Rome Calling! Why You Should Consider Learning Italian
Written by Stephanie
April 24, 2023
Al fresco. Antenna. Bank. Cauliflower. Confetti. Diva. Graffiti. Influenza. Lagoon. Lava. Lottery. Maestro. Magenta. Money. Nostalgia. Opera. Novel. Paparazzi. Patio. Punch. Studio. Umbrella. Villa. Vista.
Those are just a few of the many, many words in the English language derived from Italian! And that’s not even including all the words in English that are based on Latin words, itself the foundation of the Italian language!
Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn another language – or just add to your list of languages you already know! Either way, we at Yip think there are so many great reasons why you should think of opting for lessons in Italian. Below are just some of them…andiamo! (That’s Italian for ‘let’s go!’)
Learning Italian Is Popular!
Italian is the official language of only three countries: Italy, the Vatican and San Marino. Less than 80 million people worldwide have it as their first language. By comparison, Portuguese is the official language of 9 countries and 260 million native speakers, 29 countries and 270 million folks have French as their official or first language, and no less than 20 countries and 548 million people have Spanish as theirs.
And that’s not even to compare to the global reach of languages such as English, Mandarin and Arabic, of course.
So, why learn Italian, when other languages are spoken by far more people in more countries?
Well, it so happens that Italian is the fourth-most learned language in the world, after only English, French and Spanish. That’s a lot of people wanting to learn Italian! So, why is it that so many people want to learn the language of la dolce vita and all things pasta? Is it just because pizza is so popular?
Italy is the Coolest Country
Is there any country that’s as all-around cool as Italy? Yeah, sure, France has its charms and Japan is unique and China is the next big thing, and on and on. Most countries have their cool aspects, right.
But, let’s be honest: there’s no country quite like Italy. The passion, the football, the famous cities, the fabulous sense of style – Italy has it all. And one just has to say the words ‘Italian food’ and the argument is won, right!
Take another example: fashion. Paris may be the centre of world fashion and the home of haute couture, but Italy made fashion accessible to all. It has always led the way in comfortable, wearable clothing and accessories. Like the country and people itself, Italian fashion is more about living life and enjoying its simple pleasures. There’s even an Italian word for it: sprezzatura, which means an effortless ease at being your own person and, well, cool!
One just has to stand in any piazza in any Italian town to see just how cool the average Italian can be!
Italy Is Unique
Italy has to be the culturally and historically richest country in Europe. Most European countries had one ‘golden age’. Britain has its empire, as did France, Spain, Russia and Portugal, Greece had Ancient Greece and the Netherlands had its ‘Gilded Age’.
But Italy had two eras that were not only immense in their scope but shaped the world as we know it today, i.e. Ancient Rome and the Renaissance. With that enormously influential legacy comes some of the most beautiful cities and monuments in the world, and a rich culture to match.
There’s so much more to appreciate and love about Italy. The American novelist Frances May captures it well: “I find other countries have this or that, but Italy is the only one that has it all for me. The culture, the cuisine, the people, the landscape, the history. Just everything to me comes together there.” Italy is the gift that keeps on giving!
Made In Italy
Italy is also about some of the best design in the world. Besides fashion labels like Prada, Armani, Bulgari and Dolce & Gabbana, it’s also the country that delivers some of the most desired luxury cars in the world: Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati. Not only is it the distinct styling that makes Italian products so appreciated, but Italian flair, innovation and attention to detail.
Let’s face it, not much beats hearing these three words: ‘Made in Italy’.
Italian Is Relatively Easy to Learn
We’re not saying that Italian is super easy to learn. No language is that simple! Some of its grammar rules can be tricky. However, we do think it’s relatively easy. Okay, so compared to what? Well, in case you don’t know, Italian is one of the five major Romance languages. The others are French (oh, my word, the grammar!), Portuguese (wow, the pronunciations, not to mention grammar!) and Romanian (a mix of Romance and Slavic – yikes!).
Italian is definitely easier to learn than those three. Only the fifth major Romance language, Spanish, compares in its ease. Why? Because, like Spanish, Italian grammar is quite straightforward, with far less exceptions than French or Portuguese. Also, Italian words are easy to pronounce. There are no silent letters that ‘dangle’ in mid-air like in French or entire letters you need to ‘swallow’ like in Portuguese! Consonants and vowels are mostly said out phonetically as written in Italian, making it easier to pronounce even the trickiest words.
Take A Plunge Into the Italian Language!
So, now that we’ve convinced you that Italian is cool and not that difficult to learn, you need to take some classes in it. You can start by checking out what Italian classes may be on offer right here on Yip. As a ‘Yipee,’ you will have all the protection and benefits of taking classes online with an established, bona fide learning platform.
You might also want to brush up or learn more about search engine optimisation, or SEO. That will ensure that the words and terms you use in your online searches are more precise and helpful to you. All the better for securing the best tickets for your dream holiday to Italy or knowing where to find and order those Italian cioccolatini (that’s chocolates) you fell in love with!
Imagine being able to enjoy a film with Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni – in Italian. Imagine being able to understand the lyrics of music by Eros Ramazotti and Måneskin – in Italian. Imagine being able to read design magazines, history books and great novels – in Italian! So, what’s stopping you?
Grazie!
