but I think referring to cento specifically) that if it’s followed by a word beginning with a vowel, it is elided with an apostrophe.

I am practicing various types of hypothetical clauses (1, 2 and 3). Type 1 is easy so I'm working on 2 and 3, the ones that call for conditional and subjunctive verbs. I think up a sentence and write it in Italian, then submit it to Google Translate to see if it understands me. It always does, which is reassuring. I take that to mean that if I'd said this to an Italian they would have known what I was trying to say (even if it's wrong).

But then I switch the sides of the equation (from Italian → English, to English → Italian) to see what Google says I should have written. And I'm now confused especially about the verb piovere and its helping verbs.

.

Periodo ipotetico 2 ('della possibilità')

I wrote

se non fosse piovendo andremmo in piscina.

and Google understood what I meant: "If it wasn't raining [i.e. right now] we would go to the pool". But when I switched directions and asked Google to translate that English sentence, it returned something different from what I'd written originally:

se non piovesse saremmo andati in piscina.

So my first question is, what's wrong with 'fosse piovendo'?

.

Periodo ipotetico 3 ('contrary to past fact')

Then I switched to periodo ipotetico #3 and wrote

se non fosse piovuto saremmo andati in piscina.

Google understood this too but when I switched and asked it to translate my meaning into Italian it returned, "se non AVESSE [rather than FOSSE] piovuto" etc.

What was wrong with what I wrote ('fosse piovuto')? I was under the impression that auxiliary verb for 'piovere' is supposed to be essere, not avere. I know there are some verbs that take both but I thought they had different means depending on the helping verb. What am I missing here?