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 Italian Language
for Beginners
Your Easy-to-Follow and Hassle-Free
Prime Guide to Learn Italian and Get
You Ready to Travel to Italy

Florence Colombo
 Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: The world of Italian
Chapter 2: A closer look at Italy
Chapter 3: How to learn a language
Chapter 4: Overview of Italian
Chapter 5: Getting started with Italian
Chapter 6: Pronunciation
Chapter 7: Nouns and Articles
Chapter 8: Numbers
Chapter 9: Adjectives and adverbs
Chapter 10: Verbs
Chapter 11: Building sentences
Chapter 12: Bringing it all together
Conclusion
Glossary
Description
Introduction
Welcome to Italian Language for Beginners. Your Easy-to-Follow Hassle
Free Prime Guide to Learn Italian for Beginners and for Travelling to Italy.
In this volume, you will find an easy how-to guide on the fundamentals of
Italian. It has been created to help you get a firm grasp on the language and
enable you to communicate in this beautiful language.
Whether you are learning Italian for the very first time, or whether you are a
seasoned veteran, this book has something from everyone. Its main purpose is
to inform you on how you can make the most of the core language and
vocabulary so that you can freely communicate everywhere you go within the
Italian speaking world.
As a matter of fact, lots of folks around the world learn Italian as a personal
challenge. There are many people who take it upon themselves to learn a new
language as part of a personal development endeavor. So, they look for a
language that is both beautiful and practical. So, this is where Italian comes
into the fold.
For English speakers, Italian is a very practical and straightforward language
to learn. Much of the syntax (word order), vocabulary and grammar are
similar to that of English. This enables English speakers to find some
common ground. This is crucial when learning a new language as a lack of
commonality can make it truly stressful to pick up a new language.
By exploiting the similarities between English and Italian, you can find firm
footing. This will allow you to lay the foundation of what will become your
Italian language skills. Best of all, this type of growth and development will
ensure that you attain a level of proficiency that will allow you to
communicate without much hindrance.
As such, this book has been designed to give you the core fundamentals of
the language. While we will not delve into more complex aspects of grammar
and syntax, we will be covering the language that you will need in order to
travel to Italy, communicate with Italian speakers and enjoy content in this
language. In fact, there are countless materials and content in Italian. By
gaining proficiency in Italian, you will be able to uncover a world of culture,
content and knowledge. You won’t know how much you are missing until
you actually find out.
Best of all, we will not be going about this in a complicated manner. We will
refrain from using technical terminology and potentially confusing grammar
explanations. The content is this book has been laid out in an easy to digest
manner so that you won’t lose focus on what really matters: acquiring new
language. You will find that as you progress through each of the chapters of
this book, you will uncover new content which you can link to the previous
content you have learned. So, even if you don’t have any prior knowledge of
Italian, you will find that you can take the contents in this book and build
upon them one block at a time.
So, thank you for choosing this book. We are aware of the myriad of options
out there. Some of them a fantastic and some of them not so much. We are
confident that this book will not only meet your expectations but will
encourage you to keep going down this lifelong path of learning. We hope to
inspire you to keep learning. Please bear in mind that language learning is a
lifelong endeavor. You will always discover something new and exciting
about a language.
While you’re at it, please check out the other books in this series. They will
help build on your current knowledge and help you get to the next level. That
way, you will have the building blocks you need to become truly fluent in
one of the world’s most amazing languages.
Chapter 1: The world of Italian
When most people think of Italian, the believe that Italy is the only place in
the world in which this language is spoken. Sure, it is logical to associate
Italian with Italy and all the culture that surrounds it, but it is a far more
global language than you think.
Generally speaking, European languages spread throughout the world as a
result of colonization. European colonial powers spread the language and
culture through every territory they help. For instance, Britain permeated the
world with their influence. The biggest examples of British colonization are
the United States, Canada and Australia.
Also, Spain proved to be a powerhouse as they spread their language and
culture all over America, parts of Asia and even a small chunk of Africa. The
same can be said about the Portuguese empire. The largest remnant of
Portuguese influence is Brazil along with several other African nations that
claim Portuguese origin.
However, Italy did not have such a large outreach in terms of colonial
holdings. In fact, most claims of Italian heritage come as a result of
immigration. Italian folks left their motherland and travelled the world in
search of new opportunity. This has led to large communities of Italian folks
establishing themselves all over the world.
As such, Italy, and by extension the Italian language, have permeated life
throughout the world. Also, Italian culture, mainly its cuisine, is a staple in
every region of the world. Art, music and literature are all the result of
talented individuals who put their best foot forward.
The world of science was also influenced and even revolutionized by
luminaries of Italian origin such as Leonardo DaVinci and Galileo Galilei.
Other brilliant Italians such as Marconi, who invented the radio, have left
their indelible mark on the world.
That being said, the current state of Italian culture and language around the
word is alive and thriving. While culture, cuisine and fashion are all front of
center on the world stage, Italian, as a language, is also gaining a strong
foothold. According to Ethnologue (2018), Italian is now the fourth-most
studied language in the world. Of course, the world’s most-studied language
continues to be English, while other leading world players such as Chinese
and Spanish are firmly in place as major players. Nevertheless, the growing
trend of Italian’s popularity is a testament to the overall level of influence
that Italian has on the world.
The fact that over two billion people around the world speak English either as
a first, second or third language, is proof that English has attained global
recognition as the world’s language for business. Similarly, French is used as
a means of conducting business in Europe. Then, languages such as Chinese
and Hindi are popular based on the sheer number of people who speak this
language around the world. Likewise, Spanish is spoken by close to a billion
people all around the world.
That leaves other European languages such as Italian, German and
Portuguese with a lot less speakers around the world. Nevertheless, that does
not mean that these languages are any less popular. In fact, most people
around the world view learning English as a necessity. That means that they
must learn English, whether they like it or not, if they want to be successful
in the business world.
That differentiates Italian from English in the sense that learners take on
Italian because they like it. It is the type of language that folks get into
because it is a personal development goal rather than a necessity. This makes
learning Italian (or German and Portuguese for that matter) a pleasure, a
hobby, or even a dream. Hence, the popularity of Italian is growing around
the world simply because it is a viable alternative for language learners.
In addition, many folks “finish” learning English at some point in their lives.
Yet, they are still keen on learning another language. But they may not be
aware of other languages that they can jump into. This trend accounts for the
growth in popularity for Spanish. Many individuals who learn Spanish as a
third or even fourth language do so because they are looking for a new
challenge to take. By the same token, Italian has risen on the horizon for
those who are looking to learn a new language after concluding English
studies.
As you can see, Italian is on the rise. What does this mean for people who are
learning Italian today? It means that there will be a great deal of people
around the world who have some level of proficiency in Italian. As such, you
will become part of a global community that shares a common interest. And
while English will remain the global language for the foreseeable future,
Italian will gain ground on English on the world stage. You can be part of
that growth.
It is also worth noting that learning a second, third, or even fourth language
will always be a good way of improving your overall skill set. Of course,
Italian is not one of the most sought-after language skills in the current
marketplace, but just being able to speak multiple languages is the type of
thing that looks impressive on job applications and college admissions. Plus
speaking multiple languages is the type of thing that makes a person more
interesting while honing their overall skill set.
Furthermore, speaking multiple languages allows you to have greater
mobility. Given the fact the world is becoming smaller and smaller, it is more
common for professionals to find employment and business opportunities in
other countries. While it is highly probable that you will be dealing with
other professionals who have some kind of English proficiency, the fact is
that being able to speak the local language will help you become more
attractive to prospective employers and customers.
So, you have definitely taken on a meaningful endeavor in learning Italian.
Whether it is your second, third or even fourth language, you will find this to
be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. You will find that
learning another language will help you improve your overall skill set,
whether for professional reasons, travel, or plainly as a hobby. You have
everything it takes to become successful at mastering Italian.
We hope that you are anxious about getting started with learning Italian. You
will find that it is one of the easier languages which you can learn. While
Italian does have its intricacies and nuances, it is nothing that you need to be
intimidated by.
In the next chapter, we will be taking a deeper look at Italy and a historical
overview of this wonderful language. Grab on because we are barely
warming up.
Chapter 2: A closer look at Italy
Italy is filled with history. From its Roman Empire days, Italy has gone from
a collection of city states to a global powerhouse. Today, its role in the G7 is
a testament to the leadership position it maintains to this day.
Italian history goes all the way back to the beginning of civilization.
Collectively, Europe has marked the pace of the world’s history. Modern-day
Germany, Spain, Britain, Portugal, France and Italy all played pivotal roles in
shaping the world’s present-day configuration.
In ancient times, the various regions that make up Italy all played varying
roles in world history. The biggest name is Rome. Rome, both as a city and
as an empire, was the center of the ancient world. The Roman empire
stretched out all over the known world at the time. Its outreach was so strong
that it permeated the narrative during the life of Jesus Christ, the rise of the
Middle Ages and the eventual consolidation of the Byzantine Empire.
When Rome eventually gave way as the world’s power, other Italian cities
such as a Florence, Venice, Milan and Pisa were the center of the scientific,
cultural and artist world of the Medieval Times and the Renaissance.
It was during the Renaissance that Italian luminaries truly shined on the
world stage. In fact, their influence still resonates to this day. There isn’t a
field of human knowledge that has not been influenced by Italian legends.
One of the biggest names in history is Leonard DaVinci. DaVinci’s legacy is
one filled with scientific discoveries, contributions to human knowledge and,
of course, his breakthroughs in the word of art. To this day, DaVinci is
considered to be one of the world’s most renowned artists.
Galileo needs no introduction. Earlier, we mentioned the influence that
Galileo has had on the world of Astronomy. But more than just contributions
to a field of study, Galileo inspired entire generations of scientists in the
world of Astrophysics. Without Galileo, scientists such as Copernicus,
Keppler, Boyle and even Newton to a certain extent, would not have
contributed to human knowledge in the way they did. Many years later,
Albert Einstein would prove that Galileo was right some three hundred years
earlier.
In terms of culture, Italian composers such as Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo
Puccini revolutionized the world with their Operas. They ushered in a new
era of music that profoundly changed the world of music during their time.
Antonio Vivaldi, before them, drastically changed the landscape of music
with his immortal “Four Seasons”.
In the world of literature, Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy” is one of the
world’s classic works. However, Niccolo Machiavelli is widely regarded as
one of the best political strategists in the history of human civilization. His
writings, in particular “The Prince”, have influenced endless numbers of
professionals in the world of politics, business, military and beyond. In fact,
six Italian writers are Nobel laureates. The last, Dario Fo (1997) is regarded
as one of the best contemporary writers.
In total, 20 Italians have been bestowed with the Nobel Prize. In 2007, Mario
Capecchi received the Nobel prize in Medicine. However, there are a few
names on that list which you may recognize: Guglielmo Marconi, Enrico
Fermi, and Camillo Golgi. Their contributions to the world are the
cornerstone of our modern society.
But the achievements by these individuals are not the only things which Italy
has given the world. In fact, it is just the tip of the iceberg. Famous Italians
have contributed to modern transportation (think Ferrari and Lamborghini),
fashion (Versace and Gucci ring a bell?) and the world of sport (four FIFA
World Cup titles is nothing to sneeze at). As such, it’s worth taking a closer
look at Italy as a country.
For all of its rich history and tradition, Italy wasn’t formally one republic
until 1861. This period, known as the “Reunification” is when Italy become
one, single country under a republican system. In short, the Reunification is a
period in Italy’s history in which the collection of city-states all came under
one republic with Rome as its capital. Located within Rome remained one
single city-state which the Vatican. In addition, San Marino is also
considered to be an independent state within Italy itself.
In all, the boot-shaped nation covers a total of 301,340km2. It is comprised of
five semi-autonomous regions which all come together in a parliamentary
system even though it is officially considered to be a republic. What his
means is that there is one democratically elected President who is Head of
State. There is a Prime Minister who acts and head of government. In many
ways, Italy resembles a federalist republic like the United States.
In total, there are of 60 million people living in Italy. As such, Italy is not a
small country by any means. Although, there are millions more around the
world who can claim Italian heritage to some extent. Countries with large
Italian communities include the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina
and Brazil.
Aside from Italy, the Vatican and San Marino have Italian as their official
language. In addition, Switzerland also has Italian as one of its four official
languages. However, Italy’s influence around its neighbors leads it to be
widely spoken, though not officially recognized in Albania, Croatia and
Slovakia. Furthermore, the number of Italian speakers in the United States is
estimated to be over 700,000 essentially ranking it behind Albania as the
country which holds the largest number of Italian speakers outside of Italy.
The cultural diversity found within Italy makes it a unique place to visit.
Southern Italy is widely recognized for its warmth and charm, not to mention
its unbelievable cuisine. The center of Italy, in particular the region of
Tuscany, is considered to be one of the world’s loveliest places. The north is
regarded as a mecca for fashion, food, the arts and motorsports.
Perhaps the most widely recognized place in Italy is Rome. Aside from its
cultural heritage and rich history, Rome is actually a great place to spend a
weekend as you travel through Italy. The main tourist attractions make it the
first stop for many travelers.
Some of the most famous places in Rome include the Colosseum, the Trevi
Fountain or the Roman Forum. But perhaps the most famous of places is St.
Peter’s Square right in the middle of the Vatican. The Vatican is home to the
Pope and is the center of the Roman Catholic Religion. It is one of the most
visited places in the world and renowned for magnificent art and architecture.
Other cities such as Venice and Genoa are home to timeless architecture,
delicious cuisine and quaint villages. Other regions such as Tuscany are
renowned for their laidback and easygoing lifestyle. Many of the world’s
wealthiest individuals look to these regions in Italy for rest and relaxation.
Indeed, Italy is one of the world’s most beloved tourist destinations.
In short, Italy has something for everything. This is what makes it such a
popular tourist destination. But don’t be fooled, Italy is a highly
industrialized nation producing high-tech products and financial services. So,
if you are looking to take a good, long vacation, you should definitely have
Italy on your radar. If you plan to take a walk through Switzerland, Italian
will surely come in handy as well.
Chapter 3: How to learn a language
Learning a language is one of the most challenging things that any person can
choose to do. In fact, languages are difficult by definition. However, they are
not impossible. What makes learning a language so difficult is that most folks
don’t really know how to go about it. In fact, it can be like trying to find a
needle in a haystack when you don’t know what you are looking for.
To further complicate things, most language schools and programs claim that
students will be fluent within a matter of weeks. Many times, that is
unrealistic since not all language learners are created equal. For example,
some folks have a natural ability for languages. As such, it is very easy for
them to pick up the basics of a new language. For others, they may have a
lack of experience. Consequently, it isn’t that easy for them to pick up a new
language.
What does that mean for the average individual who wants to learn a new
language?
It means that uncovering the right strategies can make it for easier to pick up
a new language. As a result, the learning curve becomes a lot flatter. Sure,
there is a good deal of hard work involved in the process. Nevertheless, your
hard work can be focused on the right areas when you know exactly where to
concentrate that energy. The end result of your improvement is proportionate
to the effort you put into learning your chosen language.
That leads us into the first, and most important, guideline: consistency.
By far, consistency is the most important aspect to learning any language.
Consistency in language learning is analogous to consistency at the gym.
Imagine that you are looking to drop a few pounds, get in shape and improve
your overall stamina. Now, suppose that you go once a week to the gym
without significantly altering your lifestyle. Sure, you will see some results,
but they won’t be anywhere near what you expect them to be.
Now, suppose that you go to the gym three of four times a week, you modify
your diet and you practice healthy lifestyle habits. This approach will give
you the chance to produce real results within a reasonable time frame. Of
course, overnight results are completely unrealistic; nevertheless, you can
certainly expect to produce appropriate results in short order.
If we apply this example to learning a language, you will find that a high
degree of consistency will help you pick up a great deal of language in a short
period of time. For instance, you can choose to devote 30 minutes to one hour
a day for language practice.
Does that mean that you need to clear your schedule?
Hardly!
What it means is that you need to focus your attention during specific periods
of time which you know you will be able to dedicate to learning Italian. Of
course, you might be thinking, “I wish I could dedicate X amount of time to
learning a language, but I just have so much going on at the moment”.
Sure, we all have lots on our plate. Yet, you can choose to take 15 minutes
out of your lunch hour, 20 minutes out of your commute (assuming you’re
not driving), or 30 minutes before bedtime and devote it to reading this book
(among other materials). You will soon find that taking small and
manageable chunks out of your day is far more manageable than clearing an
entire hour out of your daily schedule.
Your consistency will enable you to make the most out your efforts. You will
find that, while challenging, being consistent will allow you to make the most
of your hard work. Within a few weeks, you will have learned far more
language than you could have ever imagined.
With consistency come practice. The old axiom “practice makes perfect”
rings truer than ever. When you are bent on making the most of your time,
you will find that consistent practice is one of the best ways in which you can
develop your skills. Again, this goes back to the previous example about
going to the gym. When you practice in a conscientious manner, you will find
that even a few minutes at a time are enough to really help you absorb the
information you are taking in.
By the same token, practice with Italian is not just limited to reading, it can
also extend to other means such as listening to songs or watching movies.
Even if you don’t fully understand everything that is being said at first, you
will notice that by simply gaining exposure, your sense will slowly tune into
Italian. Most folks indicate that, at first, they feel lost but as they gain
experience, they slowly begin to make out words. Then, words turn into
sentences which eventually turn into understanding entire songs and movies.
The best part of all is that there is a plethora of media out there which can
help you improve your listening skills. Now, the reason why we are stressing
listening skills so much is rooted in the science of learning.
At first, learning in general is a passive process. The learner must first go
through a phase in which they must first receive content as processed by the
senses (sight, touch, smell, hearing and taste), in order to begin absorbing
knowledge. Once the brain sorts through the information received, the brain
can then attempt to put that new knowledge into practice. In fact, the brain is
so marvelous that with very little input, it is able to begin making
generalizations and assumptions about the subject matter.
For example, if you hear a word said enough times in a specific situation, you
begin to figure out that that word represents an object, the name of a person,
or perhaps a specific action which you must carry out. This is how most
immigrants learn language without actually going to a school or going
through any kind of formal training.
When immigrants first arrive in a new country where the local language is
different from their own, they begin to notice specific words and sounds that
are associated to certain objects, situations and people. With enough
repetition, these folks being to formulate assumptions about the meaning of
these words. Before long, they are able to replicate much of the language they
hear.
Naturally, they are only replicating language, that is, they are only repeating
what they hear. They are not actually producing any language. As such, the
first stage does not involve any kind of actual production; they are only
putting into practice what they have seen and heard throughout a given period
of time.
That is why consistency and practice are critical to picking up a new
language. Since these individuals are bombarded by the new language
everywhere they go, they are able to quickly absorb a great deal of
information. As a result, they begin to test the assumptions they have
formulated. If their assumptions are correct, they will get positive results. If
their assumptions are wrong, they won’t be able to achieve their objectives. It
is a simple as that.
So, the third guideline to learning a language is: get out there!
One of the most common complaints that language learners have is that they
are able to understand what they read and most of what they hear, but they
aren’t really able to speak or write much. Now, this makes total sense when
you look at it from this perspective: reading and listening are passive skills.
What that means is that a person doesn’t have to do anything when reading or
listening. They are simply the recipients of information.
When it comes time to actually speaking and writing, which are productive
skills, an individual must test out the assumptions that they have built
regarding the language they have been acquiring. In that regard, a language
learner needs to test out their skills at some point.
However, one common mistake is going off the deep end at first. For
example, some folks choose to travel abroad before putting their language
skills through a trial run first. It should be noted that there are some people
out there who have a naturally outgoing personality. So, they aren’t
intimidated by speaking with other folks. They will try their best to
communicate regardless of their language proficiency. It is the folks who are
more self-conscious that tend to be hesitant about speaking.
Consequently, it is of vital importance that you get out there are put your
language skills to the test. There are language learning groups on social
media, local clubs and even cultural centers that give language learner the
opportunity to put their language skills to the test. There are cultural
associations that host events to promote culture, cuisine and language. Thus,
you can look around your area to see if there are such groups and
associations.
Otherwise, social media is a great place to find opportunities to practice.
There are language exchange platforms in which learning of one language
can get in touch with speakers of other languages. For instance, if you are a
native speaker of English, you can get in touch with native speakers of Italian
who can help you practice Italian. Then, the platform will put you in touch
with other folks who are learning English so that they can practice their
skills. This mutual benefit approach is a great way to overcoming and
shyness or reticence to speak in a new language.
After considering these crucial points about language learning, here are very
specific pointers which you can put to use when learning Italian:
1. You will find that there is a fair chunk of words that are similar or
very closely resemble one another. This is due to the fact that
English and Italian have a common ancestor in Latin. While
Italian is deeply rooted in Latin (after all it is a Romance
language), English owes much of its Latin heritage to the
influence French had on it during the Middle Ages. As such,
finding these similarities will help you to make word associations
very quickly. As a result, you will be able to pick up new
vocabulary rather quickly and virtually effortlessly.
2. On the subject of common ground, you will also find that there are
similarities in grammar. When you find such commonalities, it is
important to exploit them. In doing so, you will be able to make
sense of Italian grammar a lot more easily than without making
such associations. Consequently, you will be able to transfer your
grammar skills from English into Italian. Of course, there will be
some significant grammatical differences between both languages,
but when a commonality exists, it is certainly a good play to
exploit it.
3. Make your new vocabulary notebook your trusted companion
everywhere you go. You can take a small notebook or notepad to
write down new words, phrases and other ideas when going over
your study materials. However, make sure that it isn’t very big,
that is, if it can fit in your pocket or briefcase. Having a larger
notebook makes it harder to carry around. In this notebook, you
can write down everything you see and everything that comes into
your mind. Then, you can look back at your notes and track your
progress. If you would rather do this on your phone, there are
plenty of note-taking apps which you can use to help you get your
ideas in order.
4. Also, you can pretend that you are in pretend situations… yes,
that’s right. You can go about pretending what you would say in a
specific situation. For instance, you can think about what you
would say if you went into a bank or a supermarket. You can also
think about how you would say it. This mental exercise will help
get you into the right frame of mind. That way, when you are
faced with the real thing, you will have a good idea of what you
 can say and how you can say it.
5. Make friends with an English-Italian dictionary and an Italian-
only dictionary. At first, you will need to translate some words
and phrases. This is where an English-Italian dictionary comes in
handy. You can download one on your phone or tablet and take it
with you everywhere you go. Also, and Italian-only dictionary is
great because it will help you to comprehend the meaning of
words in Italian thereby relying less on translation. This is a great
way to help you hone your skills in Italian allowing you to help
your brain differentiate one language from the other.
6. Also, reading aloud is one often-overlooked technique. When you
read aloud, you actually hear yourself saying the words which you
are learning. In doing so, you create a feedback loop in which the
brain is not only producing but also receiving. Furthermore, you
can record your own voice reading in Italian. At first, it might feel
weird hearing your own voice and in a different language. Over
time, you will find it to be very useful since you can be the judge
of your own pronunciation, accent and speed. You can compare
your speech patterns to those of native Italian speakers and adjust
accordingly.
The guidelines which we have outlined in this chapter are meant to help you
get into the right frame of mind. When you establish your own routine, you
will find that going about learning a language is not so hard. Also, you will
notice that making time for a new language doesn’t have to be demanding.
The starting point is to make a concerted effort to take small chunks out of
your day and dedicate them to learning Italian.
As your consistency improves, you will your overall skills. When you make a
conscious effort to test your newly acquired language, you will feel
motivated to keep going. However, don’t be discouraged by mistakes. If
anything, mistakes are a great way of learning new things. Mistakes can teach
