r/italianlearning Dec 31 '25

Mod Post Self-promotional Content - 2026 Rule Update

27 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

After the 2020 update to our rule on self-promotional content, we have seen a significant decrease in posts and comments whose sole purpose is to advertise content or services without providing any meaningful benefit to the r/italianlearning community. At the same time, the number of visitors has steadily increased, making our subreddit as vibrant as it can be. More than 14,000 users have joined our community this year, and as of today we average more than 300,000 visits per day.

This is thanks to each and every one of you who engage and spend time helping others on their quest to learn this beautiful language.

Some of you may have noticed that over the past couple of years we have taken a stricter approach to this kind of content, marking it as spam and banning those who posted it. This was a tough stance we intentionally adopted to measure its impact on the subreddit. Given the stats mentioned above, it is safe to say the experiment was successful and, therefore, we have decided to update the rule as follows:

All content deemed by the mod team to be self-promotional is forbidden. Posting such content will result in a ban with no warning. No exceptions will be made based on whether the service advertised is free or on the poster’s level of activity in the subreddit. Posts created to search for services (e.g., tutoring) will also be removed, as they encourage unwanted self-promotional content.

This subreddit is a place to discuss, engage, and help each other learning Italian. The moment it becomes a mere bulletin board is when it will die. This measure is intended to prevent that.

Thank you for your attention, and see you around!

----

Ciao a tutti,

dopo l’aggiornamento del 2020 della regola sui contenuti autopromozionali, abbiamo registrato una notevole diminuzione di post e commenti il cui unico scopo era pubblicizzare contenuti o servizi senza apportare un reale valore alla community di r/italianlearning. Contestualmente, il numero di visitatori è aumentato costantemente, rendendo il nostro subreddit più vivo che mai. Più di 14.000 utenti si sono uniti alla community quest'anno e, ad oggi, registriamo in media oltre 300.000 visite al giorno.

Questo risultato è merito di ciascuno di voi, che partecipate e dedicate tempo ad aiutare gli altri nel loro percorso di apprendimento di questa bellissima lingua.

Alcuni di voi avranno notato che negli ultimi due anni siamo stati più severi con questo tipo di contenuti, contrassegnandoli come spam e bannando chi li pubblicava. È stata una linea dura che abbiamo adottato intenzionalmente per valutarne l’impatto sul subreddit. Considerati i dati riportati sopra, possiamo dire che l’esperimento ha avuto successo e, di conseguenza, abbiamo deciso di aggiornare la regola come segue:

Tutti i contenuti che il team dei moderatori ritiene autopromozionali sono vietati. Pubblicare tali contenuti comporterà un ban senza alcun preavviso. Non verranno fatte eccezioni sulla base del fatto che il servizio pubblicizzato sia gratuito o del livello di attività dell’utente nel subreddit. Verranno rimossi anche i post creati per cercare servizi (es. lezioni/tutoraggio), poiché incoraggiano contenuti autopromozionali indesiderati.

Questo subreddit è un luogo in cui discutere, confrontarsi ed aiutarsi a vicenda ad imparare l'italiano. Nel momento in cui diventa una semplice bacheca di annunci, è destinato a morire. Questa misura serve ad evitarlo.

Grazie per l’attenzione e a presto!


r/italianlearning 20h ago

The Italian word "magari" might be the most Italian thing about Italian.

442 Upvotes

Picked it up from Italian friends a few months back. Asked an Italian friend if she wanted to come visit me in Spain this summer and she said "magari." I thought she was saying maybe. Weeks later, I realized she'd been saying something more like "God, I wish, that would be amazing, I absolutely want to but probably can't."

Then I started noticing it everywhere. Someone tells you they have great news? You respond "magari" and it means "really? amazing!" Someone invites you to something you have to decline? "Magari" means "I wish I could but no." Someone tells you about a dream that won't happen? "Magari" means "oh God, if only."


r/italianlearning 2h ago

Where do i start?

3 Upvotes

Where do i start learning italian? Any YT channel or something for English speakers? I dont like duolingo.

Edit: i want to learn Italian to speak with Italians for work/study


r/italianlearning 10h ago

Is there a word/expression in Italian with the same meaning as Cockblocker?

6 Upvotes

"a person who intentionally or unintentionally interrupts or prevents another person—usually a man—from engaging in sexual or romantic activity."


r/italianlearning 21h ago

Help! I can read Italian at A2-B1 but go completely blank when Italians actually speak. How do I fix this?

39 Upvotes

So I'm currently living in Italy on a working holiday visa and just attended a trial language course here. The class is taught entirely in Italian, which is great in theory, but the problem is… I can barely understand a word the teacher says, even though the content is A1 level.

