How Long Does It Take To Learn Italian?

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Learning Italian is your direct ticket to la dolce vita (the sweet life). From exploring Italy to buying fresh fruits at a local Italian mercado (market), speaking the language will tear down the invisible wall that separates you from the locals.

However, balancing language learning with the demands of daily life is hard. So, you might wonder if this second language is the best fit for you, and the bigger question: how long does it take to learn Italian?

Let’s look at the timing and factors that will influence your progress, how proficiency levels are measured, and if Italian is easy to learn for you, depending on your goals.

How hard is it to learn Italian?

The answer to this question is both simple and complex. Italian is one of the less challenging languages for English speakers to learn and understand. But answering “how long does it take to learn Italian” really depends on your goals and commitment.

The Foreign Service Institute (FSI), which has over 70 years of experience teaching languages and cultural skills to U.S. government employees, ranked Italian among the easiest languages for English speakers to master.

And according to the language difficulty rankings, categories are based on the language complexity, measuring the average time required to achieve proficiency. Italian shares the podium of the easiest languages to learn with Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, Portuguese, and Romanian.

How long does it take to learn Italian: from beginners to proficiency

According to the FSI ranking, Italian belongs to Language Category 1, which means you can reach proficiency in Italian in approximately 24 to 30 weeks. This time frame corresponds to an average of 600–750 classroom hours.

To put this into perspective, the hardest languages to learn, such as Chinese or Arabic, fall into Category 4 and require about 88 weeks (or 2,200 classroom hours) to reach proficiency.

So, is Italian a hard language to learn if you have less time to dedicate to it? Not at all. It really depends on the level you want to reach.

For example, studying the essentials to be able to interact with the locals during a short vacation will take significantly less time than achieving full professional proficiency. Even within professional contexts, the time it takes to learn how to speak Italian depends on the specific skills and vocabulary you need.

What does being fluent in Italian truly mean?

Fluency doesn’t mean knowing every word in the dictionary or perfectly mastering all irregular verbs without making mistakes.

You can consider yourself fluent when you can express yourself in Italian naturally and at a normal pace. True fluency also means understanding native speakers and communicating in a way that feels seamless for both sides—without misunderstandings.

Another sign that you’ve achieved fluency in Italian is when you start thinking directly in the language. Instead of mentally translating each sentence, your thoughts naturally flow in Italian, making communication smoother and more intuitive.

How to measure your progress: understanding CEFR levels to learn Italian

You may have heard terms like A2, B1, or C2 when talking about how to learn a new language. These terms refer to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The CEFR is a standardized system that is incredibly useful for assessing your proficiency in a language and tracking your progress.

The CEFR framework consists of six levels:

• A1 and A2: Elementary levels for basic learners
• B1 and B2: Intermediate levels for independent learners
• C1 and C2: Advanced levels for proficient learners

Let’s explore what each level means.

A1: The start of your Italian language journey

The A1 level is your first step into the Italian language. This stage is often the most challenging: you’ll need to concentrate more and put in the effort to understand native speakers or written text. However, it’s also particularly exciting, as every day brings discoveries—new words, phrases, and aspects of Italian culture.

At A1, you’ll master basic Italian phrases to introduce yourself and ask or answer simple personal questions, like where you live. You’ll master the essentials, such as Italian greetings and how to say thank you in Italian, or the essential word: prego (You’re welcome.) These are the building blocks of your early conversations.

Your understanding will remain limited to familiar topics, and you’ll mainly engage in slow-paced conversations. But the focus at this point is to gain confidence with simple interactions, laying the foundation for deeper learning ahead.

A2: Building your conversation skills in Italian

At the A2 level, you are moving beyond the basics and starting to understand and form slightly more complex sentences. You can introduce yourself in more detail, express your preferences, and talk about everyday tasks and routines.

This is the stage where you’ll get familiar with common Italian expressions and begin to engage in more fluid conversations.

B1: Gaining confidence in everyday conversations in Italian

By reaching the B1 level, you are independent enough to deal with almost every familiar situation in Italian or recurrent matters in professional environments.

