Italian language, Italy, independent study of the Italian language. How to learn Italian from scratch on your own? Educational Italian
Whatever you say, learning a foreign language from scratch is still a lot of work! Especially mental and, most often, emotional. This is exactly what happened for me. During my school years, like many others, I began to study English. It was primitive, at the level of knowledge of the alphabet, personal pronouns, standard phrases like “My name is Natasha” and “I live in Moscow” or scanty poems about the fact that I have eyes and I can see a book and a pen in front of me, I see the ceiling and floor, I see a window and a door. You know, many years have passed, but I still remember the poem. Apparently the weekly repetition worked. And what?
I’m ashamed, but when I first came abroad, I couldn’t communicate with foreigners. At all. No way. Well, just hello, goodbye and thank you. This was the maximum.
I was eaten up by a feeling of shame, because next to me there is a sister who speaks excellent English, German, Spanish and Portuguese. And every conversation we had with her ended with the optimistic phrase on her part, “Learn English!” But I didn't want to. I had no desire for this.
In the worst weather in the summer of 2010, I left for Italy. Two weeks of walks through the most beautiful cities: Rome, Milan, Florence, Naples. We looked under the road from one city to another. Graceful “Roman Holiday” with Audrey Hepburn, exciting “The Italian Job” with greetings from Venice, sunny shots of “Under the Tuscan Sun”, which have become the most beloved and symbolic images of Italy. In the evenings in a small room (oh, this piccolo!) I turned on the Italian TV channel Rai and listened, listened, listened...
However, I didn’t start learning Italian on my own right away. Several important and fateful meetings took place, which turned into golden keys to the door to the world called “Italian language”. I share these “meetings” with you. Heartily.
A young man with the interesting name Zhivko greets hotel guests with a wide, disarming smile. A melodious Italian conversation flows around, and in pure Russian he invites you to sit down: “Welcome to Italy! Coffee?" And within a few minutes a steaming, aromatic cup of espresso appears on the tiny table. This is how my Italian morning began at the Playa Hotel, located on the Viserbella promenade, which is a 10-minute drive from the city. July that year turned out to be very hot, even in the morning hours the Italians themselves hid under awnings, miniature umbrellas and behind bar counters. “Just like at my house,” Zhivko admits, and this is where our acquaintance begins.
At the Playa Hotel, which mainly hosts Italians and only a few rooms are usually occupied by visiting foreigners, everyone speaks their own language. English does not help in communication; in Italian at that time I could only say 2 words – Ciao and Grazie. Therefore, it was Zhivko who became my personal translator. I was alone in the Russian hotel.
Later we met him in the hotel restaurant. On a separate table, assigned to me for the entire rest period, there was a menu. Of course, everything is in Italian. Under each name of the dish, Zhivko wrote a translation in pencil. Even if there are mistakes, such attention is still worth a lot.
I remember one day I really wanted milk. Still, coffee in the morning, afternoon and evening is unusual for me. “Milk is a latte,” Zhivko explained and smiled again.
I remember those days with warmth, because each of us may find ourselves in a situation where in a foreign country you simply need a person nearby who can speak your native language. I already have it. Although now we will be able to speak Italian. If you ever find yourself in the Viserbella area, say hello to Zhivko from Moscow.
And another inspiration from the Italian language
I don’t remember exactly what TV season, Channel One started showing the show “Ice Age,” in which pairs of professionals and amateurs skated on the ice. Among them was my favorite couple. They performed one of the program numbers to the amazing and probably most famous song (Adriano Celentano) “Confessa”. The performance itself under the spotlight was mesmerizing, but I was even more captivated by this amazing hoarse voice. Can you guess what I wanted to do? First, understand what this song is about. And, secondly, sing it yourself. But for this you needed to know Italian.
And then one day, one warm summer evening, I made up my mind. Okay, I'll learn English! Because it is necessary. And I will learn Italian. Because I want to. This difference between “need” and “want” played a very important role for me. I know the second language better than the first.
Don't force yourself, friends! Let learning a new language bring satisfaction and joy from what you get. And, most importantly, teach for yourself, not for others. After all, how nice it is to hear the words “Brava!” in response to small but successful attempts to pronounce a phrase in Italian.
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This site is dedicated to self-learning Italian from scratch. We will try to make it the most interesting and useful for everyone who is interested in this beautiful language and, of course, Italy itself.Interesting about the Italian language.
History, facts, modernity.
Let's start with a few words about the modern status of the language; it is obvious that Italian is the official language in Italy, the Vatican (simultaneously with Latin), in San Marino, but also in Switzerland (in its Italian part, the canton of Ticino) and in Several districts in Croatia and Slovenia, where a large Italian-speaking population lives, Italian is also spoken by some of the residents on the island of Malta.
