How to Learn new Italian Words as a Beginner (or for kids)
- Rina Stellina
- Jan 17
- 4 min read
Starting to learn a language can be a daunting experience. Where do you start? What language app is the best? What in the world is a conjugation? Don't worry! In this post I'll show you some less intimidating methods to starting to learn a new language. Here are 5 methods that I've thought of, give them a shot and you'll be on your path to learning Italian, or any other language for that matter!
Flashcards - but with photos
Making and studying flashcards can be a pretty mundane process, especially the studying part. Learning words based on translations makes it harder to grasp words. Think about how you learned words as a child in your mother tongue - someone said it to you, you associated it with an object or experience, and bam, you remembered it forever. By learning a new language with translations, you'll find yourself always having to translate in your head and delay your fluency and articulation. But, if you use photos on your flashcards, for example, the word "cane" with a photo of a cute fluffy dog on the back, your brain is more likely to store it away and remember it! You can either draw these on physical flashcards, print them out, or use digital platforms like Quizlet.
Or, if you're not up to making your own flashcards, you can also purchase these flashcards on Amazon of a pack of 300 sight words with photos, translation, and even pronunciation! A little tip, if you aren't sure how to pronounce a word, you can pull up Google Translate or Reverso Context and use the speak text button to see how to properly say the word.
Children's Books
No matter what age you are, children's books can be a great way to learn new words and phrases in another language! They will give you simple phrases and enough context to understand words without having to lift a dictionary. Try to look for preschool and early reader books to get started without feeling overwhelmed. A great place to start is with a beloved Italian character, La Pimpa. La Pimpa is an old Italian comic and cartoon about a white and red spotted dog! There are plenty of her books on Amazon, including Pimpa e le due lune, where La Pimpa speaks to the lonely moon. It's a cozy book, and you get to learn Italian words and embrace some Italian pop culture as well!
Now just because I mentioned you shouldn't put translations on your flashcards doesn't mean you can never use a translator. Don't be afraid to open a dictionary or a translation app if some words don't make sense to you!
Cartoons
Going down the path of nostalgia and comfort, watching children's shows is also a great way to pick up some words, especially in shows for younger children. You'd be surprised at how many new words you can learn by watching a cartoon! You can try to find dubbed versions of your favorite childhood cartoons, or switch your language on streaming services. It's much easier in this day of technology to find shows dubbed in another language, so take advantage of this and go out there and start searching! Though they can be fun and comforting, I do recommend watching in small amounts so that your brain can absorb and process a few words at a time. So perhaps have your evening tea with an episode of Barbapapà or Italian dubbed Bluey every night.
You can also get some more cartoon ideas by looking at my other blog post where I list 5 more cartoons I love to watch to get some comprehensible input.
Music
If you're an American, chances are your school teachers made you listen to a catchy tune to learn the 50 States, and it's still embedded in your brain somewhere. Music is a great way to learn and remember words. It's also great for pronunciation! I'll let you in on my secret: I learned to trill my R by singing along to the soundtrack of Frozen.
Whether it's your favorite Disney classic songs, or an Eros Ramazzotti album, listening to Italian music will really help those words get stuck in your brain! If you don't know how to find Italian music that isn't directed towards children, you can start by looking up "classic Italian songs", or songs from Sanremo for more modern tunes.
Parla! Parla! Parla!
Speak Italian from day one! Yes, day one! You'll quickly find that you have no idea what a word is for something, and by asking "che cos'è questo?", or "come si dice...", your curiosity will help you remember the response better!
You see an apple, don't know how to say it Italian, you either ask your Italian language learning partner, or whip out your vocab book. You learn the word is "mela", and because you had curiosity and context on your side, your brain will log it in your memories better. So next time someone says to you, "Vuoi una mela?", you'll know exactly what you just said "sì" to.
Keep on practicing!
Hopefully these tips are helpful to you and become a part of your Italian learning routine. Remember it takes time, don't give up! One day you'll wake up and realize you know more Italian words than you thought! A dopo!
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