Very useful resource

Ciao a tutti!

I would like to recommend this forum to you: https://italianduo.boards.net/

Formed by Duolingo users, posts are made in as much Italian as possible, and whatever English is necessary. In my first year of Italian, it seemed daunting, but I've learned a lot from the friendly members.  It's a great way to learn real-world Italian as part of the languages toolkit.

Chris

Thanks Chris

Will have a look. Am considering finding a conversational tutor. On line is not ideal for me, as would prefer a face to face conversation. But am aware that Daniel has tutors and may check that out.

Ciao 

Sebongela

Hi Sebongela

I'd love to use Daniel's tutors, but even with their fair pricing, I find it expensive.  I don't think I've mentioned this app before: https://www.hellotalk.com/?lang=en  The basic product is free and offers voice and text exchanges.  It's a good way to ‘chat’ in a language with minimal time lags, but obviuosly, a tutor is the most desireable option.

Ciao

Chris

Thanks for the recommendations!

For tutors or talking, have you looked at r/LanguageExchange on reddit? It's a good place to find other people looking to practice languages. You can find native speakers and other learners of a wide variety of languages, and it's free because it's informal.

Thanks, Nicholas - I hadn't heard of that one.  Here's another with the same purpose: https://www.conversationexchange.com/. 

Chris

Molto Grazie e tutti.  I am slow traveling for at least 3 months through Italy upon my retirement in 10 months. Always looking to practice with someone. 

Ciao,

Tommaso

I'm sure you'll have a great time, Tommaso!  It's worth having a digital or paper prompt for practicing real-world phrases such as ‘Please speak more slowly’, and this website will provide answers from native speakers: https://hinative.com/questions/13759056

Buona fortuna!

Chris

Ciao a tutti!

Thank you for sharing a forum where users can engage in conversations predominantly in Italian and use English when necessary. It's fantastic to hear that you've found it helpful and have learned a lot from the friendly members.

Engaging in conversations with other language learners and native speakers is indeed a great way to practice and improve your language skills. It provides an opportunity to apply what you've learned in real-world situations and gain exposure to different expressions, colloquialisms, and cultural nuances.

In addition to the forum you mentioned, I would also like to suggest utilizing our Rocket Languages platform. With Rocket Languages, you have access to comprehensive Italian language courses that cover all aspects of the language, including vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and cultural insights.

The interactive lessons, reinforcement activities, and role-playing exercises on the Rocket Languages platform are designed to enhance your learning experience and help you build practical language skills. You can also engage with other learners in the forum section of the Rocket Languages community, where you can ask questions, share experiences, and practice using Italian in a supportive environment.

By combining resources like the forum you recommended and the Rocket Languages platform, you can create a well-rounded language toolkit to support your Italian learning journey.

Keep up the great work and continue immersing yourself in real-world Italian conversations. If you have any questions or need further guidance, feel free to reach out.

Buon apprendimento!

Thanks good idea. Just a few months into learning and I've learned a lot but talking italiano on the fly is still a ways away. More tools could help.

Hi Stanley

In order to let the sounds and inflections of Italian flow over you, I also suggest listenting to interviews with Italians in the street: e.g. Easy Italian https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2bUdfFVllI. The interviewer is English, and moved to Italy.

Chris

Grazie - this is a great resource.  

Chris,

Grazie. I think I may have seen one of those videos when I first started learning. I will definately go back to them.

I appreciate your feedback.

You're welcome!  One last one: Learn with Lucrezia; loads of free videos pitched at different levels and topics, many very practical and down-to-earth https://www.youtube.com/@lucreziaoddone

Ciao

Chris