(ONLINE) Italian Conversation - domenica

Vorresti parlare l'italiano? Vieni al nostro gruppo, The Ann Arbor Italian Conversation Group, domenica alle 2:00pm su Zoom.

For other events, including in-person events, please check the event page: https://4142298.xyz/annarboritalian/events

How it works:

• When you RSVP, you will receive a link that you can follow at the time of the meeting to join.

Remember:

• Use your real name so I know to admit you from the waiting room.
• Turn on your video. It helps everyone feel comfortable.
• When you aren't talking, kindly mute yourself if there is background noise.

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If you enjoy our group, please consider donating to support our costs.

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Tips and resources

"I want to learn Italian, but I can't speak very well!"

Speaking a language is the best way to learn, and you'll only begin learning when you stop speaking English and start stumbling your way into a new language. Making mistakes comes with the territory, so don't worry!

If you're uncomfortable with speaking Italian and would like to attend, I have a few suggestions that could help.

Write a paragraph in Italian about what you did this week. Use an online dictionary to look up words you don't know. Try to memorize some of the sentences you wrote before coming to the group. Now, you'll have something to say in Italian! Again, don't worry if there are mistakes. Making mistakes is the only way you'll learn. If you still aren't comfortable, or didn't have time to prepare something, feel free to come and listen. Listening to spoken Italian is a great way to train your ear to hear and recognize unfamiliar sounds. While speaking Italian is the focus of the group, we sometimes break out into English to clarify something that's misunderstood. Some of our Italian members also appreciate the opportunity to practice their English! That's perfectly fine, but please understand that the group is first and foremost an Italian conversation group. Buona fortuna e a presto!

My favorite language resources/apps:

Online lessons
italki.com - a great resource for finding people that want to exchange languages with you (you teach English, they teach Italian). You can also find and pay for private lessons, which take place via Skype.

Reference
Reverso Context - searches a database of human translations. Great for searching for phrases. https://context.reverso.net/translation/english-italian/ (also available as an app)

WordReference: the best free English-Italian dictionary. There is also an Italian dictionary with definitions in Italian. The hidden gem of this site is the forum. For any dictionary search, scroll down to see any matching questions asked of the forum. http://www.wordreference.com/enit/ (also available as an app)

Collins Italian-English dictionary - great for finding words and conjugations. Does not require an internet connection, so great for traveling. A bit pricey but worth it. I use the iPhone version so I don’t know if the Android version is good.

Podcasts
Podcast Italiano
Italiano Vero
Learn Italian with Lucrezia
Da Costa A Costa
Pensieri e Parole
Ad Alta Voce
Coffee Break Italian
Anything on the Radio24 app
Anything on the RAI app