Speaking Italian

Music can be a worthy teacher when you want to learn Italian.

I’ve taken to utilizing Italian music to round out my knowledge of Italian.

If you’re on the journey to achieve some kind of competency when you learn Italian, then I highly encourage you to lighten things up and let Italian pop music be one of your teachers. Currently, I’m in a bit of  “pause” with intensive grammar studies (i.e. the more complicated verb tenses). When I did my month-long Italian language intensive at Torre di Babele in Rome (read my post about it), my head was so full that I felt as though surely it was too much and was seeping out of my ears. In the ensuing weeks and months, I became convinced that I had lost the lion’s share of what I had learned. But, thanks to stepping up my dedication to listening to Italian music, a lot is coming back to me now. And, in the context of music, it’s actually making sense.

To learn Italian through music can be a ton of fun.

Don’t be surprised if you hear ciao more than a few times when a person is saying goodbye on the phone.

“Ciao” can flow like water at the end of a phone call.

Years ago, I was on a northbound train in Italy, sitting close to a man talking on his cell phone. I swear I heard him utter “Ciao” at least two dozen times over the span of two-to-three minutes before he actually ended the call. I thought to myself “Is this for real?” At the time, I was mostly irritated that the man with speaking so loudly. I just wanted him to end the call and shut up so I could have some peace. But, this was the beginning of my understanding and appreciation of why and how Italians differ from Americans when ending a phone call. I now lovingly call it “The Long Goodbye.”

An underlying logic exists in this prolific use of “Ciao.”

Deciding when to use buono (good) and when to use bello (beautiful) isn’t so cut and dry.

Do you want to say something is good, beautiful, fine, or well done? Welcome to the world, and the question, of buono or bello. Then, add the word “bravo”, the other positive adjective in this family, and you’ll soon realize you don’t always make an even exchange of these words from English to Italian. Don’t worry, it’s not super complicated, and if you mess up, it’s not the type of mistake that will get you in trouble. But, if you don’t get it right, you’ll be broadcasting that you haven’t mastered some of the basics of speaking Italian. Until recently, I wasn’t getting it right on a consistent basis, which is why

When you say Please in Italian, properly, it will open doors and make your experience here go more smoothly. If you’ve been studying how to speak Italian, or if you’re just getting started, it’s easy to zoom past this one and pat yourself on the back for getting it right.

“Please” can be a tiny bit complicated…

It’s not always just “per favore” or “per piacere” tacked onto a request. So, I believe it’s a good idea to delve into this topic more deeply. And, who better to explain the subtleties of this than Manu, of ItalyMadeEasy.com. I admit, until I watched the video below, I realized I was making mistakes that were

Manu shares important insights about where new students get tripped up.

Today is the fifth in the interview series with Manu, the best go-to resource online for learning Italian. In this short video Manu eloquently speaks to the common mis-steps that new students of Italian often make. In his usual engaging and inspiring teaching style, he helps you master important basics that will help open doors and endear you to the hearts of the Italian people.

When you learn Italian understanding how to address people with respect is paramount!

I confess this is one of my pet peeves, and I wince when I hear fellow Americans blithely tossing “ciao” around to everyone, including strangers. You can be doing yourself a disservice by