Italian dialects - will we understand each other?
In Italy itself, even today you can hear many dialects, sometimes it is enough to travel only a few tens of kilometers to encounter another of them.Moreover, dialects are often so different from each other that they can seem like completely different languages. If people from, for example, the northern and central Italian “outback” meet, they may not even be able to understand each other.
What is especially interesting is that some dialects, in addition to the oral form, also have a written form, such as the Neopolitan, Venetian, Milanese and Sicilian dialects.
The latter exists, accordingly, on the island of Sicily and is so different from other dialects that some researchers distinguish it as a separate Sardinian language.
However, in everyday communication and, especially, in large cities, you are unlikely to experience any inconvenience, because... Today, dialects are spoken mainly by older people in rural areas, while young people use the correct literary language, which unites all Italians, the language of radio and, of course, television.
It may be mentioned here that until the end of the Second World War, modern Italian was only a written language, used by the ruling class, scientists and in administrative institutions, and it was television that played a big role in the spread of the common Italian language among all inhabitants.
How it all began, origins
The history of the formation of modern Italian, as we all know it, is closely connected with the history of Italy and, of course, no less fascinating.Origins - in Ancient Rome, everything was in the Roman language, commonly known as Latin, which at that time was the official state language of the Roman Empire. Later, from Latin, in fact, the Italian language and many other European languages arose.
Therefore, knowing Latin, you can understand what a Spaniard is saying, plus or minus a Portuguese, and you can even understand part of the speech of an Englishman or a Frenchman.
In 476, the last Roman emperor, Romulus Augustulus, abdicated the throne after the capture of Rome by the German leader Odocar, this date is considered the end of the Great Roman Empire.
Some also call it the end of the “Roman language”, however, even today disputes still rage as to why exactly the Latin language lost its relevance, because of the capture of the Roman Empire by barbarians or was it a natural process and in what language? spoken towards the end of the Roman Empire.
According to one version, in ancient Rome by this time, along with Latin, the spoken language was already widespread, and it is from this popular language of Rome that the Italian that we know as Italian of the 16th century comes from, according to the second version, in connection with the invasion of the barbarians Latin mixed with various barbarian languages and dialects, and it is from this synthesis that the Italian language originates.
Birthday - first mention
The year 960 is considered the birthday of the Italian language. This date is associated with the first document where this “proto-vernacular language” is present - vulgare, these are court papers related to the land litigation of the Benedictine Abbey, witnesses used this particular version of the language so that the testimony would be understandable to as many people as possible, until this moment in all official papers we can only see Latin.And then there was a gradual spread in the ubiquitous life of the language vulgare, which translates as the people's language, which became the prototype of the modern Italian language.
However, the story does not end there, but only becomes more interesting and the next stage is associated with the Renaissance and with such well-known names as Dante Alighiere, F. Petrarch, G. Boccaccio and others.
to be continued...
On line translator
I suggest that all guests of my blog use a convenient and free Italian online translator.If you need to translate a couple of words or a short phrase from Russian to Italian or vice versa, you can use the little translator on the sidebar of the blog.
If you want to translate large text or need other languages, use the full version of the online dictionary, where there are more than 40 languages on a separate blog page - /p/onlain-perevodchik.html
Italian language tutorial
I present a new separate section for all students of the Italian language - Italian language self-instruction manual for beginners.Making a blog into a full-fledged Italian tutorial is, of course, not easy, but I try to give the most convenient and logical sequence of interesting online lessons so that you can learn Italian on your own.
There will also be a section - an audio tutorial, where, as you might guess, there will be lessons with audio applications that can be downloaded or listened to directly on the site.
How to choose an Italian language tutorial, where to download it, or how to study it online, you will find information about this in my posts.
By the way, if anyone has ideas or suggestions on how best to organize such a tutorial on our Italian blog, be sure to write to me.
Italian on Skype
Secrets of how you can learn Italian on Skype for free, whether you always need a native speaker, how to choose a teacher, how much it costs to learn Italian via Skype, how not to waste your time and money - read about all this in the section “Italian language on Skype.”Come in, read and make the right choice!
Italian phrasebook
Free, Fun, with a native speaker - a section for those who want to learn words and phrases on certain topics.Join, listen, read, learn - voiced Italian phrasebook for tourists, shopping, airport, everyday situations and much more
In chapter "
1. Basic textbook.
First you need to choose a good textbook. The textbook should be simple and preferably with explanations in Russian. You should not download a large number of books. There will be a mess in your head and this will not lead to the desired result. If the textbook is written only in Italian, then many questions may arise.
My advice:
Carlo Anchidei “Ciao, Italia! Hello Italy!". The textbook is sold in two formats with a disk. Explanations of grammar and assignments are given in Russian.
