Top 10 Game-Changing Reasons Why You Should Learn Italian

Learning Italian will change your life. From making new friends to improving your memory. Here are 10 game-changing reasons why you should learn Italian.

Learning Italian changed my life. It led me down a new path in life I had never imagined. There are so many reasons why you should learn Italian. So, if you’re considering learning Italian but are sitting on the fence, these 10 reasons will inspire you to take action once and for all!

But, first….

A Brief History of Italian

The Italian language has been around since the 900s. The first known written text resembling what we now recognise as the Italian language was a legal document regarding a dispute over land ownership between southern Italian monasteries. Known as the Placiti Cassinesi, the documents date back to the years 963-960.

The Italian language didn’t become standardised until the time of Dante Alighieri, the most famous Italian writer of all time. Dante Alighieri penned La Divina Commedia (The Divine Comedy), which was completed in 1320, a year before his death.

In the late Middle Ages, the vast majority of poetry and literary works were written in Latin, but Dante was a proponent of vernacular literature that used the common language of the people. He wrote The Divine Comedy in the Tuscan dialect, a highly unorthodox choice that would set the standard for Italian literature and position Tuscan Italian as the language of high culture and the basis for the ‘standard’ Italian spoken today. For this reason, Dante is often referred to as the “father of the Italian language” for his role in establishing modern Italian.

Let’s take a look at the top 10 reasons why you should learn Italian.

1. Deepen Your Understanding of Culture

According to UNESCO (the cultural and educational agency for the United Nations) most of the world’s cultural heritage sites are in Italy. With almost 60% of the world’s art treasures located in Italy, speaking the language opens you up to a richer experience and understanding of its art and history.

Italian film director Federico Fellini once said, “A different language is a different vision of life”. Speaking the language will give you a greater understanding of the country and its culture.

why you should learn italian

2. Exposes You to New Job Opportunities

In spite of the current economic situation, according to the United Nations ranking of the world’s’ wealthiest countries, Italy is consistently ranked within the top ten, making it an ideal country for overseas investment.

Many employers are seeking people who speak both Italian and English. An estimated 7,500 American companies do business with Italy and more than 1,000 U.S. firms have offices in Italy, including Chrysler, IBM, General Electric, Motorola, Citibank. Many Italian firms also have offices in the U.S.

3. Makes You a Smarter Traveller

Whether it’s ordering a pizza in Naples, or haggling in one of Milan’s street markets having a working knowledge of the language not only enriches your holiday experience but could save you a few euros.

4. It Increases Your Brainpower

Speaking a foreign language improves the functionality of your brain, boosting your problem-solving abilities and improving your memory. Some studies have concluded that adults who are multilingual can reduce the first signs of dementia by on average 4.1 years!

5. It’s Easy

Learning Italian is easy! No joke! Your see, si legge come si scrive (you read it how it’s written) meaning it looks similar to how it sounds. Pronunciation is clear with every vowel distinctly enunciated which also makes sounds easier to understand.

As a native English speaker, there will be a lot of words that will be familiar to you. Did you know that approximately 30% of words in the English language are of Latin origin? The Italian language remains the most closely associated with the language of the Romans. Of course, this argument could also be used for the other Romance languages, but Italian trumps the others thanks to its easy pronunciation.

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I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the information in this book, and how useful it has been in making the next step to learning Italian. The chapter on “Italianising” English words is alone worth the 5 stars. I have been using free apps to this point, and they have been helpful, but the information in this book had moved me forward in my progress. I do recommend it, and would not have had I not thought it worth it. – Review on Amazon UK

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6. A Stepping Stone to Learning Other Languages

Knowing Italian will help you learn other languages. Being one of the Romance languages, Italian shares a similar grammatical structure and there are often similarities in vocabulary. You’ll find that some words are very similar to Portuguese and Spanish. In fact, it’s said that Italians can get by in Brazil, Argentina, and Spain speaking only Italian!

7. It’s Terribly Romantic

Italian is the most romantic of the Romance languages. Thanks to most words ending in a vowel and a cadenced sentence structure, it has a musicality that makes it quite a simple language to comprehend and to speak.

Over the centuries Italian has earned a reputation as the language of art, love, and seduction. Could Romeo and Juliet have spoken any other language?

Those who are learning Italian are fascinated by the musicality of the language, the simplicity of its sounds and the charm of its words. When words do not suffice, Italians are masters in the use of hand gestures and facial expressions, which break down all communication barriers.

8. You’ll Make New Friends

Speaking another language is a great way to meet new people. Being able to communicate with local people while you are in Italy can open you up to friendships you’d have missed out on previously.

Some of my best friends are Italian. Italian are some of the warmest and welcoming people you will ever meet. Because their English was limited, it was thanks to being able to converse in their native language that our friendships grew.

9. Improves Your English

Italian is the closest to Latin, the common ancestor of all Romance languages. Italian developed from Latin and an estimated 60 percent of the English vocabulary also comes from Latin. Knowing Italian may help improve your English.

10. Boost Your Confidence

Learning a foreign language is an incredibly rewarding experience and a serious confidence booster. You’ll overcome some of your fears and doubts, learn more about yourself, meet new people, and perhaps travel to places you would’ve never dared to visit before. Plus, the constant positive feedback from native speakers and their encouragement is always a motivation and ego booster.

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Here’s what my students are saying:

Testimonial - How to Learn Italian for Travel FAST! - Roma Small

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Heading to Italy? Download my free Italian Travel Phrase guide here.

Learning Italian? Check out these Italian language guides

Over to you!

Are you thinking about learning Italian? What’s holding you back?
Let me know using the comments section below or join me on social media to start a conversation.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this post.

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2 comments

Ilona Proshkina August 24, 2016 - 20:27

Hi!!! Thank you for this post! I absolutely agree with all you wrote here. When I started to learn Italian by myself I was totally impressed by it, by words, even by the atmosphere. It seems that almost all the words are so romantic.

Michele August 25, 2016 - 09:32

Thanks Ilona, glad you enjoyed this post. Italian has a very special place in my heart :)

Top 10 Reasons Why Learning Italian Will Change Your Life