Italian rewards a reading-first approach: it is spelled almost as it sounds, so once you know the rules you can read aloud from day one. These guides take you from deciding to start, through pronunciation and your first 100 words, to a daily reading routine, a 30-day plan and the CEFR levels that the CILS and CELI exams certify.
- Italian taught
- Standard Italian
- Covers
- Complete beginner to B2
- Sources
- FSI, Cambridge English, Accademia della Crusca, the Siena and Perugia universities for foreigners, De Mauro, cited on each guide
- Contos data
- Word counts and examples measured from the Contos Italian library
- A 30-day Italian reading planA day-by-day 30-day Italian reading plan built on real A1 and A2 stories: one short chapter a day, a reread day each week, and a route that is entirely free.
- Your first 100 Italian wordsThe 100 Italian words beginners meet most, counted from real A1 and A2 stories and grouped into articles, little words, verb forms and everyday nouns.
- How long does it take to learn Italian?Realistic Italian timelines by CEFR level and hours a day, from FSI and Cambridge figures, plus what the Contos Italian story library shows about each level.
- How many Italian words do you need?How many Italian words you need to read, talk and move up a level: De Mauro's basic vocabulary, Nation's research, and what Contos stories show.
- Is Italian hard to learn for English speakers?How hard Italian really is for English speakers: where the FSI ranks it, why it reads easily, and the articles, verbs and double consonants that take time.
- Italian CEFR levels explained: A1 to B2What A1, A2, B1 and B2 mean in Italian, how the CILS and CELI exams certify each level, and one story written at all four levels so you can see the difference.
- Italian pronunciation for beginnersItalian pronunciation for English speakers: clear vowels, double consonants, c and g before e and i, gli and gn, and which syllable to stress.
- Italian reading practice: a 15-minute daily routineA 15-minute daily Italian reading routine: what to do minute by minute, how to plan the week, and how to tell when a story is too hard or too easy.
- Italian vs Spanish: which should you learn?Italian or Spanish? FSI difficulty, how close the two really are word for word, and how to choose, with side-by-side lines from Contos stories in both.
- How to learn Italian by readingA practical method for learning Italian by reading: what to read at each level, how to deal with unknown words, and why following one series pays off.
What order should you read the Italian guides in?
Follow the questions as they come up:
- Should I learn Italian? Is Italian hard?, how long it takes and, if Spanish is tempting too, Italian vs Spanish.
- How does it sound? Italian pronunciation: clear vowels, c and g before e and i, gli and gn, and the double consonants that separate pala from palla.
- What do I learn first? Your first 100 Italian words, counted from real beginner stories.
- How do I keep going? How to learn Italian by reading, the 15-minute daily routine and the 30-day reading plan, which uses only free chapters.
- Where am I now? Italian CEFR levels and how many words you need.
How much Italian can a beginner read?
More than you might expect, because so many words are close to English. Here is the opening of the A1 version of La Pensione Bellavista, the Contos flagship series:
Marco arriva alla piccola locanda di Nonna Pina con una valigia grande e uno sguardo stanco.A sentence like that, with two unknown words, is the right level: you follow the story and learn a little from every line. If you are tapping every other word, step down a level; if you tap nothing, step up.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest way to start learning Italian?
Learn the pronunciation rules in an afternoon, then read something short every day. Because Italian spelling is so regular, reading also teaches you how words sound. Save the words you look up as flashcards and review them daily.
Is Italian easier than Spanish?
They are close. The US Foreign Service Institute puts both in its easiest group for English speakers. Italian has more articles and plural patterns; Spanish has more speakers and more learning material. Italian vs Spanish compares them line by line.
Which Italian exam proves my level?
The two best-known are CILS, from the University for Foreigners of Siena, and CELI, from the University for Foreigners of Perugia. Both are mapped to CEFR levels; the CEFR levels guide explains what each level asks of you.
Can you learn Italian just by reading?
Reading builds vocabulary and grammar quickly, and Italian's regular spelling means it helps your pronunciation more than it would in French or English. You still need listening and speaking practice to understand fast conversation and reply in it.