Description
If you want to learn to SPEAK Italian, you have to practise, right?
But it can be hard to find a good teacher near your home.
That’s where online Italian lessons come in. If you have a reasonably fast Internet connection, you can learn Italian online, via Skype or Zoom, talking to your teacher on your computer no matter where you are in the world.
The lessons are completely personalisable according to your level, needs and preferences. Choose conversation, grammar input, or a combination of the two!
So, why not give it a try? Just complete the secure online payment and we will assign you a FRIENDLY, SUPPORTIVE, ENCOURAGING teacher who will talk to you in Italian and explain the things you don’t understand.
And after your lesson, you’ll get written feedback from your teacher: your mistakes, any new words or grammar explanations from your lesson, pronunciation notes, and so on.
Colleen (verified owner) –
I had been so nervous about having online Italian Lessons. I have been living in Italy for a few years now and am embarrassed to say that my Italian is sadly lacking. I eventually plucked up the courage and registered for 10×30 minute lessons. I am so pleased I did. Serena was the boost I needed to make some progress.
I thoroughly enjoyed having Serena as a teacher. She is very easy to communicate with and very patient.
We’d start off every lesson with a general discussion, in Italian. After every lesson I’d receive feed back of our discussion with corrections to mistakes I’d made. She also sent me homework to do for our next lesson which helped me to focus on particular areas of Italian where I’d become stuck. All in all a very worthwhile and enjoyable time spent with Serena.
Karen & Mark (verified owner) –
We are really enjoying our lessons with Simona. She makes sure that we have good conversations about topics that we are interested in, and from time to time she send us interesting articles so we can practice our reading. We were very nervous initially but she helps us relax and enjoy the experience.
Eurydike (verified owner) –
Non voglio ammettere da quanti anni sto imparando l’italiano, sarebbe troppo imbarazzante. C’era sempre il problema che il mio cervello bloccava la mia lingua. Ora, con Serena Olivieri, mi sento a mio agio parlando. Serena sa benissimo come sciogliere il blocco e farmi parlare. Abbiamo tanti argomenti in comune e quando mi manca una parola o l’espressione giusta, Serena sa subito cosa voglio dire e mi dà quello di cui ho bisogno (anche di grammatica – ma poco!). Gli appunti che ricevo dopo le lezioni sono preziosissimi e li rileggo spesso. I film e gli articoli che mi dà per compiti, sono interessantissimi con molti spunti per parlare. Adesso prendo una pausa estiva ma non vedo l’ora di riprendere le lezioni con lei. Serena è un’insegnante stupenda.
Mayken (verified owner) –
I’ve been taking lessons with my wonderful teacher Francesca more or less weekly for over a year now. Francesca has matched her teaching to my level from day 1, and we have found a mix of conversation, vocabulary and grammar that helps me progress in all three areas. I just bought another package of lessons to continue studying with her!
Philippa Beasty –
I have been having online lessons with Maurizio since March 2021. Maurizio has structured the lessons very well using excellent materials and we have focused on grammar – with some interesting and fun exercises interspersed with conversation. Maurizio sets me homework and in the following lesson we discuss and continue. I had bought 10×30 minute sessions but Maurizio and I have changed to using 2 sessions together every 2 weeks which gives me time to work on the topic we are working on and the one hour session allows enough time to review my homework (and my often many errors….but you do learn from making mistakes) and then continue with the lesson. This approach is very good and I do feel I benefit from these lessons a lot. I’d definitely recommend Online Italian Lessons
nativespeakert –
Grazie Philippa!
Philip Ramsden –
I must heartily recommend these conversation lessons. I chose to practice speaking/listening rather than grammar – consequently my chats with Marcella are almost exclusively in Italian.. Do I understand every word she says? If I did, there’d be no need to do this, but I invariably get the gist of what we’re talking about – if not, she’ll repeat at a slower pace or reword it.
Another excellent point about Marcella is that she rarely corrects me I’m aware I sometimes use the right wrong, conjugation or matched adjective – and yet Marcella understands enough of my intent carry on the conversation, – marvellous for my confidence. If she corrected every little mistake, we’d spend the half hour on a dozen sentence! They are generally errors of the moment rather than a lack of knowledge, so we keep the conversation flowing.
We talk about what we’ve done, what we’re going to do, what’s going on locally and in the world, normal every day conversation.. We throw in the odd quirks of our own cultures, finding our similarities and differences.
Although Marcella occasionally sends me an article to provide a topic of conversation, I usually have a couple of my own ready and it’s been surprising how we just go off at tangents quite naturally.
I’m now in my second batch of 10 ‘sessions’ – lessons isn’t the right word, it’s more like a genuinely friendly conversation.
Try it for yourself, you can’t learn less and if it’s pure conversation you want, Marcella is great!
Elizabeth Cook –
I thoroughly enjoy my (almost) weekly half hour conversations with Alberto. I find it helps if I’ve taken the time to write something before because then I have to think about the grammar; but now that the connection has begun to feel like a friendship I feel more confident to crash in with the conversation, less afraid of making mistakes. Alberto is not just a good teacher, he is interested in language itself, as am I. These lessons are amazing value and very much appreciated.
Tony Cox –
I have been enjoying these lessons for two years. My two teachers have been excellent. Lucia was my first teacher and over 18 months her teaching skills encouraged me and helped me to gain confidence, especially in attempting to speak Italian. When Lucia was unable to continue I switched to Marta who has a slightly different style and we now mostly concentrate on conversation backed up by some exercises that she sends me. I really enjoy our sessions and always buy more lessons during the sales period. Highly recommended.
Jennifer Martin –
I signed up for these lessons knowing my other Italian language classes would be off for the remainder of the summer. I’m so happy I did! I look forward to my weekly lesson with Lucia very much and our time goes by so quickly. I’m so grateful to have an opportunity to continue to hone my speaking skills, while also learning more about Italian culture. Grazie mille!!!
Rose –
I am really enjoying my lessons with Giusi and look forward to them every week. She is patient, friendly and well-prepared. I receive work to do before the lesson. This has involved watching short video clips, reading short passages or completing grammatical exercises. This helps her work out my weaknesses and what to focus on in the lesson. She also corrects any homework promptly and provides me with very useful advice. Before our first lesson together Giusi asked me about my interests. She always manages to find stimulating teaching material to use in our lessons and this really helps me engage with the learning process. Thanks, Giusi!
TIm EYnon –
I have leaned a huge amount from Michela my tutor and feel I am making progress that would not be possible without such help.
Chris Clark –
I asked my teacher Angela to concentrate on conversation and that is exactly what we have done.
My confidence has increased and I feel my Italian has certainly improved, that aside
it is a very enjoyable thirty minutes.
Zsuzsanna Snarey –
My confidence in talking has increased due to the gentle encouragement from Francesca. I look forward to my lessons. Francesca sends interesting materials a few days before the lesson which allows me to prepare. I have learnt a lot about Italian culture. I have been having lessons for about two years.
Jean Butcher –
I have been having weekly lessons with Irene since October last year, and I have really enjoyed them. Our lessons started with a bit of structure, with Irene sending me some material to read that we could talk about, but now we just chat, about anything and everything. The conversation flows very naturally, with Irene correcting me when I say something wrong. She records the lesson, which I can watch later. This is excruciatingly embarassing, but I can hear all my mistakes and try and learn from them!
Catherine Johnson –
I couldn’t be happier with my lessons and my teacher. Maurizio is a treasure. He makes it all seem very simple, uncomplicated and possible. An excellent teacher and a real find.
Chris G –
I found the Online Italian Club by chance and was amazed at how much help was available for free. When my local group lessons stopped for the summer in 2019 I decided to give a little back to the club and sign up for lessons. I was apprehensive at first , more for the virtual side of the lessons. Unwarranted apprehension. Though nervous at first , this is a convenient , structured and optimal way to boost you Italian learning. I like chatting with the teacher hutch helps with listening, comprehension and speaking the language. I , also like the use of the NE books which are a more dynamic , natural learning style than the traditional way of learning a language. Audio, video, texts to read, exercises to put you on the spot to think in Italian. Highly recommended! ?
chris –
It seems to me too many people try to learn Italian whist ignoring a major element, understanding the spoken word. It is pointless asking a question in Italian and the not being able to understand the answer.
In my opinion one to one conversation with an Italian teacher is the ideal solution. Since having one to one lessons I know my Italian is improving as is my confidence, another essential element. My 30 minutes session once a week with Angela is a very welcome bright spot in the week, even more so in the current situation.
Valerie Spear –
I have been learning Italian for three years now and felt I needed to up my game. I have found weekly conversation with a native Italian speaker just what I needed to take me to the next level. Alberto is very friendly and patient explaining some of the intricacies of Italian grammar and sets me interesting homework to do. I hope to continue for some weeks. My teacher in England has already noticed the difference in my competence.
Janet Blair –
Early days but I have had a few Italian conversation lessons with Francesca and I am enjoying them. We manage to fit in quite a lot in 30 minutes and I get homework as well which means I keep focussed until the next lesson. I like the fact that the lesson is recorded and I can watch the whole exchange afterwards and see exactly where I am going wrong! Francesca is a very good teacher and explains things clearly.
christine bullock –
The hardest part of learning Italian for me is speaking without having prepared anything,
so the sessions with Michela are invaluable.
It also helps being able to ask questions directly which i cannot always do in a larger class.
