Italian Facts
Italian is written using the Roman alphabet, but the letters J, K, W, X and Y are not part of the standard Italian alphabet, appearing only in loan words
Italian is widely taught in schools around the world, but rarely as the first non-native language
During the Renaissance, Italy was considered the artistic centre of the world for educated European gentlemen, who would be expected to make the 'Grand Tour'
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Ad otto anni mi sono trasferita a vivere con i miei zii in Villa “Pessagno”, la casa della mia infanzia che non potrò mai dimenticare.
Villa Pessagno era un palazzo a 4 piani con un grande giardino nel retro. I miei zii vivevano al primo piano in un appartamento molto grande, diviso in due ale, con i soffitti molto alti, i pavimenti alla veneziana e circondato da 4 terrazzi lunghi in mattone.
Nell’ala destra della casa c’erano tre stanze, la camera da letto mia e di mia sorella, un bagno grande con la vasca da bagno e la porta di legno vetrata, la cucina in legno con un grande angolo cottura ed un lungo corridoio che collegava le tre stanze.
In mezzo alle due ale della casa c’era la sala da pranzo, l’ingresso ed il salotto. Nella sala da pranzo, vi era un tavolo rotondo , stile Luigi XVI dove la mia famiglia era solita riunirsi con tutto il parentado per festeggiare compleanni, Natale, Pasqua e l’arrivo di un ospite. A sinistra del tavolo c’era un pianoforte. Dietro al tavolo da pranzo c’erano due poltrone imbottite di velluto dove si sedevano mio zio ed i suoi amici dopo il café per chiacchierare e fumare la pipa.
L’ala sinistra della casa contava quattro stanze, la camera da letto degli ospiti, un bagno piccolo con doccia, una stanza in cui la governante stirava e la camera matrimoniale dei miei zii.
Il vano che adoravo di più era l’ingresso perché era grande quanto una sala da ballo con un tappeto rosso gigante sul quale trascorrevo pomeriggi interi a ballare Cajkovskij.
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Your colleagues and yourself can be trained by our native-speaking fully-qualified Italian tutors at a time and location to suit you. Classes can take place any day, even weekends, and can happen in the morning, afternoon or evening. If the case may be that your home or office is not convenient, there is always the option to take your classes at the office of your teacher. Study books for the course are provided.
Book now / EnquiryThese Italian courses are intended for people who really need to learn Italian to help make that difference in their work. For beginners, it will be useful to learn greetings and basic business etiquette, at higher levels reading and then writing become more important. Typical students include those involved in import/export, international negotiations and acquisitions, jobseekers in multinational companies where an additional language is required, and those working with international colleagues, academia and government. Even on our most basic course for Beginners, students should expect to end the course with basic Telephone Italian and e-mail Italian skills for communications as well as Survival Italian required for short visits to a country.
Book now / EnquiryThese Italian courses are more general in nature and are targeted at students with a whole range of different needs. While all beginners level students can expect to cover Survival Italian - required for short visits to a country where English may not be spoken and/or the intention is to make good contacts with the local population, students then generally progress in different directions depending on their needs. Typical students include those buying property overseas, spouses of overseas nationals, people about to set off on that long-awaited world trip, Italian culture enthusiasts and those who are keen to pass a particular Italian examination.
Book now / EnquiryThe Italian courses are also available for 2 or more people studying together (Two-to-One Italian Course or Small Group In-Company Italian Course). All participants must have the same level, the same business or general language needs and be able to study at the same time in the same location. The booking must be made for all participants at the same time. Listen & Learn do not recommend group classes of more than 6-8 people although In-Company Taster Italian Courses can be run with up to 12 people.
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Norwich
A city in East Anglia, Norwich has a population approaching 130,000. Sometimes portrayed humorously in the media as a remote, undistinguished part of the UK as a result of its geographical isolation and its comparatively low population of ethnic minorities, Norwich in fact has plenty lot to offer. It has a rich history of chocolate manufacture; along with a wealth of historical architecture, but much of this was somewhat cut short by the Second World War. In 2006 Norwich was voted the "greenest" city in the UK.
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."