Italiano · speak first
Parlo!
Start speaking Italian in minutes!
Pick a scene. Snap together a phrase, a few glue words and a noun — then say it out loud. Ecco!
Al Bar
At the café
0/10 phrases
Al Ristorante
At the restaurant
0/10 phrases
Alla Stazione
At the train station
0/10 phrases
Mi Presento
Introducing myself
0/10 phrases
Structural sheets
Reference lists of the words Italian runs on — with pronunciation and meaning, ready to flip and hear.
50 Most Used Verbs
The actions behind every I-phrase
50 words
100 Most Used Nouns
The things you'll talk about most
100 words
50 Glue Words
Articles, prepositions and connectors
50 words
Italian grammar rules
The rules first, then how an Italian sentence is built and the slips English speakers make most.
The rules
Basic
- The article goes before the noun
Little words like il, la, un, una always sit in front of their noun.
- The article matches the noun
Masculine: il / un. Feminine: la / una. Special sounds: lo / uno, l’ / un’.
- Plural articles: i, gli, le
il → i, lo / l’ (masc.) → gli, la / l’ (fem.) → le.
- One I-phrase per clause
“Voglio mangio” doesn’t work. Use the base form: “voglio mangiare”, or join with “e”.
- “di” vs “da” for where you’re from
sono di + city · vengo da + city.
- Joined words: al, del, nella
a + il = al · di + il = del · in + la = nella · da + il = dal.
- Describing words match the noun
pizza buona · vino buono · americano / americana.
- Polite words go at the edges
Greetings and scusi first; per favore and grazie at the start or end.
Complex
- Small pronouns go before the verb
lo prendo (I’ll take it) · mi chiamo (I call myself).
- “Mi piace” vs “mi piacciono”
One thing pleases me: mi piace. Several things: mi piacciono.
- Past tense: avere or essere
ho mangiato (I ate) · sono andato (I went).
- Most describing words go after the noun
vino rosso, not rosso vino. A few short ones (buono, bello) can go before.
- “C’è” vs “ci sono”
C’è un treno? (Is there a train?) · Ci sono treni? (Are there trains?)
- “Non” goes right before the verb
non voglio · non lo prendo.
How to build a sentence
1. Courtesy
Scusi,
(SKOO-zee)
= Excuse me,
2. I-phrase
vorrei
(vohr-RAY)
= I would like
3. Article + noun
un caffè
(oon kahf-FEH)
= a coffee
4. Glue word
con
(kohn)
= with
5. Courtesy close
per favore
(pehr fah-VOH-reh)
= please
Only the I-phrase is required — add the other parts as you grow.
Common mistakes from English
✗ Io voglio un caffè
✓ Voglio un caffè
(VOHL-yoh oon kahf-FEH)
= I want a coffee
The verb ending already says “I”, so Italians usually drop io.
Rule: One I-phrase per clause →✗ Voglio pizza
✓ Voglio la pizza
(VOHL-yoh lah PEET-tsah)
= I want the pizza
English drops “the”; Italian nouns almost always need an article.
Rule: The article matches the noun →✗ Il rosso vino
✓ Il vino rosso
(eel VEE-noh ROHS-soh)
= the red wine
Most describing words come after the noun, the reverse of English.
Rule: Most describing words go after the noun →✗ Io piaccio la pizza
✓ Mi piace la pizza
(mee PYAH-cheh lah PEET-tsah)
= I like pizza
Italian says “pizza pleases me” — the thing you like is the subject.
Rule: “Mi piace” vs “mi piacciono” →✗ Voglio mangio
✓ Voglio mangiare
(VOHL-yoh mahn-JAH-reh)
= I want to eat
After voglio / posso / devo the next verb takes its -are/-ere/-ire form.
Rule: One I-phrase per clause →✗ Vengo di New York
✓ Vengo da New York
(VEN-goh dah nyoo YORK)
= I come from New York
“From” is di with sono, but da with vengo.
Rule: “di” vs “da” for where you’re from →✗ Prendo lo
✓ Lo prendo
(loh PREN-doh)
= I’ll take it
Small pronouns sit before the verb, not after like “take it”.
Rule: Small pronouns go before the verb →✗ Voglio non il vino
✓ Non voglio il vino
(nohn VOHL-yoh eel VEE-noh)
= I don’t want the wine
There’s no “do not” — just put non right before the verb.
Rule: “Non” goes right before the verb →