you so much about the right way of doing things. So, don’t be afraid to get
out there are communicate with other Italian speakers.
Finally, please bear in mind that the purpose of language is to communicate.
That means that language doesn’t have to perfect in order to achieve its
ultimate goal. So, at first, there is no need to put pressure on yourself to be
perfect. Perfection will come with time. At first, your priority ought to be to
communicate as best you can. When you see that you are able to
communicate in spite of mistakes, your confidence will begin to grow.
Please keep in mind that this is all a process. As such, the learning experience
is cyclical. That means that when things are getting tough, your resilience
will lead you to a higher level in which your skills will begin to flourish.
Then, you will be able to look back and see just how far you have gotten.
Chapter 4: Overview of Italian
Italian is one of the most interesting languages in the world. It has a rich
culture and heritage behind it while also evolving with changing times.
Italian’s evolution from its Latin background put it into the Romance
language category.
Yet, the designation of a language as “Romance” does not have to do with
how “romantic” it is. Rather, a language receives this designation when it is
derived from Latin. Consequently, Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese
are all great examples of Romance languages. You will find that these
languages are all very similar in terms of the vocabulary, grammatical
structure, syntax and vocabulary. However, they may very well differ in
pronunciation.
Within the context of Romance languages, Italian is regarded as the language
that closest resembles Latin. Indeed, Italian borrows a great deal from its
parent language especially since the ancient Roman Empire settled in Rome.
So, the term “Romance” is derived from “Romans”, that is, it is a reference to
the Roman Empire. It’s worth mentioning the Romans given the fact that
Rome’s influence over the known world during its heyday is undeniable. This
led many peoples and culture to be on the receiving end of Rome’s culture,
language and political system.
In the end, Rome was unable to impose its language on the territories it
conquered. Rather, local languages merged with Latin leading to the birth of
the Romance Language groups. Furthermore, this is the reason why speakers
of other Romance languages have a bit of an easier time with Italian as all
language in this group resemble one another.
English, in contrast, is of Germanic origin. English is more closely related to
German and Dutch than it is to Romance languages. Although, we did
mention earlier that Italian and English shared common ancestry.
The reason for this is English has a very close relationship with French. In
fact, the Norman conquest of 1066 led to the imposition of French as the
official language on the British Isles. Prior to this historical event, English
was purely Germanic in its nature. Nevertheless, French and English didn’t
mesh to well. This led to English essentially developing two distinct levels.
Firstly, “basic” or “core” English is very Germanic. Then, more sophisticated
or higher-level English vocabulary resembles French. This duality is the link
that unites English and Romance languages. As such, there is a great deal of
similarities which can be used to facilitate learning Italian. By the same
token, there are enough differences between both languages which can lead
to some bumps along the way.
That is why we will be taking a look at the similarities and differences
between both languages and how these can be utilized in making the journey
for English speakers much smoothers.
Initially, it should be noted that English has a very similar syntax with
Romance language. By syntax, we are referring to word order. In this regard,
English and Romance languages place the subject before the main verb of the
sentence. This makes it clear that the verb in the sentence is preceded by the
person, or thing, responsible for that action.
For example, “Io sono un avvocato” (I am a lawyer) follows the exact same
syntax in both languages. This makes it simple to grasp basic sentence
structure. Notice how the subject “Io” precedes the verb “sono”.
So far so good, right?
Indeed, this similarity makes things a lot easier. Yet, Italian, like the other
Romance languages, allows speakers to remove the subject of the sentence
when it is clear as to whom the sentence refers to. So, it is perfectly fine to
say, “Sono un avvocato” (Am a lawyer). This is incorrect sentence structure
in English, but it makes perfect sense in Italian. So, do keep an eye out for
this as it is very commonly used in Italian.
Also, verb conjugation tends to be a bit of a headache at first. Unlike English,
Italian verbs are all conjugate based on the infinitive form of the verb. While
English does conjugate verbs, it does not significantly transform verbs to suit
the tense it is being conjugated in. In fact, the biggest spelling changes that
are made when conjugating English verbs happen in the past tense. For most
English learners, irregular verbs in the past are a source of frustration.
In the case of Italian, it is important for you to become familiar with the way
verbs are conjugated. As such, the basis for conjugating verbs lies in the
endings of each verb’s infinitive form. There are three ways in which a verb
can end in the infinitive form, “are”, “ere” and “ire”.
For instance, “parlare” (to talk), “credere” (to believe), and “dormire” (to
sleep) are all examples of verbs in the infinitive form. Now, it should be
noted that the infinitive form refers to the form of the verb in which it does
not have a tense, that is, it is not present, past or future. It is essential for you
to identify these endings as it is the ending which will determine the right
conjugations for verbs therefore the various tenses.
Of course, there are some irregular verbs as well. We will get into these later
on. Nevertheless, it is worth pointing out that some of the most common
verbs in Italian are irregular. For example, “essere” (to be), “avere” (to have),
“andare” (to go), “stare” (to say), “dare” (to give) and “fare” (to do) are all
classic cases. But fear not, we will get into their conjugation when we touch
upon verb conjugation in greater depth.
As you can see, verb conjugation is rather different in Italian as compared to
English given that it’s a Romance language. While this takes a bit of time to
get used to, you will soon find that it is very mechanical. What that means is
that once you get the hang of the mechanics of verb conjugation, you will be
able to conjugate verb with far more ease.
Another key difference between Italian and English is gender.
English is a gender-neutral language meaning that there is no need to worry
about the masculine-feminine agreement between nouns and articles. In fact,
English is rather straightforward as the most important agreement to keep in
mind is singular and plural.
Since Italian uses gender for every, single noun, it is important to learn how
to recognize the gender of each noun. Now, there isn’t anything specific
about individual nouns that can tell you whether its masculine or feminine.
So, how can you tell its gender?
The general rule of thumb is that if a noun ends in an “o” it is masculine and
if it ends in an “a” it is feminine. For instance, “ragazzo” (boy) would be
considered masculine as it ends in an “o”. Also, “ragazza” (girl) would be
considered feminine as it ends in an “a”. thus, this is something you can keep
an eye on since it will help you identify the gender of a noun.
Now, there are some exceptions to be aware of. For instance, inanimate
objects randomly have gender assigned to them. We will get into this topic in
further detail later on. For now, it is worth noting that the gender of many
nouns simply requires you to memorize whether they are masculine of
feminine. So, please pay close attention as they don’t always seem entirely
logical in their gender assignment.
With regard to spelling, the good news is that Italian uses the same alphabet
and character set that English does. What this means is that you will be using
the exact same letters as you normally would in English. This is good news
since you won’t have to worry about using any unfamiliar characters or
letters. Thus, reading and writing will be far easier as compared to other
languages which use different characters.
However, it should be note that there are some letters which are not used in
Italian: “j”, “k”, “w", “x” and “y”. In general, the reason for the lack on
inclusion of these characters is due to their Greek origin. Hence, languages
that have a Greek influence (Italian does not) generally included these
characters. So, you will find that Italian spelling has some workarounds in
order to compensate for the lack of these letters.
The one difference that you will have to pay attention to is the use of accents.
Italian uses a set of accents which are not used in English. In fact, English
does not make use of any kind of accent except for a few words that have
been imported from French.
With that in mind, it is important to recognize which words carry accents in
Italian and the reason for their use. First of all, it is important to note that
only vowels carry accents in Italian. While some languages have some type
of accent on consonants, Italian does not use accents on consonants.
As such, you will find that any of the vowels will (a, e, i, o, u) will carry an
accent. In short, when a word ends in a vowel, the accent can grave, that is,
the accent that as a downward slope. For example, “è” is an example of a
grave accent. On the other hand, “é” is an example of an acute accent.
The reason for using these accents lies in the pronunciation of the vowel. The
grave accent indicates a closed, or more nasal, sounding vowel whereas the
grave accent indicates an open vowel sound similar to the acute accent in
French. If you are familiar with Spanish, the use of the accent indicates the
syllable that is stressed in a particular word. Consequently, Italian makes use
of the same concept. Thus, the accent will tell you which syllable needs to be
stressed in a particular word.
These are the grave accents in Italian: à, è, ì, ò, ù. It should be noted that only
the “e” can carry the acute accent, that is “é”. None of the other vowels carry
this type of accent. Beyond that, that is essentially it for accents. While seeing
these accents in writing may be somewhat confusing at first, there is no need
to worry. You will quickly pickup on the right manner in which these accents
are to be used and pronounced. Best of all, this book will provide you with
ample guidance and practice.
On the subject of pronunciation, Italian is a phonetic language. That means
that what you see is what you get. In other words, the language is pronounced
exactly as it is written. While we will devote an entire chapter to
pronunciation, it is important to note at this point that Italian makes it really
easy to read and then speak. There are no funky letter and vowel
combinations that can throw you off your game. Furthermore, gaining
understanding into the way letters sound, you will find that pronouncing
entire words and sentences, regardless of how long they are, is a rather
straightforward proposition.
The main thing to keep in mind is that pronunciation in Italian is a
mechanical process, that is, once you figure it out, it is simply repetitive. So,
you won’t have to be on your toes looking out for exceptions or unusual
combinations. That is why we say that what you see is what you get.
As a native English speaker, you can appreciate how complex English
pronunciation can get at time. So, it ought to be a welcome relief to know that
you won’t have to navigate through any complex combinations. In addition,
Italian sounds do not vary significantly from those of English. However, the
main difference lies in the pronunciation of vowels. In this regard, it is worth
pointing out that English vowels are much more rounded than they are in
Italian. This is particularly evident in the pronunciation of the vowels “o” and
“u”. As a result, you would have to keep your mouth open when pronouncing
these two vowels as opposed to rounding off your lips as you would in
English or French.
Also, accent and rhythm play an important role is sounding natural. If you
hear native Italian speaker in English, you will notice that they speak with
noticeable inflections, that is, they tend to speak faster and place a greater
deal of emphasis on certain syllables and words. As such, native English
speakers tend to sound “flat” when speaking Italian. This is why it is a good
idea to acquaint yourself with the way native Italian speakers would
emphasize certain words and certain syllables. In a way, you need “sing”
when you are speaking, rather than speaking at an even tone.
At first, this “singing” may prove to be challenging. But as you get into
“character” you will notice that it isn’t nearly as hard as you might have
thought. So, do pay close attention to native Italian speakers early on. This
will help you get the right sense of the way in which the language is best
pronounced.
Overall, the differences between English and Italian are not that significant. If
anything, they are about as closely related as French and English are. So, if
you have studied French or Spanish before, then you will be able to gain a
quick understanding of the way Italian works. You will be able to draw from
this experience when encountering Italian early on.
If this is your first encounter with a Romance language, fear not. You have
chosen a great language to get your feet. Naturally, there are some noticeable
difference between both languages, but hardly the kind that will make it truly
difficult to learn.
In fact, most native English speakers find that picking up the basics of Italian
can take a few weeks of moderate study. If you choose to go all-in, you will
find that it is surprisingly easy to produce basic conversation in Italian.
So, what are you waiting for?
If you still aren’t sure about what to expect, please bear in mind that all
languages have a degree of difficult. This degree of difficulty depends on
where you are coming from. Naturally, native Chinese speakers would find
Italian a lot harder than a native Portuguese speaker. By the same token, a
native Spanish speaker would find Russian or Arabic to be quite challenging.
At the end of the day, English speakers are sort of in the middle. Given the
fact that English has had considerable influence from various languages,
there is always something to draw from. And while personal talents and
experience also play a key role in learning languages, Italian offers a great
opportunity to learn a new language without running into a brick wall.
The best part of learning Italian is that it is not some obscure language. What
that means is that there is a plethora of materials out there. Hence, you won’t
be lacking opportunities for practice and exposure to this beautiful language.
Consequently, you will find it a lot easier to practice it even if you don’t
know any Italian speakers yourself. This is a significant advantage as
compared to other languages which aren’t very common throughout the
world.
In the next chapter, we will begin to jump into Italian expressions and
phrases which you will surely find interesting and useful especially if you are
looking to travel soon. So, stay tuned because it only gets better from here.
And, don’t forget to bring your notebook along as you will certainly have lots
of notes to make.
Chapter 5: Getting started with Italian
So, we come to the fun part. We are now going to jump straight into phrases
and expressions which you can use to communicate right away. The
following phrases will help you to survive when travelling. As such, you will
be able to communicate with the people you meet in most situations.
Let’s get started with some basic phrases and expressions which will help
you interact with all Italian speakers.
• Buon giorno (good morning)
• Buona notte (good night)
• Buona sera (good evening)
• Grazie (Thank you)
• Mi dispiace (I am sorry)
• Mi scusi (excuse me)
• No (no)
• Per favore (please)
• Prego (You are welcome)
• Si (yes)
Please notice how “buon giorno” can be used to refer to both “good morning”
and “good afternoon”. Also, “buona sera” can be used to refer to good
evening, that is, when the sun begins to set. Also, “buona notte” can be used
as both a greeting and to take your leave once it is time for bed.
Also, please note that “grazie” can be combined as “grazie mille” to say
“thank you very much”. So, don’t be shy to use this phrase when you are
shopping, in a restaurant or when you are going through customs and
immigration at an airport.
Now, let’s look at some other phrases which can be used to meeting and
greeting people you encounter during your travels.
• Buona giornata! (Have a great day!)
• Capisco benissimo (I understand very well)
 • C'è qualcuno che parla inglese? (is there anyone here who speaks
English?)
• Come si chiama, Lei? (what is your name? – formal)
• Come sta? (How are you?)
• È stato un piacere conoscerla. (It was a pleasure meeting you)
• Le presento Joe. (This is Joe)
• Mi chiamo Mary. (My name is Mary)
• Mi dispiace, ma non parlo bene l’italiano (I’m sorry, but I don’t speak
Italian very well)
• Non c’è di che (you are welcome)
• Non capisco (I don’t understand)
• Parla inglese? (do you speak English?)
• Piacere. (It is a pleasure to meet you)
• Può parlare lentamente? (Could you speak slowly?)
• Scusi, che cosa ha detto? (Excuse, what did you say?)
• So solo un po’ di italiano (I only speak a little Italian)
• Sto bene, grazie. (I am fine, thank you)
The expressions are above are perfect for both casual and even formal
situations. So, you won’t have to worry about being to informal, or in
contrast, being overly formal. In fact, you can use these expressions when
you meet anyone in any situation. But if you want to add a bit more
politeness to your requests, you can use “per favore” following requests. For
instance, “Può parlare lentamente, per favore? (could you speak slowly
please?) is a good example of how you can be extra polite in regular
situations. After all, it never hurts to be polite.
Let’s have a look at a quick conversation so that we can put all of this new
language into context:
- Mary: Buon giorno (good morning)
- Francesco: Buon giorno.
- Mary: Scusi, parla inglese? (excuse me, do you speak English?)
- Francesco: No, mi dispiace, ma non parlo inglese. (No, I’m sorry
but I don’t speak English)
- Mary: Mi dispiace, ma non parlo bene l’italiano (I’m sorry but I
don’t speak Italian very well)
- Francesco: Non fa niente. Riesco a capirla. (Don’t worry. I can
understand you)
- Mary: Grazie mille. (Thank you very much)
In this short dialogue, we can see a quick introduction when approaching
someone in a public place. In this manner, you can find out if they speak
English. Otherwise, you can alert the other person that you don’t speak
Italian very well at this point (but you will soon enough!)
Let’s have a look at even more greetings and expressions.
• A domani (see you tomorrow)
• A dopo (see you later)
• A fra poco (see you in a bit)
• A presto (see you soon)
• Arrivederci (goodbye)
• Ciao (both hello and goodbye)
• Salve (hello)
These expressions will certainly come in handy when encountering people as
you travel through Italy. In particular, “ciao” is a great all-around expression
which you can use in any situation. So, don’t be surprised if you hear it both
when you arrive and when you leave. Also, feel free to use “arrivederci”
whenever you take your leave whether it is a formal or informal situation.
Also, it is important to become familiar with expressions which you can use
to ask about how people are doing. In this case, there are several expressions
which you can use. Here is a healthy dose of expressions to ask how someone
is doing and to reply when asked.
• Come stai? (how are you? – informal)
 • Come sta? (how are you? – formal)
• Abbastanza bene, grazie (Doing great, thanks)
• Benissimo (great)
• Così così. (so-so)
• Malissimo (terrible; not well at all)
• Molto bene, grazie. (Very well, thanks)
• Non c’è male. (Not bad)
• Non mi posso lamentare (can’t complain)
• Non sto bene; sto male. (I’m not well)
• Sto bene grazie, e tu? (I’m fine, thanks. And you?)
• Sto bene, grazie, e Lei? (I’m fine, thanks. And you? – formal)
• Sto bene. (I’m well)
• Va bene. (things are alright)
• Va benissimo. (everything’s great)
• Va male. (Things are bad)
• Va tutto bene. (everything’s fine)
Please note that we have included expression to represent both good and bad
conditions as this is perfectly normal in real life. So, don’t be shy to use any
of these expressions when you are actually feeling bad or under the weather.
Otherwise, there are plenty of expressions you can use to indicate that things
are going great.
Also, if you are feeling sick or unwell, for whatever reason, “va male” is a
good way to alert others that things aren’t going well. You can also use the
expression, “Mi sento molto male” (I feel really sick) to indicate that you are
truly feeling ill or that something is affecting you.
Let’s take a look at a short dialogue which you can use to greet someone.
- Mary: Buon giorno, come stai? (Good morning, how are you?)
- Francesco: Buon giorno. Sto bene grazie, e tu? (Good morning. I’m
fine and you?)
 - Mary: Va tutto bene. (Everything’s fine)
This dialogue is short, but sweet. You can use this as a model and play
around with the expressions you mean to use in order to reflect the way you
feel at that specific moment. So, don’t be shy to play around with words to
suit your mood and the occasion.
One other very important expression to use is “permesso” which is used to
mean “excuse me” when you are passing through a crowd such as transport
or in a public place. However, if you mean to use “excuse me”, for any other
reason, than “scusi” is the best choice, or its informal version of “scusa”.
That being said, let’s take a closer look at some basic question words.
• Chi (who)
• Come (how)
• Cosa (what)
• Dove (where)
• Perché (why)
• Quando (when)
• Quanto (how much)
You can use these questions words to ask questions in various situations.
Here are some useful questions which you can use when necessary.
• Dov’è l’aeroporto? (where is the airport?)
• Scusi, dov’è la banca? (excuse me, where is the bank?)
• Quanto dista il parco? (how far is the park?)
• Dove si mangia la migliore pizza? (where can you eat the best
pizza?)
• Come si arriva a Roma? (How do you get to Rome?)
As you can see, these questions can be useful in virtually all situations,
whether you are a tourist sightseeing, or if you are looking for more common
places such as the bank or the park. The best part is that you can use these
questions straight out of the box. So, don’t be shy. The locals will think you
are one of them!
However, if you should ever need help (let’s hope you don’t), it’s a good idea
to put the following phrases to good use.
• Aiuto (help)
• Chiamate la polizia (call the police)
• Chiamate un’ambulanza (call an ambulance)
• Dov’è l’ospedale? (where is the hospital?)
• Emergenza (emergency)
• Ho bisogno di un medico (I need a doctor)
• Mi sento molto male (I feel very sick)
These expressions can all be use in an emergency regardless of the specific
nature of the emergency. In the case of a medical emergency, you can ask for
a doctor or an ambulance by using “chiamate” or “call”. “Mi sento molto
male” is a good expression to use especially if you are on a long flight. This
can alert the crew that you aren’t doing well.
If you have a medical condition, you can say, “Ho una malattia” (I have a
condition). If you wanted to be specific, you could say “Ho una malattia al
cuore” (I have a heart condition). These expressions will alert everyone
around you that you have a condition. Also, you can indicate that you take
medication by saying the following: “Prendo le medicine” (I take
medication). If you happen to have your medication with you, you can give it
to flight crew or emergency personnel so that they can assist you with your
medication.
Other types of emergency include losing your passport, being robbed or
needing to contact your embassy. Here are some expressions you could use in
such circumstances.
• “Ho perso il mio passaporto” (I lost my passport)
• “Sono stato rapinato” (I was robbed)
• “Devo contattare la mia ambasciata” (I need to contact my
embassy)
In these situations, you can tell law enforcement about what has happened to
you, or if you need to seek further assistance such as contacting your
embassy. This is especially true when personal items such as credit cards and
other forms of ID have been lost or stolen.
Moving on to less dramatic situations, one of the most important tasks you
will need to carry out when travelling is how to order in a restaurant, café or
pub. The following expressions will help you navigate through such
circumstances.
• Ci fa il conto, per favore? (Can we get the check, please?)
• Mezzo chilo di mele, per piacere. (A half kilo of apples, please)
• Quali gusti? (Which flavors?)
• Quanto viene? (how much does that come to?)
• Un bicchiere di acqua minerale per favore. (a glass of mineral water,
please)
• Un caffè, per favore. (a coffee, please)
• Un gelato de 1 euro, per favore. (a 1-Euro ice cream, please)
• Una bibita. (A soda)
These phrases above are great when you are picking up something on the go
or simply ordering in a very informal manner. It is quite common to grab
food and drinks on the fly. While it is also very likely for you to sit down in a
restaurant, it is perfectly normal for people to simply grab something as they
walk through the main tourist sites.
When you have a sit-down meal, you can use the following phrases to help
you order.
• Posso avere il menu per favore? (Can I get the menu, please?)
• Quali sono le vostre specialità? (What are your specials?)
• Vorrei una bistecca, per favore. (I would like a steak, please)
• Vorrei un bicchiere di vino, per favore. (I would like a glass of wine,
please)
• Vorrei una bottiglia di vino, per favore. (I would like a bottle of wine,
please)
• Cosa c'è nella zuppa? (What is in the soup?)
 • Che cosa c’è per dessert? (What is for dessert?)
These phrases are great for a regular sit-down meal at any kind of restaurant.
They are formal and very polite. So, you won’t have to worry about sounding
too informal and perhaps coming off as bossy to the waiter.
Let’s take a quick look at how you can order in a restaurant.
- Waiter: Allora, avete deciso? (So, have you decided?)
- Mary: Vorrei i ravioli. (I would like the ravioli)
- Waiter: Che bevete? (And to drink?)
- Mary: Vorrei una bottiglia di acqua minerale e un bicchiere di vino
bianco. (I would like a bottle of mineral water and a glass of white
wine)
With this conversation, you can see that ordering in a restaurant doesn’t have
to be difficult. Quite the contrary; with some useful expressions and the
names of the items you would like to order, you can order in a restaurant like
a native Italian speaker in no time.
It should be noted that it is not common to tip in restaurants in Europe. In
fact, most waiters can tell when customers are American because they always
tip. The main reason why tipping is not common in Europe is due to the fact
that waiters get paid a little bit better than most countries. So, they don’t rely
quite as much on tips to round out their income. Thus, restaurants don’t
always include service in the bill nor do waiters expect tips. Ultimately, it is
up to you if you would like to tip a waiter for their service.
It is also very important to learn the right way to address people especially
when you approach strangers or interact with people in various situations
such as passing customs and immigration, when shopping or talking with
clerks. So, here is a list of the various ways in which you can address the
folks you come into contact with.
• Signore (mister, sir)
• Signorina (miss)
• Signora (madam)
• Professore (professor, male)
 • Professoressa (professor, female)
• Ingegnere (engineer)
• Dottore (doctor, male)
• Dottoressa (doctor, female)
Please note that the most commonly used means of addressing folks are
signore, signorina, in the case of a young lady, and signora, in the case of an
older lady (or a married woman). If you happen to know that your
interlocutor is a professional, then you can address them by their professional
title.
It should be noted that “dottore” can be used to address anyone whom you
know is a college graduate but is not a medical doctor. Of course, you can
address a physician as “dottore”. However, if you are interacting with a
lawyer, you can also call them “dottore” as a means of acknowledging their
university degree. Now, if you don’t address a professional as “dottore” will
not get you into trouble, it is a good idea to do as a courtesy.
The phrases we have discussed in this chapter, along with the brief
conversations, are meant to get you started right away especially if you are
looking to travel to Italy in the near future. These expressions will help you
navigate your way through most social situations. Also, you will be able to
respond when spoken to in the most common circumstances and settings.
So, do take the time to go over these expressions and practice them. By going
over them, you will be able to fixate them in your mind, as well as, nailing
the right pronunciation. That way, you can be confident that you will be
understood when you say them.
In the following chapters, we will be taking a closer look at the finer aspects
of Italian grammar so that you can take your Italian skills to the next level.
Chapter 6: Pronunciation
In this chapter, we are going to get knee-deep in the ways of Italian
pronunciation. This chapter is intended to be a guide which can help you
navigate the waters of sounding out Italian vowels and consonants.
Now, the good news is that since Italian is a phonetic language, you won’t
have to struggle with trying to figure out how the spelling of the language
works in relation to the actual sounds of each letter. This makes working your
way around its pronunciation far easier.
Earlier we mentioned that Italian uses the same character set as English does.
However, there is a difference in the sense that there are some letters which
are not used in Italian but are used in English. In a way, this is better than
having to deal with unfamiliar letters. As such, you will find that some
familiar sounds are simply produced by individual letters or different letter
combinations.
In general, you will find that there are 32 different sounds in the Italian
language. These sounds correspond to the sounds that are represented by
individual letters, as well as, sounds produced by combinations of letters. The
challenge here is to become acquainted with letters whose sounds differ
between one language and the other.
So, let’s jump into the Italian alphabet chart. This chart will help you to gain
a better understanding on what the letters are and how they can be
pronounced.
Character (upper and
Type Sound
lower case)
Aa Vowel /ah/
Bb Consonant /bee/
Cc Consonant /chee/
Dd Consonant /dee/
Ee Vowel /eh/
Ff Consonant /ehfeh/
Gg Consonant /gee/
Hh Consonant /akah/
 Ii Vowel /ee/
Ll Consonant /eleh/
Mm Consonant /emeh/
Nn Consonant /eneh/
Oo Vowel /oh/
Pp Consonant /pee/
Qq Consonant /koo/
Rr Consonant /ereh/
Ss Consonant /eseh/
Tt Consonant /tee/
Uu Consonant /oo/
Vv Consonant /voo/
Zz Consonant /zehtah/