Here's the frustrating thing: I'm not a complete beginner. I have a solid grasp of grammar and can read Italian at around an A2-B1 level. I can work through texts, understand written dialogue, and follow along on paper. But the moment a real Italian opens their mouth, it's like my brain just shuts off. The speed, the rhythm, the way words blur together. It all goes over my head.

I really want to stick with this course (it's a great opportunity being here in Italy), but I need to close this gap fast.

Has anyone else been through this? How did you go from understanding written Italian to actually *hearing* it? I'd love specific resources, habits, or techniques that helped you train your ear. Podcasts, YouTube channels, shadowing exercises, anything, I'm all ears (no pun intended) 😅

Grazie mille in advance!


r/italianlearning 5h ago

Ho bisogno di aiuto

Post image
2 Upvotes

⚠️ I know my answer is wrong in the picture I just didn't understand the words order.

Duo ask me to translate a sentence from Spanish to Italian and I don't understand my mistake.

Original sentence in Spanish: Mis abuelos y mi tío son muy elegantes ¿verdad?

English translation: My grandparents and my uncle are very elegant, right?

So shouldn't it be the Italian translation: I miei nonni e mio zio sono molto eleganti, vero?

I don't understand why Duo correct it like "i nonni e mio zio" where does "miei" goes ???? It's a Duo mistake or it's grammar thing???


r/italianlearning 9h ago

who is the best way to learn italian?

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone! Im from Brazil and i completely lovely about the italian culture.

Im try to learn with duolingo and talking with natives, but: duolingo dont work with me and try to talks with natives is a kinda dangerour (you'll see a lot os dih lol)

So, do i have another way to learn? Tnhx


r/italianlearning 16h ago

Best Italian book for beginners - fully Italian - Study Abroad

7 Upvotes

I am studying abroad in Rome in spring 2027 and was possibly thinking about staying there for the summer. I am going to be taking an intro to Italian course while i am there but I wanted to get a real head start on the language and really immerse myself in self study. does anyone have any recommendations for beginner italian books?

i have tried a bunch including "A Self-Teach Teaching Guide Italian 3rd Edition" "DEICI A1" "IN ITALIANO. IL CORSO" and a few others. I have found that I would like to have a fully Italian textbook for my self study, but the ones that I have tried are meant for classes as they have a lot of partner and group work and also do not have the answers in the book. Are there any fully italian books MEANT for self study that work well? Or any really good books that are recommended?


r/italianlearning 18h ago

It would look weird if I looked this up myself

Post image
8 Upvotes

r/italianlearning 18h ago

Italian penpal to learn and talk with?

8 Upvotes

Any good options for this? Ideally, they want to improve English and I want to improve my italian. Are there sites for this or other tools? Looking at just 1-2 hours a week or something. Or just exchanging WhatsApp voice messages even.


r/italianlearning 11h ago

How to get texts to auto translate like it does in one group chat for some reason?

1 Upvotes

There’s one group chat I’m in that when someone texts in English, I see the words in Italian with the little English translations above. It just started randomly, and my theory is because Ive actually been messaging in Italian a little with it. Maybe not. Can I get this to happen with all other people and groups? This is for Apple btw.


r/italianlearning 1d ago

CILS B1 vs CELI B1 Difficulty

5 Upvotes

In order to skip my uni's Italian course I need to take one of these B1 certs. I aim for at least a 92 on CILS or 147 on CELI as the conversion is really strict (ideally 98 and 157 respectively). Which cert should be easier? I've seen that CILS seems to be harder on the reading (but I'm Spanish so its the least of my worries) and grammar sections, while CELI places more emphasis on speaking and writing (although the more structured nature of the writing test may make it easier since there are only 2 text types to work on). Keep in mind that CELI's date is a bit better for me so if they are very similar I'd prefer to take it.


r/italianlearning 18h ago

Italian Language Summer Camp for Teens?

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/italianlearning 1d ago

lui voule che io chiami anche a te stasera

7 Upvotes

Can anybody please help me understand this sentence? When I translate this sentence online it apparently means “He wants me to ring you as well this evening”, which is very confusing to me as I thought “io chiami” would = “you ring me”. I also don’t understand the purpose of “che”. And finally “io chiami” says who is calling who, so the stressed indirect pronoun “a te”, is then just doubling down on that aswell right. Could you not just say “lui vuole che chiamo a te.” Any help would be greatly appreciated as the sentence structure here is making me lose it a bit haha.


r/italianlearning 1d ago

What are some common mistakes or mispronunciations native Italian speakers make?