Apart from learning Italian I also enjoy talking to Michela – it is interesting to speak to some-one in a different country and find out different ideas and customs.
I would definitely recommend Online Italian to others.
Tony Cox –
I’ve been learning Italian for 3 years and although my reading and writing skills are quite good I have always struggled to understand the Italian that I hear and I lack confidence in my speaking ability. For the last year I have been having a weekly conversation lesson with Lucia and whilst I still struggle to think of the correct responses I am now much more willing and able to try to communicate in Italian. Of course I still make a dreadful mess of it but Lucia is always kind, helpful and positive. She sets me useful tasks to prepare for the next lesson. Whilst I am still some way away from feeling confident in my ability to converse the lessons with Lucia have been incredibly helpful. Quite honestly without Lucia’s help and advice I might well have given up.
Rozanne Charbonneau –
I have been studying with Online Italian for a year and a half now. I am now in the advanced lessons, which are getting hard! Lucia, my teacher, is excellent, and I find the study material dynamic and interesting. Nothing is learnt by rote. You really have to think.
fairhaven1 –
I have been trying to learn Italian for quite a few years now and like many people my written and reading skills are much better than my speaking and listening as there is more time to think about it. I have really felt quite ashamed of my conversation skills when in a classes with others and quite nervous to have a go. However I have been having a weekly conversation class with Michela for about 9 months now and it has helped me so much. Although initially quite nervous about signing up to this as it really put me outside my comfort zone, I have really enjoyed the classes which are fun and light hearted and we always find something to talk about. Although I prepare for each class, I am finding now that I can speak with more spontaneity, even if I need help in finishing some sentences – I feel relaxed enough to have a go! Thank you Michela for being so patient, helpful and encouraging and fun to have a weekly chat with. It has also really helped to keep my connections with Italy while I have not been able visit during the past year.
Jen –
I eventually took the plunge to go for it. Having just completed my sessions with Benedetta I am so glad I did.
Of course it is very nerve racking at first but Benedetta has the patience of a saint and the experience to put you at ease immediately.
It was so good to speak to a native speaker, the ordinary everyday conversation one may have while in a supermarket or buying an ice cream.
As we chatted, my pronunciation was corrected, Benedetta wrote the word phonetically which was a massive help and without realising it we also were adding in the correct tense to use and various other grammar points.
Before these lessons I had became disheartened and was ready to give up completely, now thanks to Benedetta my spark has been rekindled to continue.
Take the plunge, there is nothing to lose but everything to gain.
kirstysilvester –
I have had nearly 20 lessons with Michela and I can tell that my listening and speaking are improving every time. She is very patient and I never feel under pressure. We always have interesting conversations about all sorts of topics during which I pick up new vocabulary and phrases. She is also accommodating with timing of the lesson (I’m in NZ so we are almost in opposite time zones). I’m planning to keep these lessons going until the next time we are able to get to Italy and then maybe I will be able to meet her in person! I highly recommend these lessons both to improve your Italian and to motivate yourself to keep working on your language learning. Thanks Michela 🙂
David Fryer –
Early days with my lessons with Benedetta, but they are already adding a much needed dimension to my learning. Reading and listening is fine, but without having the chance to practice speaking you can only get so far. I really like the fact that Benedetta no only makes corrections but also types the corrections so I can see them as well as hear them and also provides a recording of each lesson to re-visit; painful to watch but great for embedding the learning
Patricia Barber –
Lucia Arena is a kind and patient teacher and I really enjoy the time we spend together. That’s NOT the problem. The problem is that, while I believe we are both at our computers at the designated time, the zoom meeting announcement doesn’t show up on my computer for 10 minutes, so our last 3 lessons have been only 20 minutes long. I don’t know if anyone else has this problem or how to resolve it. Can anyone in your organization help me solve this? It’s a deal-breaker for signing up for future lessons.
easyreadersorg –
Dear Patricia,
I’m sorry you’ve been having this issue – it does sound like a technical issue at your end. We’re teaching multiple lessons with hundreds of people each week, have been for years, and this is the first time I’ve ever had to deal with such a problem.
But one question – why, please, have you not sorted this out with your teacher? And if that was not possible, with our teaching manager, also called Lucia, who is there specifically to ensure that everything goes smoothly, for every student, every time.
I will immediately make sure that both your teacher and Lucia hear about your problem.
Buono studio,
Daniel
Philippa Beasty –
I have been having weekly lessons with Barbara since December 2019.
I find that having the weekly lessons is a real incentive for me to read and listen to Italian . I am more confident is speaking in Italian .
The thirty minutes passes so quickly – Barbara keeps the conversation interesting and provides links to various programmes/recordings.
These are good value for money I think – particularly if you manage to buy them in their online sales which they have a few times a year.
James Lynch –
I look forward to my weekly lesson with Francesca which are so varied and interesting. My confidence when speaking Italian is growing enormously and listening to Francesca speaking is helping me with my accent and comprehension skills. After several years of studying the grammar Francesca is a lovely tutor and is bringing the language to life for me and I am enjoying every lesson . Having decided on a course, Lucia said Francesca would be the ideal tutor to coach me and I have not been disappointed. For anyone who loves Italian and wants to progress with this beautiful language, I highly recommend having online lessons with yourselves. Well done all.
Rob Bristow –
First rate conversation session once a week with a delightful lady in Piacenza. We talk about all sorts of things – the weather, the COVID-19 pandemic as well as food and culture. She sends me articles in Italian to read and sometimes some worksheets on aspects of grammar that I may need some help with. I find that it’s a really useful addition to my weekly taught Italian course, as it reinforces what I am learning there and gives my opportunities to practice new phrases, grammar constructs and idioms.
Chris Clark –
If you are serious about learning Italian online Italian lessons will help enormously, and they become something to look forward. I have gained in confidence and ability.
A win win situation.
Velma Thomas –
I look forward to my weekly lesson with Franci which are varied and interesting. My confidence when speaking Italian has grown enormously and listening to Franci speaking has helped with my accent and comprehension skills. I have also learnt about Italian culture, traditions, geography and literature. I highly recommend having online lessons for anyone who loves Italian and wants to progress with this beautiful language.
Wendy Hartnell –
Really enjoying my lessons.
Geoff McClure –
I have no hesitation in recommending these online lessons.
mercedesbirch –
I’ve been having lessons with Alessandra for 2 years now. She’s great and I regard her a friend as well as a teacher. I really look forward to each lesson and it’s a pleasure to learn whilst chatting; it’s so much more enjoyable than trawling through lists and books alone! In order to be able to speak you need to practise speaking! There’s a little bit of logic there. I can’t recommend her enough and it’s one of the best decisions I have ever made. Definitely highly recommended.
Mercedes Birch
Chantal Johnston –
I am really happy with Marcella. She’s a lovely lady. she adapts her lessons to my needs and desire, we have long interested talks ,which is what I need most, and she’s always available if I have a question in between classes. Wonderful teacher, 5 stars!
Vinita –
I have had lessons on and off with Michela and am extremely happy with our lessons. Our lessons are enjoyable, full of joy and makes learning Italian fun! I get great points on improvement and material to do it as well. I would highly recommend the material on Online Italian and the newsletters are GOLD as long as the brillian team they have.
Susan Ratcliffe –
I have been having online Skype lessons with Francesca since January. I had studied Italian many years ago and had picked it up again about 2 years ago, so I was probably about intermediate level. I was quite nervous at first, but Francesca was friendly, encouraging and patient. My confidence has increased and I think I’m much better at listening and talking. We have discussed a range of topics and used online resources such as songs and documentaries and had lots of laughs as well. Francesca really knows her stuff and can explain grammatical points very well. She does correct me when I (frequently) make mistakes but she does this in a very nice way. She often asks me to read or watch something before my lesson and then send her a review or commentary. She sends me a recording after each lesson which is very useful. Francesca is a great teacher and her lessons are fun and interesting, partly because of her engaging personality. I really recommend these online lessons- if you are hesitating, try a free trial lesson as I did, you won’t regret it!
Natasha –
I’m really enjoying my lessons with Monica. She has helped me so much to improve my conversation skills. Before, I was too shy to really attempt to say anything as I knew my accent wasn’t the best. However, now I feel like I will always try to express something I want to say in Italian. We’ve covered a range of topics and I’ve enjoyed working on the grammar side of things too. Monica is very patient and will review things with me whenever I need them. I highly recommend these Italian lessons!
FIONA MCLEAN –
I started my Italian language journey in 2012 with a freelance online tutor and I had used some of the free Online Italian stuff as I studied. So when my previous tutor had to stop then it was an easy step to start buying the online lessons from Daniel’s school as I already had confidence in the standard of materials. My assigned tutor, Alessandra, took time to find out what I wanted (mostly conversation practice) and we do that intermingled with a little structure from a workbook we dip into to get some grammar revision. She’s brilliant at letting me ramble on and then corrects the errors when there’s a suitable pause. Homework – do as much or as little as you choose – obviously the more stuff in the language you’re learning the better, but if you don’t get chance then it’s not the end of the world when it comes to the lesson. I really recommend the online lessons. It’s relaxed, tutors EXPERT in their teaching skills and very quickly become online friends as well as tutors so its a fun learning. Do try if you’re undecided.
Carol –
I have been having online lessons since the beginning of lockdown.
