Realities of Learning Italian

When I signed up to study abroad in Italy, I knew learning Italian was going to be a must, because duh, you’re in Italy. I also partially chose Italy because I wanted to learn a new language. As a native Spanish speaker, I’ve never been challenged to learn another language because I already knew one, so I took studying abroad as an opportunity to challenge myself and learn something new. 

It has been a challenge indeed. As part of the IES Abroad Milan curriculum, there is a mandatory 6-credit Italian course you need to take while abroad. This is so you immerse yourself in the language of your host country, which is necessary and fair to require. 

As a native Spanish speaker, I was placed into IT102, a slight speed run of Italian for those who know or have previously studied a Romance language. There is a two-week intensive Italian period where your only academics are to learn Italian for two hours every day for two weeks straight. The two-week intensive period was actually intense, no joke. While two hours of learning Italian doesn’t sound like much in retrospect, when that’s your routine for two weeks straight in a brand new environment, it’s a lot. Speaking from someone who is taking IT 102, it’s also a straight dive into learning Italian. 

If I’m being completely honest, learning Italian is difficult and requires a lot of attention. But this also comes from someone who doesn't know how to study languages (or study period). Italian is complicated in the sense that there are many different and particular grammatical rules compared to English. 

Using your Italian skills in the real world is very humbling. Most of the time, you will get spoken back to in English despite taking the initiative to speak in Italian. It’s happened to everyone, and while it’s slightly embarrassing at first, it’s okay. I’ve been talked to in English and still continued to speak in Italian because I wanted to practice using it. You just have to swallow your pride and go with it. 

All this being said, don’t let this scare you. On a positive note, learning Italian with people who are on the same level as you is actually really fun. There are moments in class where you bond over feeling like you know some Italian but also none at the same time.  Italian is a beautiful language, and I have found it fun to learn despite its difficulty. Besides, how cool is it to say you know a bit of Italian because you studied abroad there? Don’t let not knowing the language stop you from choosing your destination for studying abroad. 

Here are my tips for surviving intensive and making the most of learning a new language:

• Make sure you review the material after every class during intensive week. Let’s be real, learning is the last thing you’re thinking about when you're abroad- and that’s completely understandable. You're abroad! You should soak in what’s around you and make new friends and experience things. However, part of the immersion in your home base is learning the language. I sort of did this, and I understood but still had a lot of questions regarding the specifics of the language.
• Don’t be afraid to speak Italian- Yes, you’re gonna feel silly learning the pronunciations and your accent is going to be perfect, but that’s part of the process. Instead, you should feel comfortable knowing that you’re not going to be perfect in adhering to the language. Besides, you're only here for four months, you should have fun with the language.
• LEARN KEY PHRASES- If you take away anything from this 500-word blurb, it is to learn the basics. Things like thank you, please, where’s the bathroom, excuse me,  and ordering at a restaurant/ cafe are key things you should know before you land. Duolingo was not accurate at all, but they do at least teach you some key/ common words. 

Ciao- Informal, hello

Grazie- Thank you 

Parla inglese?- Do you speak english?  

Scusi- Formal way of saying excuse me

Permesso- More local, or general, way of saying excuse me on the metro/tram/ bus/ crowds