# Italian language CD/Book



## Judy (Nov 24, 2012)

In the spring we'll be traveling from Civitavecchia to Tuscany, spending a week in a timeshare there and then going on to Venice for a few days before flying home.  We don't speak any Italian except what you'd find on the Olive Garden menu.  Can you all recommend an Italian language course for travelers that includes a CD and a paper book?


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## Passepartout (Nov 25, 2012)

Before you spend a lot of money on a language course, Google BBC language courses. They have free ones online that will get you beyond the Olive Garden menu, but won't make you conversational.

I am unable to paste the link, but it is easy to find.

Not that being monolingual is anything to brag about, but you'll find that English will get you by quite well in the major cities of Europe. Smaller towns, not so much.

Jim


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## Poobah (Nov 25, 2012)

*Language*

We were in Italy this past September for the first time. Language was not an issue. Most everyone you will interface with on the hospitality side will speak English. The menus are generally both in Italian and English.

We found that most of the younger folks will speak some English; it is the older generations that are not bilingual.

We did get lost in Rome a couple of ( OK, several!) times and the locals really tried to be helpful. Not successfully some times, but they really, really tried.

Having said all that, it would be helpful to learn some basic words (mostly nouns) to recognize what type of store/restaurant/bar you are looking at or to ask where that type of store/restaurant/bar is. Knowing how to ask about the train station or tram/bus stop is also helpful.

Tuscany is a large area and I assume you are driving. Where are you staying?If it is around where we stayed, I may be able to offer some recommendations.

Ciao,

Paul


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## RAMBO (Nov 25, 2012)

Agree totally with POOBAH, you really don't need to know a lot af Italian to survive in Italy. Even in remote parts of Tuscany you can survive with English only,  most of the time. Of course there will be exceptions.


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## glypnirsgirl (Nov 26, 2012)

Pimsleur offers a 6 week course for $69. The mini-course is quite good and will more than dip your toes into a language. At the conclusion of the mini-course, I could ask for the bathroom, order a beer and greet people. 

I have not taken the Italian course, just Spanish. I have been very happy with it. The "book" is on-line --- they don't mail it out. I enjoy the course very much. I listen to the CDs on the way to and from work every day. 

Also, I would look for the course(s) on ebay. I looked after I had bought at retail. The savings is significant.

Rosetta Stone, which I took first, taught lots of stuff that was not very helpful for traveling. Pimsleur is oriented towards learning language for traveling. 

elaine


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## Conan (Nov 26, 2012)

Another vote for Pimsleur.  It's entirely aural (by ear).  Each lesson is 30 minutes.  I find I need to repeat each lesson three or four times before I can get most of the responses onto my tongue.

The shorter and cheaper sets will give you the basics.  If you spend a month or two going through the 12 hour set you'll be surprisingly almost-fluent for everyday conversation.

Over the years I've argued with a cab driver in Czech, gotten directions in Greek, and talked to people variously in Italian, French, and Portuguese.  I forget it all six months later but I've had my fun.


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## regatta333 (Nov 27, 2012)

I would recommend Cortina Language Institute.

http://cortina-languages.com/learn-italian-c-25.html


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## Judy (Nov 28, 2012)

Poobah; said:
			
		

> Tuscany is a large area and I assume you are driving. Where are you staying? If it is around where we stayed, I may be able to offer some recommendations.
> Ciao,
> Paul


We're staying at Il Poggio, San Casciano Bagni, (SI)  Italy on an RCI Weeks exchange.


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## Judy (Nov 28, 2012)

I've discovered that our library here in Steamboat Springs subscribes to Mango Languages, an online interactive language learning program that offers Italian at no cost to library patrons   I'll use that until I leave for my trip.
I still need something to take with me that can be put onto an MP3 player, so I'll check out Pinsleur and Cortina.  
Thank you all for the suggestions.


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## Judy (Nov 29, 2012)

Many of the Pimsleur programs seem to be audio only.  But some of them indicate "either reading instruction or culture notes".  Does anyone know what that means?  I'd like to have written material to follow along with the audio.  Is that what Pimsleur is offering?


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## Conan (Nov 29, 2012)

Judy said:


> Many of the Pimsleur programs seem to be audio only.  But some of them indicate "either reading instruction or culture notes".  Does anyone know what that means?  I'd like to have written material to follow along with the audio.  Is that what Pimsleur is offering?



In the Pimsleur sets I've seen, there's a skinny booklet that has some reading passages, and some of the audio sessions end with you reading along in the booklet, I guess to get an idea of how you might pronounce words off the page.

It's a very minor part of the Pimsleur program.  Actually I mostly listened to the tracks while driving, so I didn't look at the written passages at all.


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## x3 skier (Dec 2, 2012)

As an aside, you might consider starting with Spanish which is very close to Italian and much more useful in the USA. My first visit to Italy, I drew on my limited Spanish knowledge in the rare event the person did not understand English. Between the two, I could communicate all I needed. 

I also recommend Plimsleur for whatever language you use. The BBC courses are also very good. 

Cheers


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## bailey (Dec 21, 2012)

If you're going to be driving....knowing some Italian may be useful.  When I was there driving from Assisi to Tuscany area, there are many toll roads.  We came to one, inserted the money and it came right back out.  The machine rattled off something.  I turned to my sister, who was supposed to have studied the Pimsleur tapes (I was in charge of French)..and she admitted she only did lesson one..so we were both clueless.  After several attempts to insert the money with the machine spitting it back at us and saying something in Italian, the arm lifted and we were on our way.
One year later, I received a letter from Florence.   Ohhh, how exciting! Until I opened it and found a ticket for not paying the toll.


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