I don't know ANY Italian!! What are my options for learning the language when I get there in November? Are there classes? Or has anyone found a good system for learning? I hear that the Rosetta Stone system is really good, but it's sooooo expensive!!

I just added an article about learning Italian when ouside italy

http://www.lifeinitaly.com/italian/learn-2.asp

Hi Rack9 (interesting name!),

The best way to learn Italian that I know is to do a total immersion language program. That means you aren't allowed to speak English from the moment you walk in the door, and the classes are half a day so that still leaves you with an entire eight - twelve hours of free time a day.

There's a great school called Torre di Babele (http://torredibabele.com/) that has classes that last a week, two weeks, a month, whatever you want, and they offer accomodations as well. Don't know what you've got set up already but you might check them out. A great school with fabulous teachers. You'll be speaking Italian in a week... at least enough to order food, ask directions and talk about the weather.

Also, the key is to listen and practice. Books aren't so good for anything other than theory and rules. Italian CDs are great, and the best program is Pimsleur's (not too expensive).

And as Paolo says in his article at the link he provided, watching Italian movies is a great, fun way to learn, and listening to streaming radio stations on the Internet is good too.

Buona fortuna!

Teresa

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I am trying to learn Italian too. I learnt basic phrases from my Italian friends, and am trying to enrol in a class. I have also found this website very useful:

http://www.mylanguageexchange.com/

Here, I have made a few Italian friends, with whom I chat on the internet. The idea is to exchange your native tongue for the language you want to learn, and since you are in Italy, you can actually post an ad saying you want to connect with someone in your locality. You can teach them English, and they teach you Italian. You make good friends in the process too!

But you must ensure that your language partner knows at least basic English, and is really practising it with you for improvement, because if none of you know the other's language at all, this wont work out. You can help them with any english written work if required. I email edited stuff to them all the time!

They charge 24usd for a yearly membership, and I have been making a lot of progress lately

But as Teresa said, you have to observe continuously and try and pick up the tongue at all times!

Cheers,
Bubbles

I agree with the chat, but first you need to know some words and if you do, it's great practice! In this way you must spit words out in quick response, this way you are tapping into your data base on command, and constantly reinforcing it's potential.
I have tryed everything, and I'll tell you that the movies were the most difficult way to pick it up..they yell, eat the words, and are so fast they leave you tripping over your pants--a hard way figure out anything. Try labeling everything in your house with the Italian word for each item, then think of it as that only. The mind is an important tool, get yourself in the "mind-set." Some good tricks are to say: TRA TRE TRI TRO TRU say them over and over. Be sure to keep your tongue away from your teeth! A course may introduce you, but too much information all at once will coax your brain into a freeze, and a coma won't be far behind. Buy some children's books in Italian learn with pictures the look of each word beside them. Cassettes help with the sound, important.

Get out and find yourself an Italian friend/girlfriend/boyfriend...whatever who ONLY speaks the local language. It'll be hard for the first few months but believe me its worth it!! If you hang around with people who speak english you might as well "hang it up" and forget about it!!
Mike

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http://www.single-serving.com/Italia...ics/basics.mp3

http://www.single-serving.com/Italian/audio.php

Though it can be tough learning Italian if you are from a different background, the problems get sorted out if you have a good teacher. You have to decide how much you want to learn and for what purpose.

If it is just because you want to visit for a short while, a short survival course from a reputed center should do the trick. Take a few lessons like the ones in the links above, and you are on your way.

Long-term stay, of course, will require longer study of the language. But then, one also learns faster, because one learns from the Italians around. Sometimes it is forced, because most people around speak in Italian.

The accent is always a problem though. I am trying my hand at Italian, and learning from various extremely kind and patient Italians on skype. It is a lot of fun!

Paolo:

thanks for the info on learning Italian when not being able to get the advantage of living in Italy, I checked out your new page you created
I purchased a 17 audio cd from PIMSLEUR and I have them in my car so every time I'm on the road I listen to them
My second goal is to get an Italian movie, I will continue to work on it i really want to learn to speak Italian
Gratzie
Ciao Sandra

Another thing I found to be of value is downloading my Italian in podcast form on to my MP3 player. This way it can go with me wherever I go, even during flights or shopping trips.

I have done this so far from www.learnitalianpod.com, where they have a very informative podcast every once in a while, with proper english translations as well. I am not a member over there since I have access to a proper Italian class locally under native teachers, but some of my friends are members and swear by it.

Other kinds of podcasts, like the ones by Max Novaresi at
http://www.r101.it/101xtra/podcast.php
can also be helpful for students who have begun to grasp Italian already!