2. A reference book on grammar and a collection of exercises on grammar.
Since the exercises in the main textbook are not enough, a good grammar reference book and a collection of exercises are needed to reinforce the material.
My advice:
1. Maria Anna Zellner “A Brief Grammar of the Italian Language.”
2. Tommaso Bueno “Italiano Contemporaneo” with answers.
3. Workbook for the textbook Alberto Mazzetti, Marina Falcinelli, Bianca Servadio “Qui Italia”. Workbook answers sold separately.
3. A collection of stories for reading and retelling.
To consolidate grammar and better memorize words, you need to read. To begin with, let these be adapted books and books marked A1 (entry level).
My advice:
1. Tommaso Bueno “Conversational Italian”. The textbook contains many short stories with exercises. Some publishers also come with an audio disc.
2. Reading book by A.De Giuli, C.M.Naddeo “Dov’è Yukio”.
4. Listening aid.
You also need to listen a lot to get used to Italian speech.
My advice:
1.Galuzina.S.O. “Italian in dialogues” with translation into Russian.
channels in Russian:
6. Italian radio.
It doesn't matter if at first you don't understand what they are saying. However, you will gradually accustom your ear to fast Italian speech! Listen to the radio daily. In order to listen to the radio on the Internet, live, just find the panel ascolta la diretta.
7. Italian friends on Facebook and Vkontakte.
There are many Italian language groups and language exchange groups.
My advice:
1. Group SCAMBIO LINGUISTICO ITALIANO-RUSSO on Facebook. ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/tandem.russo/?fref=ts).
You can post an ad for free and study with native speakers via Skype..
2. Tandem Linguistico Facebook group. ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/415742245142790/?fref=ts)
3.Group “Doing Italian lessons)))”( https://www.facebook.com/groups/604638553011449/) on Facebook. Great group for beginners.
8.Video about the culture of Italy.
Along with grammar, it is necessary to study the culture of Italy in order to be able to support a conversation on any topic.
My advice:
1.BOOT TV. SAPOG TV is the first Russian-language TV channel that tells about Italy in 360 degrees.
9. Dictionary and visual dictionary.
You will also need dictionaries for studying.
My advice:
2.Visual dictionary with workbook to improve your vocabulary. I recommend T. Marin’s manual “Vocabolario Visuale” with a workbook.
10. Phrasebook by topic.
And, of course, you need to learn how to talk about the simplest topics: hotel, restaurant, shopping, etc.
My advice:
1. The book “Come si dice” with the most necessary topics for a trip to Italy without a disc.
2. Phrasebook “Italian in 1 hour” with CD and transcription in Russian.
If it is difficult to study on your own, you can use the services of a tutor.
The optimal number of lessons per week is 2. However, you can take 1 lesson per week. The tutor will correct your mistakes, help bring your knowledge into the system, give advice and encouragement!
Now for a great quote for motivation!
Quote from James Clavell's book Shogun:
-What's going on here, Mariko-san?
“Mr. Yabu explained to them that you are an honored guest, invested with the special trust of Toranaga, that you are here mainly to learn our language. The village is responsible, Anjin-san, for your training. Everyone here should help you. He told them that if within six months they did not teach you to speak Japanese well, the village would be burned, and before that, all the men, women and children would be crucified.
And finally, a wonderful video from a blogger Maria Alexeeva
“Foreign languages: how to memorize words and practice skills”:
And also remember that there is no universal way to learn Italian or any other foreign language.
To learn, you need to teach.
Learn every day. As I said Natasha Cooper, a simultaneous English translator, in one of his videos: “You need to put language into your daily routine.”
Study every day, approach the learning process creatively and with pleasure, and you will succeed.
A presto, Italyanochka. Italia Fai da Te.
LECTURES (LESSONS) ONLINE LEZIONI ONLINE
Is it possible to study Italian on your own? Grammar lectures and online lessons will help you learn Italian for free. Free online course for beginners.Each online lesson includes grammar with examples, grammar exercises, texts and dialogues in Italian and vocabulary development.
concept of article, definite and indefinite article singular, regular verbs, conjugation of verbs of the first, second and third conjugation.
letter combinations chi, che. Articles in the plural. Irregular verbs dare, stare, andare. Verbs ending -CARE, -GARE
agreement of adjectives and nouns in gender and number. Verbs dare and are. Question words. Prepositions a, per, da.
Special cases of pronunciation. Auxiliary verbs ESSERE, AVERE. Turns c"è / ci sono. Ordinal and cardinal numbers. Arithmetic operations and numbers in Italian. Count in Italian.
