Learn Italian fast by learning common scenarios.
Skip the "the cat drinks milk" phase. Type the moment you're about to walk into, like a Roman coffee bar or a Milan shoe shop, and GigaLearner writes the Italian you'll actually hear and say. Hit play, slow it to 0.75×, parrot away.
Why scenarios beat word lists.
Real lines, not random words
You learn the exact Italian for the moment you're in, in the order it actually comes up.
Hear it the way it's said
One natural voice explains in English and speaks the Italian. Too fast? Slow it to 0.75× and say it back.
Say every letter
Italian is pronounced the way it's written. The catch is double consonants: "pala" (shovel) and "palla" (ball) are different words. The audio makes the difference obvious.
5 more common Italian scenarios to rehearse first.
The situations that come up on day one. Each line below is the one you'll need. GigaLearner writes the whole conversation around it, so you know what the other person will say back.
- TRATTORIA, BOLOGNA
Getting the bill
Rehearse this →Il conto, per favore."The bill, please." - STATION, MILAN
Checking your train
Rehearse this →Questo treno ferma a Firenze?"Does this train stop in Florence?" - SHOE SHOP, MILAN
Shoes, one size up
Rehearse this →Avete questo in un numero più grande?"Do you have this in a bigger size?" - FARMACIA, NAPLES
A cold at the pharmacy
Rehearse this →Mi serve qualcosa per il raffreddore."I need something for a cold." - OFFICE, TURIN
Monday small talk
Rehearse this →Com'è andato il fine settimana?"How was your weekend?"
Italian in 30 seconds.
- Spoken in
- Italy, San Marino, Vatican City and southern Switzerland.
- Written in
- The Latin alphabet, with a few accents like è and à.
- The tricky bit
- Tu or Lei? Lei (yes, "she") is the polite "you" for strangers. And a cappuccino after lunch gets looks.
- Quick win
- "Un caffè" is an espresso. Drink it standing at the bar (al banco) and it's cheaper.
Three steps. Zero flashcard guilt.
Type the moment
Anything that's about to happen, like getting the bill. No ideas? Tap a template like At the restaurant.
GL writes the script
Seconds later: the conversation that usually goes down, line by line in Italian and English.
Tweak it, then hear it
Harder, easier, or what happens next. Then add voice, slow it to 0.75× and parrot away. Nobody's listening. Probably.
Italian questions, answered.
How fast can I learn Italian?
Fluency takes years, and no app can honestly promise otherwise. Getting through the moments you're nervous about takes days: rehearse a scenario a few times before it happens and the lines stick. Start with the 6 on this page.
How do I get the Italian pronunciation right?
Italian is pronounced the way it's written. The catch is double consonants: "pala" (shovel) and "palla" (ball) are different words. The audio makes the difference obvious.
Which Italian does GigaLearner teach?
Standard Italian, the one you'll hear on TV and use everywhere. Regional words show up if your scenario is set somewhere specific.
Is it free?
You start free with 3 minutes of lesson audio and 20 lessons, no card needed. Pro is $9.99 a month or $89.99 a year for 30 minutes of audio and up to 500 lessons every month, in every language.
Is there an app?
GigaLearner works in your browser on phone, tablet and computer today. The iPhone and Android apps are coming soon.