My 365 Day Quest to Becoming Fluent in Italian

10 Ways to Get You on The Road to Fluency!

When I traveled to Italy for the first time (I was 19), my mom said, “Whatever you do, don’t tell anyone you are Sicilian!” This, of course, was the exact opposite of what I was planning to do.  Me!?!— the girl who can’t talk without using my hands, who sweats olive oil & garlic, and who will argue that “The Godfather” was a life-changing masterpiece with some of the most quotable lines, unforgettable scenes, and a truly signature song. 

Truth be told, I am half Siciliana and half Piedmontese and I embrace all of my Italianness, which is why I have always wanted to become fluent in Italian.  When I was at UC Berkeley, I enrolled in Italian as a freshman, studied all four years, and even spent a semester abroad in Firenze (Florence, Italy). But after graduation, as the years went on, I started to forget what I’d learned. Both my grandfathers (and all of my great grandparents …) were born in Italy, but they only spoke Italian when they didn’t want my parents or us to know what they were saying.  My maternal and paternal grandfathers came over from Italy at a time when immigrants wanted to blend in and not be seen as foreigners. Nowadays, being considered an “alien” (as noted on ship passenger lists and other documents) is the thing I searched for as I also began my quest for dual citizenship. (Good news, I have four lines from which to apply.)

So, I am not sure why I didn’t start my re-adventures in fluency sooner, especially during Covid—perhaps I spent too much time binging Netflix?!?!—but in August 2022, I decided it was time. The inspiration? My friend Meghan mentioned that a colleague of hers practiced just 30 minutes a day re-learning French, and voilà, a year later, he was beyond conversational. All it took was setting a goal, and finding creative ways to stick to it.  I figured, I have a solid foundation so “Andiamo!” (Let’s Go!) 

1. Figure out where you are in your learning curve! I took an exam with Istituto Italiano Scuola in San Francisco and got placed in a mid-level class. I signed up for a course and I am now in my 3rd semester.  My classmates have continued on as well, and they know that every week I’ll have “un fatto interessante da condividere” (an interesting fact to share) and a new wine recommendation! See numero otto (number 8).

2. I found a tutor on Preply.com. While I had never tried it before, I recommend this platform to anyone who wants to practice Italian (or any other language).  My tutor Claudia, who is based in Rome, is now one of the people I most look forward to speaking with every Wednesday! I think the hardest part of learning a new language is being OK with making mistakes—and she makes it easy to have a conversation without judging. She is supportive and offers corrections that keep our conversation flowing. My advice: don’t worry, have a glass of wine, and find as many ways to speak with native speakers as possible. 

3. Much to my husband’s surprise (or rather, shock!), I changed all of our Netflix settings to “Italian,” both audio and subtitles. Watch movies, series, whatever you can in Italian. And, watch your favorite films (originally made in English), but adjust to use subtitles and hear audio in Italian.  I’ll tell you, it works! And, got a kick out of “Bridgerton,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” and most recently, “The Proposal” in Italian. PS. Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock are talented and sexy in any language!

4. I work out or walk for 30-60 minutes a day while listening to Italian podcasts or radio. Some of those that have helped me advance include: “Coffee Break Italian” and “Italian Grammar Made Easy.”  Check out Spotify which has a number of great options!

5. Eat (and drink!) at Italian restaurants where the owner(s), chef(s) and/or staff are Italian. Don’t be afraid to order in Italian and chat with them. Not far from my house and situated in the Elmwood District of Berkeley, you’ll find Donato & Co. Here, Chef Donato Scotti, Chef Gianluca Guglielmi and many of their team are originally from Italy. In addition to making delicious dishes—my current favorite is the *risotto—they are willing to speak Italian with you! 

• *The risotto dish features carnaroli rice, braised onion, organic butter, Grana Padano, slow braised oxtail, Barbera wine reduction, “burro acido”. Delizioso!

6. Sing a song! We affectionately refer to my mom as “No Marie” (a play on the Italian Song “Oh Marie”) because she’s an introvert as opposed to my dad who, as a very outgoing Italian, loved belting out songs and socializing. Clearly I took after his side. I think most of would agree that Italians love to sing, and I can attest to the fact that learning through music is one of the most effective ways to get closer to fluency. To me, it’s easier and just a lot of fun to learn words, sayings and more about the Italian culture through songs.  Here’s a list of some of the most popular Italian songs.

7. Take a cooking class or even host a dinner. Who doesn’t love to chat while cooking? There are so many options—you can participate through an event at a neighborhood Italian restaurant, at a local university or college, even online. And, when you complete your class, why not host an Italian dinner to show off your new culinary skills and keep the conversation going. I hosted a few couples this winter, and—commercial interruption—I have to highlight two must do’s: 1. use Oaktown Spice Shop’s Erbe Italiane di Lusso (it’s the secret – well, maybe not now that I’ve shared it in this blog—ingredient in many of my Italian dishes) and 2. serve a deconstructed cannoli board (like a charcuterie board, but filled with “la dolce vita”.) Grazie mille to Christina for introducing me to this gem.

8. In vino veritas! I am clearly a fan of liquid courage and my classmates, especially Vlad and Juan Pablo, will attest to this…hum, I sense a theme here. I find that having a glass or two of wine when speaking Italian helps you relax, worry less about making a mistake, and increase the fun factor. And since what’s in my mug is no longer a secret, I shop at Paul Marcus Wines in my Rockridge neighborhood because they focus on offering distinctive wines, including Italian, and their owner and wine staff always take the time to talk about the wines, offering insight, reading labels, and sharing history behind each bottle. 

9. Use a new word or phrase everyday! My favorite thing to do is learn slang, insults or funny phrases that Italians use—from “ma dai” (come on) to “sei proprio un asino” (you are an ass) to “Boh” (I dunno) which, to quote Zendaya who played MJ in Spiderman, as she said to Peter: “It can mean a million things. It can mean I don’t know, get out of my face, I don’t know and get out of my face.”

10. Book a trip! Gotta say, “non vedo l’ora” (I can’t wait). To me, there’s nothing that will get you into the learning mode more quickly than a confirmed trip to Italy. With two of my trio studying in Italy (one in Roma and one in Firenze), I have no excuses not to be travel ready! 

Got some additional tips to get fluent?  Send me an email—ahainkpr@gmail.com, or leave a comment!   Ciao!