Ciao, ragazzi, e benvenuti!
As you probably already know, language learning is a long process. Unfortunately, until someone designs a program that lets you pick up new languages at the drop of a hat, if you want to learn Italian, you have to put in a lot of work.
That doesn't mean that your lessons have to be boring, though!
We here at Flying Languages are always on the hunt for language resources you can use to help make picking up a new language easier. That's why today you're going to learn all about a brilliant learning resource to help you pick up Italian like a native speaker: News in Slow Italian!
This isn't a normal News in Slow Italian review, however. We'll be revisiting our old friends Riley and his Maestra, so you can see how this language podcast can help most students pick up Italian like a pro!
Siete pronti?
Iniziamo!
- Ciao, Riley come stai? Hai fatto un po' di pratica in Italiano?
- Hmm... Hm... Ciao Maestra...sto bene...e...what...?
- Have you practiced your Italian???
- I did! I watched some Youtube videos like you told me to!
- Great! Did you understand the videos?
- Sort of... but they talk so fast! I have to slow down the videos a few times.
- That's okay, Riley! You're not a total beginner anymore, but you haven't been studying that long! In fact, today I'm going to share a new tool you can use to help with your Italian listening and conversation skills!
- Ouch, Maestra I caught that beginner comment! I'm an ideal student!
- I didn't say you weren't...but...Riley...non dire bugie. You know you try to find the easy way around learning. Which is natural! All learners do it!
- Okay, fine. You're great at teaching! But sometimes I just don't want to practice, it's just not entertaining!
- That's where today's lesson comes in! Since you liked our Italian YouTuber video so much, I thought you might like to use podcasts to help you as well!
- Oh! I like podcasts!
- Great! Then you might like the News in Slow Italian podcast.
- What the heck is that?
- Riley, use your cervello! It's just how it sounds! It's a weekly news podcast done entirely in Italian but spoken at a slow pace which offers students the chance to really practice listening comprehension.
- The news??? That sounds so boring!
- It's not boring, Riley! Yes, they cover the news, but it's not just dry, tedious stuff. They offer podcasts on everything from politics to Italian culture! If one week's podcast doesn't seem interesting to you, you can just go through their library and they have tons to choose from! Here, check out this example of one of their clips.
- Okay, that was political, but it was still fun to listen to! Definitely a lot more fun than reading my stupid Italian for beginners textbooks all day!
- Perfetto! Now that I've got you on board, let's look closer at this app!
You can listen to Italian news in a few different ways depending on your level of Italian understanding. Apps like News in Slow Italian and other websites offer a great opportunity to listen to Italian news if you're still learning the language. However, if you're more advanced, or want to hear even more common idiomatic expressions, you can also search for YouTube channels aimed at native speakers in Italy or search for Italian news broadcasts like Rai.
- Okay, Maestra, so... we can go home, right?
- Not so fast, Riley! I can't just set you loose! You need more information!
- Ugh... Fine.
- So, News in Slow Italian isn't just a regular slow-paced podcast. It's designed to help you improve your Italian vocabulary, learn more cultural details about Italy, and get a leg up on your Italian grammar without having to sit through lessons that can be dry or uninteresting.
- We went over this...
- Zitto! I'm getting to the new parts. You can decide to just listen to the podcast, but you can also choose to watch and read along as well. Each installment has a full transcription, including an English translation you can use to follow along. The translations are high quality, so don't have to worry about any embarrassing Google Translate issues! You can even download each podcast so you don't have to be constantly connected to the internet!
- Okay, that's helpful...I didn't think about that.
- Because you always try to rush! Riley, the news isn't the only thing that should be slowed down around here!
- So, Maestra, when can I start???
- Well, Riley, before you jump in head first, you should know, this isn't like some of the other resources I've told you about. Since the services in this app are basically on par with other professional language courses, it isn't a free tool.
- Ah.
- There's a seven-day free trial you can use to make sure you like the podcast, but after that there's a monthly subscription fee. If it helps you learn, however, it can be really worth it!
- Or... I can just listen to every podcast in a week and learn it all at once.
- ...Oddio, Riley...