The chart above illustrates the names of the actual letters themselves and the
sounds that go along with them. However, they don’t necessarily represent all
of the sounds in Italian as letter combinations still need to be accounted for.
Once you see these combinations in action, then you will be able to see how
easy Italian pronunciation actually is.
That being said, let’s take a look at the vowel sounds found in Italian.
In all languages, a sound is considered a vowel when there is no type of
restriction whatsoever in the air flow that comes from the throat and passes
through the mouth. This lack of restriction can be seen in the passage of air
through the teeth and lips with the tongue playing a relatively minor role. In
fact, the tongue plays a pivotal role in consonant pronunciation.
So, Italian vowels tend to be much longer than in English. As a matter of fact,
Italian vowels are similar to the long sound of English vowels. However, they
are not rounded like in English. Thus, the lips remain open most of the time.
As a result, these sounds will contrast with English vowels since they sound
much “flatter”. Let’s look at the first one: “A”. This sound is just like the
sound you would make when you go to the doctor and say, “aaaaahhhhh”.
Notice that it is formed in the back of the throat with your mouth wide open.
The tongue remains flat as there is a free flow of fair with little restriction.
Also, there is no /ay/ ending; just the free flowing “aaaaahhhh”.
The next vowel is “E”. The sound is similar to English with the exception
that it does not have the /ey/ ending. This ending can be found in words such
as “hey”, “say” or “survey”. In fact, the /eh/ sound is similar to that produced
with the letter “e” is at the beginning of words such as “EVeryone”, “ENjoy”
or “EScape”. In these words, the /eh/ sound does not have the /ey/ ending and
is much flatter.
The “I” vowel is perhaps the most straightforward one of the lot. It is
pronounced just like the /ee/ combination in English in such words as “see”,
“tee” and “flee”. This vowel sound is produced with a smile on your face as
the mouth is open sideways allowing the tongue to touch the upper, back
teeth. It is also produced from the back of the throat but in a higher position.
The “O” letter, as mentioned earlier, is not nearly as rounded as in English.
For example, “go” sounds a lot more like /gow/ since it has a rounded ending.
In Italian, it sounds a lot more like the short “O”, that is, without a long and
rounded ending.
Then, the “U” letter is pretty straightforward as well since it sounds like /oo/.
The only difference is that its English version is rounded whereas its Italian
counterpart is not. As such, this sound is very similar in cases such as “goo”,
“flew” and “shoe”.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at how vowel pairs can be combined in a
word.
Unlike English, vowel combinations don’t produce a single sound. Rather,
the sound of each vowel must be pronounced in succession. This movement
of vowels should be short since there is no need to make drag them out.
Consider this example:
• Quattro (four) is pronounced /koo-ah-troh/
Notice how we are not really combining the two vowel sounds. Rather, we
are pronouncing them separately as /oo-ah/. You will find these types of
combinations throughout the various words in Italian. So, once you get the
hang of each, individual vowel sound, you can then put them together to
make words sound together. Here are a couple of other examples:
• Dieci (ten) /dee-eh-chee/
 • Piazza (town square) /pee-aht-zah/
• Giorno (day) /gee-ohr-noh/
• Museo (museum) /moo-she-oh/
In these examples, you will find that the sounds are not meshed together as is
the case in English. So, please keep an eye out for this difference as it may
cause some confusion early on.
One other important aspect to consider when talking about vowels is gliding.
Gliding is the rounding sound that we mentioned earlier particularly with the
“O” and “U” letters. This is natural to English but not customary in Italian.
So, it is best to keep it unrounded as much as possible. Of course, it will take
some getting used to early on. But after, it will become a lot easier especially
the more listening practice you get. In the particular case of “museo” the fact
that the word itself ends in an “o” makes it sound a lot more rounded.
Moving on to consonants, you will find that Italian consonants are rather
straightforward.
First of all, a consonant is a sound that has some type of restriction in air
flow. Consequently, this is what differentiates it from a vowel. The biggest
factor that plays into this restriction is the tongue. Hence, tongue placement is
critical in ensuring that the proper sound is produced. Also, the teeth, inner
cheeks, and alveolar section is used in the articulation of consonants.
One bit of good news is that Italian consonants are virtually identical to
English with some choice exceptions. Beyond that, it is pretty
straightforward. So, let’s take a look at how Italian consonants work:
• “B” is the /b/ sound. For example, the word “ball” /b-ah-l/ would
produce the exact same sound.
• “C” is one of the aforementioned exceptions. It has two distinct
pronunciations. First, when it is followed by “I” and “E” is sounds as
/ch/. For instance, “ciao” would be /chee-ah-oh/. Second, when it is
followed by “A” “O” and “U” it is pronounced as /k/. For example,
“cane” would be /kah-neh/.
• “D” is virtually the same as the /d/ sound in English. It is articulated
in the same manner, that is, the tip of the tongue pushes up against the
back of the teeth. The word “day” is a good example of how the /d/
 sound is articulated in Italian.
• “F” is articulated just the same as it is in English. It is considered
“labiodental”. So, your top teeth will bite down slightly on your
bottom lip in order to restrict air flow. “Father” is a great example of
this sound.
• “H” is called “acca” /ah-kah/ which is rather unusual as compared to
English. The good news is that is usually silent. When combined with
“c”, it produces the /k/ sound. For example, “mi chiamo” (my name
is) would be pronounced as /mee/ /kee-ah-moh/. Otherwise, it would
be silent in words such as “ho” (I have), pronounced as /oh/.
• “L” is another consonant which is basically identical to English. It is
articulated in the same manner though it isn’t as “hard” as it is in
English. Think of opera singers going “la-la-la” and you will get a
good idea of how “softer” this sound is in Italian than it is in English.
• “M” is identical to English. It is a nasal sound. A good test is to
pronounce /m/ and then plug your nose. If you can’t say /m/ anymore,
it means you are doing it right.
• “N” is very much the same as “M”. It is a nasal sound. You can
perform the same test as the /m/ sound to double check that you are
doing it right. Now, there is one note. The “GN” combination is rather
tricky. In essence, it sounds a lot like /nya/. In fact, it is very similar to
the sound produced in the word “onion”. So, please keep this in mind
when run into a word such as “gnocchi” /nyo-kee/.
• “P” is very similar to English. It isn’t quite as explosive, but it is
articulated in the same manner and produces the same, overall sound.
Native English speakers will blow out a little bit of air when making
the /p/ sound. While this isn’t really the case with the Italian /p/ it will
make very little difference in actual conversation.
• “Q” works just like it does in English. It is always followed by an
“U” and it produces the /w/ sound. Some good examples are “quick”
and “quest”. If you take the English “quant” and add an “O”, you get
“quanto” /kwahn-toh/ (how much).
• “R" is where things get a bit dicey. Italian, just like Spanish and
Portuguese, have rolling Rs. The best example of rolling Rs are in the
 Irish accent. In essence, rolling Rs occur when the tip of the tongue
flaps up and down against the back of your teeth in quick succession.
It is one of the hardest sounds for native English speakers to master
since it does not exist in traditional American English. For British
speakers, it is somewhat easier. Nevertheless, some good practice will
make it easy for you to pick up on this sound.
• “S” is articulated and pronounced in the same manner as it is in
English. However, please note that it is more of a hissing sound rather
than a straight flow of air running in between your teeth. This is
particularly true when it comes at the beginning a word such as
“sono” (I am). But when the “s” comes in between other letters and
preceding vowels, then you can expect a /z/ sound instead. For
example, “casa” (house) would sound more like /kah-zah/ rather than
/kah-sah/. Be on the look out for the letters, “b”, “d”, “g”, “l”, “m”,
“n”, “r" and “v” as they will all produce the /z/ sound. For instance,
“Svizzera” (Switzerland) sounds more like /z-veet-zeh-rah/.
• “T” is just like English. It is a bit “softer” meaning that it isn’t quite
as explosive as it is in English.
• “V” is just like English as well. It is a labiodental sound and it is
accompanied by a slight vibration in the through which is noticeable
on the lips.
• “Z” sounds just like /z/. However, the “zz” combination sounds more
like /ts/. The classic example of this is “pizza” /peet-zah/.
As you can see, Italian consonants are rather straightforward. Except for
those choice exceptions, English consonants are practically the same. So, do
make note of the differences we have outlined above.
The final aspect to pronunciation in Italian is stress and intonation. Stress
refers to the accent that is placed on words and sentences while intonation
refers to the rising or falling tone in your speech patterns.
Firstly, word stress can vary significantly from one language to another even
when words are spelled identically. That is why it is important to pay
attention to how native speakers pronounce words. We have also mentioned
how Italian has a “singing” sound to it. This is something which you need to
tune your ears to. Often, it is the product of “listening and repeat” type
exercises. After all, many times a printed word does not offer too many clues.
One clue that you will find useful is accents. When you see an accent on
word, you can automatically assume that that’s where the stress is placed on
that particular word. For instance, “Così così” (so-so) has an accent on the
last “I”. Thus, the right pronunciation would be /koh-ZEE/ as opposed to
/KOH-zee/. Consequently, accents can help you out when looking at words
that carry them.
In the event that words don’t carry an accent, it is always best to sound them
out as best you can. One trick that linguists use is to try and sound out a word
based on their understanding of the individual sounds in that word. The
easiest way to pronounce it is usually the right way.
Mastering Italian pronunciation is not had. It does require some listening
practice while you gain a sense of the way the language flows. Beyond that,
you will find that it is one of the easiest languages to crack in terms of
pronunciation. Since there is no shortage of audiovisual materials out there,
you will soon find that Italian pronunciation does not have to be a daunting
task.
With this guide, you have the fundamentals that you need in order to wrap
your head around the way the Italian pronunciation system is set up. Just
make sure to pay close attention to the exceptions that we have highlighted
(such as the letters “c”, “h” and “r").
Also, please keep in mind that most dictionary apps have a pronunciation
tool. While in the olden days electronic dictionaries that had such capabilities
were considered state of the art, modern smartphones contain apps which can
perform these functions rather easily. In most cases, they are free to
download even if you have to deal with some annoying advertising.
At the end of the day, mastering the pronunciation of a new language is a task
that takes some getting used to. So, do take the time to go over this guide as
many times as you need until you feel comfortable with the sounds produced
in Italian. Before you know it, you won’t even have to think about how to say
words or how sounds are articulated. This aspect of language will become
second nature to you.
Chapter 7: Nouns and Articles
In Italian, articles are considerably different as opposed to English. English
articles are rather straightforward and don’t have much complication to them.
First off, “a” and “an” are used to indicate singular nouns. They are also
considered indefinite as they do not make specific reference to an object.
While they do agree with specific nouns, a/an is generally used to refer to
nouns in general terms.
“The” is used as a definite noun, in both singular and plural, when you are
referring to specific items. Consequently, “the” is used whenever you are
looking to make reference to a specific noun. Beyond that, “some” and “any”
are used to refer to unspecific nouns particularly when it comes to quantity or
quality of nouns. Therefore, “some” and “any” are considered indefinite
articles.
The Italian version of articles deal with gender and number. This means that
you need to be aware if a noun is masculine or feminine and whether it is
singular or plural. That is the basis for determining which article you are
going to be using so that they agree appropriately with the noun(s) in
question.
So, let’s get started with masculine singular articles.
When referring to singular, masculine nouns, use “il” or “lo”. Both of these
articles translate to “the” in English. Also, please be aware that “il” is used
with nouns that begin with a consonant. Here are some examples to consider:
• Il castello (the castle)
• Il ragazzo (the boy)
• Il libro (the book)
As you can see, these nouns begin with a consonant and end in an “o”. As
such, they are indicative of begin masculine and meet the condition needed
for the use of “il”. However, things change a little when nouns begin with an
“S” + consonant, “Z”, “GN” and “PS". Here are some examples:
• Lo studente (the student)
• Lo zoo (the zoo)
 • Lo gnomo (the gnome)
The main purpose for having this change is due to pronunciation reasons.
Overall, it is much easier to say “lo” than “il” with these letter combinations.
The good thing to keep in mind is that they are not random exceptions, but
rather, they follow a logical pattern.
Now, let’s move on to feminine singular nouns.
In this case, the rule is much more straightforward. You can use “la” with any
feminine noun that begins with any consonant. The sole exception in this case
is “h” as it is silent and therefore the vowel sound takes precedence over the
consonant itself. Here are some examples to consider:
• La casa (the house)
• La macchina (the car)
• La mela (the apple)
Please notice how these nouns all end in an “a” thereby indicating that they
are feminine. Also, they all begin with a consonant sound.
When nouns begin with a vowel sound (that is a vowel itself or the silent
“h”), then (l’) is used as a means of elision (vowel reduction). This is a
phonological device which is used to facilitate pronunciation. It is used for
both masculine and feminine nouns essentially replacing “lo” and “la”. Let’s
take a look at some examples:
• L’animale (the animal – masculine)
• L’amico (the friend – masculine)
• L’ora (the hour – feminine)
All of these nouns are singular, but as indicated, the use the (l’) article since
they begin with a vowel sound.
Things change up somewhat with plurals. So, let’s take a close look at how
plural articles work in Italian.
In the case of masculine nouns that begin with “il”, the article changes to “i”
and the noun ending changes to “i". Let’s look at these examples:
• I castelli (the castles)
 • I ragazzi (the boys)
• I libri (the books)
As you can see, the “o” ending is dropped in favor of “i”. In essence, the
article changes to “i" and so does the ending. There are no exceptions to this
rule. So, it makes it rather easy to remember when you encounter them.
When referring to the masculine nouns that agree with “lo”, these also change
their ending to “i" with the difference that the article “lo” changes to “gli”.
While the spelling might seem a bit odd, the pronunciation is like saying
“lee” thus making the “g” silent.
Let’s talk a look at these examples:
• Gli studenti (the students)
• Gli zoo (the zoos)
• Gli gnomi (the gnomes)
The only noticeable exception in the examples above is “gli zoo” as adding
an “i" at the end of it would make it rather strange to pronounce. Otherwise,
all of the rules outlined thus far have held up pretty well.
With regard to feminine nouns, these change from “la” to “le”. Also, the “a”
ending changes to “e” thereby maintaining the same structure we saw earlier
with “il” and “i". So, let’s have a look at some more examples:
• Le case (the houses)
• Le macchine (the cars)
• Le mele (the apples)
As you can see, the rule holds up very well with feminine nouns. So, it is a
matter of keeping the changes in mind when dealing with feminine nouns.
As for the masculine nouns which begin with a vowel sound, they also use
the “gli” article. Again, the use of “gli” is due to pronunciation purposes.
Let’s take a look at some examples:
• Gli animali (the animals – masculine)
• Gli amici (the friends – masculine)
• Le ore (the hours – feminine)
Please bear in mind that “ora” changes to “le ore” since it is a feminine noun.
As such, plural feminine nouns that begin with a vowel sound will also use
“le” as there is no conflict with pronunciation.
Thus far, we have seen how articles and nouns relate to one another. The
main thing to keep in mind is that as you continue to progress in your
understanding of the language, you will be able to develop an intuitive
knowledge of which nouns are masculine and feminine, and as a result,
which articles need to be used.
However, our discussion regarding articles isn’t quite over yet. There the
indefinite articles to be spoken of.
In Italian, indefinite articles essential boil down to “un” and “una”. These
articles are roughly equivalent to a/an though depend on the gender of the
noun. As such, masculine nouns will use “un” (or uno) and feminine nouns
will use “una”.
In essence, masculine nouns that begin with a “Z” or an “S” + a consonant
sound, as well as, other combinations such as “GN”, “PS" and “PN”, will use
“uno”. This is due mainly to pronunciation reasons. For example, “uno
studente” (a student), makes use of “uno” as it responds to the “S” +
consonant combination.
Here are some other examples:
• Uno sbaglio (a mistake)
• Uno pneumatico (a tire)
• Uno spuntino (a snack)
In these cases, “uno” is needed due to the agreement with the noun in front of
it. Now, for all other masculine, singular nouns, “un” is used regardless of
whether it begins with a consonant or vowel sound.
As for feminine nouns, they all use “una” when they begin with a consonant
sound. There are no exceptions. Here are a couple of examples:
• Una ragazza (a girl)
• Una bottiglia (a bottle)
• Una classe (a class)
The above examples show how “una” can be used with any type of feminine
noun so long as it begins with a consonant sound. However, things change a
little bit when the noun begins with a vowel sound. For this, we need to use
(un’) since the apostrophe serves to create an elision between both vowels.
For instance, “un’automobile” (an automobile) makes use of the apostrophe
to substitute the “a” in “una” in order to accommodate the first vowel in the
noun.
Here are some more examples:
• un'università (a university)
• un’occasione (an occasion)
• un’ora (an hour)
So, these examples show how to properly use (un’) with feminine nouns. In
terms of pronunciation, you can link the (un’) to the first vowel sound of the
noun. That creates a natural link between the article and the noun itself
thereby making it easy to pronounce.
Now, we couldn’t finish off this chapter without taking a look at some
irregular nouns and articles. As always, there are exceptions to the rule.
Otherwise, it wouldn’t be a language, right? All languages have some kind of
exception to their rule and Italian is no exception.
So, let’s take a look at some nouns and articles that don’t follow the patterns
and rule which we have outlined throughout this chapter.
To begin with, there are a handful of nouns which are masculine in the
singular, but have a feminine plural… yes, that’s right. These particular
nouns are simply the result of their Latin roots taking over their more modern
Italian patterns.
But, don’t worry, they aren’t that many. So, the following list will certainly
help you wrap your mind around them.
• L’uovo (the egg) – le uova (the eggs)
• Il paio (the pair) – le paia (the pairs)
• Il centinaio (the hundred) – le centinaia (the hundreds)
• Il migliaio (the thousand) – le migliaia (the thousands)
 • Il miglio (the mile) – le miglia (the miles)
As you can see, the singular form of these verbs is masculine whereas the
plural form is feminine. But, the good news is that they aren’t a sizeable
group. So, you won’t have to learn a long list of these types of nouns.
Now, let’s have a look at the nouns ending in “tore”. These are nouns which
refer to a person who does an action. Since we are talking about a person who
does an action, these nouns will usually have both a masculine and feminine
version of the noun. As such, we will take a look at how these nouns are
built.
Here is an example: l’attore (the actor). In this case, the “tore” would be
similar to the “tor” ending in English. Its feminine version l’attrice (the
actress), with its “trice” ending, would be the same as the “tress” ending in
English.
So, let’s take a look at more of these nouns.
• Il cacciatore (the hunter) – La cacciatrice (the huntress)
• Il calciatore (the soccer player) – La calciatrice (the female soccer
player)
• Il guidatore (the driver) – La guidatrice (the female driver)
• Il nuotatore (the swimmer) – la nuotatrice (the female swimmer)
• Il pittore (the painter) – La pittrice (the female painter)
• Il produttore (the producer) – La produttrice (the female painter)
• Il traditore = the traitor – La traditrice (the female traitor)
As you can see, it is rather common to have both masculine and feminine
versions of these types of nouns. In addition, there are other jobs that have
both the masculine and the feminine versions though they don’t necessarily
follow the pattern above.
• L’avvocato (the male lawyer) – La avvocatessa (the female lawyer)
• Il cameriere (the waiter) – La cameriera (the waitress)
• Il cantante (the male singer) – La cantante (the female singer)
• Il dottore (the male doctor) – La dottoressa (the female doctor)
 • Il farmacista (the male pharmacist) – La farmacista (the female
pharmacist)
• L’impiegato (the male clerk) – L’impiegata (the female clerk)
• L’infermiere (the male nurse) – L’infermiera (the female nurse)
• Lo scrittore (the male writer) – La scrittrice (the female writer)
• Lo studente (the male student) – La studentessa (the female student)
With these professions, there are specific masculine and feminine versions. In
some cases, the only thing that changes is the article in order to acknowledge
the gender. Otherwise, there is a spelling change given the nature of the noun.
So, it is best to remember these nouns and their corresponding articles. That
way, the agreement can be made accordingly.
As for other professions and roles, they generally don’t change spelling to
accommodate gender, but they do change the article to mark this difference.
That is why it is best to keep this in mind when referring to professions and
the people who are doing them.
One other important aspect to consider when talking about nouns and articles
is: country names.
Unlike English, countries are assigned a gender in Italian. When referring to
them, the corresponding gender must be used along with the country name.
This can be somewhat confusing as it can be rather difficult to figure out
which countries as masculine and which countries are female.
In general, the spelling of the country’s name can be a good way of figuring
this out. If the country name ends in “a” it will be considered feminine with
the exception of “Canada” which is actually considered to be masculine.
Then, countries whose names are plural, will follow the same guidelines for
all other plural nouns. However, the one noticeable example in this case is
