8 best ways to Learn Italian
Are you tired of trying to learn a new language? Do you feel nothing works for you? Don’t wear yourself out with dense learning models. Here are eight steps to becoming bilingual.
Here is the first thing to keep in mind. Any learning method will require perseverance and effort. It is not a matter of attending classes and memorizing lessons if you are not committed in your daily life to carrying out the process as a self-taught person.
Undoubtedly, learning a language will depend on the effort you put in and the patience you have to acquire and incorporate new knowledge into your life. If you have noticed that classes are not enough, read on. We will share the eight best ways to learn Italian with infallible techniques to help you get results.
Why is it important to study a language?
Nowadays, it is no longer enough to know our mother tongue. Whether in the professional or personal field, learning a new language can open many doors, which increases our possibilities in terms of work, tourism, and academics.
When you learn another language, you incorporate new skills into your life that will be useful to face daily challenges. Besides that, it will help you exercise your mind, get to know new cultures, and improve your motivation to achieve your objectives and pursue new goals.
Having benefits in mind will encourage you to follow these eight suggestions we will present below:
1. Don’t fear speaking in public.
Start by getting rid of your fears. It doesn’t matter if you make mistakes when trying to express yourself in a foreign language. It’s a new learning process, and it’s normal not to know everything.
Interacting with others will ultimately increase your chances of speaking fluently in another language.
2. Be consistent.
We agree that consistency is probably one of the keys to success for any purpose in life. And even more so when it comes to learning a language. No matter how difficult the process becomes, the more you try, the closer you get to being bilingual.
Do you need to keep yourself motivated? Remind yourself of the goals you have in mind and the reason why you decided to start learning this new language in the first place.
To help you remember this reason, you can print images that will recall that decision and encourage you to keep learning. You can paste those images in your room or workplace, keep them on your cell phone, put them on the desktop of your PC, etc.
By constantly reminding yourself of this, you will find all the reasons to keep going and zero excuses to abandon your process.
3. Look for resources that are in the language you are learning.
One of the easiest ways to learn a language is to consume content in the language we want to master. Whether it is music, books, movies, series, podcasts, or magazine articles, look for your favorite content in the new language, and you will see that it will become a natural part of your life.
The best way to advance learning a language is to do things you enjoy while learning. Having fun will change your mindset when you go through your daily learning routine.
Take advantage of the fact that today thousands of online resources can serve you for this purpose. No matter their length or complexity, what matters is that you make use of these materials daily.
4. Surround yourself with people who speak the language you are learning.
Speaking in a new language is a crucial component. We know it can be tempting to hang out with your usual friends and chat about your interests, but that will only stagnate your learning. So it’s time to find other people who can support you and with whom you can have extensive and effective conversations.
The more you engage in conversation with other people, the more comfortable you will feel. Do not pressure yourself too much on being perfect. Naturally, you will mispronounce some words. So, tell others to correct you every time it is necessary.
Nowadays, many websites and applications will allow you to contact people who speak the language you are learning. The advantage of this is that besides advancing your ability to communicate, you also make new friends along the way. Do you want to read more about the most popular platform to have these conversations in your target language? Click here.
5. Use your vocabulary in sentences.
Learning a language is not about memorizing words. It is about knowing how to use vocabulary in a given context. So, start using new words in sentences so that you learn basic conjugation rules.
One way to do this exercise is to write it down on paper: when you learn a new word, write it down along with its meaning and use it in a sentence and different verb tenses. You will see that this will make you advance quickly. And it will be a fun practice that will become a habit.
6. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
We know that interacting with people in a language you are learning can be challenging, but it is a challenge you should take on. Don’t be afraid of the mistakes you may make along the way. One of the most effective ways to acquire knowledge is to learn from mistakes.
No one was born with knowledge. Thus, it is logical that while mastering anything, we fall into a series of mistakes that may cause us embarrassment. But don’t be discouraged. It is an opportunity to get better.
7. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
We know this is challenging. People that speak our language are all around us. Besides, it is tempting to use our mother tongue when we can. But resist and look for ways to avoid those conversations.
Did you think it was enough to speak it? No, it is not enough. Also, use the new language to formulate thoughts. In short, you will need to incorporate the language you are learning as part of your daily life.
Try planning your daily activities in the new language, or make your daily thoughts and reflections an opportunity to become much more familiar with the language you are learning.
8. Change the language of your electronic devices.
We left this effective method to the end of the post. Change the default language on your electronic devices, such as a cell phone, tablet, or computer. It doesn’t matter how familiar the new language is because if you know the routes and functionalities of your devices very well, it won’t be a problem to work with them.
The closing recommendation would be to not remain in doubt about the meanings of new words. On the contrary, take this exercise as an opportunity to expand your vocabulary.
Would you like to learn Italian? Click here to check out this course with a podcast-style approach.
My husband and I have been wanting to learn a second language for quite some time now. I like that you mention that it helps when you have someone to do it with together. Is there a program in particular that you recommend?
Hi Jen! How lovely! Learning a second language together is really wonderful! It would also give both of you a new secret code! I would recommend you to start with some free courses like: La Mappa Misteriosa, or Duolingo.
Italy is a great country with so much history, and the people that live there are very friendly. Italian and Spanish are very alike, I speak Spanish and I have heard some Italian talking and I almost understood everything they said, so If you are a Spanish speaker it should be easier for you to learn Italian, and if you practice the lenguaje you will learn faster, so watching Italian movies, Italian TV programs or hearing Italian music should help you a lot.
Exactly! The more exposed to the language, the quicker you’ll learn it! And you speak Spanish! That is great! Yes, if you already speak Spanish, it should be easier for you to learn Italian! ¡Muchas gracias por pasar por aquí y compartir tu pensamiento con nosotros! Estamos a la orden con cualquier cosa en la que podamos ayudar sobre el aprendizaje de italiano. ¡Que tengas un excelente días! Arrivederci!
Great advice. I’ve always wanted to learn the language and now I know how to. Truly excited to have found your blog.
Hi, HT! Thank you! I’m very happy to hear that you have found this humble blog useful! Please let me know about any help you may need in your journey learning Italian! Best wishes!