Learning a new language

[rtp]

I have a trip to Italy booked for mid April. I’m wondering if I still have enough time to learn enough where it would be beneficial/helpful to me. Any comments about that would be appreciated. Also, are any of the aids better than others, Babbel, Rosetta Stone, etc? I’m as Texan as the come and heard of hearing to boot. Not sure if I’ll be able to pull this off .


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[Johnny Dangerr]

Italian is a breath away from Spanish. You have time for a lot. This morning I ordered breakfast in Hispanic. I pretend to not know the language and only use it when it's nessacirio...

[Lost10mm]

Everytime the military sent me to a new country, my command got me a book with information about that country and they had sections with commonly used translations and local customs. It might be worth reaching out to the American Embassy or General Consulate in Italy and see if they can get you one of those books.

If you're taking your phone, make sure you have google translate. We had other versions of translation helpers and they saved my butt a lot of times!

[falmike]

I have used the Pimsleur CD method with some success:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pimsleur+..._ts-doa-p_1_11

The conversational set is probably plenty

[matagordian]

I have been listening to spanish while i sleep for about two years since my neighbors moved in and blast mexican music till 5am.
Havent learned anything but the bad words yet

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Johnny Dangerr

Italian is a breath away from Spanish. You have time for a lot. This morning I ordered breakfast in Hispanic. I pretend to not know the language and only use it when it's nessacirio...

totally agree. I worked / lived in South America for years and after it was said and done I could get by in a Spanish speaking country. I found that I could read Italian with little effort and could converse with Italian speakers. I was clueless when they spoke back but it is all very close. Go for it!

[ThisLadyHunts]

I agree. If you’ve ever taken Spanish classes, you probably know enough to make quick work of learning Italian.

I took the requisite two years of Spanish in high school. Before we took our first trip to South America in 2012, I started about eight weeks ahead of time and began to brush up on my skills. I used two apps that I thought were helpful: 1) BrainScapes to quickly increase my vocabulary and to conjugate my verbs; and 2) DuoLingo for sentence structure and conversational Spanish.

Both are good because the utilize a feedback system of correct/incorrect answers to help focus more on your areas of weakness which, ultimately, helps you assimilate the language faster.

Or you could just watch The Godfather over and over until you get it down.

[KY2TX]

Have had the "say hi" app for awhile. Will translate several languages.

[Bily Lovec]

English

[IowaHunter]

Look into adult continued education at a local community college. They have language classes cheap and you’d have an instructor to work with weekly.

[HeyMikey]

Originally Posted by Bily Lovec

English

Must've sounded funnier inside your head

[rtp]

Originally Posted by Bily Lovec

English

Dude where ya been?


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[rtp]

Originally Posted by matagordian

I have been listening to spanish while i sleep for about two years since my neighbors moved in and blast mexican music till 5am.
Havent learned anything but the bad words yet

Funny. Why are the bad words always easy to remember?


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[N.DaWoods]

We did 11 days in Italy self guided. We had a blast, many English speakers, especially in the heavy tourist spots. I got the vibe that really terrible Italian from an American tourist would be probably be worse than just speaking English. They know your a tourist and pretty much embrace that. I would just go and enjoy yourself and not fret about it. As far as understanding some basic words or phrases, Duolingo is free and easy, but youll be fine without anything.

[Mexico]

Originally Posted by Johnny Dangerr

Italian is a breath away from Spanish. You have time for a lot. This morning I ordered breakfast in Hispanic. I pretend to not know the language and only use it when it's nessacirio...

The fact you ordered in " Hispanic " and not Spanish has me concerned with your " Hispanic ".

[Quackerbox]

Originally Posted by Mexico

The fact you ordered in " Hispanic " and not Spanish has me concerned with your " Hispanic ".

Lmao

Probably ordering a 100 dollar sir vaysa

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[BigRed323]

Not really necessary in my opinion. We were in Italy in October and English is fine everywhere you go. We both speak Spanish so we could occasionally pick up on things people were saying.

I pig hunted in the Umbria wine region while we were there with a guy that didn’t speak a single word of English and I didn’t speak a single word Italian, so for the 4 hours we were together, we spoke through Google translate. We had a blast in the blind and still stay in contact and send hunting pictures back and forth.

[Man]

There enough free videos on youtube to learn the basics and then i use a flashcard app called quizlet on my phone to practice daily.

I also use "Google Translate" everytime i go overseas. It turns on your camera and you just hold you phone up at anything and everything..and it turns everything into english in real time. It can get addicting becouse it that cool.

[Mitchell8]

They need to learn English

[labman]

Rosetta stone is very good. Uncle Sam sent me to language school in the late '80s, went down south for a while and habled almost fluently.

Time and age diminished my language skill, but a new job requirements meant travel back south. I picked up the Rosetta Stone and thought it was excellent as a refresher.

I did a family trip to Italy a few years ago and spent several months picking up basic Italian from Rosetta Stone, worked well for me.

[Farmdog]

Italy needs to wake up

[Muddy Bud]

I had to attend a post well meeting in some Italian Coastal place for ENI can’t really remember the name but it sounded like Portfolio or something like that. I was surprised how much I could pick up on just knowing Texican. Lots of the vocabulary just sounded like a more passionate Spanish. Kinda like my wife when she gets ****** off. I tend to tone her out when she gets like that but I guess I picked up on a lot of it.