“Gli Stati Uniti” (The United States). Please notice that we use “gli” since
“Stati” begins with the “s+consonant” combination.
Here is a sample list with some of the most common country names you will
encounter.
• Gli Stati Uniti d’America (The United States of America)
• Il Canada (Canada)
 • Il Cile (Chile)
• Il Galles (Wales)
• Il Giappone (Japan)
• L’Argentina (Argentina)
• L’Australia (Australia)
• L’Inghilterra (England)
• L’Irlanda (Ireland)
• La Cina (China)
• La Colombia (Colombia)
• La Francia (France)
• La Germania (Germany)
• La Scozia (Scotland)
• La Spagna (Spain)
This list, while hardly exhaustive, serves to illustrate the way country names
work in Italian. If you are ever in doubt, the nationsonline.org website has a
great database with country names in various languages, as well as, their
names in their original language. So, do check it out if there is a specific
country name which we have not listed above.
Also, the days of the week are important nouns to know about. Here is a
quick list of them in Italian:
• domenica (Sunday)
• lunedì (Monday)
• martedì (Tuesday)
• mercoledì (Wednesday)
• giovedì (Thursday)
• venerdì (Friday)
• sabato (Saturday)
Please notice that the days of the week are not capitalized in Italian. Also,
please notice that Sunday is the first day of the week even though it is a
generally accepted international standard that Monday is the first day of the
week. So, please keep this in mind when looking at calendars or making
plans. Nevertheless, Monday is the first day of the workweek as Saturday and
Sunday are considered weekend days just like in North America.
We are also going to cover the months of the year:
• Gennaio (January)
• Febbraio (February)
• Marzo (March)
• Aprile (April)
• Maggio (May)
• Giugno (June)
• Luglio (July)
• Agosto (August)
• Settembre (September)
• Ottobre (October)
• Novembre (November)
• Dicembre (December)
As you can see in the list above, the months of the year are capitalized. Most
of them resemble their English counterparts with a couple of noticeable
exceptions. Beyond that, they are easily recognizable. So, if you plan to
travel, it is a good idea to become acquainted with your travel dates in Italian
right away. That way, you will be able to recognize any information
pertaining to your specific plans right away.
In future chapters, we will be discussing dates in greater detail since they are
closely related to numbers. We will also be looking at how to talk about years
and birthdays. So, please go over this chapter as many times as you need to,
so that you can feel comfortable building on this knowledge moving forward.
Chapter 8: Numbers
Italian, just like any other language, uses number to communicate. The
number structure in Italian is similar to English since it is based on units,
tends, hundreds and thousands. Since the number structure in Italian is
similar to English, it is just a matter of learning the appropriate words in
Italian.
Let’s get started with the numbers running from 0 to 10.
• 0 – zero (zero)
• 1 – uno (one)
• 2 – due (two)
• 3 – tre (three)
• 4 – quattro (four)
• 5 – cinque (five)
• 6 – sei (six)
• 7 – sette (seven)
• 8 – otto (eight)
• 9 – nove (nine)
• 10 – dieci (ten)
On the whole, Italian numbers are not that much different from their English
counterparts. Now, let’s take a look at their pronunciation:
• 0 – zero /zeh-roh/
• 1 – uno /oo-noh/
• 2 – due /doo-eh/
• 3 – tre /treh/
• 4 – quattro /kwah-troh/
• 5 – cinque /cheen-kweh/
• 6 – sei /sey/
 • 7 – sette /seh-the/
• 8 – otto /oh-toh/
• 9 – nove /noh-veh/
• 10 – dieci /dee-eh-chee/
It is a good idea to take some time to go over the pronunciation of the first ten
digits before moving on to the next batch. That way, you will be able to both
recognize and utilize digits when travelling. This is especially important if
you need to give your phone or passport number.
For instance, let’s assume you are asked for your phone number. You might
hear this question:
• Qual è il tuo numero di telefono? (What is your phone number?
You can reply like this:
• il mio numero di telefono è cinque, cinque, cinque, due, sette, tre,
nove (555-2739).
It is always best to go digit by digit as this makes it easier both on you and
your listener as you dictate your number. By the same token, if you are
jotting a number down, you will be able to catch it easily. Of course, if your
interlocutor is speaking too fast, you can always say:
• Per favore parla lentamente (please speak slowly)
This phrase is always helpful when you are having trouble understanding
what others are saying especially if you are jotting a phone number down.
Let’s move on and take a look at the digits from 11 to 20.
• 11 – undici (eleven)
• 12 – dodici (twelve)
• 13 – tredici (thirteen)
• 14 – quattordici (fourteen)
• 15 – quindici (fifteen)
• 16 – sedici (sixteen)
• 17 – diciasette (seventeen)
 • 18 – diciotto (eighteen)
• 19 – diciannove (nineteen)
• 20 – venti (twenty)
As you can see, the numbers from 11 to 20 are somewhat different from those
in English. In essence, these numbers mean “one-ten” or “two-ten” and so on.
Please keep in mind that the ending for these numbers is pronounced “chee”,
as in, “undici” /oon-dee-chee/. So, let’s have a look at their full
pronunciation.
• 11 – undici /oon-dee/chee/
• 12 – dodici /doh-dee-chee/
• 13 – tredici /treh-dee-chee/
• 14 – quattordici /kwah-tohr-dee-chee/
• 15 – quindici /kween-dee-chee/
• 16 – sedici /seh-dee-chee/
• 17 – diciasette /dee-chee-ah-seh-the/
• 18 – diciotto /dee-chee-oh-toh/
• 19 – diciannove /dee-chee-ah-noh-veh/
• 20 – venti /vehn-tee/
Please notice that these numbers have multiple syllables. As such, it is a good
idea to sound them out by syllable at first. That way, you can get a good feel
for them. As you gain more practice, you can say them faster and faster until
you feel perfectly confident using them in conversation.
Once you have mastered the numbers from 1 to 20, it is time to move on to
the rest of the tens until reaching one hundred. You will notice that they are
similar to their single digit form.
Here is the list of tens running from 30 to 100.
• 30 – trenta (thirty)
• 40 – quaranta (forty)
• 50 – cinquanta (fifty)
 • 60 – sessanta (sixty)
• 70 – settanta (seventy)
• 80 – ottanta (eighty)
• 90 – novanta (ninety)
• 100 – cento (one hundred)
The numbers above all are based on their single-digit counterparts. In
addition, you will notice that they end in “a” which is actually useful in
facilitating their pronunciation once they are combined with other single
digits.
Let’s take a look at their pronunciation:
• 30 – trenta /trehn-tah/
• 40 – quaranta /kwah-rahn-tah/
• 50 – cinquanta /cheen-kwahn-tah/
• 60 – sessanta /seh-sahn-tah/
• 70 – settanta /seh-tahn-tah/
• 80 – ottanta /oh-tahn-tah/
• 90 – novanta /noh/vahn-tah/
• 100 – cento /chehn-toh/
Please note that “cento” is pronounced /chehn-toh/ because of the “ce” letter
combination at the beginning of word. So, it does not sound like “scent” but
rather, it sounds more like “chest”.
Let’s move on now to combining tens with units. This is rather
straightforward, but it does require some close attention while you get the
hang of it. Here are the numbers from 20 to 29 as an example:
• 21 – ventuno (twenty-one)
• 22 -- ventidue (twenty-two)
• 23 – ventitré (twenty-three)
• 24 – ventiquattro (twenty-four)
 • 25 – venticinque (twenty-five)
• 26 – ventisei (twenty-six)
• 27 – ventisette (twenty-seven)
• 28 – ventotto (twenty-eight)
• 29 – ventinove (twenty-nine)
In the above examples, the last vowel in “venti”, that is the letter “i" is
dropped when the next digit begins with a vowel sound. That is why “venti +
uno” becomes “ventuno” and “venti + otto” becomes “ventotto”. This will be
a recurring them with all of the remaining numbers. Since the other single
digits begin with a consonant, there is no need to drop the vowel in “venti”.
Rather, it is just a matter of combining both sounds together. So, “venti +
due” would become “ventidue”.
One other note: for pronunciation purposes, “é” is added to “tre”. Aside from
that, there is no need for any additional accents on numbers.
Now, let’s have a look at the numbers from 30 to 39 to further illustrate the
structure of numbers.
• 30 – trenta (thirty)
• 31 – trentuno (thirty-one)
• 32 – trentadue (thirty-two)
• 33 – trentatré (thirty-three)
• 34 – trentaquattro (thirty-four)
• 35 – trentacinque (thirty-five)
• 36 – trentasei (thirty-six)
• 37 – trentasette (thirty-seven)
• 38 – trentotto (thirty-eight)
• 39 – trentanove (thirty-nine)
As you can see, the pattern repeats. Please keep an eye out for “trentuno” and
“trentotto” as the last vowel in “trenta” is dropped in order to accommodate
the initial vowel sound in the single digit.
Let’s have a look at the remaining numbers going all the way up to one
hundred. First 40 to 49.
• 40 – quaranta (forty)
• 41 – quarantuno (forty-one)
• 42 – quarantadue (forty-two)
• 43 – quarantatré (forty-three)
• 44 – quarantaquattro (forty-four)
• 45 – quarantacinque (forty-five)
• 46 – quarantasei (forty-six)
• 47 – quarantasette (forty-seven)
• 48 – quarantotto (forty-eight)
• 49 – quarantanove (forty-nine
Now, 50 to 59.
• 50 – cinquanta (fifty)
• 51 – cinquantuno (fifty-one)
• 52 – cinquantadue (fifty-two)
• 53 – cinquantatré (fifty-three)
• 54 – cinquantaquattro (fifty-four)
• 55 – cinquantacinque (fifty-five)
• 56 – cinquantasei (fifty-six)
• 57 – cinquantasette (fifty-seven)
• 58 – cinquantotto (fifty-eight)
• 59 – cinquantanove (fifty-nine)
Next, 60 – 69
• 60 – sessanta (sixty)
• 61 – sessantuno (sixty-one)
 • 62 – sessantadue (sixty-two)
• 63 – sessantatré (sixty-three)
• 64 – sessantaquattro (sixty-four)
• 65 – sessantacinque (sixty-five)
• 66 – sessantasei (sixty-six)
• 67 – sessantasette (sixty-seven)
• 68 – sessantotto (sixty-eight)
• 69 – sessantanove (sixty-nine)
Now, 70 – 79.
• 70 – settanta (seventy)
• 71 – settatuno (seventy-one)
• 72 – settantadue (seventy-two)
• 73 – settantatré (seventy-three)
• 74 – settantaquattro (seventy-four)
• 75 – settantacinque (seventy-five)
• 76 – settantasei (seventy-six)
• 77 – settantasette (seventy-seven)
• 78 – settantotto (seventy-eight)
• 79 – settantanove (seventy-nine)
Then, 80 – 89.
• 80 – ottanta (eighty)
• 81 – ottatuno (eighty-one)
• 82 – ottantadue (eighty-two)
• 83 – ottantatré (eighty-three)
• 84 – ottantaquattro (eighty-four)
• 85 – ottantacinque (eighty-five)
 • 86 – ottantasei (eighty-six)
• 87 – ottantasette (eighty-seven)
• 88 – ottantotto (eighty-eight)
• 89 – ottantanove (eight-nove)
Lastly, 90 – 99.
• 90 – novanta (ninety)
• 91 – novantuno (ninety-one)
• 92 – novantadue (ninety-two)
• 93 – novantatré (ninety-three)
• 94 – novantaquattro (ninety-four)
• 95 – novantacinque (ninety-five)
• 96 – novantasei (ninety-six)
• 97 – novantasette (ninety-seven)
• 98 – novantotto (ninety-eight)
• 99 – novantanove (99)
There you have it. Italian number are pretty straightforward since they follow
the same pattern. Once you reach one hundred, the pattern repeats itself. Let’s
look at some example:
• 102 – cento due (one hundred two)
• 113 – cento tredici (one hundred thirteen)
• 125 – cento venticinque (one hundred twenty-five)
• 139 – centro trentanove (one hundred thirty-nine)
• 143 – cento quaratatré (one hundred forty-three)
• 150 – cento cinquanta (one hundred fifty)
• 166 – cento sessantasei (one hundred sixty-six)
• 177 – cento settantasette (one hundred seventy-seven)
• 181 – cento ottantuno (one hundred eighty-one)
 • 194 – cento novantaquattro (one hundred ninety-four)
The same pattern repeats for the numbers up to one thousand. So, let’s have a
look at the hundreds leading up to one thousand.
• 200 – duecento (two hundred)
• 300 – trecento (three hundred)
• 400 – quattrocento (four hundred)
• 500 – cinquecento (five hundred)
• 600 – seicento (six hundred)
• 700 – settecento (seven hundred)
• 800 – ottocento (eight hundred)
• 900 – novecento (nine hundred)
With the hundreds, you can build any number following the previous patterns
we have outlined. Let’s consider the following examples:
• 215 – duecento quindici (two hundred fifteen)
• 329 – trecentro ventinove (three hundred twenty-nine)
• 433 – quattrocento trentatré (four hundred thirty-three)
• 541 – cinquecento quarantuno (five hundred forty-one)
• 658 – seicento cinquantotto (six hundred fifty-eight)
• 767 – settecento sessantasette (seven hundred sixty-seven)
• 874 – ottocento settantaquattro (eight hundred seventy-four)
• 986 – novecento ottantasei (nine hundred eighty-six)
And then we have… “mille” (one thousand).
Once you hit one thousand, the cycle repeats. This is what makes Italian
numbers very easy to remember once you have gotten the hang of their
names and construction. So, let’s look at some examples.
• 1009 – mille nove (one thousand nine)
• 1125 – mille cento venticinque (one thousand one hundred twenty-
five)
 • 1233 – mille duecento trentatré (one thousand two hundred thirty-
three)
• 1345 – mille trecento quarantacinque (one thousand three hundred
forty-five)
• 1459 – mille quattrocento cinquantanove (one thousand four hundred
and fifty-nine)
• 1561 – mille cinquecento sessantuno (one thousand five hundred sixty-
one)
• 1668 – mille seicento sessantotto (one thousand six hundred sixty-
eight)
• 1774 – mille settecento settantaquattro (one thousand seven hundred
seventy-four)
• 1880 – mile ottocento ottanta (one thousand eight hundred eighty)
• 1995 – mille novecento novantacinque (one thousand nine hundred
ninety-five)
As you can see, the patterns simply repeat over and over. Thus, it is rather
easy to put larger numbers together. For reference, let’s look at the thousands
up to ten thousand.
• 2000 – duemila (two thousand)
• 3000 – tremila (three thousand)
• 4000 – quattromila (four thousand)
• 5000 – cinquemila (five thousand)
• 6000 – seimila (six thousand)
• 7000 – settemila (seven thousand)
• 8000 – ottomila (eight thousand)
• 9000 – novemilla (nine thousand)
• 10,000 – diecimila (ten thousand)
Please notice that each thousand is the combination of the single digit and
“mila” at the ending. So, “mille” is one thousand, while “duemila” is two
thousand. So, please avoid using “duemille” as this would be considered
incorrect.
After ten thousand, each number is built on its ten form plus mila. For
example, “sixty thousand” would be “sessantamila” and “twenty-five
thousand” would be “venticinquemila”. This pattern leads all the way to “one
hundred thousand” which would then become “centomila”. Then, the pattern
would repeat as “two hundred thousand” would be “duecentomila”, “three
hundred thousand” would be “trecentomila” and so on.
The larger numbers such as in the millions and billions differ somewhat from
English. For instance, “one million” is “un milione” but “one billion” is “un
miliardo”. Also, “one trillion” would be “mille miliardi” or “one thousand
billion”. So, please keep this difference in mind when dealing with very
large numbers.
In terms of the applications of numbers, you will commonly find numbers
used when referring to prices and dates.
Let’s have a look at how prices can be expressed in Italian.
The currency used in Italy is the Euro. It is common for most hotels and
tourist destinations to take US Dollars, it should be noted that most
businesses would rather take Euros. Nevertheless, prices can be negotiated in
US Dollars when dealing with taxi drivers, most hotels and airports.
The best expression which you can use to ask about the price of an object is:
“quanto costa?” (how much is it?)
The response to this question would vary according to the item in question.
Here are some sample responses:
• Costa venticinque euro (it costs twenty-five Euros)
• Sono dieci dollari (it’s ten Dollars)
• Cento euro (one hundred Euros)
In the examples above, you will notice that the amount is followed by the
currency. The currency is not capitalized when writing. Also, “dollari” is the
plural form of “dollaro”. So please keep in this in when discussing prices in
Dollars. Also, “euro” is not usually pluralized. So, “un euro” (one Euro)
would be the same as “due euro” (two Euros).
If you are discussing exchange rate, you can use the following question:
“qual è il tasso di cambio?” (what is the exchange rate?) This is useful when
negotiating currency exchange in airports or shops. It is always best to
exchange money in a formal business as currency exchanges on the street
may be fraudulent. So, it is always best to be careful.
That being said, you might get a response such as this one: “sono un dollaro e
trenta per un euro” (It’s one dollar thirty for one euro). Of course, exchanges
rates may vary, but it is common for one currency to be worth more than
another. If the exchange rate were one for one, then you might hear “è uno
per uno” (it’s one for one).
In addition, please note that it is common to barter with street vendors. A
good rule of thumb is to offer about half of what the asking price is and work
your way up. Generally, street vendors will double their prices when talking
to tourists. If you don’t get the price that you want, you can always walk
around for a bit until you get a deal you are comfortable with.
Now, another important use of numbers pertains to dates. Earlier, we
discussed the months of the year and the days of the week. So now, we will
put these together with numbers in order to express full dates including years.
First of all, dates in Italian will place the day ahead of the month. In the
United States, it is generally the other way around; the month precedes the
day. As such, a common date would be:
• 14 marzo, 1990 (quattordici di marzo millenovecentonovanta)
In this example, notice that ordinal numbers are not used (first, second, third)
but rather, the cardinal digit is used. Also, please note that the year is
expressed as a full number rather than split up into parts as is the norm in
American English. Thus, the date above essentially means “fourteen March
one thousand nine hundred ninety”. This is a rather significant difference. So,
it pays to keep this in mind.
If you wanted to express a full date, that is, day, month and year, it would
look this this:
• Oggi è giovedi, 14 di luglio, 2009 (duemila nove) – Today is
Thursday, July 14th, 2009.
In this case, the year “2009” is expressed as “two thousand nine”. While this
is acceptable in English, it is also customary to hear “twenty oh nine”. These
are nuances that you will pick up on as you gain more practice and
experience with Italian.
Here are some more useful expressions when dealing with dates:
• Che giorno è oggi? (What day is it today)
• Oggi è lunedi (Today is Monday)
• Quando è il tuo compleanno? (When is your birthday?)
• Il mio compleanno è il dodici settembre. (My birthday is
September 12th)
Also, here are some useful expressions for telling time:
• Sono le quattordici (it’s 14 hours)
• Sono le tre (it’s three hours)
• É mezzogiorno (it’s midday)
• É mezzanotte (it’s midnight)
• Sono le diciasette e un quarto (it’s 17 hours and a quarter)
• Sono le otto meno cinque (it’s five to twenty)
In these examples, please notice that Italian uses 24-hour time. So, anything
past midday is “thirteen hours” all the way up to midnight. After that, it’s
“zero” hours until you reach “one” hour.
Here are some more expressions which you will find useful:
• Mattina – morning
• Pomeriggio – afternoon
• Sera – evening
• Notte – night
As you can see, Italian looks at time in the manner as English does. After all,
not all languages consider “evening”, but rather jump straight into night as
soon as it gets dark.
So now, you have a great guide on numbers in Italian. While it does take a
little bit of time and practice to master them, you will find that they are not
hard to master. Please take the time to go over this guide as many times as
you need until your feel perfectly comfortable expressing numbers.
Chapter 9: Adjectives and adverbs
We are now going to take a look at the use of adjectives and adverbs in
Italian. As such, we will get into syntax, that is, sentence structure so that you
can begin to build more and more complex sentences and thereby improve
your overall speaking and comprehension skills.
First of all, it is important to highlight the differences between English
adjectives and their Italian counterparts. The differences lie in gender,
number, and word order (syntax). But first, let’s have a look at how
adjectives work in English.
In English, adjectives do not agree with the nouns they describe either in
terms of gender or number. For example, colors such as blue, green and
yellow, are not modified in any way to agree with the noun they are
describing. So, “a yellow shirt” and “four yellow shirts” are examples of how
an adjective, is this case “yellow” does not change to suit the noun in the
sentence.
Also, since English is gender-neutral, there is no need to modify adjectives to
suit the gender of a noun. So, “a young girl” and “a young boy” both function
in the same manner. This means that the adjective “young” will remain the
same regardless of the noun it describes.
That being said, it is important to highlight that Italian, since it accounts for
both gender and number, must modify adjectives to suit both of these
conditions. Let’s look at some examples to help you get started.
• Un gatto nero (nero) – singular
• Due gatti neri (two black cats) – plural
In the example above, “gatto” (cat) is a singular, masculine noun. What this
means is that the adjective “nero” (black) must agree with the noun “gatto”.
However, things change when the we talk about “two cats”.
Naturally, “gatto”, since it is masculine, changes to “gatti”, which is the
plural form of the masculine noun. This leads to a change in the adjective as
well. So, “nero” (black) is modified to “neri” (the plural of black). This is a
stark contrast to English as there is no such plural in the English language.
Now, let’s take a look at what happens when the noun in the sentence is
feminine.
• Una casa grande (a big house)
• Dieci case grandi (ten big houses)
In the above examples, the same rule applies insofar as the change in the
number of the adjective. As such, “grande” (big) is singular, while “grandi”
(“bigs”) is plural. Once again, adjectives are never plural in English. So, do
keep this difference in mind.
Let’s see what happens when we take “nero” and place it with a feminine
noun.
• Una camicia nera (a black shirt)
• Tre camicie nere (three black shirts)
In this example, “nero” changes to “nera” since it is agreeing with a feminine
noun. “Camicia” (shirt) is considered feminine even though it is a clothing
item for a man. When the noun changes to “camicie” (please remember that
feminine plurals end in “e”) the adjective “nera” must now change to “nere”.
This grammatical change is important to keep in mind as it can lead to
confusion in conversation.
While these changes from singular to plural and masculine to feminine may
seem complex at first, it is best to take it one step at a time. So, you can begin
by transforming adjectives from singular to plural in the masculine form and
then from singular to plural in the feminine form. The good news is that the
same rules which we learned about earlier with regard to nouns applies here.
So, let’s look at some examples of how we can change adjectives. That way,
we can refresh what we have already learned about singular and plural, as
well as, masculine and feminine forms.
• Singular: Il cielo blu (the blue sky).
• Plural: I cieli blu (the blue skies).
In the above example, we change “Il” to “I” and then we changed the noun
“cielo” to “cieli”. However, the color “blu” did not change. As such, please
pay attention to some colors in Italian as they do not change from singular to
plural.
Now, let’s look at an example with a feminine noun.
 • La macchina rossa (the red car)
• Le macchine rosse (the red cars)
In this example, “rossa” (red, in feminine form) refers to a feminine noun (la
macchina). All of the usual patterns for capitalization are followed. As such,
it is just a matter of some practice before you truly begin to get the hang of
the way in which these nouns and adjectives agree with one another.
Here is a quick list of the most common colors which is sure to be useful.
Singular Plural English
Arancione Arancioni Orange
Bianco Bianchi/Bianca White
Blu Blu Blue
Giallo Gialli/Gialle Yellow
Marrone Marroni Brown
Nero Neri/Nere Black
Rosa Rosa Pink
Rosso Rossi/Rosse Red
Verde Verdi Green
Viola Viola Purple

