Do you want to speak Italian?

by Georgina Kirk

Italian is the first language of only 62 million or so people in the world – substantially fewer than speak Spanish, French, German or Korean – and yet it is remarkably popular as a foreign language, attracting students of all ages and backgrounds.

So what draws people to learn Italian? It is a beautiful language and, for some, that is reason enough. They want to be able to read Dante, Macchiavelli and the other groundbreaking Italian writers in the original; they want to be able to understand Italian opera or films without the subtitles. However, for most people, it is the idea of visiting Italy that motivates them to study the language.

Italy is a marvellous country with a great deal to offer the foreign visitor: beaches, mountains, music, art, history, architecture, food and wine, as well as vibrant and entertaining people. Italy can be exciting, relaxing, romantic or jolly and, at any time of the year, it is a safe bet for an enjoyable, affordable holiday.

Even a smattering of the language will enrich your experience immensely. Although many Italians speak English, it is definitely more fun – as well as more polite – for us to make the effort to speak Italian to them. When in Rome, talk as the Romans do. At least, we can do our best. In any case, once you leave the touristy areas, English is not as widespread and you may need some Italian, if just for shopping and asking directions.

For native English speakers, Italian is among the easiest foreign languages to learn. Because English has also been strongly influenced by Latin, and because words of Greek origin ended up very similar in English and in Italian, you can make an educated guess at a large percentage of Italian. What do you imagine “idea” means? It’s pronounced differently in Italian but the meaning is just as in English. What about “importante”, “sistema”, “passaporto”? Think you can handle it so far?

Of the words that don’t obviously correspond to the English, many can be deduced with a bit of lateral thinking, particularly when they are seen in context. For example, “dente” doesn’t look like “tooth” but, as soon as you think of “dental” and “dentist”, it makes sense. For this reason, even if you can’t always work out the meaning of such words yourself, once you have learnt what they mean, it’s easy to remember them.

It is – and has been for a long time – fashionable in Italy to sprinkle Italian with English vocabulary. Words such as “computer” and “film” are just the terms used for these concepts; Italian equivalents don’t even exist. Similarly, we use some Italian words in English: “piano[forte]” and “ballerina”, for example, which we may not even recognise as Italian; as well as more deliberately Italian expressions such as “cappuccino” and “numero uno”.

When you can speak some Italian, it will allow you to dig much deeper into the real Italy. You’ll understand what people are saying, not just to you but to each other; you’ll be in on the jokes; you’ll find out how Italians see the world.

It requires discipline and effort to learn a foreign language and the first phase – getting to grips with basic grammar and vocabulary – is particularly hard work. After the initial hump, however, the road to success flattens out and eventually leads downhill, as you gain momentum and it becomes easier and easier to absorb new words and structures. With the right materials and/or teacher, anyone can learn Italian – and the rewards are enormous.

About the Author:

If you would like to learn Italian, look at our website! Loads of info about Italy and Italian, including audio and a downloadable e-book written by professional Italian teachers. Yes you can speak Italian!

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