Parli italiano?

Parli italiano?

Every time I hear that question, I freeze for a second. What am I supposed to say? "Yes, I do" sounds a little too confident. "No" is also not quite right because, well… I do speak Italian.

So usually I go with: "sì, più o meno" – which basically means, “I kind of know what I’m doing, at least a little!”

With my friends, I am usually the designated translator – the person who asks for a table for five, orders a bottle of water (naturale, not frizzante), and talks to the taxi driver about the Sanremo Music Festival on our way back to Camplus.

I have been learning Italian for the past three and a half years, since November 2022, to be precise. It has definitely been a journey, with plenty of ups and downs, but I really enjoy it. And that is exactly why I chose to study abroad in Rome: I wanted to actually use my Italian every single day. Learning a language in the classroom is one thing, but speaking it in the place where people use it every day is a completely different experience.

Of course, speaking a foreign language all the time can feel intimidating at first. Even if you’ve studied it for years, using it in real life can make you nervous. One of the first things I realized in Rome is that you just have to accept that you will make mistakes – it’s completely fine. And I will confess that I’ve already had an embarrassingly funny moment asking for fish (pesce) juice instead of peach (pesca) juice. That is definitely a moment I will remember forever!

One thing that helped me a lot was reminding myself that Italians generally appreciate when you try to speak their language. Even if your grammar isn’t perfect, people are usually patient and happy to wait while you try to form a sentence in your mind and say something. Sometimes they switch to English when they hear your accent, but you can always politely say something like “Possiamo parlare in italiano? Sto cercando di praticare.” Most of the time, they smile and continue the conversation in Italian. And if they don’t, I usually just keep talking in Italian anyway. My stubbornness often wins and eventually they switch to Italian too!

Also, I just found out that apparently I have an American accent when I speak in Italian. I found this surprising at first because Russian is my first language, so I assumed I would have more of an Eastern European accent. But after spending several years studying in the United States, it seems that some of those pronunciation habits followed me into my Italian as well. Actually, several Italians I met in Rome pointed it out, and now I try to notice it every time I speak. Italians sometimes find it funny – but honestly, accents are part of learning languages. In fact, in most of the cases it became a great conversation starter. It’s also a funny reminder that languages influence each other in ways we don’t always expect.

Another very helpful tool is taking not only an Italian language class but also a thematic class in Italian. I am currently taking Forma Urbis: The Archaeology of Ancient Rome, and it is honestly one of the best classes I have ever taken. The professor is very understanding; we practice Italian as much as possible, but it’s completely okay if we don’t know certain words or need help. Every Tuesday we walk around the city, exploring places connected to ancient Roman history. It definitely feels much easier to practice Italian when you’re standing in front of ancient monuments and discussing them with a small group of people who are just as interested in the subject as you are.

Also, I just started a travel journal where I try to write everything in Italian. It is quite challenging for now, but I really enjoy the process. It forces me to slow down, reflect on my day, and find the words to describe the places I visited.

So, for students who already know some Italian and are coming to Italy for a semester, my advice is to use the language as much as possible. It can be tempting to stay in your comfort zone and speak English with other students, but even small efforts to use Italian every day can make a huge difference. Talk to people at cafes. Ask questions in shops. Listen to conversations around you. Watch Italian movies, read menus carefully, and try to notice the words you recognize. Little by little, the language starts to feel more natural.

Also, take advantage of your location!  I often remind myself that I will never see these people again because we live on different continents. That thought makes it much easier to approach someone, ask questions, and just talk! So, if you already know even a little Italian, the best thing you can do while living in Italy is simply to use it as much as possible. Don’t wait until your grammar is perfect – it never will be. Speak, make mistakes, laugh about them, and keep going.

That’s how the language really becomes part of your life.