As you can see, some colors have somewhat irregular plurals. In the long run,
this makes it easier to manage them as you won’t have to worry about
remembering the appropriate plural form in both masculine and feminine.
This is especially true in the case of “blu”, “rosa” and “viola”.
Let’s look now at some adjectives which you can use to describe people and
their feelings.
• Accomodante (easygoing)
• Affidabile (trustworthy)
• Aggressivo (aggressive)
• Amichevole (friendly)
• Ansioso (anxious)
• Artistico (artistic)
• Attento (careful)
• Attivo (active)
• Brillante (smart)
• Buffo (funny)
• Calmo (calm)
• Coraggioso (courageous)
• Creativo (creative)
• Diligente (diligent)
• Divertente (humorous)
• Educato (polite)
• Emotive (emotional)
• Energico (energetic)
• Entusiasta (enthusiastic)
• Estroverso (extroverted)
• Forte (strong)
• Generoso (generous)
• Gentile (kind)
• Indeciso (hesitant)
• Ingenuo (naïve)
• Introverso (introverted)
• Laborioso (hardworking)
• Noioso (boring)
• Onesto (honest)
• Paziente (patient)
• Pigro (lazy)
• Riflessivo (thoughtful)
 • Romantico (romantic)
• Serio (serious)
• Timido (shy)
The list above is quite extensive and should help you describe people
effectively. Of course, you can also use these adjectives to describe yourself.
Let’s take a look at how you can describe yourself using these adjectives.
• Sono laborioso (I am hardworking, masculine).
• Sono romantica (I am romantic, feminine)
• Sono gentile (I am kind, both masculine and feminine)
• Sono estroverso/estroversa (I am extroverted, masculine and
feminine)
Please bear in mind that the adjectives which end in “o” are masculine while
the ones that end in “a” are feminine. Also, it should be noted that those
which end in “e” don’t normally change to suit gender but would change to
suit number according to the rules we have outlined previously.
Now, let’s make some more sentences about describing people:
• Mia moglie è bellissima (My wife is beautiful)
• Mio marito è forte (My husband is strong)
• Mio padre è intelligente (My father is intelligent)
• Mia madre è creativa (My mother is creative)
• I miei fratelli sono fantastici (My siblings are great)
In the examples above, you can see how we can use adjectives in a variety of
ways. All of the various combinations we used must agree in number and
gender according to the noun they are describing. However, it is far easier
that you might have thought at first. So, do take the time to go over these
examples. That way, you can begin creating your own sentences and ideas.
Later on, we will take a closer look at verb conjugations and how you can use
the verb “essere” (to be), among other verbs, to talk about people, places and
objects.
The second aspect to adjectives is their placement, that is, the word order or
syntax which they must follow.
In English, adjectives precede the nouns they are describing. For example,
“black cat” highlights how adjectives come before nouns. Yet, Italian uses
the opposite structure: nouns precede adjectives. So “black cat” would be
“gatto nero”. So, it is actually rather easy to recall this structure as it is simply
the opposite of what the English structure would be.
One note though: in conversation, especially informal conversation, you may
hear an inversion of nouns and adjectives in a manner similar to that of
English. This may happen since informal conversation isn’t exactly the most
grammatically perfect. Nevertheless, it is worth keeping this in mind when
you interact with locals.
On the subject of adverbs, please bear in mind that they describe verbs,
adjectives and even nouns, depending on the situation. Adverbs have the
same positioning as adjectives, that is, they precede the word which they are
describing. Although, in some cases, they can come after the verb they are
describing. This depends on the type of adverb and the meaning behind the
sentence.
Additionally, adverbs don’t agree with gender and number since they are
technically used to describe verbs. Verbs don’t agree with gender and number
in the same manner that adjectives do. Rather, they agree with the subject of
the sentence. Therefore, adverbs don’t have to go through any significant
changes from the root word.
With that in mind, let’s look at the general structure of adverbs in Italian. The
following examples show how adjectives can be transformed into adverbs.

