· 7 min read
How to Learn Italian Fast: What Works
By Language Lab editorial team
How to learn Italian fast: use its phonetic spelling, learn nouns with their gender, drill the six verb endings, test yourself and speak daily. With sources.
Italian is one of the fastest languages an English speaker can learn, and a good method makes it faster. The US State Department lists it at 24 weeks of classes, the bottom of its easiest category. To use that advantage: start speaking at once, because Italian is read as it is written; learn every noun with its gender; drill the six endings of each verb tense early; lean on the many words you already know; and study by testing yourself and spacing your reviews, the two techniques research rates highest. Follow one course in order, such as The Open University's three free beginner courses, and set a dated goal like a CILS exam. The Institute's pace is 23 class hours a week, or 552 class hours over 24 weeks; at a more realistic 10 hours a week, the same 552 hours take about 55 weeks.
Why Italian is quick
| Language | State Department category | Class time |
|---|---|---|
| Italian, Portuguese, Dutch | Category I | 24 weeks |
| Spanish, French | Category I | 30 weeks |
| German | Category II | About 36 weeks |
| Russian, Greek, Hindi | Category III | About 44 weeks |
| Arabic, Chinese, Japanese | Category IV | 88 weeks |
Category I as a whole runs from 552 to 690 class hours, and Italian is listed at the 24-week end of it. The State Department notes that actual time varies with ability, prior language-learning experience and time in the classroom. The Department previously published this list under the name Foreign Service Institute (FSI); an archived version of the page gives identical class-hour totals to the current one.
1. Speak from the first day
The BBC's guide to Italian puts it in Italian: si legge come si scrive, it is read as it is written. Pronunciation is clear, with every vowel distinctly enunciated. Because spelling follows sound, you can start reading new words aloud early. Read every example sentence out loud.
2. Learn nouns with their gender
Nouns can be masculine or feminine, and adjectives need to agree with them. Recognising nouns and their gender is a stated outcome of The Open University's first beginner course, which shows how early it matters. Learn each noun with its article, as the BBC's phrase lists present them: un albergo, a hotel; una camera, a room; il conto, the bill; la chiave, the key.
3. Drill the verb endings early
There are six endings for each verb tense, the BBC's guide says. That is a clear piece of memory work, so start on it early. Take one common verb at a time, say all six forms aloud, then test yourself the next day.
4. Use what you already know
- Everyday words: ciao, pizza, spaghetti, broccoli, cappuccino, al fresco.
- Music words: maestro, orchestra, piano, solo, a cappella.
- Near-twins you can guess: teatro, cattedrale, caffè.
- Watch the false friends. Una camera is a room, not a camera, and peperoni are peppers, not spicy sausage.
5. Test yourself and space it out
A 2013 review of ten learning techniques, led by John Dunlosky, rated two as high utility: practice testing and distributed practice. Rereading and highlighting were rated low. A 2006 meta-analysis of 317 experiments on distributed practice found that the best gap between study sessions grows with how long you need to remember the material.
- Do the quiz before you reread the lesson.
- Start each session by recalling the last one aloud.
- Return to each lesson after a day, a week and a month.
- Study a little every day.
6. Follow one course and set a date
The Open University's Getting started with Italian 1, 2 and 3 are free, take 8 hours each and move through real situations: ordering in a bar, telling the time, travelling by train. For a deadline, look at the official exams. CILS, from the University for Foreigners of Siena, has levels from A1 to C2, and its next session for all levels is 3 December 2026, followed by 10 June 2027.
A week that works
- Five days, 25 minutes: one course section, read aloud, with its quiz.
- Daily, 5 minutes: one verb, six endings, from memory.
- Twice a week, 15 minutes: review of older sections.
- Daily, 5 minutes: describe your day in Italian, aloud.
Language Lab's Italian course is built around voiced real-life scenarios with an AI tutor, so the daily speaking has a partner.
Frequently asked
What is the fastest way to learn Italian?
Speak from the first day, learn nouns with their gender, drill the six verb endings, use familiar vocabulary, test yourself, space your reviews and follow one structured course.
How long does it take to learn Italian?
The US State Department lists Italian at 24 weeks of classes, in Category I, which spans 552 to 690 class hours.
Is Italian easy for English speakers?
It is in the easiest official group. The BBC's guide adds that it is read as it is written and that pronunciation is clear.
What is the hardest part of Italian for beginners?
Gender agreement and verbs. Nouns are masculine or feminine, adjectives agree with them, and each verb tense has six endings.
Can I learn Italian fast by myself?
You can make quick early progress alone with free courses such as The Open University's. Add speaking practice with a partner, tutor or speaking tool.
Is Italian faster to learn than Spanish?
Slightly, by State Department figures: 24 weeks for Italian against 30 for Spanish. Both are Category I languages.
Sources: US Department of State, National Foreign Affairs Training Center, Foreign Language Training; BBC Languages, A Guide to Italian: 10 facts, and Italian Quick Fix (archived pages); The Open University, OpenLearn, Getting started with Italian 1–3; University for Foreigners of Siena, CILS Centre, exam levels and dates; Dunlosky et al., Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2013; Cepeda et al., Psychological Bulletin, 2006. Checked on 13 October 2026. Photo: The Grand Canal from the Rialto Bridge at dusk, Venice, chensiyuan / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