This is the point where you can interact confidently with locals. It’s also the stage where you can handle more complex Italian grammar structures. You can now manage more Italian verbs and conjugate more tenses, allowing you to talk about past events and express wishes, dreams, and hopes. 

Level B1 is where you start picking Italian idioms and introducing expressions that will make your conversation more natural.

B2: Consolidating your Italian foundation

Reaching the B2 level means you can now understand complex Italian texts and conversations. At this point, your conversation starts flowing naturally, and you can finally relax without putting effort into every sentence.

You also have a good grasp of Italian grammar and can discuss many topics and specific fields of work and culture. You can understand more sophisticated texts and express opinions in conversations.

C1: Becoming fluent in all conversations

You’re entering the Olympus of high proficiency. You can understand and communicate effectively in almost any situation, including professional, academic, and everyday contexts.

Your conversational skills improve due to your vast vocabulary, and you have an advanced knowledge of Italian grammar. 

Complex sentence structures, Italian idiomatic expressions, and subtle nuances of the language are no longer a mystery, and you can handle them perfectly. You may even find yourself thinking in Italian while speaking. This level also opens the door to exploring Italian culture more deeply.

C2: You are an expert Italian speaker

You’ve put a lot of dedication into studying and practicing at this stage. Now, you’ve reached the highest level of proficiency in Italian.

At the C2 level, you are practically native in your ability to understand, write, and speak Italian. You use Italian grammar effortlessly and can express yourself with great sophistication.

This is where you can truly refine your Italian skills. Explore more complex aspects of the language, dive into literature, media, and specialized topics, and work on perfecting your pronunciation.

What’s the time required to achieve each CEFR level

Now that you know how the CEFR levels work, you likely have an idea of where you’re starting and where you want to go. Once you set your goal, staying on track with your learning journey will be easier.

As we’ve seen, the time it takes to learn Italian can vary based on many factors. So, how long does it take to learn Italian according to your personal goals? To help you set realistic expectations, Cambridge University has estimated the hours needed to reach each CEFR level from the level below, while learning a second language.

These are the estimations for adult learners with access to quality learning resources and a good learning method.

How long does it take to learn Italian to travel (CEFR level)

The B1 level is the sweet spot if you’re learning Italian to travel to the best cities in Italy. The Council of Europe considers it the livello di soglia (threshold level) as it’s where you can comfortably get by in most situations and speak with locals effortlessly.

That said, if your trip involves visiting major tourist cities to enjoy things to do in Rome, things to see in Florence, or fun activities in Venice, you don’t necessarily need to reach B1. English is widely spoken in these places, and plenty of locals are used to helping tourists.

However, knowing Italian becomes more relevant if your adventure takes you off the beaten path—into small villages or rural areas. Nowadays, there are not a lot of places like this in Italy, but especially where older generations live, it could be hard to switch to English. Having at least a basic grasp of the language will make your trip much smoother and more rewarding.

How long does it take to learn Italian to live and work in Italy?

If you’re moving to Italy for work, especially for a job that requires communicating in Italian all day, you’ll want to aim for a C2 level. Sure, your colleagues might want to practice their English with you now and then, but most of the time, you’ll need to use Italian to keep up with the flow. Whether writing reports or taking calls, being confident in Italian will make a huge difference. If moving is your goal, getting to C2 takes time and effort, but it’s worth it. 

Put theory into practice by learning Italian with Rosetta Stone

Now that you have set your goals, it’s time to start learning! But how to learn Italian? Where should you start?

The secret to making significant progress and staying motivated while learning is to match the best learning program with a complete immersion in the Italian language and culture.

Start with Rosetta Stone! The Dynamic Immersion method is the fastest way to learn because it provides all the tools to reach a deep understanding of your second language. Also, lessons are effective but really short (around 10 minutes), so it will be easier to keep up with them even if you are very busy.

Additionally, Rosetta Stone offers many opportunities to extend your learning with Live Lessons or to refine your pronunciation with the TruAccent speech recognition engine. You will speak Italian from the first minute, and you will hear really soon: Congratulazioni, come parli bene l’italiano! (Congratulations, how well you speak Italian!)