Masculine Feminine Adverb English

Adjective Adjective
Felice Felice Felicemente Happily
Lento Lenta Lentamente Slowly
Stanco Stanca Stancamente Tiredly
Vero Vera Veramente Truly

In the table above, the adverb is formed by adding “mente” to the feminine
version of the adjective. In the case of “felice” it does not have a masculine or
feminine variation. So, the “mente” ending is adding to it without any
modification. However, “lento”, in the masculine form becomes “lentamente”
in the adverb form. So, do keep this variation in mind as “lentomente” would
be incorrect.
Here are some examples of how these adverbs could be used in conversation:
• Io lavoro felicemente (I work happily)
• Lei cammina lentamente (she walks slowly)
• Lui corre stancamente (he runs tiredly)
• Noi viviamo veramente felici (we live truly happy)
In the previous examples, we can see how the adverb follows the verb. In the
case of “noi viviamo veramente felici”, the adverb “veramente” is actually
describing “happy”, which is an adjective. As a result, adverbs are able to
describe various parts of speech.
Here is a list of other adverbs which you can use in conversation.
• Ancora (still)
• Attorno (around)
• Bene (good, well)
• Contro (against)
• Dentro (in, inside)
• Dietro (behind)
• Dopo (after)
• Già (already)
• Inoltre (moreover)
• Insieme (together)
• Male (bad, badly)
• Sempre (always)
• Mai (never)
 • A volte (sometimes)
• Frequentemente (frequently)
• Raramente (seldom)
• Normalmente (normally)
• Regolarmente (regularly)
• Generalmente (generally)
• Sfortunatamente (unfortunately)
The list above includes expressions covering a good deal of situations. So, it
is certainly worth taking the time to go over them in order to make sense of
how best you can use them. Just as using adjectives, adverbs do take some
practice. The best part is that as you gain more practice and experience, the
use of adverbs will become second nature to you.
So now, let’s take a look at the three main categories in which adverbs can be
grouped.
The first category corresponds to adverbs which are derived from adjectives.
In general, these are the adverbs which have “mente” added to them. They
take the feminine form of the adjective they are derived from. They are
perhaps the easiest to remember though you need to pay close attention to the
proper masculine and feminine form. For instance, “rapido” (rapid, fast)
would become “rapidamente” (rapidly).
Also, the adverbs that end in “e” don’t necessarily have a feminine form. So,
these are the easiest to remember. Consider this example: “veloce” (quick)
would become “velocemente” (quickly). Indeed, this form is a lot easier to
recall especially in conversation.
The second category to consider is the adverbs known as “simple adverbs”.
These adverbs are not necessarily derived from any particular word. So, they
don’t have a base form like the first group we discussed.
Since adverbs from this group don’t have a root from which they are derived,
you essentially just have to learn them as they are. But fear not, these are the
adverbs like “bene” (well) and “male” (badly). As you can see, they are not
hard to recall, but they do take some practice before you can feel entirely
comfortable with them especially in conversation. Earlier, we presented a
healthy list of such adverbs. So, do take the time to go over them.
The third group are called “interrogative adverbs”. In other words,
interrogative adverbs are words which you can use to make questions. We
touched upon these questions words earlier in the section pertaining to
frequently used expression. As such, we will be going into more depth.
These are the interrogative adverbs in Italian:
• Che (what)
• Chi (who)
• Come (how)
• Come mai (how come)
• Dove (where)
• Perché (why)
• Quando (when)
• Quanto (how much/how many)
As you can see, these can be used to put all sorts of questions together. Let’s
have a look at some examples of various types of questions.
• Quando è l'incontro? (When is the meeting)
• Che ore sono? (What time is it?)
• Chi è il nuovo impiegato? (Who is the new employee?)
• Perché sei in ritardo? (Why are you late?)
• Dov'è l'ufficio? (Where is the office?)
• Come stai oggi? (How are you today?)
The questions above highlight how interrogative adverbs can be used to put
all sorts of questions together. Later on, we will get into the specifics of
building sentences. As such, we’ll be taking a deeper look at how question
formation works in Italian. For now, it is important to recognize interrogative
adverbs so that you can begin to answer questions right away. Furthermore,
the questions listed above can be used right out of the box. That means that
you can use them to get the information you need when travelling or simply
interacting with Italian speakers.
As we have stated throughout this book, it is very important to gain practice
and experience in the use of the language presented in this volume. So, it
certainly pays to take the time go over each new chapter that you complete.
This is especially true if you are new to Italian.
Nevertheless, the patterns discussed throughout this book are intended to give
you a frame of reference which you can use to help you build the proper
structure in your mind. This is why it is recommended for you to keep that
notebook with you. It will help you track your ideas and make sense of the
information contained herein.
As we progress through the remaining chapters in this book, we will be
looking more deeply into verb tenses and sentence building. So, you will
definitely have the chance to put everything you have learned so far into
meaningful practice. Best of all, we are taking a steady approach about it.
Stay tuned because it is only going to get better.
Chapter 10: Verbs
In this chapter, we are going to take a deep look at verbs in Italian focusing
specifically on the present, past and future. These three tenses will help you
get a leg up on sentence building and getting your ideas across in
conversation. Moreover, getting a good handle on these tenses will aid you in
understanding what other Italian speakers are attempting to get across.
In Italian, there are two main categories of verb tenses, the simple tenses and
the compound tenses. The difference between both categories is that simple
tenses require the verb to be conjugated on its own while compound tenses
require the use of an auxiliary verb plus the main verb of the sentence. For
the purpose of this volume, we will be taking a look at the simple tenses in
the present, past and future.
To start things off, verbs have what is known as the infinitive form. The
infinitive form of a verb is when it lacks a verb tense. So, the infinitive form
is neither past, present nor future. In English, infinitive verbs are expressed at
“to be”, for example.
All Italian verbs will fall into one of three types of infinitive verbs: verb
ending in ERE, ARE and IRE. As such, all verbs in the infinitive form will
have any one of these endings. Here are some verbs to help you get a grip on
what they look like.
• Verbs ending in ARE

Cantare (to sing)

Ballare (to dance)
Sognare (to dream)
• Verbs ending in ERE

Essere (to be)

Correre (to run)
Vedere (to see)
• Verbs ending in IRE
 Capire (to understand)
Partire (to leave)
Dormire (to sleep)
As you can see, the verbs listed above all fall into one of the three categories.
So, when the time comes to conjugate each verb, they will drop their ending
and take on the corresponding ending based on the subject of the sentence.
As such, let’s look at the personal pronouns in Italian. These pronouns will
serve as the basis for the conjugation of these verbs in all tenses.
• Io (I)
• Tu (you)
• Lui (he)
• Lei (she)
• Noi (we)
• Voi (you, plural)
• Loro (they)
These pronouns will help you determine what ending to use on a conjugated
verb. Now, it should be noted that it is possible to form sentences without
actually saying the subject of the sentence. This means that all you have to do
is conjugate the verb. Depending on the conjugation of the verb, it will be
evident to your interlocutor to whom you are referring. There is only one
catch though: the person to whom you are referring needs to be clear from
context. Otherwise, omitting the subject when it is not clear to whom you are
talking about may lead to confusion.
There are a couple of similarities and differences between English and Italian
subject pronouns. First off, please notice that there are two versions of “you”,
that is, a singular and plural “you”. This facilitates understanding who is
being talked about.
Another similarity can be seen between “Io” and “I”. Please note that the
pronunciation of “Io” is /ee-oh/ and not /ahy-oh/. Also, “Io” is always
capitalized just as it is in English since it is the first person singular.
One interesting advantage with Italian subject pronouns is that “loro” (they)
does not have a masculine or feminine form. This is a significant difference
when compared to other Romance languages like Spanish and French. Other
Romance languages have a masculine and feminine form of “they”. So, this
is something which will certainly facilitate verb conjugation.
Perhaps the most glaring difference between English and Italian subject
pronouns is the lack of a neutral “it” pronoun in Italian. The reason for this is
that every noun has a gender assigned to it. So, animals and objects will be
referred to as “he” or “she” depending on the gender assigned to it. As you
gain more practice and experience with Italian, you will find easily recognize
the gender for each object.
One other note: there is only one form of “you”. Unlike other Romance
languages which have a formal and informal form of “you”, Italian just has
the one. So, it is far easier to conjugate verbs as you don’t have to take into
account multiple forms of “you”.
That being said, let’s get into the meat and potatoes of verb conjugation
starting off with the verb “essere” (to be). Some of the Romance languages
have separate versions of “to be”. Mainly, one is version is used to talk about
permanent states while the other version is used to talk about temporary
states.
In the case of Italian, “essere” works just like “to be” in English. It is used to
provide personal information, talk about permanent states and feelings. So,
let’s have a look at how “essere” is conjugated in the present simple.
• Io sono (I am)
• Tu sei (you are, singular)
• Lui è (he is)
• Lei è (she is)
• Noi siamo (we are)
• Voi siete (you are, plural)
• Loro sono (they are)
Since “essere” is actually an irregular verb, it doesn’t follow the usual
patterns that verbs ending in ERE would. So, there really isn’t much of a
choice but to memorize their conjugation. The good thing is they don’t differ
greatly. Just bear in mind that for “lui” and “lei” the proper conjugation is
“è”, that is, it carries the grave accent. Also, “Io” and “loro” actually share
the same conjugation. So, if you say, “sono in riunione” you might confuse
your interlocutor as to whom you are referring. This is why we made the
earlier point about being clear with regard to the context of the situation you
are in since “sono” could refer to both “Io” or “loro”.
Here are some sample sentences:
• Io sono un insegnante. (I am a teacher)
• Tu sei felice. (you are happy)
• Lui è mio fratello. (he is my brother)
• Lei è la mia fidanzata. (she is my fiancée)
• Noi siamo studenti. (we are students)
• Voi siete amici (you are friends)
• Loro sono italiani (they are Italian)
As you can see, all you need is to take the conjugated form of the verb and
then add the rest of the information you are looking to get across. However,
there is one important thing to keep in mind: you need to take both gender
and number into account. For example, “Io sono un insegnante” would be
said by either a male or female speaker. This changes though when the
profession in question has both a masculine and feminine version.
Consider this example: “Io sono un avvocato” (I am a lawyer) would be said
by a male speaker. “Io sono una avvocatessa” would be said by a female
speaker. Thus, it is crucial to keep your gender in mind. The same goes for
singular and plural. When you say, “Voi siete amici”, (you are friends), you
are speaking in the plural form. You could also say, “tu sei un amico” (you
are a friend) thereby indicating the singular form.
Let’s look at the conjugation of “essere” in the past simple.
• Io ero (I was)
• Tu eri (you were, singular)
• Lui era (he was)
• Lei era (she was)
 • Noi eravamo (we were)
• Voi eravate (you were, plural)
• Loro erano (they were)
Please notice how the conjugation changes give the shift in tense. Otherwise,
the sentence structure remains the same. Let’s see how the sentences in the
present would change to the past.
• Io ero un insegnante. (I was a teacher)
• Tu eri felice. (you were happy)
• Lui era mio fratello. (he was my brother)
• Lei era la mia fidanzata. (she was my fiancée)
• Noi eravamo studenti. (we were students)
• Voi eravate amici (you were friends)
• Loro erano italiani (they were Italian)
As you can see, the sentence structure stays the same; the only thing that
changes is the verb itself. Once again, “essere” is irregular. So, it is a good
idea to go over its conjugation in the past several times so that you can get a
firm grasp of the proper form and spelling.
Now, let’s take a look at how “essere” can be conjugated in the future simple.
• Io sarò (I will be)
• Tu sarai (you will be, singular)
• Lui sarà (he will be)
• Lei sarà (she will be)
• Noi saremo (we will be)
• Voi sarete (you will be, plural)
• Loro saranno (they will be)
Let’s have a look at how the previous examples change into the future simple
form.
• Io sarò un insegnante. (I will be a teacher)
 • Tu sarai felice. (you will be happy)
• Lui sarà mio fratello. (he will be my brother)
• Lei sarà la mia fidanzata. (she will be my fiancée)
• Noi saremo studenti. (we will be students)
• Voi sarete amici (you will be friends)
• Loro saranno italiani (they will be Italian)
Now, you are able to express ideas in past, present and future using the verb
“essere”. Since “essere” is an irregular verb, you may want to take some time
to go over the various conjugations until you feel comfortable with the way
each tense is conjugated.
Of course, “essere” is not the only verb in Italian. In fact, there are many
more to choose from. That is why we will now take a look at how you can
conjugate verbs in the present simple form.
As stated earlier, the starting point is to look at the verb ending in the
infinitive. Based on this ending, the verb is conjugated according to the
subject pronoun in question. So, you need to drop the ERE, ARE, or IRE
ending and place the corresponding ending. This is a lot easier than it sounds.
Plus, there is a regular pattern which you can follow.
Let’s begin with ARE verbs.
To illustrate this conjugation, let’s use the verb “cantare” to sing.
• Io canto (I sing)
• Tu canti (you sing, singular)
• Lui canta (he sings)
• Lei canta (she sing)
• Noi cantiamo (we sing)
• Voi cantate (you sing, plural)
• Loro cantano (they sing)
As you can see, the ARE ending is dropped and the corresponding ending is
added. This pattern is followed by all verbs ending in ARE. So, feel free to
learn these endings and put them to the test with any verb ending in ARE.
Now, we are going to look at the IRE and ERE verb endings since the
conjugation is the same for both types of verbs. This makes it verb easy to
remember. Plus, you will see that there isn’t much of a change in the
conjugation form between the ARE and the ERE/IRE verbs.
Here is an example of an “ERE” verb:
• Scrivere (to write)
• Io scrivo (I write)
• Tu scrivi (you write, singular)
• Lui scrive (he writes)
• Lei scrive (she writes)
• Noi scriviamo (we write)
• Voi scrivete (you write, plural)
• Loro scrivono (they write)
In essence, the difference boils down to a letter in each form. While the
endings for “Io” and “tu” remain the same, there is a slight difference for
“lui”, “lei”, “voi” and “loro”. While the difference is subtle, it simply takes
some time getting used to.
Here is an example of an “IRE” verb:
• Dormire (to sleep)
• Io dormo (I sleep)
• Tu dormi (you sleep, singular)
• Lui dorme (he sleeps)
• Lei dorme (she sleeps)
• Noi dormiamo (we sleep)
• Voi dormite (you sleep, plural)
• Loro dormono (they sleep)
There you have it. The only difference you will observe lies in “voi” as it
shifts from “ate” ending, to the “ete” ending to the “ite” ending. The best part
is that you can follow this pattern any time you run into IRE verbs. So, do
take the time to review the difference among the various endings so that you
can be a pro when it comes to conjugating Italian verbs.
The following chart will help you get a better understanding of how endings
change based upon the various infinitive endings.

