How to Become Fluent in Italian – 8 Proven Tips

Want to become fluent in Italian but don’t know where to start? Discover the practical steps you can take to improve your Italian, build your vocabulary, speak with more confidence, and make steady progress. Find out how to get started and learn more about my teaching method.

Gain Fluency in Italian With My Online Classes

One-to-One Lessons

Personalized, one-to-one support focused entirely on the student’s goals, level, and difficulties.

Euros 25.70 / Lesson

Group Lessons

For students who want to improve their speaking through interaction with others in a small group

Euros 19.60 / Lesson

My online Italian language classes have only one goal: to help you become a better speaker and master Italian.

First and foremost, I’ll send you a placement test by email, which you’ll complete before our first meeting. Then, we’ll have a free 20-minute trial lesson to discuss your English level, your learning goals, and how I can help you.

After the trial, we’ll decide which type of lesson is the best fit for you.

My online Italian language courses are delivered ONLY through Zoom.

One-to-One Lessons

These lessons are fully personalized to your level, goals, and specific learning needs. Whether you want to improve your speaking, vocabulary, listening, reading, or grammar, we’ll focus on what will help you make the most progress.

We may talk about a wide range of topics during an informal conversation lesson. I’ll assist you with any corrections and provide feedback, all while encouraging you to talk as much as possible.

Small-Group Lessons

My small-group lessons are limited to a maximum of 4 students, giving you plenty of opportunities to speak and interact while learning with others at a similar level.

All lessons are 55 minutes long and take place exclusively online via Zoom.

Optional homework is available if you’d like to practice between lessons.

Please keep in mind that I charge in Euros rather than USD. Here is a link to an online currency converter.

8 Proven Tips on How to Boost Your Italian Skills

1. Set clear and realistic goals

2. Make language learning a daily habit, similar to brushing your teeth.

3. Watch movies without subtitles.

4. Listen to short podcasts daily.

5. Read out loud.

6. Learn vocabulary in context. Never memorize single words; rather, learn phrases instead.

7. Speak the language whenever you can.

8. Take a 1-to-1 class with me

1. Set Clear and Realistic Goals

Identify your learning goals, then commit to achieving them. What are you hoping to accomplish? How much time are you willing to put into learning? 
First of all, write down your SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) objectives. Secondly, make a list of the actions you must take to reach your goals. Finally, as you complete each one, check it off.

2. Make Learning a Daily Habit

As part of your usual routine, try to set aside time each day to learn Italian. This amount of time doesn’t have to be lengthy; start with only 15-20 minutes, then progressively increase it. The keywords are WHEN and WHAT you want to study.

First off, pick a time of day that works for you to study Italian. After that, choose a location to practice your Italian, whether it’s on your way to work, during lunch break, or at home.

Next, decide what you want to do: listen to a song and pay attention to its lyrics or read a short article three times; keep a diary or speak with an Italian friend over the phone.

Lastly, reward yourself so that you won’t lose motivation.

3. Watch Movies Without Subtitles

Yes, you got my point. If your purpose is to strengthen your listening abilities, which, let’s face it, is one of the most difficult challenges while learning a language, then no subtitles. The brain cannot fully focus on one skill when reading, watching, and listening at the same time. Therefore, if not the entire film, at least a part of it, should be watched without subtitles. Also, try to imitate what the actors are saying.

4. Listen to Short Podcasts to Improve Listening

This activity is related to the previous one, which involves listening to short podcasts every day. Choose a podcast you enjoy and give it a week of everyday listening. You’ll have grasped most of the phrases by the end of the week, made progress with your pronunciation, and understood every single word. Bonus: you made no effort to achieve this; you passively and effortlessly absorbed information that is now stored in your brain.

5. Read Out Loud in Order to Improve Your Spoken Italian

In the past, when I was learning Italian, reading aloud was one of my favorite activities. There are several benefits of reading, including enhanced reading, listening, and pronunciation abilities; the building of context-specific vocabulary; learning new grammatical structures; and most importantly—acquiring fluency in Italian.

6. Learn Chunks, Not Single Words

I used to (and still do) have the habit of learning vocabulary through … vocabulary. In my experience, learning full sentences as opposed to individual words is the greatest method to learn new lexis in context. Chunking allows us to combine many little pieces of knowledge—new words—into a single, simpler concept. One of the most well-known linguists in the world, Stephen Krashen, says that “when individuals plan a journey to a foreign place, they generally are going to bring a dictionary …”. This is what I did before travelling to Italy: I packed a dictionary and a guidebook.

7. Speak the Language Whenever You Can to Get Fluency in Italian

There are several possibilities to practice speaking Italian for free.

For example, if you sign up for a language exchange website like Tandem, you may interact with native Italian speakers who might be interested in learning English or another language from you. Therefore, your first choice would be to find a language exchange partner.

Another approach would be to chat to an Italian friend or someone who speaks Italian through Zoom, Skype, or Whatsapp.

Don’t postpone learning Italian and finding excuses for not practicing because these tools are free.

8. Take a One-On-One Class With Me

The Method I Use to Teach Italian

The method I use is based on natural language learning through conversations on various topics. In our first lesson, I will determine your speaking abilities. We will discuss your learning goals and understand areas where you need improvement. All my online Italian language classes follow the CELTA methodology.

How to Start Learning Italian in 4 Easy Steps

Are you wondering how to start learning Italian with me but don’t know where to begin? Don’t worry, I’ve got your back. I am here to help you achieving your learning goals.

Step One

Book a FREE trial.

It’s a good idea to attend a free session before deciding which lesson type to choose.

My availability is listed here. The details of my cancellation policy are mentioned in the FAQ.

Classes will take place at Europe-Rome local time. Before scheduling the lesson, kindly double-check your time zone. Sadly, I will not be able to reschedule or cancel our free class.

When completing the contact form, it may be useful to provide the following information, such as your Italian level, the type of lesson you would like to take, and your learning goals and needs.

Step two

Complete the placement test.

I will email you a placement test after receiving the contact form, and I encourage you to take it. Using a dictionary or a translator to finish the test is equivalent to cheating.

Please ensure that your email address is correctly entered on the form to avoid misunderstandings.

Step three

Prior to our first meeting, download the Zoom application and complete the setup.

Start by downloading the application and install the software on your desktop. I strongly advise using a PC rather than a smartphone or tablet. One of my requests is that the student use a computer during our classes.

Click the blue “Download” button under Zoom Desktop Client to access the installer. Open the Zoom installer from your Downloads folder and follow the on-screen steps to set up your ZoomClient.

To join a Zoom meeting, simply click on the link sent over to you via email. My meeting link IS ALWAYS the same, so make sure you save it on your computer.

Here you can find more information on setting up your Zoom and be ready for our first Italian class.