Personal pronouns. Combined forms of preposition and article (preposition + article). Using the prepositions a and di with verbs and nouns.
Acquaintance. Greeting and parting formulas. Truncating verbs, nouns, adjectives.
Verbs of the second and third conjugation. Ordinal and cardinal numbers (tens, hundreds, thousands). Dates. Merging of prepositions di, su with articles.
Word hyphenation rules. Irregular verbs of the second conjugation. Modal verbs dovere, potere, volere, sapere. Indefinite adjectives and pronouns ogni, qualche, alcuno, qualcuno, qualcosa. Possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns mio, tuo, suo, nostro, vostro, loro. Rules for using the article. Adverb, adjective and pronoun molto, poco.
Irregular verbs of the second conjugation: venire, tenere, salire, rimanere, bere, uscire. Stressed and unstressed personal pronouns (me, te, mi, ti, lo, la, le, li, ci, vi). Reflexive verbs. Formation of the plural of adjectives and nouns ending in -co, -go, -ca, -ga (-che, -ghe, -chi, -ghi).
Indefinite adjective tutto. What time is it now. Stressed and unstressed forms of the verb piacere. Adverbs anche, neanche, nemmeno.
Regular verbs in difficult tenses. Past tense (nearest past) passato prossimo. Transitive and intransitive verbs. Unstressed forms of personal pronouns in the past tense. Reflexive past tense verbs. Choosing an auxiliary verb in passato prossimo. Article meanings. Basic meanings of the definite article.
Italian language – one of the most beautiful and romantic languages in the world. One has only to listen to the speech of the Italians, and peace of mind immediately comes, the heart is filled with joy and peace.
Where to start learning Italian?
To begin with, I propose to determine for yourself why you need the Italian language.
- For tourism. Everything is much simpler here. You can only master elementary level , that is A1-A2. You will take all the necessary vocabulary (“Getting acquainted”, “What do you do in life?”, “How did you spend your vacation?”, “Shopping”, “In the city”, etc.). From the grammar topics you study present time (il presente indicativo), complete past tense (il passato prossimo), Future tense (il futuro semplice). You can take one more past L'imperfetto (descriptive past tense). And you can safely go to Italy.
- "Just" , that is, you just want to start learning a language. Perhaps you chose Italian because of its beauty and simplicity, as many believe. , and then decide whether you like it or not.
- You are a polyglot. Let's learn the structure of the language and have fun!
- Studies. On the website of many Italian universities you can find information about what level is needed. Basically the minimum level AT 2 and higher. A lot of preparation awaits you. Italian grammar is far from simple. You will have to study a lot, read a lot, write a lot and talk a lot. You may need to find an experienced teacher.
Learn Italian online on your own
If you decide to learn the language on your own, then you probably have the question “Where to start learning Italian?” Looking for a suitable channel on Youtube or buy some books “from scratch”. If you are lucky enough to find the right material the first time, you will find the learning process easy, and you will be happy to continue learning this beautiful language.The main thing is not to rest on your laurels, but to constantly strive to improve your acquired skills.
Where I prepare step-by-step video lessons with exercises.
Introduce language into your life!
Join various Italian conversation clubs.Spend at least 15 minutes daily studying the language.
The advantage of this method is that you can find pen pals with any level of Italian proficiency. This approach will be especially interesting to those who do not have the opportunity to observe with their own eyes the life and everyday life of Italians.
Italian online or with a tutor?
Individual lessons in language acquisition are of enormous benefit. Contact a tutor to quickly understand a new language. Don't underestimate the value of even a couple of lessons a week.
Your tutor can be either a teacher from a linguistic university or a student who speaks the language at a sufficient level.
Online help from a tutor will also come in handy. Classes with a teacher are possible via Skype or other instant messengers.
The benefits of Italian media resources
Films in Italian, which you will watch first with subtitles and then without, will help improve your speech and improve your understanding.
The best motivation is that the faster you understand the language, the faster you will learn what the actors want to convey to you.
Language practice in Italy
As you know, to better master a language, you need to spend as much time as possible in the country of native speakers.
Check with your institution for information regarding student exchange programs.
If your profession is related to the arts or agriculture, you can learn Italian while working in the country.
While in Italy, try not to speak English, even if native speakers will not mind giving in to you. Good practice is the key to successfully overcoming the language barrier.
Italian language - what is its peculiarity?
Italian differs from other European languages primarily in that it leads in the number of speakers. However, it is officially recognized as the main one only in Italy.
In addition, the Italian language has intuitive word formation; students quickly learn the rules of division into genders, the formation of tenses, and conjugations.
Once you have mastered the Italian language online and strengthened your skills in practice, you will be able to freely talk about your life and hobbies. See for yourself that talking with Italians is much easier than it might seem!