I am so pleased I did, it has made such a difference to my confidence. Conversation has always been the most stressful part of learning Italian, but thanks to the patience and understanding of Lucia, I feel I have achieved more in the past couple of months than I have in years. I just wish I had started 1 to 1 lessons years ago and I am certainly going to continue.
Highly recommend, best way to learn.
Seona Owtram –
Thank you to Francesca who has been a star teacher. I look forward to my lessons and am making progress. She sends interesting and different material for us to discuss and/or work on. I am very grateful for her assistance.
Rob Mansell –
I started online lessons with Barbara 10 months ago and after Christmas my wife joined me. We told Barbara that we wanted to take the B2 exam in PLIDA as an incentive for us to learn more.
Barbara researched the requirements, downloaded sample exam questions, invented additional material where PLIDA examples were scarce and has put us through mock exam monologues and dialogues and given us feedback.
She has given us homework as requested and marked and commented on it in her own time.
She has always been encouraging and we both feel that our Italian is improving.
Our lessons are always a delight.
Barbara is an excellent teacher!
kathfearns –
I strongly recommend the Italian online lessons. It is a wonderful way to learn a language and I feel that I have achieved much more in a few weeks than I achieved in many years of previous study. My teacher Giulia is perfect. She is receptive to my needs in the language and manages to pitch the level perfectly which makes the lessons enjoyable and stress free but also informative. It also helps that she has a lovely warm personality and is a delight to talk to.
Jim Andrews –
I feel like I am making progress in speaking/thinking with confidence. It goes without saying that the more effort you put in the more you get out. My tutor is Alessandra, and we cover quite a wide variety of topics – current affairs, weather, opinions, sometimes we do some coursework but I like trying to think on my feet. The lessons are what you want to make of them, from strict syllabus to more informal. Again, that’s up to you – think what you want, dive in and adjust as you go. I really enjoy my weekly lesson as it gives a focus to my study week in and among everything else that is happening. It seems daunting at first, but you’ll quickly get into a routine and you’ll be surprised how much you’ll progress – do your language learning a favour, book yourself some lessons. Enjoy!
Barbara Lawrence –
It’s the first time I’ve taken 1:1 classes and I wish I’d done it earlier. I had become quite frustrated with my inability to speak any Italian and my slow rate of progress after several years of group classes. I enjoy my meetings with Barbara, they’re fun and she is a very good teacher, a good listener and always encourages me to extend myself. As a consequence I really feel as though I am starting to break through the ‘can read but can’t speak’ barrier. Barbara
Evana Craig –
Fantastica!
I am working with an extremely knowledgeable instructor. Michela has customized the lessons for my level of speaking and understanding Italian. I absolutely love the lessons and look forward every week for the new lesson time. Her instruction has simplified learning Italian and I don’t feel frustrated with learning the language like I did before. My Italian is improving and I understand what I am doing . I was apprehensive about taking an online course. I am very happy with the results and recommend their online instruction to anyone wishing to learn Italian. Michela is excellent!
Evana Craig
Lyn O’Neill Dix –
Lucia is a wonderful teacher and feels like a friend now. She finds discussion material that is mutually interesting. She not only is a great conversation coach but is interested in my life and we have ‘true life’ discussions. The time flies by!
Dayle Hosack –
I have had two wonderful Madralingua teachers, Veroncia and Francesca. They were both extremely helpful and professional in their teaching styles. I appreciate everything about Online Italian and I see it as a wonderful resource for learning Italian. No other language school offers so much material and many of it is available without cost. I highly recommend them.
Lucy Tinkcombe –
I would encourage anyone who wants to learn or improve their Italian to try out these half-hour online lessons. Initially I was skeptical, but my experience of working with Chiara has removed any doubts. I live in the US where it is rare to hear Italian spoken by native speakers, outside of film and television, and almost impossible to find a native speaker to talk to. My Italian, therefore, while otherwise fairly advanced (C1/C2) is limited in conversational fluency, and my pronuciation slips. These lessons are the perfect antidote. Chiara has proven remarkably adaptable at working with me to design an approach that fits my needs. She’s creative and flexible, her feedback is clear and helpful, and she’s fun to talk to.
Alicia Diozzi –
Lessons with Giulia are relaxing and fun! She has a way of putting me at ease so I’m not afraid to try and speak. Her feedback is really very helpful. If you are hesitating to try online tutoring because you are afraid to speak, fear no more. Before Giulia, I had another tutor who was also very good, but our schedules did not align so well. My point about that is, they will work hard to match you with the right tutor. Grazie, Giulia! xo
Philippa Beasty –
I have been having weekly 30 minute conversations lessons with Barbara since December 2019. I have been studying Italian on and off for quite some time but just could not speak any – even though I could understand fairly well what I heard or read. Barbara has been excellent in assessing my current level and in engaging me in interesting discussions. and encouraging me to continue to learn. I would strongly recommend taking regular weekly lessons via Skype.
Gillian –
I really enjoy my regular lessons with Serena. At first I was hesitant to try one-on-one video lessons, but then I dipped my toes in the water. This form of learning has surpassed my expectations.
Serena is a highly qualified language teacher and has lots of strategies to help me learn. She is very good at following my interests, so I find myself talking and writing about things that interest me.
We laugh a lot, and share our weekly experiences. She is a young woman at the beginning of her professional life, and I am retired, but we reach across the generations. She is professional, diplomatic, persistent and patient.
I highly recommend online lessons with Serena.
Elisa B. –
Barbara was an excellent teacher. I had been studying in a class for maybe ten years and learnt lots of grammer, but it wasn’t until this one-on-one course that I began to gain confidence in speaking. I studied with Barbara for nearly a year before travelling to Italy and it made a huge difference. I found that in a class of up to a dozen students I didn’t get nearly enough speaking time, nor feedback on what I personally needed to work on, and all the grammer in the world can’t make you quick on your feet when it comes to thinking and speaking in a real life situation. Barbara also helped me so much in preparing for and planning our trip, providing invaluable background info on regions we were travelling to, tips, ideas on places to visit, public transport, even what the weather might be like, which was all built into the lessons. It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed the trip so much more given that I had gained more confidence in my ability. I really recommend these lessons. I was a bit nervous to start with but the staff are all really friendly, helpful and able to cater to your needs. The resources provided by the Online Italian Club are excellent, so much is made available for free due to an obvious passion to share the love of language learning, which seems totally unique from anything else I have seen online. I recommend subscribing to their always entertaining emails, which provide very useful approaches to learning. Thanks for all your efforts guys! Stay well.
Elaine Horton –
Grazie Lucia per la tua gentilezza e la tua comprensione. Raccomanderei le tue lezioni a chiunque non abbia spesso l’opportunita’ di usare l’italiano nella vita di ogni giorno. Sei cosi’ creativa e hai sempre delle buone idee per far nascere conversazioni stimolanti. E devo aggiungere che sei in grado di scrivere a velocita’ della luce. Il tuo sorriso m’illumina la settimana, e grazie per aver chiuso un occhio su cosi’ tante delle mie debolezze.
Carole Valentine Kitchell –
I had 10 lessons with Lucia after my trip to Italy was cancelled. At my request we focused on conversation and past tense. It was super beneficial to have conversation lessons tailored to exactly what I wanted to practice. Highly recommended.
John Hateley –
I have been learning Italian on a self taught basis for a few years. This is ok for learning basic vocabulary and grammar. Reading books and listening to the spoken word is also vital but I wanted to be able to converse with a real person.
So, with some apprehension, I signed up for ten lessons. This was a game changer for me. Within a few minutes of meeting Benedetta I was completely at ease and finding myself talking in Italian to a real Italian person.
My first words were tentative but Benedetta listened patiently and helped out when needed.
She tailored lessons to suit my needs and I can honestly say that my ability to speak to someone in Italian has come on in leaps and bounds. I can now “think in Italian”. It is a great feeling and I recommend everyone to try these lessons. They are worth every penny!
Chris Goldthorp –
I have been having Skype lessons with Lucia Arena since July 2019. I wasn’t sure how I would find this more remote learning but really enjoy the convenience and 1:1 . I was so nervous for the first few lessons as I didn’t want to make a fool of myself. In the beginning we used the NE A1 book with associated audio and video for most of the lesson. I found some of it more like revision of what I had learnt during classroom lessons at home but I had to think on my feet and construct the answers verbally. Great practice. Now we spend more time chatting with Lucia correcting any mistakes and asking each other questions. My Italian has improved and I feel more confident speaking the language ….. well trying to speak the language.
The lessons are very relaxed and friendly. I enjoy the mix of chatting, audio files and video as listening is definitely my weakness. It’s good to get homework as well to consolidate. Grazie mille
Kath –
I can recommend these lessons heartily. I am a nervous speaker and had convinced myself that I could not make myself understood. So, for my New Years Resolution I decided to take the plunge. What a revelation! Francesca is brilliant, from her very first introductory email to my first lesson (including learning about Skype) she has been so patient with me and is extremely personable. Francesca has put me at ease completely and helped me considerably. Looking forward to more of the same.
Donna –
I give the staff, the online lessons and my wonderful teacher 5 stars !!
The entire process of working with the staff and the teacher have been a great experience and extremely helpful.
I would strongly recommend taking lessons with Lucia . I believe everyone learns in different ways, and Lucia was patient enough to work with me to find the appropriate approach and tools for me to learn. I have also purchased some of the workouts and ebooks….. and they have been a wonderful addition to the learning experience. Grazie mille a tutti.
