Learning Italian is a rewarding adventure. Its lyrical sounds, cultural depth and practical value for travel and business make it one of the most popular languages studied worldwide. However, while Italian seems more approachable than, say, Russian or Chinese, English speakers often discover that it hides some surprisingly tricky challenges.
If you are an English native speaker thinking of learning Italian or if you’ve already started, you may have noticed that some concepts are unfamiliar and appear difficult to master. Don’t worry: this is completely normal. In fact, recognising these challenges is the first step toward mastering them.
As a qualified Italian tutor who’s been living in the UK for almost 30 years, I’ve guided many students through the ups and downs of learning Italian. In this article, we’ll explore the main difficulties English native speakers face when learning Italian and provide practical strategies, examples, speaking activities, and reading exercises to help you conquer them.
Why Italian Can Be Tricky for English Speakers
At first glance, Italian and English look like distant cousins. They share many Latin-based words (televisione, cultura, informazione), so English speakers often recognise vocabulary quickly. Nevertheless, beneath this surface similarity lie important differences in grammar, pronunciation and cultural nuance.
Here are the top areas where English speakers struggle when learning Italian:
1. Gendered Nouns: Masculine or Feminine?
One of the first surprises for English learners is that every Italian noun has a gender: masculine or feminine.
- Il tavolo (the table – masculine)
- La sedia (the chair – feminine)
- Un amico simpatico (a nice friend – masculine)
- Una casa grande (a big house – feminine)
In English, a chair is just a chair; neutral and unchanging, but in Italian, the gender of a noun determines not only the article, but also the adjectives that accompany it.
Why it’s hard: English has no gendered nouns, so learners may feel frustrated by what seems illogical.
Tip: Always learn nouns with their article (e.g., il libro, la penna) to automatically remember the gender.
2. Verb Conjugations: More Than “I Eat”
In English, verb forms are fairly simple: I eat, you eat, he eats. In Italian, however, each verb must be conjugated depending on person, number, tense and mood.
For the verb parlare (to speak) – (First three persons):
- Present: io parlo, tu parli, lui/lei parla
- Past: io ho parlato, tu hai parlato, lui/lei ha parlato
- Future: io parlerò, tu parlerai, lui parlerà
Irregular verbs like essere (to be) and avere (to have) add extra complexity:
- Io sono, tu sei, lui è
- Io ho, tu hai, lui ha
Why it’s hard: Italian has dozens of forms for each verb, while English learners are used to only a handful.
Tip: Focus on mastering the three main conjugation groups (-are, -ere, -ire) before tackling irregular verbs.
However, learn “essere and avere” by heart since the beginning.
3. The Subjunctive Mood: Congiuntivo
The subjunctive mood (congiuntivo) is a well-known stumbling block. It is used to express doubt, hope, uncertainty or desire.
- Spero che tu stia bene – I hope you are well
- È importante che lui venga – It’s important that he comes
In English, the subjunctive exists, but is subtle (If I were you), so learners often skip it in Italian.
Why it’s hard: English speakers don’t use the subjunctive as naturally as Italians.
Tip: Learn “trigger phrases” like spero che, penso che, credo che, sembra che, è importante che. Whenever you use them, expect the subjunctive.
4. Pronunciation: The Music of Italian
Italian pronunciation is mostly phonetic, but it includes sounds that don’t exist in English:
- gli → famiglia (family)
- gn → lasagna
- sc before e/i → pesce (fish)
- Rolled “r”: ragazzo
Double consonants also matter: anno (year) vs ano (anus); a mistake you definitely want to avoid!
Why it’s hard: English speakers struggle with rolling the “r” and differentiating between single and double consonants.
Tip: Practice by repeating tongue-twisters and listening carefully to native speakers.
Here are some videos to help you out with these sounds and doubles:
How to roll the R https://youtube.com/shorts/Ep7MHEFA6u8?si=AoiuH4yAckvTujC6
The doubles: https://youtube.com/shorts/Kxr8QQO7Rl8?si=OBJsn60UEIWXw3VL
https://youtube.com/shorts/_ZkjG6kMcB8?si=WTvURfUN_EWBXxgf
5. Prepositions: Tiny Words, Big Trouble
Italian prepositions (di, a, da, in, su, con, per, tra/fra) often defy direct translation, but not always:
- Vado a Roma – I go to Rome
- Vado in Italia – I go to Italy
- Vado da Alessia – I’m going to Alessia’s
- Parlo con Marco – I speak with Marco
- Parlo di Marco – I speak about Marco
Why it’s hard: Using the wrong preposition in Italian can completely change the meaning.
Tip: Learn prepositions together with verbs (e.g., pensare a, credere in, parlare di).
Here you can find all about simple prepositions
https://www.languagesalive.com/mastering-simple-italian-prepositions-a-key-to-fluency/
6. False Friends: Watch Out for Traps
Some Italian words look similar to English, however, mean something different.
- Attualmente – actually (means “currently”)
- Sensibile – sensible (means “sensitive”)
- Eventualmente – eventually (means “possibly”)
Why it’s hard: Learners assume familiarity, but end up misusing the word.
Tip: Keep a personal “false friends” notebook.
Learn more about false friends here: https://www.languagesalive.com/cognates-and-false-friends/
https://www.languagesalive.com/italian-false-friends-that-could-embarrass-you-or-make-you-laugh/
7. Plural Formation: No Simple “S”
Unlike English, Italian doesn’t just add “s” to form plurals.
