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5 reasons to take an Italian language course

1. Ordering food in Italian becomes easier and more fun

You’ve probably said the words pizza, pomodoro, and mozzarella hundreds of times, but have you ever tried ordering something a little more complicated to pronounce, like bruschetta? This one is always a challenge for non-native speakers! Mastering the pronunciation of small words like these will attract impressed looks next time you go to Italy, or even order at your local Italian restaurant!

Still wondering about how to pronounce the Italian delicacy bruschetta? It’s actually pronounced ‘brusket-ta’.

2. Italy is the birthplace of amazing art and history

When you think of Italy, your mind is bound to conjure up images of getting lost in Rome, Florence or Palermo. Around every corner, you’ll stumble across an old cathedral, pass by some Roman ruins, or even end up outside a fairytale castle. This is because once upon a time, the Roman Empire was one of the largest and most powerful in the world. The Romans were great architects and artists who influenced the minds of the generations that followed. Names like Donatello, Raffaello, Leonardo and Michelangelo are known worldwide, and draw throngs of tourists to Italy all year round. Speaking and understanding Italian will definitely help you understand and appreciate their art. Next time you go to Italy and see their masterpieces, do some reading so you can admire their beautiful work in context!

3. Italian is more widely spoken than you think

Did you know that Italian is not only spoken in Italy? It’s also the official language of the Republic of San Marino, the Vatican and it’s one of the four official languages of Switzerland. It’s spoken in parts of Malta, Slovenia and Croatia, plus it’s one of the 24 official languages of the European Union. So, even if it’s not a widely spoken language, learning Italian is worthwhile. There are hundreds of different Italian accents out there. Once you become a confident speaker, you’ll be able to identify them – and even have fun trying to understand them.

4. Italian opens you up to new cinema and literature

Italy isn’t short of good literature or cinema. Watching movies in Italian might seem like a challenge, but even if you know a little Italian you’ll love watching movies with subtitles in your native language. You’ll be able to focus on the Italian words, expressions and body language. After all, one of the best ways of picking up Italian is by listening to people speak. Try some of the classics: La dolce vita by Fellini, Nuovo cinema paradiso by Tornatore or La vita è bella by Benigni.

Reading short stories, with the help of translated versions if you need them, can also be very beneficial. Before you know it, you’ll be reading Dante’s La Divina Commedia or Pirandello’s Uno, Nessuno e Centomila!

5. Italian gives you an excuse to use expressive hand gestures

We all know Italians speak with their hands. It helps them express themselves. And of course, Italians love talking! But speaking isn’t enough: when you’re learning Italian, you have to communicate using your whole body. After all, it’s only when you pair speech with an appropriate Italian hand gesture that you can legitimately pass for a native speaker! Plus, hand gestures can be useful when you can’t remember a word, or want to say something that you haven’t got the vocabulary for yet.

Our top tip? Watch Italians and try to copy them. It’s good fun and brings the conversation to life!

All in all, Italian is rich, romantic, fun, musical, rhythmic and beautiful. It has its own unique personality. So why not uncover all this for yourself?

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• Italian alphabet guide
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