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How hard is it to learn Italian?
How to learn Italian if it’s so hard? Or… is it?
Italian is considered one of the easiest languages for a native English speaker to learn.
The grammar and sentence structure are different from English but simpler.
Because both have Latin roots, they also share thousands of cognates – words that sound the same and have the same meanings.
How long does it take to learn Italian?
How long does it take for an English speaker to learn Italian?
- One year of classes in school. Between 5-6.25 years to reach an intermediate level.
- Dedicated independent study (1 hour per day). Approximately 3 years to achieve an intermediate level of Italian.
- Total, active immersion (8 hours per day). Approximately 3 months to have an intermediate level of Italian.
6 Tips to learn Italian fast
#1. Focus on conversation
My first study tip to speak Italian is to focus on conversation. Not grammar, not reading.
An hour of conversation (with corrections and a dictionary for reference) is as good as five hours in a classroom and 10 hours with a language course by yourself.
#2. Learning Italian every day
Studying a language four hours a day for two weeks will be more beneficial for you than studying for one hour a day for two months.
#3. Focus on speaking and listening
The greatest return on investment in language learning is forcing yourself to speak Italian and communicate with Italian speakers.
#4. Take 1-on-1 tutoring
Grabbing a solid tutor and sitting with him or her for a few hours every day is the fastest way to learn a new language I’ve ever found.
If you can’t afford 1-on-1 tutoring, find a language buddy online
#5. Follow your passion
Even if you’re totally excited about this new language learning journey you’ve embarked on, at some point or another, chances are studying this new language is going to feel like a chore.
#6. Don’t study grammar
You want to speak and think directly in Italian. So, don’t start with grammar rules.
If you’re overwhelmed by boring grammar lessons, you’ll give up because you lose interest and stop putting in the effort.
It’s not how long, but how you study
How long will it take to learn Italian?
That’s not the real question.
It’s rather, how to learn Italian fast?
Your learning methods play an important role in how fast you learn Italian. If your language learning is limited to a classroom setting, then it will take you a little longer to learn.
If, however, you also are exposed to Italian outside of classes, then you can cut down the time needed to learn it.
Reading, listening to the news in Italian, radio or eBooks, writing, speaking, watching movies, and traveling to an Italian-speaking country can all help to speed up your learning process.
There’s no right way to learn a foreign language, but there are lots of wrong ways.
Total Immersion is the most intense option for learning Italian with the best and quickest results.
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