How To Learn Italian Quickly: A Student’s Journey with Scuola Di Lingua Italiana

I want to share my journey of how I learned Italian quickly, thanks to the incredible support of Scuola Di Lingua Italiana and my own passion and persistence. 

If you’re thinking about learning Italian, my story might help you find the best way to speed up your learning and really enjoy the process.

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Choose The Right Italian Lessons And Courses

They used to tell me everyday, “Prince, Tu devi parlare, parlare e parlare….” (You have to Speak, speak and speak…)

In the beginning I used to think that how can i speak when i don’t know the language yet. Now, I understand that speaking more unlocks the fear and gives a scope to expand the confidence. 

The course gave me a strong foundation in grammar and vocabulary. But more importantly, it built my confidence. 

Knowing that I could ask questions, make mistakes, and get immediate feedback made all the difference.

I recommend finding a school or course nearby your house so that you don’t skip the lessons. You can also join online courses that will balance the theory and practice and push you to communicate actively. This will help you avoid common beginner frustrations and accelerate your learning.

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How Do I Study Italian By Myself ? That you can follow

Even with great lessons, I knew that learning a language means much more than classroom time. That’s why I dedicated myself to learning Italian outside of class too.

Here’s what worked for me:

• Obsess over vocabulary: I used Duolingo daily to learn new words, but I didn’t stop there. Whenever I see objects around my apartment that I don’t know how to say in Italian I quickly jump on the Google Translator and find the word instantly and repeat the word loudly so that i can remember.  Then I try to use that word in the sentences. 

• Listen constantly: I listened to Italian podcasts every day in my free time like while cooking or cleaning the room, even though I didn’t understand anything in the beginning. I was listening because I wanted to know about the Italian accent, like how Italians actually speak. It helped me to get used to the rhythm and sounds of the Italian language. 

• Practice with native speakers: I made it a point to visit local coffee shops or McDonald’s and order in Italian. Started with just “ Buongiorno, Vorrei Un Caffè, Per favore”. The baristas are usually patient and friendly, and talking to them helped me improve my speaking and listening skills.
  
• Stay humble and curious: I was never afraid to admit when I didn’t understand and always asked for help or clarification. Sometimes they speak too fast that I don’t understand, so I usually say “Può ripetere per favore?” ( Could you please repeat? )
  

Self-study, combined with my school lessons, made my progress much much faster.

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How Quickly Can I Learn Italian?

This is a question I often get: “Prince, how long did it take you to learn Italian?”

The truth is, it depends on how much time and effort you put in. For me, after two years of consistent study and practice, I reached a comfortable conversational level.

But I noticed big improvements within the first six months when I was fully dedicated. I had a routine that I will read one page of Italian everyday. 

By reading one page a day my knowledge on vocabulary was improving a lot. It improved my understanding of real life conversation. 

In my opinion: The key is daily practice — even if you can dedicate only just 15-30 minutes a day — and mixing different learning methods: courses, apps, podcasts, speaking, and reading you will improve Italian quickly.

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Learn Vocabulary Every Single Day

Vocabulary is the backbone of any language learning. I found that learning just a few words every day and immediately using them in conversations helped me remember them better.

For example, when I went grocery shopping, I tried to think of the Italian words for everything I picked up. I wrote new words down and reviewed them regularly. This made vocabulary learning a natural part of my daily routine.

Using apps like Duolingo was helpful for structured vocabulary learning like from easy to hard ones. But nothing beats real-life practice, trust me.

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How to Practice Italian?

Practice was essential to my success. Here are some practical ways I practiced Italian:

• Speak with locals: Not only I was going to the school but also I joined a local Gym and regularly chatted with Italians. Besides, I made many friends in my local Area they helped me to learn more.
  
• Listen to Italian media: I personally use YouTube to play podcasts and other content that interests me like product reviews and other stuff. Also when you scroll TikTok or Instagram try to watch Italian speaking contents that will help you a lot.
  
• Watch Italian films and series: Shows like L’amica Geniale helped me learn everyday language and culture. I also watch many episodes of MacGyver in the Pluto App which you can download now. It’s free!
  
• Write daily: I kept a journal in Italian, writing about my day or new things I learned. You should start writing even with the simple words that you already know. And try to add more new words slowly.
  

Most importantly, I embraced mistakes and learned from them. Italians appreciate when you try to speak, even imperfectly.

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Tips To Learn Italian Quickly

Here are the top tips I learned along the way:

1. Set small, clear goals: 

Trying to “become fluent” is overwhelming. Instead, I broke things down into small wins.

Example:

• Learn 5 new words a day (I’d write them on sticky notes or save them in a note-taking app).
  
