Something I'd like to learn before I die.

What would actual speakers recommend for someone interested in learning the language? Speaking-wise, is it better to learn official Italian or a dialect like every person I know speaks opposed to the official language.

And also, what do people think is the easiest way to go about it? I've had Spanish for 5 years of school, and perhaps it was my lack of interest but I learned nothing special in terms of speaking it. Just random sayings and such.

My neighborhood was Italian integrated. So, I picked up bits and pieces of different dialects. My relatives (Napolitans) would have a hard time understanding me and even make fun of my pronunciations, etc. So, I recommend official Italian. To learn a dialect you have to be immersed in it and then it's of limited value. Just take an adult learning class. That's what I would do. But keep in mind that to learn it you have to use it.

I've often wondered the same thing. I've always wanted to learn several languages including Italian, but mostly Spanish. Since most of California is Mexican I wouldn't have any trouble being immersed in it. But finding the time to learn it as well as where to learn it has been difficult for me.

Is it true that a lot of people who learn Spanish have an easy time learning Italian (or the other way around). I've had personal experience with a Mexican co-worker speaking Spanish to an Italian customer, and they were able to communicate. It just made me want to learn both languages that much more.

Im half Italian and i dont know how to say a single word.As a kid growing up my Nonno and Nonna would try to teach me but i was never interested.I regret that now.I would love to learn Italian and Spanish.

Yeah, it is a bit easier to learn or get by if you speak spanish.

Not sure what your future plans are, but I took two semesters of it in college. My teacher was a young guy from Milan, which I think helped. He was more on our level, AND he wasn't just some American guy who learned the language. I learned a lot, and remember most of it. All the teachers at WVU were Italian, I think. Don't know about other schools.

Or you could just go for my Plan B, which is marry your Italian teacher and live in Italy with him. You'll pick up the language eventually.

I would recommend this...
http://www.amazon.com/Michel-Thomas-Speak-Italian-Beginners/dp/0071480072
The late, great and unsurpassable Michel Thomas.
Easy to use, no notes or writing, unbeatable.
Put it on your home system, laptop or iPod.
You take part and he instills the language into your head and you are conversational within 8 hours.
Ciao
DaveRave

Michael Thomas seems like a good bet but I can't believe someone can become fluent in a few days.

Some colleges offer an immersion course over the summer, where you live there for X number of days, and are not allowed to speak anything but the language you are studying. It's really the only way to learn it quickly.

My husband's company paid for him to learn German after acquiring a German subsidiary. He did really well, but because he has nobody to speak it with, he's already forgotten so much of it.

My mom spoke Italian with my grandmother, but I truly only became fluent after spending a month in Italy. When nobody around you speaks English, you pick up the language rather quickly, and my cousins in Sicily don't speak a word of English.

I suppose it's true if you can separate the two -- I took Spanish for 3.5 years (Grades 7-10) and was pretty good at it. Then to prepare for a family trip to Italy, I took 2 semesters of Italian my freshman year in college. I think it's definitely easier to learn a second foreign language once you learn a first one, but -- to me at least -- Spanish and Italian were so similar (Spanish is much easier, tho) that I got confused and ended up forgetting both of them. By the time I got to Italy, all I knew how to say was "where's the bathroom?"

Anyone who wants to learn a foreign language should do it as young as possible - it's much easier and retention is much better. (As well as "use it or lose it", of course)

God damn, bogey is such a slut. This is a thread about the Italian language, and all she wants to talk about is her hot teacher from Milan and marrying an Italian guy.

Think about something else for a change.

What can I say? I was smitten.

yer jus jelus im not talkin bout u lol.

wanna fight about it? in a tub of jello?

Creamed corn.