Italian Language Foundations
Italian Basics
They say you can’t build a great building on a weak foundation. I tell you can’t become a fluent Italian speaker on weak foundations. That’s why I am gathering on this page my best articles for beginners learners of Italian (the page is not under construction yet).
Some students are scared by grammar.
Instead, I say to my students that knowing a little grammar can be a fantastic shortcut to optimal Italian fluency.
Why memorize words, sentences, or even whole dialogues if you can learn one rule and apply it endless times?
That’s all it takes to become undefended and smart Italian language learners.
Molto vs. Tanto: The Difference
Molto and tanto are similar Italian adverbs but not interchangeable. While both...
Irregular Passato Prossimo Verbs
As you know, the passato prossimo is formed with an auxiliary verb (essere or avere) + the past...
60 Most Common Italian Verbs
Verbs are the core of every language because they carry the meaning or action. Conjugating...
Incontrare vs. Incontrarsi. The Difference Explained.
The verb incontrare (to meet) can be used with the auxiliary avere: ho incontrato and with the...
Troppo, Troppa, Troppi, Troppe. What’s the difference?
Troppo (adverb) Troppo is invariable and thus does not change its ending when it acts as an...
Poco, Poca, Pochi, Poche: A Simple Guide to Italian Quantifiers
If you have ever felt confused about choosing between pochi, poche, or poca, this article is for...
Reflexive Pronouns in Italian
What are reflexive pronouns? Reflexive pronouns are those pronouns that are used in conjunction...
How to Conjugate Verbs in Italian: A Beginner’s Guide
Learning how to conjugate verbs is indispensable for anyone who wants to communicate effectively...
Italian Questions Words (+How to Use them)
When learning Italian, one of the first things you might want to know is how to ask questions. To...
The Verb Andare: Conjugation and Uses
Conjugating "Andare" in the Present Tense First off, it’s crucial to recognize that 'andare' is an...
The Italian Verb Avere (to have) – Conjugation and Use
"Avere" means "to have" and is an essential verb used in various contexts to indicate possession,...
The Italian Verb ‘Potere’: Conjugations and Uses
Conjugation of Potere (Present Tense) ItalianEnglishExamplesPossoI can / Can I?Posso aiutarti?...
Italian Pronunciation Made Easy (for English Speakers)
Why it's Important To Practice Your Italian Pronunciation From Day 1 In over ten years of teaching...
Passato Prossimo with Pronouns. A Simple Guide.
The basic rule is that when using the passato prossimo tense with the auxiliary verb 'avere', the...
Most Common -IRE Verbs in Italian
There are two types of "-ire" verbs in Italian. Some, like "dormire" (to sleep), are considered...
Most Common -ERE Verbs in Italian
Present Tense of 'scrivere' (regular verb) IoscrivoI write or I'm writing TuscriviYou write...
Sapere and Potere. What’s the difference?
In Italian, 'potere' is more commonly used to express possibility or permission, but NOT skill or...
Gli, Le, Ti, Vi: Decoding Italian Indirect Object Pronouns (Pronomi Indiretti)
What is an indirect pronoun in Italian? An indirect pronoun is a specific type of pronoun that...
How to Say ‘How’ in Italian
1. Come The most frequent translation of 'how' in Italian, is come. 'Come' is used as an...
How to say “how long have you been doing something” in Italian
In Italian, to ask how long someone has been doing something or to say how long you've been doing...
Italian Sentence Structure
The Basics of Italian Sentence Structure and Word Order The Italian sentence structure is similar...
Italian Passato Prossimo
What is passato prossimo in Italian? Passato prossimo is the main past tense in Italian and...
Direct Object Pronouns in Italian: An Easy Guide
What's a pronoun? Pronouns are an essential part of speech that allow us to replace...
Italian Noun Gender. Determining Masculine vs. Feminine
Nouns ending in '-o' or '-a' In Italian language, nouns, pronouns, and adjectives can be...
Italian Prepositions: How To Use “In”and “A”
In or A? One of the most common mistakes in Italian for foreign learners is the use of the...
Italian Impersonal Form
The impersonal form with "si" In Italian, we have a simple way to make a generalization or to make...
Common expressions using ESSERE and AVERE
In Italian, the verbs essere and avere are certainly amongst the most popular ones. This is why...
The Verb Piacere in Italian: A Simple Guide
How to Conjugate 'Piacere' As you might already know, piacere (and a few other verbs...
The Polite Form in Italian: Formal and Informal You
Italian, like many other languages, has different forms of address that reflect the level of...
Italian Definite Articles (Articoli Determinativi)
Building solid foundations is key in every foreign language you learn. Mastering the nitty-gritty...
Tips to learn fast and well at your level
How to learn Italian as a complete beginner
8 Great Italian short stories for beginner