The ItalianChat Experience

Our friend and VIP Member Judy from San Diego, California, confessed that she has some trouble in learning the present tense of most Italian verbs, and she’s asking for help and advice. — You knocked at the right door, Judy! – Let’s listen to a story chock-full of Italian verbs used in the present tense about a bad dream that ends up well. — Then as usual, after listening to the exclamations, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – Back To Basics: The Verb “Leggere” [To Read] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb ‘Leggere’ [To Read]” conjugated in the present, two forms of past, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses, plus some of the most common and useful idiomatic expressions that use this important verb.

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #42

This is truly one of those shows that, if you study it and practice it for a while, it will certainly help you in taking your knowledge of the “real-life” spoken Italian language to the next level. In fact, you are going to learn and practice the top ten exclamations that Italians use everyday to express their feelings about what’s going on with their lives. These are expressions you usually won’t find in books but that are integral part of spoken Italian. – Then as usual, after listening to the story, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – Back To Basics: The Verb “Parlare” [To Speak, To Talk] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb ‘Parlare’ [To Speak, To Talk]” conjugated in the present, past, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses, with the addition of blank spaces after each verb instance so you can practice your pronunciation over and over!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #41

Italy is surely a land of well-defined seasons: harsh winters with snow, ice, and freezing temperatures; beautiful and blooming springs full of life; extremely hot summers when Italy literally closes down for vacation, and beautifully warm autumns. All of this is life in Italy! – And so today, let’s dedicate this lesson to the beauty of each season the way Italians see it. — Then as usual, after listening to the story, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – Back To Basics: The Verb “Prendere” [To Take] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb ‘Prendere’ [To Take]” conjugated in the present, past, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses, with the addition of blank spaces after each verb instance so you can practice your pronunciation over and over!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #40

VIP Member and friend Giuseppe from Vancouver, Canada, made a good point when he noticed that the Italian verb “Avere” (To Have) is used with many idiomatic expressions that normally use the verb “To Be” in English. Then Giuseppe asked us if we could do a lesson about it. — Great idea, Giuseppe! — So, let’s learn and practice 12 must-know Italian idiomatic expressions that use the verb “Avere” in Italian but that are translated in English with the verb “To Be”. — Then as usual, after listening to the story, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – Back To Basics: The Verb “Vedere” [To See] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb ‘Vedere’ [To See]” conjugated in the present, past, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses, with the addition of blank spaces after each verb instance so you can practice your pronunciation over and over!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #39

One of the most famous Italian dictionary and encyclopedia publishers has declared war to vulgarity and bad words. “If you have to insult someone” – they say – “then do it with grace”. – This time, get ready for something unusual (and fun!) as we join the war to vulgarity by learning and practicing the 10 top sentences you can use to insult someone in Italian without actually using any bad words. In a nutshell, “insulting… with grace”! – Then as usual, after listening to the story, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – Back To Basics: The Verb “Andare” [To Go] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb ‘Andare’ [To Go]”, containing the “must-memorize” verb “Andare” (To Go), conjugated in the present, past, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses, with the addition of blank spaces after each verb instance so you can practice your pronunciation over and over!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #38

Our friends Jim and Carla were in Naples, Italy, a few days ago, just at the right time to witness one of the most important days in the life of this beautiful city: the day of the San Gennaro Feast. Every year, on September 19, thousands of devotees crowd into the “Duomo di Napoli” (Naples Cathedral), to witness the miracle of the liquefaction of the blood of their protector and patron saint, San Gennaro.

Let’s celebrate this traditional day of faith and prayers, which holds a special place in the hearts of Italian people everywhere. — Then as usual, after listening to the story, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – Back To Basics: The Verb “Dire” [To Say, To Tell]] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb ‘Dire’ [To Say, To Tell]”, containing the “must-memorize” verb “Dire” (To Say, To Tell), conjugated in the present, past, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses, with the addition of blank spaces after each verb instance so you can practice your pronunciation over and over!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #37

Our friend and VIP Member Cathyanne says she’s going to Italy to see her friends and to perfect her Italian. “Once in Italy”, she says, “I will rent a violin, I will play it in some orchestras, and I will give lessons”. – Then she asks if we can dedicate a LearnItalianPod episode to what, in her opinion, is the most important thing ever made in Italy: the violin! – You asked, we listened.

Let’s dedicate this lesson to an Italian music legend who has been called “the very first rock star” of history, the great “devil’s violinist” Niccolo’ Paganini. – Then as usual, after listening to the dialogue, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – Back To Basics: The Verb “Mangiare” [To Eat]] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb ‘Mangiare’ [To Eat]”, containing the “must-memorize” verb “Mangiare” (To Eat), conjugated in the present, past, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses, with the addition of blank spaces after each verb instance so you can practice your pronunciation over and over!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #36

Alexandra, a longtime friend and VIP Member, who a couple of years ago left everything behind to fulfill her lifetime dream of living in Italy, sent us a terrific email. Recently, she felt that she needed a new hairstyle, so she clipped a photo from a magazine with the hairstyle she’d like to have, went to a beauty salon, and announced: “This is the way I want my hair to look. Let’s do it!” – Wow, talking about being decisive, Alexandra!

So, let’s hear Alexandra’s story (almost) as it happened and let’s learn a lot of useful “ready-to-use” Italian words and sentences that will greatly improve your knowledge of Italian. – Then as usual, after listening to the dialogue, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – Back To Basics: The Parts of the Body] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Parts of the Body”, containing all of the “must-know” parts of the human body in Italian – and, as an added value, the PDF transcript contains a chart with a drawing of the human body which will allow you to see each body part while you listen to its name, so you can learn faster!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #35

Longtime VIP Member Alice sent us a great email from Rome, Italy. She was in a bus a few days ago when “il controllore” (the ticket controller) jumped in and started checking tickets. – “What followed,” – she says – “can only be described as comedy at its very best. There was this woman without a ticket, and she would say anything in order not to get a fine. – I know the fact itself isn’t funny at all, but the tone of the conversation made me feel like I was in a sitcom!”

So, let’s pay a tribute to “real-life Italian comedy”, as Alice defines it, by listening to a conversation between a woman caught without the ticket on a bus and the ticket controller”. – Then as usual, after listening to the dialogue, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – How Would You Say It: Taking The Train] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Taking The Train“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating English sentences into Italian on the fly. Practice this, and get ready to catch the (Italian) train!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #34

Episode #33 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “How Would You Like Your Sandwich?” -Ask any Italian what their favorite snack is and chances are very good that you will hear the words “panino imbottito” (literally “small stuffed bread”), the all-Italian version of a tasty sandwich. – Today, let’s celebrate good food by following our friend Elena as she’s ordering a delicious made-to-order all-Italian “panino imbottito”. – Then as usual, after listening to the dialogue, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – How Would You Say It: I Need Help] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: I Need Help!“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating English sentences into Italian on the fly. Practice this, and learn how to deal with all kind of emergencies (even if we certainly wish you’ll never have to use it).

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #33