This free online course is the first of six in the Italian for Beginners program. It will introduce you to the basic language, so that you are able to:

• order snacks and drinks in a café;
• greet people and introduce yourself and others;
• talk about where you live and where you come from;
• talk about the languages you speak;
• talk about what you do.

Start to speak, listen, read and write in Italian

During the four weeks of the course, you will learn some of the vocabulary and phrases you need to help you interact with people at a basic level.

You will start to develop the four language skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing through a range of activities, which will introduce the language in authentic settings, and audio resources, which will let you hear the language in action.

There are some activities where you will also practice your speaking skills, as it is important that you start speaking as soon as possible.

You will also learn some essential Italian grammar, including some basic verbs, such as essere (to be) and chiamarsi (to call). Finally, you will get some tips and advice on how to develop your study skills, so that you can become a successful language learner.

Take your Italian learning offline by purchasing two hours of downloadable audio files and transcripts made by the course creators at The Open University. These MP3s are a great way to practise your Italian listening and speaking wherever you are. They cover examples and exercises in the same topics as the course.

This course is aimed at people with no prior knowledge of Italian, who want to learn the basic language, and find out about Italy and its regions and culture. This course is taught through English.