David –
I have been learning with Viviana for 2 years. Really great fun. Excellent value for money.
We have even met a couple of times in Rome.
Geoff McClure –
You can’t get this experience from a book – speaking Italian and having it corrected in real time. Speaking about whatever you like, concentrating on what you want.
30 minutes is sufficient time. It is hard work, for me anyway, to think of what I want to say – find I don’t have the necessary vocabulary – and have to find another way of saying the same thing! There is no pressure from the teacher – only support and good humour.
I did have some concerns initially but these were very quickly, understandingly and effectively dealt with.
I look forward to the remainder of my lessons.
Jacqui & Rob –
We live in Italy and are having lessons as a couple to improve our grammar,use of the more complicated sentence structures and to correct the mistakes that our friends no longer correct! Barbara is great, she is very encouraging and the lessons are fun but with the purpose of preparing us to take the B2 exam. We strongly recommend!
Charles V Vitale –
When I first began online lessons, I was not quite sure that the lessons would be very helpful. I am somewhat a sceptic by nature. However, to my surprise it is now about 15 months later, since I first began with 10 lessons, and though it may still be for me somewhat of a struggle at times, I am delighted to say I am having fun and improving noticeably in all phases of the Italian language. Giovanna, my online teacher, through this past year, though much younger than me, is not only friendly and encouraging, but is a helpful and intelligent teacher that has taken away the testiness I feared before starting. These lessons provide me with a developing sense of breaking away from the shyness I felt as a beginner listening to, and expressing myself in a new language; a language I want to make my own. Bona ventura!
Chris Clark –
I have found the online lessons I have had with Angela enjoyable, interesting, and more to the point, really useful in improving my Italian. I believe the biggest befit is the confidence Angela has given me to use my Italian, limited as it is, when ever the opportunity presents itself. I am nowhere near fluent but have confidence to try which is so important.
Penny Essex –
I am really enjoying my lessons with Valeska. She is very patient and encouraging, and I feel that I have more confidence with my spoken Italian. She speaks clearly and slowly so I can understand her and reply, and we have conversations on a wide range of topics.
Valeska sends me material to read and work on, and then she gives me feedback and corrects my homework. We are working through various exercises on grammar constructions.
This is my second course of 10 lessons and I very much hope to continue in the future.
Velma Thomas –
I have had three teachers and have found them all to be encouraging and enthusiastic. My confidence when speaking Italian improved enormously. I am now saving up to have some more lessons.
Raymond Dragonetti –
This is now my third year taking lessons with Giovanna, who is an excellent teacher. We have covered politics, the environment, contemporary culture, magazines, films and history. We vary the approach according to whether I am doing my exams (B1) or am in a fun phase. I acquired my Italian (dual) citizenship in the last few months and aim that my language should justify my claim to heritage! Giovanna and I decide between us where to head next – the lesson is a mix of chat and topics of interest with some grammar, without stopping the flow. I have found that having an hour a week with a long pause in the summer has worked well for me.
Wendy Hartnell –
I am practising Italian with the lovely Mara. I really look forward to our weekly Skype lessons and have found that it has greatly improved my confidence to speak Italian. We mainly converse although we have also covered some tricky aspects of grammar. I’d been learning in an adult education class up to now but one-to-one classes has given my skills a real boost. I’ve also been learning a lot about la Basilicata where Mara lives. I’d recommend giving online lessons a try.
jimdog2504 –
Living in Tasmania (Australia), it is a little hard to find a native speaker to converse with at my level (B1). I have a good knowledge of grammar and I can read and understand when spoken to (usually), but when having to frame my own sentences and use different tenses and pronouns and conjunctions and the subjunctive, I stumble, I stutter, I laugh inappropriately, and end up in a muddle. With the online conversations with Chiara, I have gained confidence and we cover interesting topics to extend my vocabulary. After at first feeling self-conscious, I can now speak much better and my pronunciation is improving. I highly recommend these lessons!!
Roger Adams –
I have been having lessons with Giovanna for quite some time now and continue to find them both useful and interesting. Giovanna is most considerate of my shortcomings, speaking at a pace which I can understand and helping me when I make mistakes or just do not know something.
We cover quite a wide range of day-to-day subjects, which is great for improving my vocabulary. All in all a most worthwhile use of my time, great fun and very good value.
Tony –
I’m now on my second set of Skype lessons with Lucia and I cannot praise the lessons too highly. Lucia is an excellent teacher, good-humoured and helpful, she encourages me to speak as much Italian as I can (and this is a real weakness of mine as I lack confidence in my ability to remember vocabulary) and then follows this section up with a structured lesson. And gives me homework that covers the relevant grammar and context of the earlier conversation. The 30 minutes fly by and at the end I am exhausted. But it is good fun.. Highly recommended..
Moira –
When the weekly class I attended at the local university changed lecturers, I decided it was time for change. A friend recommended online lessons as a good alternative, especially to continue speaking Italian. So why not give it a try? I did.
While for me the ten half hour lessons were a worthwhile investment of my time and money, using Skype did not work so well for me, compared to all the glowing reports I have just read.
Lucia is an excellent teacher. She is full of enthusiasm, energy, encouragement to avoid speaking English. I loved some of the films I watched in Italian which we subsequently discussed. She brought good questioning techniques to help review a couple of Italian books I had read. I found very helpful her feedback on pieces I had written and her documentation of the lessons with suggested improvements.
My use of vocabulary and Italian phraseology has improved. I have reigned in my grammar so it resembles more what is expected and I can manage to keep the half hour going in Italian.
These are all really good outcomes for which I thank Lucia.
But did I enjoy the online experience? I guess, I remain to be convinced but maybe willing to give it another try. Next time I need clearer objectives and a calmer state of mind,
Barbara Lawrence –
I have been learning Italian at my local adult education college for a couple of years. It got me to the point where I could understand written and spoken Italian quite well, but I lacked confidence when trying to speak it myself. I decided to try one to one lessons as a way of making myself speak and started lessons with Barbara Bassi last year. I feel as though I have really taken a big step forward in that time. Barbara is a very good teacher, and everything her other students say in their reviews here, patient, kind, lively and engaging. I look forward to talking to her each week and would strongly recommend this as a way to take the next step in your language learning.
Philippa Beasty –
I have been learning Italian on and off for a number of years and not getting to the point of actually speaking. Back in November last year I decided to try the free Skype online lesson. I would say that because it is One to One and no hiding place I did feel ‘in the spotlight’ and slightly stressed but I enjoyed my trial session a lot and I straight away bought a set of 10 lessons – I believe there is a 15% discount the first time.
Barbara Bassi is my teacher and I feel comfortable that she has been able to assess my level/ability and make our sessions interesting and challenging. After buying the first 10 lessons I went ahead and bought another 10 in January when there was a 20% off sale. So I think it is very good value. The next ones I will need to buy will , most likely, be full price but I think that overall this is a fair price and I can balance it out a bit by buying some when there is a seasonal offer. I strongly recommend these Skype lessons – I think they are worth every penny – they give me the added incentive to continue trying to improve and learn.
Sylvia May –
In common with most, I decided to take the plunge and try out an online Italian lesson. My teacher was Alessandra, and from the off I felt encouraged to speak, even though at first I found it challenging – but then, that’s why I was here – I have no-one to converse with in Italian, and I had little confidence in doing so.
Now I look forward to every lesson, and feel it’s over all too soon! Alessandra plans the classes and content well for my needs, but is happy just to chat, or to take the lesson in any direction it goes. Thus I have been able to learn a lot of new vocabulary, iron out at least some (!) of my common mistakes (a work in progress…) and learn or consolidate a lot of grammar points.
To anyone who is having doubts, I can’t recommend this service highly enough, so go for it! It might feel scary at first, but before long you’ll wonder how you ever lived without your online Italian lesson!
Neil Horn –
I have been having these online lessons for a full year now, on a more-or-less weekly basis, so feel well-placed to give a considered review of them.
My teacher for the last 12 months has been Barbara Bassi, who has been nothing short of excellent. She is very friendly and helpful, and pitches the lessons at just the right level for the student, such that my confidence has gradually increased as we have progressed.
I took the plunge and initially tried a free lesson, as I’d come to realise that my listening and (spontaneously) speaking skills were my weak points, and I’m very glad that I did. My first lesson was a little nerve-racking, but I needn’t have worried, as Barbara is a superb teacher who puts you at ease. To begin with, I’d say there was approximately a 60% in English/40% in Italian split during our early lessons, but I’ve noticed that, as I have become habituated to listening and speaking regularly, we now spend probably 90% of the lesson talking in Italian. Barbara speaks very clearly and understands what I’m trying to say, even when my grammar gets a little sketchy. She is very astute at recognising if I’ve not quite understood something, such that she will readily approach it in a different way or find another approach to aid my understanding. She is always very encouraging, without putting you under pressure, and I feel I have really benefitted from our sessions together, such that I plan to continue.
If you are unsure about trying these lessons, I would urge you to do as I did and book a free taster lesson; you really do have nothing to lose. One tip, should you then go on to book further lessons, would be to look out for the website’s sale promotions (approx 4 per year), where 20% discounts are usually available. Another tip would be to ask for Barbara.
