ItalianPod101.com Blog

Conversation isn't a one way street. Hopefully, it is more like a tennis match: you ask something, get an answer and ask another question, you answer and ask something else, and so on. Questions are the fundamental building blocks to getting to know someone, establishing common ground, finding out something new or interesting and, simply, getting the flow of conversation going. Questions in Italian follow no particular pattern—no word order inversion, and no adding of extra words. You simply change your intonation and make it sound like a question. For example, Sei matto! ("You are crazy!") Sei matto? ("Are you crazy?") Just a little change in the punctuation (and in the intonation) here makes all the difference. And then, of... Show more

Maybe you’ve already thought about taking an Italian proficiency test, or maybe you have no idea what we’re talking about. In this article, we’ll explain why it’s important to take an Italian test like this one, and we’ll guide you through everything you’ll need to do to sign up and pass the most widely accepted proficiency test (CILS). By the time you’re done reading, you’ll be totally prepared for the big day—even if this is your first time hearing about the test. Spoiler alert: You need to get started six months beforehand! Table of Contents What is a Proficiency Test? Why Take a Proficiency Test? What is the CILS Certification? How to Get Started What to Expect on the Day of the Test The CILS DUE-B2 Test ... Show more

Have you ever asked yourself how we learn our native language when we’re kids? We keep hearing and repeating the same simple sentences over and over. That’s the only trick!  As an adult, it works the same way: You memorize a sentence structure, then you start changing the elements a little, and in the end, you start making the sentences more complex. With this simple guide on forming sentences in Italian, we'll help you memorize the most basic and useful Italian sentence patterns; with those, you’ll be able to generate hundreds of natural sentences. And in no time, you’ll be holding complex conversations with ease and confidence. Table of Contents A is B: L’italiano è bello! Voglio imparare l’italiano con ItalianPod101.com! ... Show more

"Adjectives are the sugar of literature and adverbs the salt," said the great American writer Henry James. So, let’s add some salt to your Italian with this amazing list of the 100+ most common Italian adverbs by ItalianPod101! Table of Contents What is an Adverb? List of the Most Common Italian Adverbs Improve Your Italian While Having Fun with ItalianPod101 1. What is an Adverb? An adverb is an element in a sentence that can't be inflected and which modifies the meaning of another element. As in Henry James’ quote, it adds something to a sentence, a nuance that makes it more meaningful and rich. Let’s see an example: Angela was walking back home.Angela was tiredly walking back home.  The adverb... Show more

You asked, so we provided—easy-to-follow instructions on how to set up your electronic devices to write in Italian! We’ll also give you a few excellent tips on how to use this keyboard, as well as some online and app alternatives if you prefer not to set up a Italian keyboard. Table of Contents Why it’s Important to Learn to Type in Italian Setting up Your Computer and Mobile Devices for Italian How to Activate an Onscreen Keyboard on Your Computer How to Change the Language Settings to Italian on Your Computer Activating the Italian Keyboard on Your Mobile Phone and Tablet Italian Keyboard Typing Tips How to Practice Typing Italian 1. Why it’s Important to Learn to Type in Italian Learning a new language is made so much... Show more

Verbs are everywhere! Whatever you’re trying to say or write in Italian, you’re going to need to use a verb and a subject. And guess what? Right there, you already need to conjugate the verb to use it correctly.  Vado al cinema. Vieni con me? Cosa dici?  "I go to the movies. Will you come with me? What do you say?" For example, in this simple sentence, you’ll have to know the conjugations of the verbs andare ("to go"), venire ("to come"), and dire ("to say"). Italian verb conjugation might seem tough at first, but with a few tips (and ItalianPod101’s resources), you’ll learn how to conjugate Italian verbs and become a real pro! Table of Contents What Does Conjugation Mean? Verb Groups Conjugation Examples ... Show more

Verbs are concepts in motion and are a fundamental part of every language. But how many Italian language verbs should you learn to speak the language properly? Here at ItalianPod101, we believe that with the following 100+ Italian verbs, you’ll be able to face most circumstances with ease. And don’t be scared—with our examples and definitions, you’ll be able to master this Italian verbs list quickly. It’s Italian verbs made easy with ItalianPod101!  But first, let’s take a look at Italian verb conjugation. Table of Contents Italian Regular Verbs Italian Irregular Verbs Reflexive Verbs in Italian Italian Verb Types & Their Meanings Italian Verb Placement in a Sentence ItalianPod101: A Great Source for Your Italian... Show more

Pronouns are one of the fundamental bricks in the majestic building of grammar. Basically, what they do is replace another word, allowing us to avoid repetition and making every language more agile, pleasant, and poetic. Italian pronouns are no exception.  A pronoun in Italian can replace:  A nounA predicative verbAn adjective There are many kinds of Italian pronouns, categorized by their function in a sentence. In this Italian pronouns lesson here on ItalianPod101.com, we’ll show you a list of all the most important ones, with their definitions and examples of Italian pronoun usage. It’s Italian pronouns, made easy! Table of Contents Italian personal pronouns Italian possessive pronouns Italian reflexive pronouns ... Show more

Do you remember the moment you fell in love with languages? Do you desire to learn or advance in Italian quickly and effectively? Then you need a Italian tutor. A common question that first-time language-learners ask is "Where do I begin?" The answer? Guidance. For native English-speakers who want to learn Asian languages, for example, timelines provided by the U.S. Foreign Service Institute can appear discouraging. However, defeating these odds is not unheard of. If you want to beat the odds yourself, one of the best learning options is a subscription to Premium PLUS from Innovative Language. As an active Premium PLUS member of JapanesePod101.com and KoreanClass101.com myself, I have an enjoyable experience learning at an accelerated... Show more

When speaking a new language, you’ll find that many things about it are different compared to the language you’re used to. Sounds, words, grammar, everything is...foreign? Well, yes, of course.  But maybe you haven’t yet thought about whether or not the sentence structure and word order are different, too.  First of all, what do we mean by that? We’re talking about the basic word order, the correct sequence of all the elements that form the basic structure of a sentence. If you compare the English and Italian sentence structure, you’ll definitely find differences that might create some confusion, especially when you get to negative sentences, questions, and complex phrases. But don’t worry about it; we’re here to help you with... Show more