Italian Facts
Diphthongs (two vowels following each other) in Italian are pronounced as two separate letters
Out of all Romance languages, Italian is considered to be the one most closely resembling Latin in terms of vocabulary
Italian is widely taught in schools around the world, but rarely as the first non-native language
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Mi chiamo Lorenza, ho diciassette anni e voglio presentarvi la mia famiglia:
Mio padre si chiama Arturo, ha 45 anni ed è un fisioterapista. Ama il suo lavoro e i suoi pazienti. Cucina molto bene, il suo piatto migliore sono i bucatini alla matriciana. È nato in Sicilia ma vive da sempre ad Asti, una città del Piemonte.
Mia madre si chiama Elisabetta, ha 40 anni ed è un’ insegnante di danza classica. La sua scuola di danza si trova nel centro di Asti ed è molto famosa in Piemonte. Ogni anno la sua scuola organizza uno spettacolo di beneficienza. L’anno scorso mia madre ha danzato la morte del Cigno di Ciaikovski. È stato molto commuovente!
Ho due fratelli gemelli più piccoli di me. Si chiamano Giacomo ed Andrea ed hanno 10 anni. Sono molto vivaci e litigano spesso. Giacomo è il più calmo e suona il clarinetto nella banda di Asti. Andrea preferisce giocare a calcio ed è un terremoto. Sono entrambi molto buffi.
I genitori di mio padre sono ancora giovani e si chiamano Maurizio e Anna. Abitano a Cefalù, in Sicilia e hanno un bed & breakfast. Mia nonna Anna fa la marmellata di limoni e la offre a colazione ai suoi clienti. Mio nonno Maurizio amministra la contabilità e coltiva l’orto.
I genitori di mia mamma sono molto vecchi e si chiamano Lorenzo e Rita. Abitano ad Asti in un appartamento molto grosso vicino alla scuola di danza di mia madre. Entrambi sono pensionati e trascorrono i pomeriggi a giocare a carte in casa con gli amici.
Mia zia Maria e mio zio Raffaele hanno un ristorante vegetariano, dove i miei cugini Paolo e Francesca lavorano come camerieri durante l’estate. Il loro cane Billy gioca con i bambini dei clienti nel giardino del ristorante.
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Our Italian speakers, fully qualified to teach their native tongue, can train you and, if need be, the rest of your group at a time that is suitable to you, at your home or place of work. Sessions can take place on the day of your choosing - even weekends - and at the time you want: whether it be morning, afternoon or evening. If circumstances arise where your home or office is not convenient, the classes can be held at your trainer's office. Resources for the course are provided for you.
Book now / EnquiryItalian courses of this type are aimed towards those that need to learn Italian to aid them with their employment. For those just starting out, it is integral to learn basic greetings and business etiquette; and reading and writing can be adopted once the simple precepts are out of the way. Success has come from students who are involved in import/export, international negotiations and acquisitions, those seeking jobs in multinational companies, and those working with foreign colleagues, academia and bureaucracy. Just our most basic beginners course will have the student finishing the course with basic telephone/e-mail skills in Italian, as well as survival Italian should a short stay in the country be needed.
Book now / EnquiryThese Italian lessons fit a broader spectrum, and can be useful for those who need different things from the language. Most beginner students will have a handle of survival Italian by the end of their course, which will provide them without enough Italian to communicate at least at a basic level during short trips to the country, but those who require more would benefit greatly from these sessions. Typical students have been those eager to travel all over the world, those buying overseas property, those with foreign spouses, aficionados of Italian culture and those who just wish to pass a particular Italian exam.
Book now / EnquiryThose wishing to learn Italian in groups of 2 or more together (Two-to-One Italian Courses or Small Group In-Company Italian Courses) can sign up for our group classes. All students must be at nearly the same level of Italian proficiency, must have the same needs from the language, and must be able to study at the same time and place as the others. Bookings must be made for all students simultaneously. Listen & Learn do not propose group sizes or more than 6-8 people, but In-Company Taster Italian Courses can occur with up to 12 people.
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Italian Testimonials
"This is just a quick note to say thank you for arranging our Italian classes. We really enjoyed them and we liked Maria very much. We are interested in having some more lessons, perhaps once a week now. We'd like them to focus on conversation so that we can practise what we've learned so far."