Rita –
I look forward to my weekly lessons with Giovanni. An excellent Italian teacher who is also a writer, Giovanni plans our Skype lessons around my goals of improving conversational ability and vocabulary. During these lessons, he and I talk about different interests such as Italian cinema and music while he carefully introduces new vocabulary. When necessary, he corrects my grammar, giving me clear explanations and examples. Giovanni follows each lesson with written feedback and helpful grammar exercises.
Although I had previously taken several Italian courses before studying with Giovanni, I was not able to hold a real conversation. Thanks to him, I am now able to express myself more fluently as we discuss a wide range of subjects in Italian.
Simeon Underwood –
I have now done four sets of lessons with three different teachers. It has been invaluable. The teachers have all been friendly, patient, encouraging and very helpful in practical ways. With Lucia, my current teacher, we have been talking about Sicily and Sicilian culture: and she has sent me a wide range of links, e.g. to You Tube items, articles on the web and so on. At the same time she keeps a close eye on grammar and pronunciation. These lessons seem to me to be both excellent in their own right and excellent as value for money. And, thanks to another Lucia, the organisation is painless and user-friendly.
Seona Owtram –
Francesca is my teacher. I find her charming, very positive and helpful. I like her and she is extremely competent and organised. She is a very good teacher indeed. I have asked her to give me tasks between our sessions which she does and they are really interesting and enjoyable. I can really recommend this as a way to practice speaking the language and I can particularly recommend Franci as your teacher.
Michal Evans –
I’ve only had five lessons so far but have enjoyed them all. The opportunity to speak Italian on a 1-1 basis is wonderful, much more effective than in a class . Barbara is incredibly patient, talks at a pace I can manage so that I get the best out of it and waits for me to explain what I want to say. At my request , she has sent me exercises to consolidate various aspects of grammar which have been very useful and we correct them together in the lesson after she has had a look at them.Conversations have been quite wide ranging – the weather , Italian news items , local issues, litterature and authors, anything relevant to either of us.
I only wish I’d started these lessons sooner! As it is I’m now going to book some more.
Myra Smart –
My teacher, Alessandra, is excellent; patient, reliable, organised, interesting, and with a good sense of humour. She makes my lessons enjoyable rather than daunting, and it is great to be able to attempt conversational Italian without feeling embarrassed. It is also very convenient to be able to Skype at a convenient time in my own home, rather than travelling to a class. I would definitely recommend this method of learning/improving Italian.
Anita Cummings –
I studied Italian on my own for a number of years, then had a break for about 5 years. So it was with some trepidation that I booked some on-line lessons. I am really pleased that I took that step! I have had seven lessons with Manuela and thanks to her patience and encouragement, I am feeling a lot more confident with speaking and listening. She keeps the conversation flowing by asking questions, thus making me talk and at the same time corrects my grammar. I find the video and summary of the lessons very useful and of course, there is the homework! I am always amazed at how quickly the time flies and always look forward to the next lesson. I can highly recommend Manuela – she is fun, encouraging and very patient!
Dick –
It’s not my teacher Giovanna’s fault that I’m still fairly hesitant when trying to speak Italian. I go to a class too, which takes pretty much all day with the travelling. Skype is not always reliable but it works pretty well most of the time. I’m still hoping that if I keep pegging away I will be able to talk to the odd Italian on holiday without them replying in English! Oh – and if I’m supposed to be reviewing the teacher here – she’s great!
Valerie Sculli –
Marcella is a very patient and understanding teacher. She knows exactly what I need to understand and speak italian. She is a very experienced and qualified teacher. My italian has progressed immensely since I started skype lessons. She has all the answers to my many questions with great explanations. She is reliable and always on time for our lessons.
Sharon Williams –
My husband and I are loving our lessons with Alessandra. She is encouraging and patient. She has a good plan for each lesson, based on our respective abilities, and we both enjoy listening to the other’s lesson. Having the Skype chat, with all Ale’s corrections, to review visually and listen to afterwards is great. Our Skype connection occasionally lets us down, but then it’s fine with just sound. Both making good progress!
Trish Rantos –
My Online Italian teacher is Annarita. We have been doing Skype lessons for over a year. She is extremely patient and an excellent teacher. Lately, we have been just chatting about what is going on in either her part of the world or mine. I find it extremely helpful to have someone to converse with in Italian. Annarita is great about helping me with sentence structure and grammar. I have a long list of study material in Skype chats.
Charlie Vitale –
My teacher, Giovanna, is not only a friendly and understanding teacher, but a really good match in a one on one approach in learning to speak Italian. I am old enough that it is great to match up with someone having the patience to make me feel encouraged to actually practice speaking while continuing my personal study of the language, and though I’ve studied on my own for several years, I have never before engaged someone with whom I can practice speaking the language I am learning. I am more than pleased that she has become my teaching partner.
Roger Adams –
I have had conversation lessons with Giovanna for a while now. She is a very interesting person with whom to converse. We cover a wide range of topics which of course increases my word knowledge. She matches her speed of speaking to my speed of hearing admirably and helps me with grammatical points.
All in all she is first rate in my opinion and adds to my enjoyment of learning considerably.
Lynette –
Like others I too was apprehensive about taking Skype lessons so booked a free trial lesson to see if I liked the concept. I love my Skype lessons with Chiara and look forward to them every 2 weeks.
I am studying grammar with a local teacher and alternate with Skype lessons for conversation purposes. This is great because we don’t pre-plan the conversation therefore it is like day to day conversation with someone you meet up with.
Each lesson is followed up with a recording of the lesson and a list of words I faltered on.
I would highly recommend Skype lessons – take a trial lesson first and you’ll discover that there’s nothing to be afraid of regardless of your level.
Mike Jolly –
I started online lessons a year ago. There have been gaps due to holiday etc but fairly consistent at about 3 time a month. Irene from Rome has been great to talk and listen to. Usually we just talk about what we have done and future plans.
She has sent links for videos and worksheets on specific points of grammar that I have asked about (pronominal verbs remain a work in progress) but mostly it is just a 30 min chat with a friend.
I must say that being in Italy as I write this my level of comprehension and ability to speak has improved dramatically so many thanks Irene.
I can understand anyone being nervous about starting on- line lessons. It is just you and a teacher! Remember though this is how they make their living and they only want to help plus the only way to get better at speaking Italian is to speak it.
Linda Weinberger –
I look forward to my weekly lesson with Lucia! Although I’ve studied Italian on and off for a number of years, the weekly short conversations continue to bolster my confidence . I feel ready to return to Italy, open my mouth, and let the Italian flow forth. I especially like the notes I receive after each lesson. Lucia recounts often word-for-word what our conversation has been, and I can review vocabulary and syntax. I would highly recommend Online Italian to anyone who wants to improve their language skills in a friendly, supportive atmosphere.
Raymond Dragonetti –
This year, Giovanna has helped me, in Italian, to develop my interest in Italian history and also with politics, both past and present. We have also covered current Italian music and looked at each of the regions that I am interested in. We’ve also been looking at different Italian magazines and which caters for what. She is very patient and finds just the right balance between letting me flow and keeping my grammar in check!
For me, the key point is that the online lessons have helped me to tailor the language learning with the aspects of the culture that interest me. I find the lessons fun, which obviously makes learning much easier.
Yvonne –
Thank you, Alessandra, for your patience and good humour, and for sharing your knowledge of Italian language and culture with me. One day …
Skype is a very straightforward and efficient means of communication. What did the world do without it? Who would have thought, in my younger days, that you would have been able to learn Italian from an Italian in Italy – or somewhere else – sitting at home in the north of Queensland. All organized from Bologna.
Congratulations to the organizers.
Rob Dix –
I’ve had 2 batches of lessons now with Lucia and have felt that I am making progress, beginning to string more sentences together and growing in confidence. I would recommend staying with the same teacher a while to build a rapport. Lucia is very patient and explains words slowly if necessary . I look forward to resuming our conversations with more to talk about after 2 months in Italy!
Michelle Howes –
I have been studying with Barbara Bassi for a while now and really enjoy our conversations each week. She is a true professional, is always happy to see me and patiently corrects my many mistakes. Lessons with Barbara have given me a lot more confidence and helped me make the leap from grammar study to actually speaking with a real person. Learning via Skype is easy, very cost effective and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to really learn to speak italian. Of course, its a little bit nerve racking to start with but once you get to know your teacher you will find its a lot of fun.
Elaine Goldsmith –
I have enjoyed my lessons with Lucia. We mostly do conversation which is a struggle for me but she is patient and it’s the best way because I have to practice relying on what I know. I still cheat and use google translate but I’m getting better. I need to practice reading and listening to the language more. I do remember more vocabulary than I did so I guess any improvement is good.
Leslie Ross –
I have been very satisfied with my lessons with Lucia. I have been taking them since last October and I feel (hopefully Lucia shares my feeling!) that my Italian has improved immensely. We usually have a small conversation first and then the lesson. (Sadly, I have learned that my life is sort of boring!) I usually have some amount of homework that I send to Lucia that she corrects and returns to me. . It was the best decision I have made in my journey to learn Italian and I should have done it sooner than I did. It has really focused my attention on my goal. Thank you Madrelingua and grazie mille a Lucia!
Tom –
Ho comprato quindici lezione con Marcella. Erano molto utile e divertente. Marcella e’ un insegnante molto brava e anche molto amicevole. Grazie mille!