[JES]

Just get drunk and then talk to them, my Spanish was always better after I had been drinking most of the day…

[Mr. Public]

Duo Lingo App. It’s free.
I took 6years of Spanish but spoke and used it more outside of a classroom at work in kitchens through high school & college and a lot after college speaking with native Spanish speakers working on pipelines.

Came in real handy when speaking to the guys on a lease I hunted in Old Mexico, 33 days one year. I was the most conversant in Spanish that year than I ever was prior.

Duo Lingo was a very quick refresher, I think you could learn basics of travel, directions, dining language, greetings, basic question & answer. It’s designed in a method as such. Would at least be helpful. It’s very simple to get started and provided an assessment of your knowledge of the language prior to beginning lessons.
I think if one was to stick to 20 mins a day, over the course of a few weeks they could be mildly conversant.


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[clayree]

Go with Duolingo, as it works. That being said you must put in the time/work or you're wasting your time.

[Abcdj]

I did the Pimsler cd's years ago for Spanish. I remember a thimble full. All our international kids that want to come have to pass the Duolingo test now. Might try that.

[mikemorvan]

Can't you just tell 'em you're from Texas and let it go at that?

[Man]

Originally Posted by mikemorvan

Can't you just tell 'em you're from Texas and let it go at that?

What if he needs to fine the closest place that serves a good cinnamon latte??

[rtp]

Originally Posted by N.DaWoods

We did 11 days in Italy self guided. We had a blast, many English speakers, especially in the heavy tourist spots. I got the vibe that really terrible Italian from an American tourist would be probably be worse than just speaking English. They know your a tourist and pretty much embrace that. I would just go and enjoy yourself and not fret about it. As far as understanding some basic words or phrases, Duolingo is free and easy, but youll be fine without anything.

Interesting to hear. I always heard they didn’t appreciate us showing up expecting everyone to speak English and appreciated a sincere attempt to speak Italian.

Then again Texans are a bit more revered around the world than other Americans.


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[rtp]

Originally Posted by Man

What if he needs to fine the closest place that serves a good cinnamon latte??

Not a coffee drinker. I will be drinking wine and beer across that country for 16 days though.


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[rtp]

Looks like I’ll give the duo lingo a try. Thanks for everyone’s input. I was totally of base with where to start apparently.


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[Mary]

What areas are you going to? I've been twice, and as mentioned, English is pretty well spoken there. It is nice to know some Italian to use .... but I would not stress too much about needing to carry on a conversation.

[Burnadell]

We’ve been to Italy 4 times. They all pretty much speak English, so you won’t have any trouble communicating.

[rtp]

Originally Posted by Mary

What areas are you going to? I've been twice, and as mentioned, English is pretty well spoken there. It is nice to know some Italian to use .... but I would not stress too much about needing to carry on a conversation.

Starting in Naples, then to Rome/Vatican City, then Amalfi coast, cinc terra(sp), and finish in Tuscany for 6 nights. 4 couples going.

After making this thread a number of people told me the same regarding learning Italian. So my lazy American self said to heck with that .

Bucket list trip for my devote Catholic wife!


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[Burnadell]

QUOTE=Johnny Dangerr;16584041]Italian is a breath away from Spanish. You have time for a lot. This morning I ordered breakfast in Hispanic. I pretend to not know the language and only use it when it's nessacirio...[/QUOTE]

Necesario en hispanic

[IkemanTX]

Originally Posted by rtp

Interesting to hear. I always heard they didn’t appreciate us showing up expecting everyone to speak English and appreciated a sincere attempt to speak Italian.

Then again Texans are a bit more revered around the world than other Americans.


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We did 2 weeks this past summer with a tour. The locals have a newfound appreciation for Americans spending their money since the CoVid lockdowns. I think 80% of our daily guides said something to that fact. Even our main tour guide said they the country as a whole is ecstatic that we are visiting again. I’m all for learning a new language for myself, but a cursory knowledge of some basic questions and answers will definitely get you by.


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[Burnadell]

Richard, I’ll bet you $1000 that you can’t make this trip without drinking wine…lots of it!

[Mary]

Originally Posted by rtp

Starting in Naples, then to Rome/Vatican City, then Amalfi coast, cinc terra(sp), and finish in Tuscany for 6 nights. 4 couples going.

After making this thread a number of people told me the same regarding learning Italian. So my lazy American self said to heck with that .

Bucket list trip for my devote Catholic wife!


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Perfect trip....I have been to all of these. The only place on that list that I was happy to see, but also happy to move on... was Rome. That place is SO crowded, and Italians drive crazy to begin with....in Rome, they are completely NUTS! LOL

I hope you are going to Positano on the Amalfi Coast, if not....make it happen. If you want a great boat experience in Positano....we used Exclusive Cruises for our family trip. It was a huge highlight. I told the captain to tell me when I could go overboard, as I WAS going overboard. Amazing place to swim!!!

[rtp]

Originally Posted by Burnadell

Richard, I’ll bet you $1000 that you can’t make this trip without drinking wine…lots of it!

That is one bet I can not accept.


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[Burnadell]

Enjoy your trip, Richard!

[Burnadell]

Mary is correct. Visit Positano.

Take pitchers; take lots of pitchers!