Learning Italian – Resources & Study Locations

Learning to Speak Italian

  1. Useful Resources for Italian (Guide / Audio Course / Rosetta Stone / Spark Charts / Books / Websites / Tutors)
  2. Language Immersion Programs (Assisi / Siena)

Any Italian you can pick up in the USA before coming to Italy is a huge benefit.

Learning Italian will be one of the most important things for you to focus on before you arrive.  For seminarians attending the Pontifical University of Santa Croce or the Pontifical Gregorian University, classes are taught in Italian.  If you plan on attending the Greg or the Croce, then if it is possible and your schedule permits, start studying Italian today. Students attending the Greg or the Croce must pass a basic Italian proficiency exam offered by their university.  Those attending the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) can take all of their classes in English, but anyone can choose to take some classes in Italian at the Ang. It is important to note that almost all Second Cycle (S.T.L.) programs at the Ang are only offered in Italian, so preparation in the language will definitely be to your benefit.  Seminarians may also be assigned to Italian-speaking ministries. Whatever the situation, you will probably live in Italy for four or five years and a good grasp of Italian will only help you.  The key is to begin Italian as soon as possible.  Languages can rarely be crammed in a short period with lasting retention.  The best bang for your buck is a two-pronged strategy of (1) daily fidelity, & (2) the number of days of study.  You may wish to start small; even as little as 5-10 minutes done each day consistently in April and May will bear fruit.  Regardless of when you begin, find the best way to study for your learning style, and devote the time you see fit.

 

Useful Resources for Italian

None of these resources are required, but many students have found them helpful. It should also be noted that many of the books are similar and they may overlap each other in content. Many of these would be useful to provide a basis in Italian before arriving at NAC and allow further studies in Italy to be more fruitful. Praying the Rosary in Italian, setting the language on your eBreviary to Italian, and reading the Bible in Italian are also good ways of beginning to learn the language.

Guide

This guide was made by a NAC seminarian. You may find it useful for vocabulary and grammar review.

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Audio Course

One of the best courses available is produced by a company called Pimsleur. It consists of ninety half-hour lessons. It is very expensive ($600–$1000 for the whole course), but it can often be found at your local library. Additionally, many libraries are now offering a digital audio-book download service, which may include the Pimsleur Languages Courses.

The Michel Thomas Method is similar to Pimsleur, but much cheaper. Many seminarians and priests have used it and thoroughly recommend it. https://www.michelthomas.com/learn-italian

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Rosetta Stone

Most people are familiar with this software from the many commercials.  There are online subscriptions available for Italian and other languages. It can be expensive, but some dioceses already have one or more copies/subscriptions available that you could use. It helps primarily with association of vocabulary and many students found it helpful to prepare them for Italian studies prior to coming. It is best supplemented with additional grammar study, however, since that is not a primary focus of the method of the software.

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Spark Charts

  • Italian Grammar (ISBN 978-1-4114-0455-7)
  • Italian Vocabulary (ISBN 978-1-4114-0266-9)

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Books

You can find a good variety of Italian grammar, vocabulary, and exercise books at any bookstore or online.

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Websites

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Personal Tutors

For those who want or need additional language training, personal tutors are readily available. They can be recommended either by the College or by other seminarians on a case-by-case basis. They tutor either at the seminarian’s university or at the College and generally charge €30/hour.

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Language Immersion Programs

The College provides a four-week intensive program in the Italian language for all new students during the month of September prior to the beginning of the academic year. Nevertheless, students are strongly encouraged to begin their formal study of Italian before September. An intensive immersion course is therefore highly recommended. What follows is a preview of the language immersion programs sponsored by the College. These programs are based out of Assisi or Siena.  

Assisi

Assisi

The language program in Assisi is offered by Academia Lingua Italiana.  Students have the opportunity to take large group lessons, small group lessons, individual tutoring, or a combination of the above.  Students will stay at Casa Papa Giovanni B&B in the historic city of Assisi.  Contact us to apply!

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Siena

Siena

The Institute Dante Alighieri provides students with a hybrid program of group lessons and individual tutoring.  Students stay with host families for a full Italian immersion.  Contact us to apply!

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