Traveling is one of the most rewarding experiences in life. Meeting new people, trying different foods, discovering new cultures, these are all activities that enrich our lives. However, as much as we love to travel, sometimes there are situations beyond our control, and we cannot be where we want to be. This situation was the case for most of us this 2020. The corona-virus pandemic reshaped our lives, changed the way we work, how we stay in touch with loved ones, and very likely canceled all travel plans. That is if you were lucky, and if you weren’t, you got sick.
Three months without travel is the longest I’ve stayed in one place in more than a decade, so I realized I had to do something about it. After embracing the fact that I wasn’t going anywhere except to stay home, I decided to embark on an international project from home. I looked for a challenging intellectual adventure that would motivate me to learn about another culture, understand history a bit better, calm my wanderlust, without traveling. This fantastic adventure was to learn a new language by myself during the quarantine.
My goal was to learn Italian with the free resources I had available. Previously I had taken a beginner’s Italian class, and I also speak Spanish and some French, so I had a bit of background. Nevertheless, please don’t think that because I am fluent in another romance language makes learning Italian easy. It’s helpful to have an understanding of the language structure, but ultimately results depend on how much effort you put into it. Unlike previous attempts to learn a new skill, this time, I was thoroughly committed and passionate about it.
After three months of learning Italian, I decided to take a placement test, and I was delighted that my results were at the advanced level. Probably I cannot give a doctorate level class in Italian. Still, I can have a daily conversation, listen and understand music and TV, read the news and modern literature, and write casually.
Reality Check in another language
You will not learn a language by studying for one hour per week or 5 minutes of daily Duolingo. Period. If you are considering a foreign language for school or work and just giving it an hour per week to become fluent, stop wasting your time and money, it will not happen. If your goal is to learn enough to order food and get directions, then that’s ok, since that is all you will learn at the most with an hour per week.
Learning a language is a workout for the brain; a fantastic way to keep your mind fit. There’s evidence showing a link between bilingualism and resilience against Alzheimer’s disease. Like any training regime, you need to be consistent. Also, if you stop training, you will lose your gains and improvements. Language learning is the same, and you need to commit.
Free and useful resources
I decided I would use the resources that I currently had and not incur extra expenses. So, if I watched an Italian TV show on Netflix, I wouldn’t count it as an expense since I already pay for Netflix anyway.
Italian Textbook
I used a textbook called Parliamo Italiano. An old used version of this textbook will cost you $7 on Amazon. Even though I disliked textbooks in school, now I appreciate the learning framework they provide you. I mostly used the book as a guide to learn things in a logical order. For example, you shouldn’t learn the subjunctive before the past tense. Instead of jumping around, it is a useful learning guide. I’m recommending this textbook because it’s the one I already had, but any other Italian book with positive reviews should work.
Foreign Service Institute
One of the best free resources available online. The American Foreign Service Institute has made available their lessons used for language learning. These were the classes given to foreign officers and diplomats before their overseas assignments. The lessons are a bit outdated but still very useful. You can download them or stream them online. Great for repetition practice.
YouTube
If there was a specific concept that I wanted to review in detail, I could easily find a thorough explanation on YouTube. Are you confused about when and how to use the ‘ci’ and ‘ne’ pronouns? Go to YouTube and watch an Italian professor explain both of them. After three months, I still do.
Duolingo
One of the most popular apps, definitely a handy tool. Let me be clear; you won’t become fluent with your 5 minutes of daily Duolingo. Still, you can practice a lot, and Duolingo will help you review the topic you are learning that day. If you just finished learning the imperfect tense, then use Duolingo to practice several lessons of the imperfect tense. Also, it has a logical learning structure that can complement your textbook; I recommend studying both at the same time. Finally, read out loud every sentence you are translating; it helps a lot to memorize and learn.
Definitely pleased to have finished the Duolingo Italian skill tree
Anki
This app organizes flashcards. For example, it was beneficial for me to write down verb endings and new vocabulary using flashcards and then review them on my phone during my free time. The process of typing and saving the cards will help you memorize.
Wiktionary
This online dictionary will be one of your best friends when trying to learn the meaning of new words. It also provides a bit of the history of each word so you can discover if the word comes from Latin, Greek, or another source.
Podcasts
In the beginning, I started listening to short Italian news, and when I was more comfortable, I started listening to full-length Italian Podcasts. Podcast Italiano by Davide Gemello has been a big help with fantastic content.
Music
Spotify made it extremely easy to find Italian music, create lists, and find recommendations. One of my Spotify daily mixes is only Italian music.
TV Shows and Film
There are several shows and films available to stream online. Depending on your mood, if you want an easy Sunday laugh or an engaging, intense show, there’s always something to watch. With reviews and previews available on IMD.com, you should find something entertaining. So far, I’ve watched the following shows (also where you can stream them):
Baby: Teenager drama based in Rome. Netflix.
Baciati dall’ amore (Only you): Very light romantic comedy miniseries. Amazon Video.
Cinema Paradiso: This is probably my favorite film of all time. I’ve watched it numerous times before I learned any Italian. A timeless masterpiece. Please watch this film and enjoy it until the end, one of the most memorable endings in cinema. Winner of the 1989 Best Foreign Language Academy Award. HBO
Il Proceso: Crime drama in a courtroom. Netflix.
La vita e bella: Comedy-drama winner of the 1999 Best Foreign Language Academy Award. Cinemax.
Summertime: Romantic drama filmed during the Italian summer. Netflix.
Online Events
I started joining online events to practice Italian at the end of my learning journey because I wasn’t comfortable with my level. In retrospect, I should have joined events earlier; even If I was only listening to what others were saying, everyone is there to learn. Also, there are plenty of events welcoming beginners. Next time I learn a language, I’ll join these events after learning the basics, probably after the first month. Duolingo Events and MeetUp have several events available every week.
Methodology (kind of)
Even though the number of resources online might seem overwhelming, with structure and a sound methodology, you can make it part of your daily routine. On average, I studied Italian 60-120 minutes 4-5 times per week. I would sit down and read a chapter from the textbook, along with Duolingo and study. Let’s be clear once again. You need to study and practice if you want to learn. Yet, you can leverage other daily activities to maximize your learning. After studying a lesson, sometimes I would go running and listen to Italian music, that’s an extra 30-40 minutes of practice. Every morning I always listen to the news; I just added an Italian section for another 10 minutes of practice. When I cook, I just play an Italian podcast, that’s another 30 minutes. I usually watch a couple of movies or a TV show every week, so I look for Italian productions with great reviews, that’s another 2-4 hours of practice. All these activities add up, and by the third month, everything started to click.
Learning is a learning process
There are things I can improve in my methodology if I continue learning Italian or another language. Ultimately, I didn’t see this as tiring because I was excited to learn. I was looking forward to listening to Italian music or learn a new verb tense. This motivation is the most vital factor in learning something new, and I probably wouldn’t have learned much if I wasn’t motivated.
I’m not a doctor in linguistics nor a language professor. Of course, living abroad is the best way to learn your target language, but if that’s not an option now, don’t let it stop you from learning. Learn a language and let it motivate you to travel in the future and feel a closer connection with your host country.
I wanted to share my progress to inspire others who have been interested in learning a new language. It’s never too late, you can find a method that adapts to your lifestyle, and most importantly, if you are passionate and motivated, you can surprise yourself. In bocca al lupo!
Buenísimo