- Ragazzo – ragazzi
- Ragazza – ragazze
- Persona – person
- Persone – persons
- Limone – lemon
- Limoni – lemons
Why it’s hard: The change depends on the noun’s ending and gender.
Tip: Practice with common words and pay attention to vowel patterns:
- -o → -i
- -a → -e
- -e → -i
8. Idioms: Culture in a Phrase
Italian idioms are colourful and culturally rich.
- In bocca al lupo! – Good luck! (literally “into the wolf’s mouth”)
- Avere le mani bucate – To be a spender (literally “to have holes in your hands”)
- Non tutte le ciambelle riescono col buco – Not everything turns out perfectly
- ( literally “not all the doughnuts have holes”).
Why it’s hard: Literal translations don’t make sense in English.
Tip: Learn idioms in context, not in isolation.
Learn idioms and proverbs here: https://www.languagesalive.com/italian-idioms-and-proverbs/
9. Object Pronouns and Word Order
Italian uses direct and indirect object pronouns that often appear before the verb:
- Lo vedo – I see him
- La vedo – I see her
Why it’s hard: English word order is fixed, but Italian is more flexible.
Tip: Practice short sentences until pronouns feel natural.
English vs Italian Challenges: At a Glance
| Challenge | English vs Italian | Tip | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gendered Nouns | No gender vs. masculine/feminine | Learn with article | La sedia, il tavolo |
| Verb Conjugations | Few forms vs. many | Master regular verbs first | Io parlo, tu parli |
| Subjunctive Mood | Rare vs. common | Learn trigger phrases | Spero che tu stia bene |
| Pronunciation | Flexible vs. rolled “r” + double consonants | Repeat tongue-twisters | Anno vs. ano |
| Prepositions | Simple vs. context-dependent | Learn with verbs | Vado a Roma, vengo da Roma |
| False Friends | Look familiar vs. different meaning | Keep a notebook | Sensibile = sensitive |
| Plural Formation | Add -s vs. vowel changes | Practice endings | Ragazzo → ragazzi |
| Idioms | Literal vs. figurative | Learn in context | In bocca al lupo! |
| Object Pronouns | Fixed order vs. flexible | Drill short phrases | Lo vedo, La vedo |
Speaking Activities for English Learners of Italian
- Gender Drill: Pick 5 objects in your room and describe them with article + adjective. Example: Il libro è nuovo. La penna è blu.
- Verb Challenge: Conjugate one regular and one irregular verb each day in three tenses.
- Subjunctive Role-Play: Practice with sentences like Spero che tu venga.
- Pronunciation Workout: Repeat trenta treni tristi or gli gnocchi di nonna.
- Idioms in Action: Write a short dialogue using two idioms.
Reading Comprehension Practice
Beginner
“Marco va a Roma per visitare il Colosseo, compra un gelato e dice: ‘Che bella città!’.”
Questions:
- Dove va Marco?
- Cosa compra Marco?
- Cosa pensa della città?
Intermediate
“Lucia spera che i suoi amici vengano alla festa. È importante che Marco porti il dolce. La casa è decorata con luci e palloncini.”
Questions:
- Cosa spera Lucia?
- Che porta Marco alla festa?
- Com’è la casa?
Testo (livello avanzato – C1/C2)
Durante il suo viaggio in Sicilia, Giulia non solo incontra persone simpatiche, ma rimane colpita dalla varietà dei dialetti locali e dalla ricchezza delle tradizioni popolari. In un piccolo paese dell’entroterra, assiste a una festa patronale in cui la musica, i canti e i balli riflettono l’identità storica della comunità. Ogni sera, invece di limitarsi a scrivere un diario, Giulia annota anche le differenze linguistiche tra l’italiano standard e le espressioni regionali, cercando di comprenderne l’origine e il significato. Col tempo, si accorge che imparare una lingua significa anche entrare in contatto con un patrimonio culturale che va ben oltre la grammatica e il vocabolario.
Domande di comprensione
- Qual è l’aspetto che colpisce di più Giulia durante il viaggio?
- Dove assiste a una festa patronale e cosa osserva in quell’occasione?
- In che modo Giulia arricchisce il suo diario rispetto a un semplice racconto di viaggio?
- Secondo il testo, perché imparare una lingua non si riduce solo a grammatica e vocabolario?
- Collega questo episodio all’importanza della lingua come veicolo di cultura: quali esempi concreti puoi fare dalla tua esperienza? (domanda aperta per riflessione personale).
You can send your answers to info@languagesalive.com ; we’ll be happy to offer you constructive feedback.
Final Thoughts
Italian is one of the most beautiful languages to learn, but it’s not without its hurdles; especially for English speakers. By understanding the main challenges, from gendered nouns to the subjunctive mood, you can anticipate mistakes, practice smarter and progress faster.
The key is consistent practice: listen, repeat, read and speak every day. Use the table above as a quick reference, challenge yourself with the speaking activities and strengthen your skills with the reading comprehension texts.
With the right strategies, you’ll not only master Italian grammar and pronunciation, you’ll also gain access to the culture, humour and warmth that make Italian truly unique.
Ready to go beyond textbooks? Explore immersive learning experiences with us and bring your Italian to life in real conversations, real places, and real culture. Contact us at info@languagesalive.com