Tammie –
I am a total beginner in Italian and decided to accept the free offer of a trial lesson with Francesca and I absolutely LOVE working with her as she has taught me so much and she is extremely patient, pleasant and encouraging. I feel totally comfortable with her. I then received an offer to possibly work with another tutor as well and so I have also begun working with her as well and absolutely enjoy all our lessons. Lucia also is extremely wonderful to work with and I look forward to working with both of these fantastic ladies for as long as they will work with me. They have made me so much more motivated to learn the Italian. I appreciate them so much!!!!!!
Kay Foley –
I have been having Online Italian sessions with Manuela now for a few weeks. Manuela is so patient and encouraging. I definitely feel more confident and will more than likely be booking more lessons to improve my Italian. The home work assignments have been very helpful and I appreciate Manuela’s feed back. I can’t speak highly enough of Manuela.
Jeanne Talbot –
Although I had studied Italian off and on for years, I was still a little nervous trying the first free Skype lesson. Giovanna was so pleasant and interesting, I immediately fell into talking with her and was amazed how quickly the half-hour flew by.
Since then I’ve bought two of the 10-pack lezioni, and I’ve had four lessons. In the initial free lesson, Giovanna had asked me about my interests and travels, and she had designed a 10-lesson program designed around my interests and grammar needs. Topics include: my past trip to Hawaii & my future trip to Spain (studying il passato e il futuro), the Italian Renaissance, and Sardegna. Giovanna is very organized and sends me the appropriate materials to review and study before my lesson each week.
Speaking and listening with my teacher each week is really helping me remember much of the Italian I’d lost. Also, in these one-on-one conversations, Giovanna is able to gently correct me, something which is difficult for a teacher in a classroom to do for every student. I look forward to my Skype lessons and will definitely continue these.
Marlaine –
As others have said, I have worked on Italian on and off for years. Sometimes making progress but then losing it from misuse. I have had 8 lessons with Chiara G now and feel I am making progress. She makes it fun, she is never in a rush and never at a loss for things to talk about even at my level. I also like how she will take the time to let me think something through and provide some hints which help me remember all the better. She can answer grammar questions in a very straight forward method that makes sense. I will write up paragraphs, eg about my day, and send them to her to check, which she happily does. I highly recommend on-line lessons and Chiara G. I buy them during the spring and fall sale and they are very competitively priced.
Matt –
These lessons are great.
My tutor Francesca is friendly and very patient. She works with me to practice the things I feel I need to improve on but it hardly feels like a boring lesson.
The time flies and I am always looking forward to the next one.
Lucinda –
My mother and I have been learning Italian for a while and have just started conversation lessons with Lucia. We were dreading it but Lucia is very easy to speak to and has really helped us so far. Her accent is nice and easy to understand and I’m sure that we will improve week by week. Highly recommended!
Raymond Dragonetti –
I have been having Skype lessons weekly with Giovanna for over a year and would unreservedly recommend them. The lessons have been fun such that I have been focused on the subject rather than get too tied up in the grammar, which helped me stop being self conscious, though we still do grammar work in between to keep me on the straight and narrow! Giovanna has steered me towards topics that really interest me, which means that I look forward to the lessons and since my homework is on my interests (Italian politics and history), it’s no hardship spending the time on it.
Hannah Rawlinson –
Francesca is a great teacher. She finds interesting things to talk about, challenging me to find the right words and tenses, picking up on errors that I make and helping me to straighten out the grammar that I need to express myself properly. She is happy to give the lesson very early in the morning. She sends me an exercise to work on during the week which helps prepare for the lesson and widens my vocabulary. Definitely worth the cost.
vrsculli1 –
Valerie
January 29, 2019
I cannot emphasise enough the importance of Online lessons. After self study with the onlineitalianclub and other resourses I could not have a conversation in Italian with anyone, just a few words here and there. Then in November 2017, I booked my first 10 lessons with Annarita.
I was very nervous not knowing what to expect and Skype seemed more scary than having lessons in Italian.
I found Annarita to be a great caring teacher who taught me a lot and after about 6 months I thought I would try another teacher which Lucia said could be a good option.
I then had lessons with Arianna. Another great teacher I became more friends with. By now I was beginning to converse (badly) but at a stage where Arianna told me that when I go to Italy (which I did) anyone would be able to understand me even though my grammar was soooo bad. That brought out another problem. I could make myself understood but I didn’t have a clue what was being said to me.
Unfortunately Arianna had to give up teaching for the club but she assured me that with the suggestions of Lucia, they would find me a teacher for my level.
They did!!! I now have lessons with Marcella. She speaks to me in Italian NOT ENGLISH and when I don’t understand she will try 3 to 4 different ways to say the same thing so I eventually do understand. We talk a lot in Italian (my grammar is still sooo bad) but she gives me homework to help me which I always complete.
So, after 14 months of Online lessons I am progressing to levels I never thought I would get to.
I now have the confidence to speak to my husbands cousins in Italy on Skype.
The teachers I have had are highly qualified with patience and understanding.
I cannot recommend these lessons enough.
Derek Hook –
Recently started with Benedetta. Wonderful teacher. Best thing is we have fun and laugh at lot!
We talk about many subjects. Helps me to learn how to relate my many complex life stories.
Difficult for an introvert! Planning to continue much much longer!
Jane Henderson –
It was a great decision to start lessons via Skype. Giovanna is friendly, encouraging and very patient. She cleverly introduces interesting topics to keep my brain engaged and her feedback is really helpful. The convenience of a regular lesson with a skilled professional teacher has made the whole experience rewarding and enjoyable.
Ben Smith –
Conversation class via Skype is absolutely the way to improve your level dramatically. I have done online courses for several years but really only progressed very slowly. However 6 months of weekly Italian conversation with Giovanna has brought me much confidence, enjoyment and a definite improvement in both understanding and crucially being able to communicate. I also listen to many news podcasts in Italian to expand my understanding.
Jan Adams –
I have been learning Italian with Lucia over the past few weeks and I am enjoying the interaction with her. She is friendly, competent and patient with me and I am relaxing into the Italian language. At 65, my aging brain is being stretched like never before and I hope that in my next visit to Italy, I will be able to understand and be understood in Italian.
sgerardy69 –
I had been working on Italian on my own on and off for 8 years without a ton of progress. Part of the problem was that I was only accountable to myself and I had to MAKE time in my busy schedule to get it done. Almost a year ago, I bit the bullet and tried a free lesson with Giovanna and I was hooked. She was engaging and funny, motivating and spoke slowly enough in Italian that I could understand almost everything she said from the very beginning. She is amazingly patient, but holds me to homework. She has presented verb conjugations, foods, places, vocabulary review, etc. in a very organized, but flexible manner. Flash forward a year and we have covered so much information! The best thing is having a native speaker that can explain complex Italian grammar and clear up confusion in Italian AND English.
Although still far from fluent, I have made so much progress I feel like I will be able to hold basic conversations with native speakers without too much trouble. I anticipate that in the next year, my listening comprehension and ability to converse will only get stronger. I definitely could not have made this much progress without Giovanna and it is worth every penny I spend on lessons. My favorite thing is when I get a complicated sentence right with verb conjugation, the correct pronouns and articles and she glows with pride saying “Bravo, Scott!” That’s when I KNOW I’m doing well.
Chris –
Now into my second set of 30 minute lessons. Always enjoyable and informative. My teacher could not be more helpful and encouraging., and always happy to structure the lessons to my requirements .
Tatyana –
Before taking Skype lessons, I’ve studied Italian for two and a half years (once a week, small group classes). Even though my overall comprehension has improved, my ability to conduct a conversation (chiacchierare) remained rudimentary, as most of conversations in class happen with my fellow students, whose ability to conduct a conversation was no better than mine. After I started with my Skype lessons, I noticed that I can chat in Italian, it became much easier. I make a lot of mistakes, but I’m being understood and I can express myself. My teacher – Chiara – is a lot of fun and she is very encouraging. If learning Italian is your thing, if this is something you are serious about… or may be not that serious, but passionate enough and want to continue to improve your language , these lessons are a great resource and a good investment.
jan –
I wasn’t brave enough for a long time, but started on-line lessons with Chiara in November 18. I wish I hadn’t dithered, because I enjoy being with Chiara enormously. Although I am on the ‘bottom rung’ as it were, Chiara is infinitely patient and so encouraging when I stumble (which is all the time). When I feel that learning Italian is impossible, she fills me with confidence. Learning a new language is difficult, but Chiara makes it such fun. I cannot recommend this way of learning highly enough. Lucia Lecce too is such an efficient organiser, and Daniel – a wonderful motivator. To anyone who is hesitating re on-line lessons – give it a try: you have nothing to lose and so much to enjoy.
Beatrice –
My classes with Maria Chiara have been so nice! She’s very personal in her method and flexible in her time. She really listens and tries to help you in the way you like and what could benefit you. She’s always up to find more information for you and is a kind and helpful person. Recommended!
Caterina –
I have had online lessons with Annarita for almost a year now. As an advanced student of Italian it is difficult to find native speakers, who have knowledge of grammar, with which to have conversations in Italian, here, in the United States. The online lessons over Skype are really convenient and work with little disruption. Skype allows one to see written comments and corrections and links to website while we are speaking and then stores those comments so that one can look back over them anytime. Annarita is an excellent teacher, she is very easy to talk with and answers all of my advanced questions with great knowledge of the grammar and my Italian has really improved. She is pleasant and patient and the lessons are enjoyable. Also, the cost of the lessons are very reasonable. Don’t miss this opportunity !