Subject ARE ERE IRE

Io o o o
Tu i i i
Lui a e e
Lei a e e
Noi iamo iamo iamo
Voi ate ete ite
Loro ano ono ono

There you have it. This chart sums up the way you can conjugate verbs
according to pattern based on their infinitive form. Best of all, the differences
among them are not significant. That way, you won’t get a headache trying to
figure them out.
But, what would a language be if there weren’t any exceptions to the rule?
Just like in most languages, there are a couple of choice verbs which are
irregular. As such, their conjugation changes somewhat. The bad news with
irregulars is that they don’t follow a set pattern. In fact, you simply have to
learn the proper conjugation for these verbs. While that may be a drawback,
the good thing is that there aren’t that many. So, you simply need to go over a
handful of them and you are good to go.
The following chart will make short work of the irregular verbs found in
Italian.

Subject Andare Avere Dare Fare Stare

Io vado ho do faccio sto
tu vai hai dai fai stai
 lui va ha dà fa sta
lei va ha dà fa sta
noi andiamo abbiamo diamo facciamo stiamo
voi andate avete date fate state
loro vanno hanno danno fanno stanno

The chart above illustrates the most common irregular verbs used in Italian. It
is interesting to note because of their root, their conjugation doesn’t mesh
very well with the patterns we have outlined earlier. So, they go through
some variations in their overall conjugation. The bright side though is that it
is just a handful of verbs. Yet, it is crucial to learn them as they are very
useful verbs which are used in everyday conversation.
Here is their meaning in English:
• Andare – to go
• Avere – to have
• Dare – to give
• Fare – to do
• Stare – to stay/remain
You may recognize “stare” from some of the earlier phrase we used such as
“come stai?” While this phrase literal translates to “how are you?” it is not
exactly used in the same manner as “essere”. In fact, “stare” can be
interpreted as meaning “to be” but it’s true meaning is “to stay”. So, please
keep an eye out for it so you are not thrown off kilter.
The patterns outlined in this chapter are guidelines which you can use for the
verb “essere” as well as regular verbs in the present simple. The irregular
verbs which we have outlined are some of the most common verbs you will
encounter in the Italian language. So, one of the best ways of learning these
verbs is to write them out several times. While that might seem somewhat
tedious, the act of handwriting these conjugations helps the brain fixate the
proper verb forms. You can work on a verb a day for a few minutes at a time.
By writing out each conjugation just a couple of times, you will find that it is
much easier to recall than by just listening and repeating. Please bear in mind
that the more practice you can get, like speaking, writing, listening and
reading, you will quickly gain mastery of these verbs.
Chapter 11: Building sentences
Now that we have discussed a great deal of individual aspects of Italian
language and grammar, it is a matter of transforming that into congruent
sentences that you can use to communicate your ideas and feelings.
There is good news when it comes to Italian sentence structure and syntax:
there is nothing set in stone. What that means is there is far more leeway with
Italian sentence structure than there is in English. In fact, English is one of
those languages which is very particular about syntax. This can be a
challenge for English learners because they must follow a very strict word
order. Otherwise, they run the risk of using the wrong order and not being
fully understood as a result.
Let’s take a look at a quick example of what we mean by this.
• Giovanni arriva. (Giovanni arrives)
• Arriva Giovanni. (Giovanni arrives)
• Arriva. (Arrives)
So, what’s going on with these sentences?
They all mean the same thing. However, word order is not cast in stone. What
this means is that you can move words around and still maintain the same
meaning. Also, please note that you can omit the subject of the sentence
altogether. This is possible when it is clear to whom you are referring.
Otherwise, omitting the subject may lead to potential confusion.
Another critical aspect about the sentences above is related to your
intonation. In the sentence, “arriva Giovanni”, your intonation would make
the difference between this being a statement or becoming a question.
If you say, “arriva Giovanni” with falling intonation, this would be a regular
statement. However, if you say this same sentence with rising intonation,
then it would be a question: “arriva Giovanni?” As you can see, there is a
great deal of leeway that you have to play with. Hence, intonation makes all
the difference in this case.
The example we have used to underscore Italian sentence structure illustrates
what is known as “fluid sentence structure”. What that means is that you are
not hard-pressed to position words in an exact location every time. Thus, it is
important for you to keep this in mind especially if you are a native English
speaker. Don’t get stressed out if you find that native Italian speakers play
around with word order.
Nevertheless, there are clear rule and guidelines for proper sentence building.
This structure is a lot more rigid when it comes to writing. In particular,
formal business writing requires you to use proper sentence formation. Also,
as a conscientious person, you would appreciate the use of proper
grammatical structure. So, let’s take a look at some guidelines which can help
you get the right structure every time.
The first guideline pertains to the appropriate sentence structure which must
be followed in order to ensure proper syntax.
The basic formula for Italian sentence structure is: subject + verb + object.
The subject is a noun and it is the person, place or thing which the verb refers
to. This is important to note since the subject dictates the conjugation of the
verb. In addition, the subject will tell the speaker who is being referred to.
Consequently, it is crucial to make the subject clear at all times.
The verb refers to the action which is being carried out in the sentence. This
is a straightforward concept. The main complication, if you will, in Italian
pertains to the proper conjugation of the verb which is based on the tense
(present, past or future).
The object is what comes after the verb. In short, the object is the recipient of
the action being performed. The object can be an individual noun or a phrase.
It is also important to keep in mind that the object can essentially be whatever
you need it to be. Given the fact that there is a good deal of leeway, your
main focus ought to be to get the right words more than the best possible
order.
One key tip is to remember that you can drop the subject when it is clear to
whom you are referring. So, let’s have a look at some examples.
• Io ho una macchina nuova. (I have a new car)
• Io ho una nuova macchina. (I have a new car)
• Ho una macchina nuova. (I have a new car)
 • Ho una nuova macchina. (I have a new car)
The four sentences above all mean the same thing. However, there is a
difference in word order and the omission of the subject. As such, you are
free to do quite a bit with each sentence so long as you are able to get the
right meaning across. Ultimately, your interlocutors will get the gist of what
you are meaning to communicate.
The second guideline ties into the previous one. Adjectives and adverbs can
be placed before or after the part of speech they are describing. Earlier, we
stressed the fact that the proper grammatical position for adjectives is after
the noun. Nevertheless, the fluid sentence structure allows you to place
adjectives and adverbs in various spots.
Let’s have a look at some of the various ways in which you can place
adjectives and adverbs in a sentence.
• È una casa grande (It is a big house)
• È una grande casa (It is a big house)
Here, we can move switch places between the noun and adjective. If we
chose to add an adverb, this is what it would look like:
• È una casa molto grande (it is a very big house)
In this case, “molto” (very) acts as an adverb as it is describing the adjective
“grande”. At this point, it would be best to respect the proper word order
since changing the position of the adverb, adjective and noun may lead to a
potentially confusing sentence.
Consider this change:
• È una molto grande casa. (It is a very big house)
While the above sentence does get the message across, it is not the best way
to express this idea. In fact, it is somewhat confusing since the positioning of
the adverb and adjective before the noun doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as
easily.
Another good way of expressing this same idea could be:
• La casa è molto grande. (The house is very big)
This sentence makes perfect sense and avoids any potential confusion.
However, the following word order would be incorrect:
• La casa è grande molto.
In this example, it is confusing as it appears that the adjective is describing
the adverb. Thus, it is better to keep the adverb before the adjective.
As an English speaker, a good rule of thumb to keep in mind is to follow
English syntax. That way, you will be on the mark every time. But do keep in
mind that your interlocutors may play around with word order. But don’t
worry; you too will be able to do so as you gain more practice and
experience.
The third guideline is subject-verb agreement.
When talking about subject-verb agreement, we are not only referring to the
proper conjugation of the verb, but also to the negative form of the verb.
So, let’s take a look at how a negative sentence can be formed.
• Io sono un dottore. (I am a doctor) – affirmative
• Io non sono un dottore. (I am not a doctor) – negative
Notice how we add “non” to make the sentence negative. The good news
about this form is that “non” is used with any subject. So, it does not change
based on the subject of the sentence. Here are a couple of more examples.
• Lui non è qui. (He is not here)
• Lei non lavora oggi. (She does not work today)
• Tu non ascolti. (You do not listen)
• Noi non andiamo a scuola nel fine settimana. (We do not go to school
on the weekend)
• Loro non fanno esercizio. (They do not do exercise)
The above examples all illustrate the use of the negative form. In essence, all
you need to do is insert “non” after the subject but before the noun. If you
choose to drop the subject, then all you need to remember is to place it before
the verb essentially making it the first word of the sentence. Let’s rewrite the
previous sentences without the subject.
• Non è qui. (He is not here)
 • Non lavora oggi. (She does not work today)
• Non ascolti. (You do not listen)
• Non andiamo a scuola nel fine settimana. (We do not go to school on
the weekend)
• Non fanno esercizio. (They do not do exercise)
Once again, it is highly recommended to avoid dropping the subject unless it
is perfectly clear about whom you are talking. At first, it is just best to keep
using the subject until you get the hang of the best times to drop it. That way,
you can be sure to avoid any potential confusion.
The other aspect to the subject-verb agreement is question formation. In
particular, this agreement is essential when dealing with yes/no questions.
Let’s change the previous examples into yes/no questions.
• È qui lui? (Is he here?)
• Lavora lei oggi? (Does she work today?)
• Tu ascolti? (Do you listen?)
• Andiamo noi a scuola nel fine settimana? (Do we go to school on the
weekend?)
• Loro fanno esercizio? (Do they do exercise?)
As you can see, you can make questions by switching the verb and the
subject just like you would in English. In addition, your rising intonation
would make it clear to your interlocutor that you are asking a question.
However, since Italian has fluid structure, you may find that there are other
possibilities when asking a question. Let’s look at an example:
• Lei va in palestra ogni giorno. (She goes to the gym every day)
This is a regular affirmative statement. Now, let’s change it to a question as
per the usual pattern.
• Va lei in palestra ogni giorno? (Does she go to the gym every
day?)
In this case, we simply switched the subject and the verb’s position to build
this question. But, there is a third possibility which we can use.
 • Va in palestra ogni giorno? (Does she go to the gym every day?)
This example shows that we can also drop the subject and still build the
question correctly. Again, it is important to make sure that it is clear to whom
you are referring. That way, you won’t confuse your interlocutor.
Nevertheless, it is quite common to see this type of syntax.
Then, there is always this possibility:
• Lei va in palestra ogni giorno? (She goes to the gym every day?)
While this question might be used more as a means of expressing disbelief or
simply confirming information, it is still a question, nonetheless. The main
thing to keep in mind with these examples is that there isn’t a single way of
building questions. The good part about this is that you won’t have to stress
out about being picture perfect every time. The only downside to it, is that
you may hear varying word order throughout a regular conversation.
The fourth guideline is the use of prepositions. In short, prepositions serve to
join ideas together. What this does is allow you to link nouns and phrases
within the object of the sentence. Prepositions are quite common in most
languages, yet they do tend to differ from language to another.
So, let’s take a look at Italian prepositions:
• a (to, at, in)
• con (with)
• da (from, by)
• di (of, from, about, by, than)
• fra (between, among)
• in (in, at)
• per (for, in order to, because)
• su (on, over, above, about)
• tra (between, among)
The list of prepositions above illustrates how there is a reduced number in
Italian as compared to English. In a way, it is actually positive since there
aren’t that many to recall. However, you do need to make sure which ones
you can use.
Let’s have a look at some examples:
• Sono di New York. (I am from New York)
• Lavoro con i computer. (I work with computers)
• L'ospedale si trova tra l'ufficio postale e la banca. (The hospital is
located between the post office and the bank)
• Vivo a Los Angeles. (I live in Los Angeles)
• Le piace la pizza perché è deliziosa. (She loves pizza because it is
Delicious)
In these examples, the use of prepositions is rather straightforward though
they don’t quite resemble the ones that would be used in English.
Nevertheless, they serve the same purpose. So, do go over them as you will
certainly hear them in conversation. As you become more familiar with the
language, you will be able to gain a more intuitive sense of how they are used
in regular conversation.
Also, don’t be too concerned about getting them perfectly at first. Even if you
do make a mistake with a preposition, it is still very easy for your interlocutor
to catch the gist of what you are saying. Of course, you would still be making
a mistake. But, at least you would still achieve your goal of communicating
in Italian.
By now, we have covered a great deal of language and grammar. Most of the
language discussed thus far does not differ greatly from English. In fact, a
fair bit of it is practically the same as English. Of course, spellings and word
order vary, but on the whole, the differences are not overwhelming. As you
gain more experience with the language, you will find that developing and
intuitive feel for it is actually quite easy. Soon, you will fall in love with
Italian just as much as the rest of us.
Chapter 12: Bringing it all together
We have discussed a great deal of information regarding Italian and how you
can get started speaking this wonderful language. Yet, it might still seem
somewhat overwhelming to deal with all of this information. So, you might
be thinking about how you can sort everything out especially if you are
looking to travel soon.
The first thing to keep in mind is that you don’t have to be perfect. At least
not right away. Many folks feel that they have to get everything down cold
right away before they can actually communicate. The fact of the matter is
that Italian is not the type of language in which you have to be picture perfect
every time. In fact, you can get away with making minor mistakes here are
there. As long as you don’t choose the wrong words, you will be able to get
your message across.
Nevertheless, the ultimate goal of your Italian training is to be as perfect as
you possibly can be. The good news is that Italian is not as overly
complicated language. The flipside to that is the need for some hard work and
study. Of course, you can achieve a reasonably good level of Italian mastery
is just a few weeks.
As such, we are going to look at some ways in which you can improve your
overall skills with these study strategies.
The first strategy that we are going to discuss is time management.
In today’s busy and hectic life, it can be very challenging to find a consistent
time which you can devote and dedicate to your learning. Often, we find
ourselves struggling to set aside enough time for work, family, and leisure
activities. Also, this means that there isn’t always enough time left over for
other activities such as learning a new language.
To further complicate the issue, there are a plethora of courses, classes and
school out there. However, they require a great deal of time from you. They
require you to stop doing one thing in order for you to take on a class or
course.
That might sound like a bit too much.
It might seem like there isn’t anything else you can let go of in order to
devote time to study. The fact of the matter is that this book is a great
alternative to dropping your life to take a class. By working with this book,
you can save yourself the complications of having to go through much of the
hassle pertaining to classes and schools.
If you are to set aside just 15 minutes a day for study, you will be able to
make far more progress than you would be spending time in traffic just to go
to a class. In fact, the time that you would be spending in traffic is time you
could devote to your study of Italian.
Think about that for a moment.
Since time is such a precious commodity, it is best to use it to our advantage.
If you are unable to spare one hour out of your day to Italian study, that’s
fine. Whatever time you are able to spare, that will be meaningful time you
will be spending on improving your skills… rather than being in traffic.
In fact, this point goes back to consistency. Consistency is the one of the
most important factors to succeeding at anything. It is natural to start off
feeling excited and motivated with a new project. However, there are times
when that excitement tends to fade away thus making it hard to stay on track.
So, set aside a realistic amount of day, each day. That way, you can be sure
that when you do go over your lessons, you will be able to get the most out of
each interaction you have with this book, and the language.
The second strategy in this chapter pertains to your place of study.
This strategy goes hand in hand with the previous strategy since the amount
of time you are able to devote to your study largely depends on the place in
which you can focus and concentrate. The fact is that focus is the key to
getting the most out of each time your sit down to study.
Consequently, what is the best place to study?
The answer to that question largely depends on you and your lifestyle.
There are folks who are simply unable to sit down and focus on a task for 15
minutes at a time during their workday. They are constantly bombarded by
calls, messages, emails and other types of communication. There are others
who are under so much stress that they simply cannot concentrate even when
they are in their “down time”. Then, there are others who have a lot more
flexibility and can play around with their time and their schedule.
That being said, there are some who choose to come in 15 or 20 minutes
earlier into work so they can brush up on their lessons. Of course, this might
prove to be challenging especially if you face a long commute. When you do
have a long commute, you may have to get up rather early and take care of a
number of things before you can head out the door. Nevertheless, if you can
come in a little bit earlier, especially before everyone else begins to arrive,
you might be able to find some great quite time for practice and study.
On the subject of commutes, you may find it use to take up some of that
commuting time and use it on your Italian lessons. For some folks,
commuting time can represent anywhere from 45 minutes to over an hour for
each leg of their journey. In total, it is not uncommon to see folks who spend
over close to two hours, or more, in traffic each day.
As a matter of fact, using your commute to brush up on any subject is a very
good idea. This is one of the reasons why audio books and podcasts are so
popular nowadays. And while lots of folks would love to hold a good, old-
fashioned paper book in their hands, the fact of the matter is that it isn’t
always practical to carry paper books around. However, it is very practical
and convenient to have audio book versions of books and training materials.
In addition, audio books are great if you are driving and not taking public
transportation.
The drawback to studying during your commute is the distraction factor. This
factor is rather evident when you are taking public transportation. Often, the
noise and commotion of the crowds make it hard for some folks to
concentrate. That is perfectly understandable and not everyone can focus in
the same manner. But, if you are able to focus while coming to and from your
place of work, you may find it useful to take up this time to brush up on your
Italian.
The next strategy we are going to discuss will come in handy when you are
actually on the road and putting your Italian to the test.
Often, folks become very self-conscious when they need to communicate
with real-life people in a new country. It is perfectly natural to feel this way.
As a matter of fact, attempting to speak a new language is one of the most
intimidating things that a person can do. The reason for this is that it is
natural for people to feel insecure when attempting to communicate in a
language they don’t feel totally comfortable in.
For some folks, their naturally outgoing personality overrides these feelings.
There are people who are so extroverted that communicating in a new
language, with strangers in a foreign country, is like a game to them. While
that doesn’t mean that they don’t take it seriously, what it means is that they
enjoy the experience.
For others, it can be petrifying.
So, is there a common ground?
Absolutely!
The main thing to keep in mind is that you don’t need to be perfect. While we
have stressed that throughout this book, it is paramount that you truly keep
this in the forefront of your mind. Italian folks are so friendly and
accommodating that they will actually appreciate your attempts to speak
Italian rather than forcing them to attempt to speak English.
But there is also another approach which you can take to give yourself a leg
up. When you are getting ready to travel, it helps to plan out the various
scenarios in which you may find yourself in. For example, you may want to
prepare your interactions at customs and immigration in advance. That way,
you will have an idea of what to say when you interact with immigration and
customers officials.
Also, planning interactions can come in handy when going to a restaurant or
shopping. In these circumstances, it helps to have a good idea of what you
want to say and how you plan to say it. If you have you heart set on
purchasing a particular item, you can prepare your interaction so that you can
make an effective negotiation especially if you plan on dealing with street
vendors.
When you plan ahead, you already have an idea of what you plan to do and
say. This helps to reduce stress and anxiety. That will allow you to focus on
what you actually plan on doing and not on struggling to find what to say.
After a few successful interactions, you will begin to notice your self-
confidence growing and your skills progressively improving.
On the subject of self-confidence, please keep in mind that mistakes are
opportunities for learning new lessons. When you make a mistake, you are
simply testing out your understanding of the language. if you happen to use
the wrong verb tense or perhaps can’t find the right word; don’t worry. We
all go through the same type of experiences when starting out with a new
language.
Unless you make a catastrophic mistake which somehow lands you in jail
(highly unlikely), making mistakes should not deter you from going out there
and giving it your best. Often, all it takes is to mix up a couple of words here
and there before you see that you have absolutely nothing to worry about
when it comes to making mistakes.
One handy tip when travelling is to have phrases and words written down on
index cards. While modern technology allows us to use our smartphones for
virtually everything we could possibly need, the fact is that having old-
fashioned index cards with words and phrases written on them is a great way
of having quick reference materials. The main reason for this is that phone
batteries go dead or your materials may get lost in the shuffle among apps
and such.
By carrying out a couple of index cards in your pocket with the most
common expressions that you feel will help you out, you can feel confident
that you will always have something you can fall back on in case you get
stuck when interacting with others. This is great is you don’t have the best
memory in the world. Plus, a low-tech solution such as index cars also helps
your brain fixate new language since you need to actually sit down and write
down each of the expressions you plan on using.
Also, having a system which you can fall back on is a great way to help you
relax. Knowing that you don’t have to rely entirely on your memory is a great
way to helping you feel confident and secure in any situation. Plus, you don’t
need to feel silly about carrying your cards around. If anything, people will
be impressed by your level of diligence.
But perhaps the best strategy you can put into practice when learning and
speaking Italian is to have fun. Often, we take these types of endeavors far
too seriously. Of course, no one wants to fail at anything. And sure, you are
looking to be the best that you could possibly be. But when going about
improving your Italian skills, don’t forget to have fun. Unless your life
depends on you acing an Italian test, you can relax and make the most of the
opportunity you have to learn a new and wonderful language.
So, when you are travelling through Italy (or any region in which you need to
speak Italian), look at it as an opportunity to have fun, meet new people and
just enjoy the experience. After all, what do you have to lose?
Even if you are learning Italian because it is useful to your business and your
career, it is always important to enjoy what you are doing. If you put undue
pressure on yourself, you will end up causing more harm than good. You will
find yourself struggling to maintain a strong work ethic. Furthermore, the
stress that will build up from putting too much pressure on yourself will end
up becoming counterproductive. At the end of the day, you will find it a lot
harder to actually learn something new.
Ultimately, the main goal of learning a new language is to improve yourself.
The journey to self-improvement, while not always easy, doesn’t have to be
any harder than it actually is. By putting the strategies, tips and guidelines
which we have outlined throughout this book, into practice, you will be able
to get the most out of your Italian learning experience.
Italian culture is very laid-back and easygoing. Of course, Italians are very
hardworking folks. However, they believe in enjoying life, having a good
time and making the most of every opportunity they get to spend time with
friends and family doing the things they enjoy the most. This is why the
language reflects that easygoing nature. So, allow yourself to become fully
immersed in that easygoing nature.
Italian is the type of language which you can easily fall in love with. Its
nuances make it the kind of language which you can quickly identify yourself
with. Sure, there are plenty of other wonderful languages out there. In fact, it
is likely you have already come into contact with them. Nevertheless, Italian
is that kind of language, along with its culture and people, that grow on you
over time. Before you know it, you won’t be able to go through life without
it. This is why many folks become enamored with Italian culture, food, and
art. You will also find that Italy is such a diverse country. It is filled with
many different regions and climate. There is surely one city, or another,
which will capture your heart.
By learning Italian, you have taken a huge step in essentially tattooing Italian
heritage into your heart.
Conclusion
So, we have come to the end of this volume. But that doesn’t mean we have
come to the end of learning Italian. In fact, we are just getting warmed up. As
with any language, attaining true mastery is a process that takes time and
effort. However, the process can be significantly facilitated when you get off
to a great start.
That start is largely dependent upon your study habits. As we have stated
throughout this volume, setting aside a consistent amount of time, ideally
every day, you will be able to quickly begin to develop the habits that will
enable you to achieve a good grasp of the fundamentals. Once you have
achieved a good deal of mastery on the fundamentals, you can then use that
to springboard you into a greater level of success.
At this point then, what are the next steps?
If you haven’t already done so, please assess the time you have available to
devote to your Italian studies. You don’t need to clear your entire schedule.
In fact, you don’t even need to sit for hours on end. All you need is to find a
consistent amount of time in which you can focus on your lessons. In doing
so, your mind will progressively become attuned to thinking in Italian. Before
you know it, you will be making great strides in your mastery of this
language.
Also, try to find other Italian speakers with whom you can interact whenever
possible. While there may not be that many Italian speakers in your area, you
can always peruse social media to find groups which are devoted to learning
and practicing languages. In such groups, you may be able to make new
friends with whom you can correspond on a regular basis. Perhaps you might
even be able to skype or interact in some other manner.
You might want to look out for clubs and other cultural associations in your
area. If you live in a large metropolitan area, you may easily find such clubs
and associations. These associations are committed to the dissemination of
culture, cinema, literature and art. As a result, you might find a good way for
you to come into contact with Italian language and culture without actually
having to travel to Europe.
Furthermore, there are plenty of Italian-language resources out there which
you can use to further your practice. Everything from movies, to live
newscasts to music will all help you stay in contact with the language. If you
are prepping for an upcoming trip, watching videos and news reports on the
places you are going to visit will help you get a great feel for the places and
people with which you will come into contact.
But most of all, please bear in mind that this is all a process. Often, it can be
discouraging to find yourself struggling to make time for study and practice.
But that doesn’t mean you should quit. As long as you are able to make the
most of every opportunity you get, you will see that you have what it takes to
become a successful Italian speaker.
Please go back and review any parts of this book which you feel you need to
brush up on. Then, get out there and put your skills to the test. The worst
thing that can happen is that you have a laugh about things that didn’t go
quite as planned.
See you next time!
Glossary
In this section, we have a list of the expressions which we have learned
throughout this book. It is here for your reference. They have been organized
by category. So, that will certainly help you find what your are looking for a
lot more easily. Enjoy!
Useful expressions

