It's finally 2022 and I am sure everyone is eager to start on their resolutions, get their goals achieved, and conquering 2022.
For many, learning a language is probably one of the most common resolutions, so why not learn one of the most beautiful languages in the world aka Italian?
Having Italian as my mother tongue, and being a polyglot, I want to share with you some good practical ways to learn Italian fast.
Prepare a weekly schedule- If you are a DIY person, you should schedule one hour a day to go over topics you are unsure of or you are weak on such as grammar, pronunciation, conversation, and so forth. By keeping a schedule, you will force yourself to be disciplined and constant. The challenge of this is that you need to keep yourself motivated. Therefore, never lose focus of your end game and stick to this rigorous schedule until you are proficient in the little things you are uncomfortable with. I also suggest keeping a daily log to see the progress of your learning.
Sign up for Italki as a student - There are many online platforms that became very popular during the pandemic, and one of them is Italki. Italki is a very popular app where you can choose the language you want to learn at the convenience of your time and within your budget. You can find plenty of teachers who can provide you with lessons based on your needs.
Connect with the Italian culture- Learning a language is never enough. You need to learn about the culture, customs, and traditions of a country. One way to do this is by connecting with real Italian people. Either you find a conversational Italian friend or you move directly to Italy. Again a place to find Italian people to learn about the culture is Italki.
Watch vlogs in Italian- Vlogs are an easy way to learn a language. Not only do you focus on the daily usage of the lingo, but you also learn the authentic and spontaneous way of learning a language by focusing on pronunciation, picking up popular phrases, and more. There are plenty of Italian Youtubers. You can simply Google them and find one that shares the same interests as you, so at least you have a reason to watch them.
Watch shows on Netflix in Italian- If the pandemic hit you really hard and got you demotivated, then why not engage in a passive way of learning a language by watching your favorite tv shows in Italian? Netflix has an international list of TV shows all in their original languages. You can choose anything nowadays and just learn from the comfort of your home.
Read Italian Stories - If you are a book lover, Amazon has many books by authors that write short Italian stories. Some of them are usually accompanied by a translation and English audio; One of the authors I would recommend is Olly Richards who writes many short stories in different languages for anyone who is learning a language.
Learning a language should be an ongoing process. The key to success is indeed using it as much as possible. This list is not exhaustive. We have podcasts, music, and articles which are also a fun way of learning a language. So keep on learning and maybe one day you can lead your "la dolce vita" while enjoying an excellent gelato in the Mediterranean sea or even devouring a succulent plate of pasta like me in this picture :P