Karen –
I have been enjoying my Skype lessons for some time and although I do feel very self conscious and slightly un natural on Skype, it is the next best thing to face to face conversations. I am anxious to reduce my English accent and so in my lessons with Paolo we focussed on pronunciation , cadence, rhythm etc which we did with some conversation and reading out loud from texts. It helped my highlight some of the “Englishness” of which I was unaware.. At the moment I am using my lessons with Michela for conversation practice, as I don’t have many opportunities for “normal” conversation. This is much more useful than my conversations in class with other English students, which feel rather artificial. Michela has sent me useful links to short films, articles, and a song lyric site for pronunciation and listening skills. Both these teachers are very skilled, personable and interesting. They have enhanced my learning a great deal
Chris –
I’ve been living in Italy for 12 years and have self taught to a reasonable level – which means I can comunicate, be understood and understand. It also means I have picked up some pretty ugly habits and grammar!! I have been allocated Chiara as my teacher and am really pleased with her style, personality, humour and professionalism. I am very lazy in so far as I don’t push myself hard to learn rafts of new vocabulary or practice new tenses or do exhausting grammar workouts – Chiara treats me as an individual and goes with my individual needs and at the end of each 30 minute session I come away feeling motivated and refreshed.
I think the 10 lesson programme of Skype lessons represent a good vehicle for personalised development and also represent very good value for money.
Go for it!
Linda Allen –
Having attended Italian classes for some years, I recently enrolled in on-line lessons with Annarita. I was slightly apprehensive at first (mostly about communicating by means of SKYPE!), but am now really enjoying the opportunity to speak on a one to one basis in Italian each week. Annarita is happy to make suggestions about the content of the lessons, or to discuss whatever I would like and the half an hour whizzes by. I enjoy the flexibility of being able to choose exactly when I would like a lesson and it is great that no time is wasted in travelling. Annarita is very friendly and approachable and I would now certainly recommend this method of learning.
Caroiine Davison –
I was very nervous about taking online lessons and having to learn Skype but I am going through an adventurous phase at the moment so I went ahead. I found that listening to a CD and trying to hold a conversation are two very different things. Chiara is very patient and tailors the lesson to my needs which are near beginner level for speaking. To start with there were lots of “Non capisco”s and over the 6 or so lessons I have had, there has been a big improvement in my listening skills and some in my spoken Italian. I think having online lessons is the best way for me to improve. It is a flexible and convenient method. I am sent homework shortly before the next session and afterwards I receive a recording of the session which is very helpful. I would definitely recommend online lessons.
Dennis Murphree –
My experience with the online lessons has been very satisfactory. Like other reviewers, I was nervous and apprehensive at first but my teacher Giovanna Vettraino has helped me get over my stage fright and enjoy my conversations. She is an excellent teacher and I recommend her highly to anyone who wants to learn to speak Italian.
Roger Adams –
I have been learning Italian for a while but, like many others, I have little opportunity to practice speaking it outside of Italy. So I took the plunge recently and bought 10 lessons. Having had the first two I have regained my enthusiam for learning.
All I want to do is to be able to understand what is being said to me (well most of it anyway) and to be able to converse sensibly. My teacher Giovanna is very kind and patient with me. Am I nervous when I speak? Well of course I am, but she understands this and gently corrects me and guides me through my difficulties. She types into Skype words & phrases I do not know so I can add to my vocabulary.
In addition she has set out a very interesting and varied collection of subjects for our lessons ranging from cooking through global warming to the Etruscans! She also sends me information before the lesson so I can read up on the subject which is most useful.
I would thoroughly recommend these lessons based on my experience.
mrsullivan129 –
I have been studying Italian for 6 years with a wonderful teacher who unfortunately passed away a year ago. Our class has continued to meet, reviewing past lessons and clarifying some points for each other. As a former French teacher, I have been leading these review lessons to my best ability. It has worked well for most of the class members, and I have loved it, but I wasn’t making much progress forward myself. I decided to give the online lessons a try and am very happy to report that it has been an unqualified success. My teacher, Giovanna Vettraino, is patient, kind, and most knowledgeable. She keeps me talking! She answers my questions (many of which come from my class) and sends information in advance of each lesson so I am well prepared to meet with her via Skype. She corrects my mistakes gently and with clear explanations. I recommend her most highly…. and I plan to continue our sessions indefinitely!
Gomati Sekhar –
Le lezione sono state utili. La mia insegnante, Irene Colosimo, era paziente e incoraggiante. Sono grata a lei. Spero di parlare meglio di prima. Grazie mille!
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT ONLINEITALIANCLUB.COM AND HAS BEEN IMPORTED FROM OUR OLD SHOP (THERE) TO OUR NEW SHOP (HERE).
Roberta –
I have started lessons with Irene and just signed up for more due to the sale on lessons. I am very pleased. My teacher is very patient and always prompts ahead with what we will be talking about so I can prepare. She sends a recording after so I can hear our conversation and practice on my own. She seems to truly enjoy teaching. I am happy to be studying with Irene and hope to better my speaking of this beautiful language.
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT ONLINEITALIANCLUB.COM AND HAS BEEN IMPORTED FROM OUR OLD SHOP (THERE) TO OUR NEW SHOP (HERE).
Kathy Ward –
I have been teaching myself Italian for about a year and a half now, but I don’t get much speaking practice. When I finally decided to take the plunge and try a Skype lesson, I was nervous about speaking 1) with a native speaker and 2) using Skype. Both were needless worries, as it has turned out.. Since November 2016 I have been having a half-hour conversation each week with Tiziana and am really enjoying them. Half an hour is the right amount of time for me: enough time for interesting conversation but short enough that I’m always looking forward to more the following week. Tiziana is warm and fun to talk to. She is patient with my linguistic fumblings, somehow always keeps the conversation going (and is good at rephrasing questions or information when I don’t understand), answers my questions thoroughly, and encourages emails whenever I have further questions. Finding times to meet is sometimes a challenge, but we have always managed. Judging from the other reviews I’ve read here, the screening process for teachers with Online Italian Club must be extraordinary, because, like so many other reviewers, I feel like I’m having conversations with a friend, rather than a teacher, and I am becoming more confident in speaking each week. (Also, for those nervous about the Skype aspect – don’t be. It was really easy to set up on my iPad, the sound quality is excellent, and it’s possible to do either an audio-only or a video/audio call…)
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT ONLINEITALIANCLUB.COM AND HAS BEEN IMPORTED FROM OUR OLD SHOP (THERE) TO OUR NEW SHOP (HERE).
Amanda Steeds –
My lessons with the incredibly patient Michela have done me the world of good. My Italian class is quite large, as a result of which we, understandably, get very little time to talk, and I have been quite happy to hide behind the others for a quite a while now. However, I needed to boost my confidence, so I decided to book these lessons – and I am so glad I did! Not only has my confidence improved, but my language skills have too, thanks to Michela’s kind and pleasant manner. Even my husband – who is not learning Italian – manages to speak a few words with her when he comes home and finds me chatting with her. It is also very useful to have someone to ask about ‘i compiti’, and any grammar issues which I might be finding difficult – which is, basically, most Italian grammar! Grazie mille Michela!
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT ONLINEITALIANCLUB.COM AND HAS BEEN IMPORTED FROM OUR OLD SHOP (THERE) TO OUR NEW SHOP (HERE).
Gill Montgomery –
I find these lessons really useful. They fit in well with my weekly group lesson that I do locally, and provide me with more talking and listening practice. Ale is very understanding, sometimes (often!) when I listen back to the recording I find that I haven’t answered the question that she asked me, but she is always helpful and encouraging. As a previous reviewer said, I too do a lot of stumbling – trying to find the right verb and tense doesn’t come easily, but I never feel rushed. 30 mins is the ideal time as I find I have to concentrate hard. We do a combination of conversation and grammar and that works well. Ale is always happy to cover topics that I suggest or introduce new points of grammar. Overall it’s a challenge, but also fun.
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT ONLINEITALIANCLUB.COM AND HAS BEEN IMPORTED FROM OUR OLD SHOP (THERE) TO OUR NEW SHOP (HERE).
GORDANA –
I am absolutelly happy with my 30 min lessons. This is precisely the amount of time I can spare from my hectic schedule and enjoy learning the most beautiful language in the world.
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT ONLINEITALIANCLUB.COM AND HAS BEEN IMPORTED FROM OUR OLD SHOP (THERE) TO OUR NEW SHOP (HERE).
Barry Hoffner –
Ho studiato Italiano per gli ultimi quatro anni e posso dire che sono cetro che non c’e un modo migliore
di imparare Italiano che attraverso le lezioni con Online Italian!!
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT ONLINEITALIANCLUB.COM AND HAS BEEN IMPORTED FROM OUR OLD SHOP (THERE) TO OUR NEW SHOP (HERE).
Mary Wilson –
I decided to try the “onlineitalianclub” Skype lessons about ten months ago. That was such a good decision! Here I am, all these months later, just getting around to booking my fifth course of 10 lessons. The things I like about the lessons are ; I get the undivided attention of my very own (extremely patient!) teacher who tactfully explains and corrects my mistakes ; I can listen to the recordings of the lessons as many times as I want, which I find really helpful; each week I write a short piece on either a topic of my choice or ask my teacher to suggest an aspect of Italian culture for me to research. Not only are the online lessons an enjoyable way for me to improve my Italian and learn more about Italy, but they also give me confidence and a real sense of making progress. Definitely a brilliant way to learn real Italian without leaving home!