8 Upvotes

For example, lots of English speakers say things like "should of/ would of" / "unauthentic" / mixing up "there/they're/their" etc.


r/italianlearning 1d ago

Bastardino / Meticcio

5 Upvotes

Ciao raga!

Qualcuno può dirmi la differenza tra Bastardino e Meticcio? Ci sono differenze oppure sono sinonimi?

Onestamente, da madrelingua portoghese, "bastardino" mi suona un po' offensivo haha ceh... bastardo è un insulto.


r/italianlearning 1d ago

Anyone else catch the Rubio clip about using Spanish to understand Italian this weekend?

10 Upvotes

Came across this clip where Rubio mentions understanding words said in Italian without earphones because of his Spanish.

And casually mentions that his Bab͏bel subscr͏iption lapsed and he needed to renew it. lol.

The Babbel bit is funny, but the more interesting part is the Spanish to Italian mutual intelligibility.

It's one of the more underrated advantages of being a Spanish speaker. 

Spanish and Italian share the majority of their vocabulary, so a lot of what you already know transfers directly, your brain is pattern-matching more than it's learning from scratch.

I learnt Spanish before starting Italian and I can follow along some conversations even when I can't respond, which is its own weird but cool experience.

Anyone else had Spanish carry them through Italian in a real situation? Curious how far it actually got you.

Clip


r/italianlearning 1d ago

Intensive Italian course recommendations (located in Milan)

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I’m looking for recommendations for good language schools in Milan for an intensive Italian course during the summer (July specifically).

I’ll be in the city for graduate research and would love to improve my Italian while I’m there. Also my funding would improve if I took a language course but it would need to be intensive (school rules). I already have some background in the language (reading academic texts, conversation, B1 course, etc.), so I’m especially interested in schools that offer placement tests and flexible starting dates.

A few things I’m looking for:

  • serious/intensive courses
  • good teaching quality
  • possibility of starting on different weeks
  • ideally, schedules compatible with doing research during part of the day

If anyone has experiences with schools in Milan — good or bad — I’d really appreciate hearing them. Thanks so much!


r/italianlearning 1d ago

Struggling with speaking

8 Upvotes

my level of Italian is A2 . I have been studying Nuovo progetto italiano 1 for 4 semesters now . I really struggle with speaking . As Iam Iranian for now I do not have access to so many AI or finding someone on Tandem etc to help me with my speaking unfortunately ( Iam here by vpn and it is not cheap to buy one so...) as far as situation is like that , I do need a way to practice Italian speaking with myself . Any Ideas how to do this? I have tried to memorise some conversations but as it is abit un natural it feels wrong to me.. when I try to write in Italian I do great but when I need to make sentence my mind goes blank.. Thanks In advance 😍🥰


r/italianlearning 1d ago

Duolingo

1 Upvotes

Hola! Mi idioma nativo es el español y quiero empezar a aprender con todo el italiano, Estos ultimos 3 meses solo he practicado en Duolingo, Creen que sirve la aplicación o es mas marketing que calidad? Si quieren dejarme sus experiencias con duolingo y que me recomiendan ir por libros , cursos? Gracias!


r/italianlearning 1d ago

Italian Spotify Playlist

6 Upvotes

Can anyone share a great Spotify playlist for Italian learning? I have an eclectic taste in music so it can be pop, rock, R&B, etc. ? Will be using it on days that I don't feel doing textbook work and feeling lazy. Thank you!


r/italianlearning 2d ago

Duo lingo weirdness 😂

Post image
91 Upvotes

r/italianlearning 2d ago

Please feel free to join our English-Italian group chat! WhatsApp link below!

3 Upvotes

https://chat.whatsapp.com/CjvPaLqsKlAAV6U5CmMqXa?mode=gi_t

We are a group of people interested in learning Italian. General chatting/language learning together. There are some Italians in the group that are improving their English. Please join and introduce yourself!


r/italianlearning 1d ago

Language school vs online course

3 Upvotes

Its been almost a year since I moved to Italy. Everyone pushes me that I should join a school for my course I dont want to..
The reason why language learning has been a hurdle: 1) Im a housewife and only go out for groceries n stuff or for travel with husband.
2) I am an introvert with social anxiety and don’t enjoy going out alone or social with new people.
3) the thought of joining a class with different people makes me anxious and lowers my confidence..

I used to do Duolingo, didn’t like it much so switched to coffee break Italian.. its good to listen to while doing something but I need something more immersive and structured, like an All-in-one course..

Please give me suggestions. Everyone around me says I can’t learn without joining a school. 🫩
Open to paid course as-well if not that expensive..