Summary
How long does it take to learn Italian? Learn Italian or think about learning it? Then you should know the answer. With the FSI, we can predict how many hours you need in the classroom to become fluent in a language.
Italian is a “Group One” language as per the FSI. In other words, you could achieve sufficient fluency with about 600 hours of classroom instruction.
Languages in Group One tend to be the easiest to learn. Therefore, learning a language from Group One will take you a lot less time than learning a language from Group Three or Group Four.
According to FSI, you can become fluent in Italian by studying in a classroom for 50 weeks for 12 hours a week.
The same thing holds if you decide to go to Italy for a 24-hour-a-week intensive course. Fluency at the beginner level means you understand what’s happening when surrounded by the language.
On the radio, TV, and in conversations, by understanding what is happening around you, you can communicate effectively.
However, your FSI estimates aren’t very accurate because there are still numerous factors to consider when estimating how long it takes to learn a language like Italian. In estimating the time it will take you to learn Italian, consider the following factors.
Italian: One of the Easiest Languages to Learn
Before more discussion about how long does it take to learn Italian, there is no doubt that learning Italian is much quicker for monolingual English speakers than Russian or Chinese. Russian might take twice as many hours of classroom time as Italian to reach the same level of fluency. This theory states that you could become proficient in Italian after studying 12 hours a week for 50 weeks.
With just 25 weeks of intensive study in Italy, you could reach initial fluency in just 25 weeks. While the FSI estimates may be helpful in some cases, they are also oversimplified. In addition to the factors listed above, many other factors can affect your learning process.
Fluency in Italian
Fluency in Italian depends on a variety of factors like below.
- What is your first foreign language?
- Do you know any similar language to Italian?
- Can you commit to the training?
- How motivated are you?
- What is your desired level of proficiency?
- Can you practice with native speakers?
In comparison to adults, children and teenagers have an easier time learning a foreign language. It is due to the sponge-like nature of their brain. It absorbs all new information quickly. Those who already speak at least one foreign language and are highly motivated will have no problem learning the Italian language in less than one year.
To learn Italian, students must be free and have friends who speak Italian or whose native language is Italian. Students should also be willing to devote around 10 hours a week to studying and practicing the language. A person who lacks motivation and learns Italian for work or other external reasons will struggle to learn advanced Italian.
Moreover, he knows nobody who speaks Italian, hasn’t got enough free time and doesn’t know any other languages. An intermediate level is likely to take you about a year to complete. The work will be intense, though.
Also Read: How Long Does It Take to Learn a Language
The Factors for How Long Does it Take to Learn Italian
It is more complicated to come up with FSI’s schedule than it is to simply determine a set number of hours based on my experience. Italian learning time depends on many different factors. See how these factors impact your learning by examining a few.
What is your Approach to Italian?
Are you planning to use Italian every day? The length of time you spend studying Italian and how you spend that time will directly affect how long does it take to learn Italian. It is vital to divide your time between listening, speaking, reading, and writing while remembering that this is an artificial classroom setting.
Learning Italian requires studying outside the classroom if you are serious about learning it. The first 15 minutes of each of these activities (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) should be spent by beginners every day. Choose topics that interest you already to get the most out of your studies. You can read and listen to the materials in both Italian and English.
Are You familiar with a Romance Language?
This important factor of how long does it take to learn Italian cannot be denied. There are many similarities between Romance languages and Italian in vocabulary and structure, such as reflexive verbs. When you already speak a Romance language fluently, learning Italian is easier. Since I knew French before I learned Italian, I had an advantage.
The students without prior knowledge of French, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, or Romanian will be far behind you. The learners who are proficient in a Romance language in a classroom setting can enroll directly in a lower intermediate course.
Despite your difficulties at first, you will eventually be able to catch up thanks to your existing knowledge of Romance languages. Highly motivated people will benefit from this method.
What Is Your Confidence and Motivation Level?
What is your level of confidence in learning Italian? Is learning Italian a strong desire of yours? What motivates you to do so? If you are planning to learn Italian, you should answer these questions first because your success will depend above all on your motivation and confidence.
You should ask yourself why learning Italian is valuable to you. Does Italian fascinate you? Which emotions do you associate with learning Italian? Are you already familiar with Italian culture? If Italian feels hard, it will take longer to master the language. That means you still haven’t found a fun way to learn languages.
Your learning materials may need some updating, and you may want to focus on materials you enjoy using already. You’ll learn faster if you feel good about learning Italian and enjoy it. It is your motivation that contributes most to your success in learning Italian. Your confidence in your ability to succeed will increase with motivation.
What Opportunities Do You Have to Use Italian?
How many Italians surround you every day? Have you practiced regularly? Unless you practice regularly, you’ll have difficulty learning the language. The more you practice your Italian, the faster you will learn Italian. In addition to improving your grammar and sounding fluent, constructive feedback will help your Italian learning.
You can go to an Italian tutor who can help you with this. See if you can find more time to learn Italian by looking at your schedule. Immerse yourself in Italian on a daily basis. If you’re determined, you can turn almost anything into a learning experience. Watch Italian movies, the news, or listen to podcasts.
How Can You learn Italian faster?
The similarities between Spanish and French make learning Italian a lot easier, especially if you speak either language natively. So, you can also learn how long does it take to learn Spanish? Now that I know Italian, I can pick up a French book and more or less understand it. I often talk to people who don’t speak Spanish well, but I can understand them with little difficulty despite not knowing the language.
It’s likely that if you work full-time and have a family, you won’t get to make progress. You’ll have ample time to complete your homework if you’re a student or on a sabbatical, while you can spend time working with your classmates. It will be beneficial for you.
Already language learning experience is also helpful. Especially for those who are seeking about how long does it take to learn Italian? Learning Italian is not difficult if you’re good at languages or talented at learning foreign languages. In most situations, if you have not done such a thing before, there is a steeper learning curve. As such, if you already have a solid grasp of another foreign language, you should learn Italian quickly.
Learn Italian Faster by Avoiding These Things
Living in a country where the language doesn’t sound like Italian can slow down your learning. Those native to English or any Asian language will have an even harder time than those native to Spanish or French.
It is probably not habitual for you to feel like you know absolutely nothing (your job, driving a car, using a computer, etc.) in your daily life. You will encounter many challenges when you begin learning a foreign language, and it can be challenging as you have to start from the beginning. That shouldn’t bother you as long as you remain relaxed and optimistic.
Studying foreign languages can be done in many ways, and there are many wrong ways to do it. Even with something as complex as learning a foreign language, it is easy to waste time and get nowhere fast. A high probability exists that you’ll study well unless you’ve studied other languages extensively.
Conclusion
How long does it take to learn Italian? It depends mostly on your determination whether you can learn Italian in a month or a year. It may take you less effort to learn Italian with less effort or within a shorter time if other factors come into play. The FSI’s estimate that students will need 600 classroom hours for ‘basic fluency’ is only a guideline and ignores other factors.
You need to build up your confidence and motivation, establish steady learning habits, read good material, and practice frequently to become fluent in Italian. In the long run, if you continue doing those things, you will learn to speak Italian fluently and with confidence.
Hey my name is Logan Jackson and I’m the founder of The Different Languages blog. I have years of experience in digital marketing and in content writing as well.