• Have a 5-minute conversation in Italian with a barista or classmate.
  
• Watch a 10-minute video and write down 3 new phrases I heard.
  
• Learn how to order food confidently at a restaurant.
  

By stacking these small goals daily, I was making real progress without burning out.

2. Immerse Yourself:

Immersion isn’t just living in Italy — it’s about surrounding yourself with the language, even during daily tasks.

What I Did:

• Changed my phone, laptop, and apps like Instagram and WhatsApp to Italian. Yes, even Google Maps!
  
• Subscribed to Italian YouTube channels like “LearnAmo” or Italian vloggers who speak naturally.
  
• Played Italian music while cooking or commuting — artists like Ultimo, Laura Pausini, or Mahmood helped me learn casually.
  
• Switched my Netflix shows to Italian audio and Italian subtitles — even for shows I’d already watched in English.
  

It felt tough at first, but it slowly trained my brain to think in Italian.

3. Use Multiple Tools:

No one method is enough. You need a mix of strategies to learn faster.

My Language Learning Stack:

• Courses at Scuola Di Lingua Italiana: My base. Structured, interactive lessons with real feedback.
  
• Duolingo: Great for daily vocabulary and gamifying the basics.
  
• Memrise: Helped me with pronunciation and real-world expressions.
  
• Podcasts like Coffee Break Italian or ItalianPod101: I listened while walking or washing dishes.
  
• HelloTalk: I spoke with native Italians, and they corrected my messages — pure gold for improvement.
  

Every tool supported a different part of the journey: speaking, listening, reading, grammar, or confidence.

4. Speak Out Lout Everyday:

This was a game-changer. Speaking is where most learners hesitate — but it’s the most important skill.

What I Did:

• Practiced talking to myself in Italian at home. Yes, it sounds weird — but it works.
  
  
  “Cosa mangio oggi? Forse preparo un po’ di pasta…”
  
  
• Repeated phrases I heard from videos or conversations. I mimicked intonation and rhythm.
  
• Described things I saw around me: “La sedia è rossa.” “Il cielo è nuvoloso.”
  

You don’t need a partner to practice speaking. You need a voice — and you’ve already got that!

5. Be Patient And Consistent:

There were days I felt stuck. I forgot words. I made embarrassing mistakes. That’s part of it.

But I reminded myself that I’m here for just 1 year and speaking good. It took 10 years to learn English so It’s okay to be embarrassed and make mistakes.

What Helped:

• Accepting slow days without guilt.
  
• Focusing on progress, not perfection.
  
• Celebrating small wins: understanding a full sentence in a song, or making someone laugh in Italian.
  

One day, it just “clicked.” Suddenly I could understand conversations, reply naturally, and joke around. But it only came because I kept going.

6. Get Feedback:

I used to be afraid of looking silly. But every time I made a mistake and got corrected — I learned faster.

My Approach:

• I asked native speakers (in cafés, meetups, or online) to correct me gently.
  
• Joined language exchanges in my city — super casual and low-pressure.
  
• Took advantage of my teachers at Scuola Di Lingua Italiana — I asked a lot of questions and practiced in class as much as I could.
  

Pro Tip: Say “Correggimi, per favore” — it means “Please correct me.” Italians appreciate the effort, and they’ll help you learn kindly.

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Best Books To Learn Italian

Here are some books I found useful:

• Facile Facile A0 – A12— perfect for beginners.
  
• Italian Grammar Drills by Paola Nanni-Tate — great for practicing grammar.
  
• Children’s books like Pinocchio — fun and simple to read.
  

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Best Apps To Learn Italian Fast

I used these apps daily:

• Duolingo: For vocabulary and grammar basics.
  
• Babbel: Great for conversational phrases.
  
• Memrise: Helps with memorization.
  
• HelloTalk: For chatting with native speakers.
  

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Best Films To Watch And Learn

Watching Italian movies helped me understand the language naturally:

• La Vita è Bella (Life is Beautiful)
  
• Cinema Paradiso
  
• Il Postino
  
• TV series like L’amica Geniale (My Brilliant Friend)
  

Using subtitles at first helped me follow along, but over time I relied less on them.

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Practice, Practice, Practice…

The most important lesson I learned is this: consistent practice is the key to success. The more you use Italian in your daily life, the faster you’ll improve.

Thanks to the lessons at school with Carla & Graziana and my dedication to learning every day, I’m now confident speaking Italian in work, social settings, and even while watching movies without subtitles.If you want to start your own journey, I highly recommend finding a school like Scuola Di Lingua Italiana that supports you with quality courses and immerses you in the language from day one.