Double consonants
Pala is a shovel and palla is a ball. Nono is ninth and nonno is grandpa. Hold the double sound a little longer.
Italian course · 27 languages in one app
Learn Italian by speaking it
Italian is generous to beginners: words sound the way they're written. What takes practice is speaking at Italian speed. Talvo's tutor plays the barista, the market seller and the new friend, and lets you go at your own pace.
First lesson free · iPhone and Mac, one subscription
Your first Italian phrases
Twelve phrases for cafés, shops and meeting people, with a guide to where the stress falls.
| Italian | Say it like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ciao! / Buongiorno! | CHOW / bwon-JOR-noh | Hi / Good morning |
| Come stai? | KOH-meh STY | How are you? (to a friend) |
| Piacere! | pyah-CHEH-reh | Nice to meet you! |
| Un caffè, per favore. | oon kahf-FEH, pehr fah-VOH-reh | An espresso, please. |
| Quanto costa? | KWAHN-toh KOH-stah | How much is it? |
| Il conto, per favore. | eel KOHN-toh, pehr fah-VOH-reh | The check, please. |
| Dov'è il bagno? | doh-VEH eel BAH-nyoh | Where's the bathroom? |
| Non ho capito. | nohn oh kah-PEE-toh | I didn't understand. |
| Può ripetere, per favore? | pwoh ree-PEH-teh-reh, pehr fah-VOH-reh | Could you repeat that, please? |
| Mi scusi. | mee SKOO-zee | Excuse me (polite) |
| Grazie mille! | GRAHT-tsyeh MEEL-leh | Thanks a lot! |
| Buonissimo! | bwoh-NEES-see-moh | Delicious! |
Double letters are held a beat longer: caffè is kahf-FEH, with a small pause on the f.
A conversation you'll practice
Breakfast at a bar in Rome, which is what Italians call a café. The tutor plays the barista.
BaristaBuongiorno! Cosa prende?Good morning! What will you have?
YouUn cappuccino e un cornetto, per favore.A cappuccino and a croissant, please.
BaristaIl cornetto vuoto o alla crema?Plain croissant or with custard?
YouAlla crema, grazie.With custard, thanks.
BaristaSono tre euro e cinquanta.That's 3.50 euros.
Mistakes Talvo helps you fix
Caffè means espresso
Ask for un caffè and you get an espresso. A long coffee is un caffè americano.
Lei for strangers
Use the polite Lei with people you don't know: Come sta? rather than Come stai?, which is for friends.
Gender endings
Words ending in -o are usually masculine (il vino) and -a feminine (la pizza), with exceptions like la mano that Talvo points out when you meet them.
How Talvo teaches Italian
- Tap Replay or Slowly on any line the tutor says, and Show translation when you need it
- Every unit, from beginner (A1) to advanced (C1), is written around your interests and the words you already know
- Role-play a café, a market, a taxi or meeting someone new. The tutor speaks first, waits for your answer and corrects you with the reason
- Use the live interpreter when you're talking with a native speaker for real
- Every new word goes into your review deck and comes back right before you'd forget it
Questions about learning Italian
Which Italian does Talvo teach?
Standard Italian, the language of Italian schools, TV and newspapers, understood in every region.
Can I learn Italian with Talvo for free?
Yes, to start. Your first lesson, three live-interpreter exchanges, your reviews and your deck are free. Talvo Pro unlocks unlimited lessons and conversations, and the yearly plan starts with a 7-day free trial.
How is Talvo different from Duolingo?
Duolingo is built around short tap-and-match exercises and daily streaks. Talvo is built around speaking: lessons written around your interests, a tutor you talk to out loud, and a live interpreter for real conversations. Plenty of learners use both.
Can I use Talvo on my Mac?
Yes. Talvo is a native app for iPhone and Mac, and one subscription covers both.
More language guides
Say your first Italian sentence today.
The first lesson is free. It takes about five minutes.