English Italian
Buon giorno good morning
Buona notte good night
Buona sera good evening
Grazie Thank you
Mi dispiace I am sorry
Mi scusi excuse me
No No
Per favore Please
Prego You are welcome
Si Yes
Buona giornata! Have a great day!
Capisco benissimo I understand very well
C'è qualcuno che parla inglese? Is there anyone hear who speaks
English?
Come si chiama lei? What is your name?
Come sta? How are you?
È stato un piacere conoscerla It was a pleasure meeting you
Le presento Joe This is Joe
Mi chiamo Mary My name is Mary
Mi dispiace, ma non parlo bene I’m sorry, but I don’t speak Italian
l’italiano very well
Non c’è di che You are welcome
Non capisco I don’t understand
Parla inglese? Do you speak English?
 Piacere
Può parlare lentamente?
Scusi, che cosa ha detto?
So solo un po’ di italiano
Sto bene, grazie
It is a pleasure to meet you
Could you speak slowly?
Excuse, what did you say?
I only speak a little Italian
I am fine, thank you

Hello and Goodbye

Italian English
A domani see you tomorrow
A dopo see you later
A fra poco see you in a bit
A presto see you soon
Arrivederci goodbye
Ciao both hello and goodbye
Salve hello
Greetings

Italian English
Come stai? how are you? – informal
Come sta? how are you? – formal
Abbastanza bene, grazie Doing great, thanks
Benissimo Great
Così così so-so
Malissimo terrible; not well at all
Molto bene, grazie Very well, thanks
Non c’è male Not bad
Non mi posso lamentare can’t complain
Non sto bene; sto male I’m not well
Sto bene grazie, e tu? I’m fine, thanks. And you?
 Sto bene, grazie, e lei?
Sto bene
Va bene
Va benissimo
Va male
Va tutto bene
Expressions when travelling
Italian
Dov’è l’aeroporto?
Scusi, dov’è la banca?
Quanto dista il parco?
Dove si mangia la migliore pizza?
Come si arriva a Roma?
Expressions in an emergency
Italian
Aiuto
Chiamate la polizia
Chiamate un’ambulanza
Dov’è l’ospedale?
Emergenza
Ho bisogno di un medico
Mi sento molto male
Ho perso il mio passaporto
Sono stato rapinato
Devo contattare la mia ambasciata
Ordering in a restaurant
I’m fine, thanks. And you? – formal
I’m well
things are alright
everything’s great
Things are bad
everything’s fine
English
where is the airport?
excuse me, where is the bank?
how far is the park?
where can you eat the best pizza?
How do you get to Rome?
English
Help
call the police
call an ambulance
where is the hospital?
Emergency
I need a doctor
I feel very sick
I lost my passport
I was robbed
I need to contact my embassy
 Italian
Ci fa il conto, per favore?
Mezzo chilo di mele, per piacere.
Quali gusti?
Quanto viene?
Un bicchiere di acqua minerale per
favore
Un caffè, per favore
Un gelato de 1 euro, per favore
Una bibita
Posso avere il menu per favore?
Quali sono le vostre specialità?
Vorrei una bistecca, per favore
Vorrei un bicchiere di vino, per
favore
Vorrei una bottiglia di vino, per
favore
Cosa c'è nella zuppa?
Che cosa c’è per dessert?
Titles
English
Can we get the check, please?
A half kilo of apples, please
Which flavors?
how much does that come to?
a glass of mineral water, please
a coffee, please
a 1-Euro ice cream, please
A soda
Can I get the menu, please?
What are your specials?
I would like a steak, please
I would like a glass of wine, please
I would like a bottle of wine, please
What is in the soup?
What is for dessert?

Italian English
Signore mister, sir
Signorina Miss
Signora Madam
Professore professor, male
Professoressa professor, female
Ingegnere engineer
Dottore doctor, male
Dottoressa doctor, female

Pronunciation guide
 Character (upper and
Type Sound
lower case)
Aa Vowel /ah/
Bb Consonant /bee/
Cc Consonant /chee/
Dd Consonant /dee/
Ee Vowel /eh/
Ff Consonant /ehfeh/
Gg Consonant /gee/
Hh Consonant /akah/
Ii Vowel /ee/
Ll Consonant /eleh/
Mm Consonant /emeh/
Nn Consonant /eneh/
Oo Vowel /oh/
Pp Consonant /pee/
Qq Consonant /koo/
Rr Consonant /ereh/
Ss Consonant /eseh/
Tt Consonant /tee/
Uu Consonant /oo/
Vv Consonant /voo/
Zz Consonant /zehtah/

Country names
Italian English
Gli Stati Uniti d’America The United States of America
Il Canada Canada
Il Cile Chile
Il Galles Wales
Il Giappone Japan
L’Argentina Argentina
L’Australia Australia
L’Inghilterra England
L’Irlanda Ireland
La Cina China
La Colombia Colombia
La Francia France
La Germania Germany
La Scozia Scotland
La Spagna Spain

Days of the week

Italian English
domenica Sunday
lunedì Monday
martedì Tuesday
mercoledì Wednesday
giovedì Thursday
venerdì Friday
sabato Saturday

Months of the year

Italian English
Gennaio January
Febbraio February
Marzo March
Aprile April
Maggio May
Giugno June
Luglio July
Agosto August
Settembre September
Ottobre October
Novembre November
Dicembre December
Numbers 1 – 10

Number Italian English Pronunciation

0 zero zero /zeh-roh/
1 uno one /oo-noh/
2 due two /doo-eh/
3 tre three /treh/
4 quattro four /kwah-troh/
5 cinque five /cheen-kweh/
6 sei six /sey/
7 sette seven /seh-the/
8 otto eight /oh-toh/
9 nove nine /noh-veh/
10 dieci ten /dee-eh-chee/

Numbers 11 - 20

Number Italian English Pronunciation

11 undici eleven /oon-dee/chee/
12 dodici twelve /doh-dee-chee/
13 tredici thirteen /treh-dee-chee/
14 quattordici fourteen /kwah-tohr-dee-chee/
15 quindici fifteen /kween-dee-chee/
16 sedici sixteen /seh-dee-chee/
17 diciasette seventeen /dee-chee-ah-seh-the/
18 diciotto eighteen /dee-chee-oh-toh/
19 diciannove nineteen /dee-chee-ah-noh-veh/
 20 venti twenty /vehn-tee/

Numbers 30 – 100

Number Italian English Pronunciation

30 trenta thirty /trehn-tah/
40 quaranta forty /kwah-rahn-tah/
50 cinquanta fifty /cheen-kwahn-tah/
60 sessanta sixty /seh-sahn-tah/
70 settanta seventy /seh-tahn-tah/
80 ottanta eighty /oh-tahn-tah/
90 novanta ninety /noh/vahn-tah/
100 cento one hundred /chehn-toh/

Numbers 200 – 1,000

Number Italian English

200 duecento two hundred
300 trecento three hundred
400 quattrocento four hundred
500 cinquecento five hundred
600 seicento six hundred
700 settecento seven hundred
800 ottocento eight hundred
900 novecento nine hundred
1,000 mille One thousand

Numbers 2000 – 10,000

Number Italian English

2,000 duemila two thousand
3,000 tremila three thousand
4,000 quattromila four thousand
 5,000 cinquemila five thousand
6,000 seimila six thousand
7,000 settemila seven thousand
8,000 ottomila eight thousand
9,000 novemila nine thousand
10,000 diecimila ten thousand

Time and dates

Che giorno è oggi? What day is it today

Oggi è lunedi Today is Monday
Quando è il tuo compleanno? When is your birthday?
Il mio compleanno è il dodici My birthday is September 12th
settembre.
Sono le quattordici it’s 14 hours
Sono le tre it’s three hours
É mezzogiorno it’s midday
É mezzanotte it’s midnight
Sono le diciasette e un quarto. It’s 17 hours and a quarter
Sono le otto meno cinque it’s five to twenty

Time of day

Italian English
Mattina Morning
Pomeriggio Afternoon
Sera evening
Notte night

Verb “essere” in the present

Italian English
Io sono I am
Tu sei You are, singular
Lui è He is
Lei è She is
Noi siamo We are
Voi siete You are, plural
Loro sono They are

Verb “essere” in the past

Italian English
Io ero I was
Tu eri you were, singular
Lui era he was
Lei era she was
Noi eravamo we were
Voi eravate you were, plural
Loro erano they were

Verb “essere” in the future

Italian English
Io sarò I will be
Tu sarai you will be, singular
Lui sarà he will be
Lei sarà she will be
Noi saremo we will be
Voi sarete you will be, plural
Loro saranno they will be

Verb conjugation chart

 Subject ARE ERE IRE
Io o o o
Tu i i i
Lui a e e
Lei a e e
Noi iamo iamo iamo
Voi ate ete ite
Loro ano ono ono

Irregular verb chart

Subject Andare Avere Dare Fare Stare

Io vado ho do faccio sto
tu vai hai dai fai stai
lui va ha dà fa sta
lei va ha dà fa sta
noi andiamo abbiamo diamo facciamo stiamo
voi andate avete date fate state
loro vanno hanno danno fanno stanno

Colors

Singular Plural English

Arancione Arancioni Orange
Bianco Bianchi/Bianca White
Blu Blu Blue
Giallo Gialli/Gialle Yellow
Marrone Marroni Brown
Nero Neri/nere Black
Rosa Rosa Pink
Rosso Rossi/Rosse Red
Verde Verdi Green
 Viola Viola Purple

Personal characteristics

Italian English
Accomodante easygoing
Affidabile trustworthy
Aggressivo aggressive
Amichevole friendly
Ansioso anxious
Artistico artistic
Attento careful
Attivo active
Brillante smart
Buffo funny
Calmo calm
Coraggioso courageous
Creativo creative
Diligente diligent
Divertente humorous
Educato polite
Emotive emotional
Energico energetic
Entusiasta enthusiastic
Estroverso extroverted
Forte strong
Generoso generous
Gentile kind
Indeciso hesitant
Ingenuo naïve
Introverso introverted
 Laborioso hardworking
Noioso boring
Onesto honest
Paziente patient
Pigro lazy
Riflessivo thoughtful
Romantico romantic
Serio serious
Timido shy

Adverbs

Italian English
Ancora still
Attorno around
Bene good, well
Contro against
Dentro in, inside
Dietro behind
Dopo after
Già already
Inoltre moreover
Insieme together
Male bad, badly
Sempre always
Mai never
A volte sometimes
Frequentemente frequently
Raramente seldom
Normalmente normally
Regolarmente regularly
Generalmente generally
 Sfortunatamente unfortunately

Interrogative adverbs

Italian English
Che what
Chi who
Come how
Come mai how come
Dove where
Perché why
Quando when
Quanto how much / how many
Description
Have you ever wanted to learn Italian?
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Here is a breakdown of what is covered in this text:
• Full pronunciation guide including tips on vowels, consonants,
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verb “essere” in the past, present and future.
• A guide to the proper usage of nouns, articles, adjectives, adverbs
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• An introductory guide on the proper syntax of Italian sentences.
• The proper usage of questions words
• Some short conversations and plenty use practical phrases which
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 • How to order in a restaurant, ask for help in an emergency, deal
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