The time needed for learning a second language is an important factor to consider. Whether you want to apply for a job or finally decided to travel to Italy, time is always of the essence.
To become fluent you don’t need to study many hours a day. Or invest in expensive resources. You just need motivation, the right course (like Think in Italian), and some tips and tricks I will share here for you to have an amazing learning journey.
What is the fastest way to learn Italian?
The fastest way to learn Italian is by being immersed in its culture. But also by making everything in your life all about Italy and Italian. It might sound like a hard thing to do but today, I can assure you it is not.
You can start by changing your phone settings to Italian or by writing your shopping list in Italian. Then you can tackle more complex tasks like watching movies with Italian subtitles.
Nowadays you can be immersed in Italian in your everyday life without spending a fortune. Besides, immersion is the quickest way to learn Italian because by hearing and repeating sentences you will end up learning by doing. And you will be constantly studying without realizing it.
How can I learn Italian fast?
Learning fast does not mean in a week you will read the classics. It means developing the ability to communicate and be fluent. With time, practice, and consistency you will get to your desired level.
Tips to learn faster
- Talking regularly with native speakers or fellow students improves pronunciation and vocabulary. Additionally, is fundamental for checking and correcting your progress.
- Reading allows you to use words in different contexts and understand sentence construction.
- Repeating what you hear instead of listening passively is more efficient for learning. Forget about translating. You can start with short youtube videos or online audio courses.
- Listening to music or podcasts helps you with accents and pronunciation.
- Using the right tools for your learning rhythms. Today you can choose between online courses, tandem groups, or one-on-one tutors.
- Learning from mistakes, instead of fearing them, is the only way to really improve. Is learning by doing.
- Being patient because fluency does not happen overnight.
- Setting realistic and clear goals based on your motivation and needs. If you lack impulse, dive into the rich Italian culture for inspiration.
How long does Italian take to learn?
This is one of the hardest questions to answer because it depends entirely on you. On one hand, on your learning pace and individual needs. And on the other hand, on your commitment to practice every day. If you are immersed in the language, you will learn faster.
If your native language is English, the Foreign Service Institute claims Italian is one of the easiest languages to learn. They estimate you will need 24 weeks or 600 hours.
If you know other Romance languages, Italian it’s said to be easier because you are already familiarized with some common factors such as the alphabet and vocabulary.
Also, there are a few online calculators for helping you create an estimated learning time.
How hard it is to learn Italian?
Stop reading, start speaking
Stop translating in your head and start speaking Italian for real with the only audio course that prompt you to speak.
As I mentioned before, there are a few things that make learning Italian easier. And as a tip, I wanted to share the most challenging subjects for English speakers:
- Everything has a gender and it should be in agreement in the sentence.
- Many words have double consonants and it changes both meaning and pronunciation.
- The subjunctive tense is inexistent in English.
But don’t panic or get frustrated. Even if learning Italian can have its difficulties, you can be bilingual in no time.
Learn faster with these online courses
Using the right tools means finding resources that fit you like a glove. But discovering what you need can be difficult because of the thousands of options on the web.
I’m a fan of online courses because they address all the skills you need to be fluent. You can focus on vocabulary, grammar, reading, and listening. And you can use audiovisual material or virtual teachers.
By choosing the blocks you want to focus on, you escape the heaviness of traditional methods. For example: memorizing, commuting to the language center, and spending a fortune.
Among the options you can find online, there are traditional applications such as Babbel, Mondly, and Preply. Based on online lessons for every language you can think of. You can also find applications like Italki for finding a tutor or Lingopie for learning with tv series.
There is one course that stands out because its method is custom-made for Italian. Additionally, uses neuroscience and educational resources for ensuring the best results.
I’m talking about, Think in Italian. Not only covers grammar, vocabulary, reading, and listening. But is specifically designed for making you learn by talking.
Having conversations with native speakers from the start will make you learn naturally. And will make you fluent fast by making you practice constantly what you’ve learned.
Just remember to choose wisely your study resources, practice with consistency and, above all else, have fun!