- The last thing you should know about the site before you visit is that it's not one size fits all. Their podcasts are divided into levels, so you can continue to use the program throughout your learning journey. You can work your way from below A1 all the way to C1 levels of Italian, with the speed increasing and the types of idioms used becoming more niche or complicated.
- And I'm at least a B2, right???
- Not even close...
- But... but... I've been studying so long!
- And you're definitely not an A0 anymore! Here, look at this clip that shows an example of a slow podcast transcript.
- ...Okay... maybe I do need the slow versions. But I understand almost all of that!
- Bravo, Riley!
- So, you might be wondering where you can listen to the podcast. After all, if you decide to subscribe to it, you want to be able to use the product, right??
- I figured it'd just be in the app. Are there other options?
- Well, duh, Riley! Otherwise, I wouldn't have brought it up! You actually have a few options, depending on what you want out of the service.
If you just want to listen to short audio clips, there are free versions of the podcast on Spotify and other streaming platforms. You'll get the chance to improve your comprehension and get the hang of some word pronunciation, but you won't have access to the transcripts.
- So there is a free version after all!
- Sì. There's limited free availability if you want to focus on the listening portion. You can also find some short clips on YouTube, like the ones I showed you, that also have on-screen transcripts. However, you don't get to use the interactive aspects of the site. Otherwise, if you choose to use the paid option, you can use their app or website, and you can download the podcasts.
- So, there are a lot of options!
- I told you!
News in Slow Italian is like any other learning tool. If you're dedicated to using it and you see improvement in your Italian skills after using it, then it's worth it!
If you don't think you'll learn much from a podcast, or learning by listening to the news doesn't seem interesting to you, then there's probably a better resource out there for you!
- So, Riley, how do you feel about using the news to learn Italian?
- I'm excited about it! I'm surprised no one else has thought of it!
- Well, that's not exactly true! There are actually some alternatives that have followed the same idea of using the news to help you pick up the language!
- Wait... What?!?!
- There are a few channels and podcasts out there. One example is My Italian Circle. They post multiple types of learning content, but they have a series of videos that use news stories to help students with their comprehension! Here, check out one of their videos!
- If there are so many options, how will I pick the right one to use??
- You'll just have to test out a few and see which works best for you!
The fastest way to learn Italian is by doing a full immersion in Italy, but that's not an option for most people. Just try to surround yourself with as many Italian language sources as possible and practice, practice, practice!
- Okay, Maestra, I joke and complain, but I really want to learn Italian.
- I know you do, Riley!
- So, can I actually learn Italian like this?
- Riley, if you're determined to learn, of course, you can! You need to work a lot, but you can do it! Sources like News in Slow Italian are great because they introduce you to everyday words and conversation topics. By learning about the news, you'll be able to understand what a lot of people are talking about while out and about in Italy since the news is often a popular small-talk topic.
- That's true...
- And remember how overwhelmed you were at the idea of learning all the Italian verb conjugations?
- Don't remind me...
- Well, reading about each tense is important, but a great way to actually learn how to use them is through hearing people speak. You'll be able to hear the most common verb conjugations, but even the ones that are less used will show up from time to time in conversation. Quotes will help you get the hang of first-person conjugations, and the news stories will help you with the third-person conjugations! Basically, getting the chance to hear or read the language being used in a real way, by real people will help you pick it up in a snap!
- Maestra, you're going to make me cry! I was ready to give up!
- You just need to be patient, Riley. You'll get the hang of things in no time!
If you prefer reading to listening, you can find free Italian news articles with a simple internet search. Possibilities include Il Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica, and FanPage. These are just a few of the places you can go for Italian articles!
- Okay, Riley, our class today is over. Are you ready to start practicing?
- I'm going to download the app as soon as I get home!
- Great! And if you like the combination of listening/watching and reading in Italian, you should check out Flying Languages. They have video lessons with full transcripts and questions to help you learn!
- Grazie, Maestra! I'll check them out too!
Learning Italian isn't easy. There are a lot of words, letter combinations, grammar rules, and verb tenses that can be difficult to get the hang of if you don't already speak a Latin-rooted language. However, with a little patience and dedication, it won't be too difficult to pick up over time!