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT ONLINEITALIANCLUB.COM AND HAS BEEN IMPORTED FROM OUR OLD SHOP (THERE) TO OUR NEW SHOP (HERE).
Margo Sampson –
The lessons I have had with Emanuele have been fantastic! Whether we are talking about culture, history, or language, every lesson is an opportunity to practice and improve my speaking and listening skills. Emanuele is an excellent teacher, adjusting his speaking to my level and gradually increasing his pace as my skills have improved. It is wonderful to talk with a native speaker of Italian who, as one person said here, is like a friend but who has the knowledge and expertise to make every lesson a great learning experience. I have been taking these lessons for almost a year and am very happy with my progress. Every minute is enjoyable!
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT ONLINEITALIANCLUB.COM AND HAS BEEN IMPORTED FROM OUR OLD SHOP (THERE) TO OUR NEW SHOP (HERE).
Margarita Ferguson –
I started with these online Skype lessons because I wanted to improve my speaking and listening skills. I went to Italy prior to taking the online lessons in January, and I could understand a lot just listening….then I went to Italy again after I started these lessons, and I understood so much more and I was able to speak more, which ultimately is my goal, to have conversations with people I meet when I am in Italy 🙂 I highly recommend for anyone who wants to take their language skills to the next level. Its been a very wonderful experience 🙂 My lessons are with Emanuele, and he is absolutely superb!!
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT ONLINEITALIANCLUB.COM AND HAS BEEN IMPORTED FROM OUR OLD SHOP (THERE) TO OUR NEW SHOP (HERE).
Dennis Maring –
I have been doing these 30 minute lessons for a bit more than a year now and find that I am making steady progress with speaking Italian, which cannot be done by reading or listening, but only by speaking. I enjoy talking with my teacher very much, so it’s like talking to a good friend every week, but in Italian.
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT ONLINEITALIANCLUB.COM AND HAS BEEN IMPORTED FROM OUR OLD SHOP (THERE) TO OUR NEW SHOP (HERE).
Alice Eastaugh –
I can and have recommended Madrelingua to a number of people. I really enjoyed my Italian lessons with them, particularly the group ones, where we talked on a variety of topical subjects, having been given some prior warning. It was challenging to be able to talk on things like the education system in my country, but the tutor was very encouraging and always gave notes of your mistakes and/or some useful phrases down the side. The emailed recordings were also really useful for playback. Good value and very helpful to language acquisition as well as being fun.
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT ONLINEITALIANCLUB.COM AND HAS BEEN IMPORTED FROM OUR OLD SHOP (THERE) TO OUR NEW SHOP (HERE).
Bethany Stringer –
I took these classes to prepare myself with some (very) basic skills for an upcoming trip to Italy. My instructor was fantastic! It’s not about learning stock phrases, but rather being able to think and communicate in the language. Even in the short 5 hours of classes that I took, I was able to learn and use a lot of my skills on my trip. My instructor was encouraging, helpful, and focused on a lot of dialogue work with me. I would highly recommend this site as a great way to get private, individualized lessons to help you reach your Italian goals.
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT ONLINEITALIANCLUB.COM AND HAS BEEN IMPORTED FROM OUR OLD SHOP (THERE) TO OUR NEW SHOP (HERE).
Ann-Margrete Smee –
After a fortnight in Bologna I am fortunate to continue having Paolo as my teacher! He is a rare native speaker teacher who has infinite perception of the linguistic needs of the foreign language student. He is also good at second guessing all the mad constructions that I produce but wonderfully encouraging and so organised and kind. AND I am getting better and more confident. At least I think so….. I love Italian and all the exercises we are given through the school are varied and well thought out. Thank you!!!!
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT ONLINEITALIANCLUB.COM AND HAS BEEN IMPORTED FROM OUR OLD SHOP (THERE) TO OUR NEW SHOP (HERE).
Naomi Gilmore –
These lessons were a great way to get me thinking in Italian. I tend to function best with a lot of structure to my learning, and these lessons necessarily didn’t provide all that, but they were a great experience. I learned new words, and also got experience actually communicating with someone else. They taught me that being grammatically correct is not as important as getting your point across. My teacher, Paolo, was amazing, and super patient, too!
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT ONLINEITALIANCLUB.COM AND HAS BEEN IMPORTED FROM OUR OLD SHOP (THERE) TO OUR NEW SHOP (HERE).
Gregory Carnevale –
Thank you Madrelingua/Onlineitalianclub.com!!!! After struggling to find a way to purse more fluency with local programs where I live, I finally found an efficient way to speak with a native speaker!!!! Francesca was wonderful to work with and very flexible and generous with her time. She quickly became not only a beloved teacher, but a new friend. Since the sessions were all in Italian, there was no time wasted with improving my Italian comprehension and conversation. Grazie Mille!
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT ONLINEITALIANCLUB.COM AND HAS BEEN IMPORTED FROM OUR OLD SHOP (THERE) TO OUR NEW SHOP (HERE).
Adina Galan –
I have had an absolutely wonderful and productive experience taking Italian lessons via Skype with Francesca. The lessons are designed to meet my own needs and interests, and the instructor is very receptive to my goals. I highly recommend these lessons to anyone who wishes to learn, improve or maintain their Italian language skills. The set-up is truly perfect: you get to have the lesson whenever it works with your schedule; you hear and speak Italian during the lesson and the instructor makes instant written corrections or comments without interrupting the flow of the conversation; the lessons are recorded and you receive a message with the recording, allowing you to listen and re-listen the lesson. I am very grateful to Francesca for her feedback and for all the materials that she sends to me following our lessons. I love everything and I wouldn’t make any changes. Mille grazie!
Adina Galan
Charlottesville, Virginia
U.S.A.
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED AT ONLINEITALIANCLUB.COM AND HAS BEEN IMPORTED FROM OUR OLD SHOP (THERE) TO OUR NEW SHOP (HERE).
Dianne Price –
I can highly recommend online Skype lessons with Madrelingua/Onlineitalianclub.com. I have been taking lessons with Lucia for 3 years and feel I have improved greatly over that time. There is no better way to improve than to have a 1 to 1 conversation, especially as I am a mature aged student and the memory cells are diminishing! Lucia makes the lessons fun, interesting, and informative and is very encouraging. We have a lot of laughs! Her explanations are very easy to follow, and of course you can do whatever aspect of the language you choose, e.g. grammar, conversation etc. I live in Australia so the time difference can be difficult, but she is always accommodating and we have always found a mutually convenient time. We also communicate during the week and she will correct my homework prior to the next lesson.
MY ONLY CRITICISM is that 1/2 hour is too short, but I am fortunate as my teacher is very generous with her time.
Beryl Barratt –
Practising conversation is one of the most difficult things in learning a language especially for mature students so this was my choice of how to use the 1/2 hour sessions. Paolo is interesting to talk with over a wide range of topics. He inspires confidence and I have had no hesitation in booking a further 10 lessons.
Sue Durman –
I have been doing online lessons with Giovanni from January 2015. Although there is a big time difference we manage to find a time that suits us both. I do a lot of stumbling with my Italian but Giovanni is extremely patient. I particularly like having to do a small piece of writing for homework each week. Slowly I think I am improving and I am not as nervous as I was when I first started. The summary of our lesson and the recording of it are extremely helpful and a good record of what we have done. I can recommend the online Skype lessons because they make you think and speak in Italian and because it is on a one to one basis, there is no hiding behind others!
Patricia Lenz –
I will be signing up for another 3 series of 10 –30 minute lessons…I have had lessons with both Francesca and Paolo–both really helped introduce and boost conversational skills. I look forward to the lessons. An added benefit is that they know Bologna well and enthusiastically answer questions about transportation and bus routes, good places to eat and shop for food, things to do, etc. All in Italian, of course.
As I am starting my third year studying Italian, I have realized that I need to be more comfortable with the grammar. Arghh. For that, I will constantly use Online Italian Club since that is much more accessible to me than the explanations and exercises in the Espresso textbook series. Listening to and reading the e-books is also a huge learning advantage. It’s taking work: there is no magic fix!
I like the whole package: Skype lessons, Online Italian Club exercises and listenings, as well as the books…and I have taken classes at the Scuola Madrelingua twice!
Charmaine –
Sono un’ora dal tempo che faro’ una lezione con Federica. Sono molto contento che le lezioni sono strutturati con le mie particolari esignenze in mente. In realta` trovo e` ancora dificile per me capire tutto che si dice e per questo motivo e` ottimo che ho un’insegnante italiana, in particolare uno buona come Federica.
Dianne Price –
Ciao Daniel,
Ho dato il mio opinione nel Forum Italiano quando do il mio risposta a Lucia. Mi piace molttissima le mie lezioni con Lucia. Sono ancora nervosa e c`e` tanti “um, um”s
ma si fa pensare di piu` durante la settemana e tra le lezioni. Non vedo l’ora la prossima lezione! Dianne
Ruth Jenkins –
This has been a great experience for me. I had decided that, living in Australia, it is too difficult to continue my Italian studies, but Lucia has been such an encouraging and supportive teacher, I now have renewed enthusiasm. I have only had four lessons so far but have really enjoyed them. The process has been easy and extremely convenient apart from a few early problems with internet connection. Lucia’s feedback and homework have been first rate. I would highly recommend Online Italian to others.