Learn Italian Lesson 1 - How To Study Italian!

Summary

In this video, the speaker shares their personal journey and methods for learning Italian, evolving from traditional note-taking and structured exercises to creating YouTube videos as a means of practice and review. They emphasize the importance of vocabulary repetition, reading and writing exercises, and listening to improve language skills. The speaker also reflects on the beauty of the unimaginable, encouraging viewers to have faith in their learning journey and embrace the unexpected paths to success.

Takeaways

• 📚 The speaker studies Italian daily and has been doing so for a long time, emphasizing the importance of consistency in language learning.
• 🌿 The speaker starts learning Italian by focusing on words and phrases of a particular topic, then moves on to questions and answers for practical application.
• 🗣️ They find learning to speak first and understanding the 'why' later to be an effective method, which might be unconventional but works for them.
• 📝 The speaker practices verb conjugations and translations to understand the meaning, suggesting that active learning aids in memorization.
• 📈 They gradually progress to using more complex verb tenses and regularly review past material to prevent forgetting, highlighting the importance of review in language learning.
• 📝 The speaker uses repetition to improve vocabulary, spelling, and understanding of articles and gender in Italian, underlining the effectiveness of repetition.
• ✍️ Handwriting notes is a technique the speaker swears by, as it helps reinforce information in the mind, despite being time-consuming.
• 📚 Reading exercises in Italian, starting from children's books to advanced novels and newspapers, are a part of the speaker's learning process, showing the progression from simple to complex texts.
• 🎶 Listening to music, watching TV shows, and engaging with native speakers are ways the speaker practices listening skills in Italian, emphasizing the importance of varied exposure.
• 🎥 Making YouTube videos has become the speaker's new method of studying, as it allows for self-assessment of pronunciation and accent, and serves as a diary of their language journey.
• 💡 The speaker encourages creativity in language learning and suggests that making personal videos can be beneficial even if not shared publicly, for self-improvement and tracking progress.
• 🌟 The speaker reflects on the beauty of the unimaginable, sharing personal growth and the idea that one's journey is not linear but full of twists and turns, inspiring perseverance and adaptability.

Q & A

What is the speaker's main topic of discussion in the video?

The speaker's main topic is discussing how they study Italian and the methods they have used over the years.

Why does the speaker love filming videos in the park during the change of seasons?

The speaker loves the change of seasons and the visual appeal of leaves everywhere, which they find beautiful and inspiring for their videos.

What was the speaker's initial approach to learning Italian?

The speaker's initial approach involved starting with words and phrases of a particular topic, then moving on to questions and answers, and later conjugating verbs.

How does the speaker suggest learning vocabulary and question-answer patterns?

The speaker suggests learning by repeating words and phrases three times each, and practicing question-answer patterns to reinforce vocabulary and grammar.

What role does the speaker believe handwriting plays in the learning process?

The speaker believes handwriting is crucial as it helps reinforce information in the mind, even though it can be time-consuming and cause hand discomfort.

How does the speaker incorporate reading exercises into their study routine?

The speaker incorporates reading exercises by starting with basic materials like children's books and gradually moving on to more advanced materials like novels and newspaper articles in Italian.

What is the speaker's opinion on the importance of listening in language learning?

The speaker considers listening to be very important and one of the easiest skills to practice, as it involves hearing native speakers and can be done through various enjoyable activities like watching TV shows or listening to music.

How has the speaker's study method evolved with the creation of YouTube videos?

The speaker's study method has evolved to include making YouTube videos, which involves preparing lessons, reviewing old topics, and hearing their own pronunciation and accent to identify areas for improvement.

What advice does the speaker give for maintaining motivation and perspective in language learning?

The speaker advises to have faith in the learning process, take it day by day, and remember that the path to success is not linear, but the unimaginable can be beautiful and achievable.

How does the speaker use repetition to improve vocabulary retention?

The speaker uses repetition by writing new vocabulary words three times and then saying the word with its article to reinforce memory of spelling, gender, and definite articles.

What does the speaker suggest as a method to practice using common phrases?

The speaker suggests incorporating common phrases into writing exercises and daily practice, using them in context to build vocabulary and improve time efficiency.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Personal Italian Study Techniques

The speaker begins by setting the scene on a crisp November morning and introduces the topic of their Italian language learning journey. They reflect on how their study methods have evolved over time and decide to share their current strategies. The speaker emphasizes the importance of starting with vocabulary and phrases related to specific topics, moving on to question-and-answer practice, and then verb conjugations. They mention the value of learning in a non-traditional way, such as speaking first and understanding the 'why' later. The paragraph concludes with the speaker's approach to reviewing past material to ensure long-term retention.

05:01

🎓 Advanced Italian Learning Strategies

In the second paragraph, the speaker delves into more advanced techniques for learning Italian, such as increasing vocabulary through repetition and engaging in reading and writing exercises. They discuss the benefits of reading various materials, from children's books to newspapers, and the importance of writing to reinforce learning. The speaker also highlights the significance of listening to improve language skills, suggesting activities like watching TV shows and listening to music. They transition into discussing how their study habits changed when they started making YouTube videos, using this as a method to practice speaking and review concepts, ultimately serving as a personal diary of their language progression.

10:02

🌟 Embracing the Unimaginable in Language Learning

The final paragraph is a reflection on personal growth and the power of the unimaginable. The speaker recounts their initial foray into learning Italian and how they never anticipated the level of proficiency they would achieve. They also share their surprise at becoming a YouTube content creator, which has become an integral part of their language learning and teaching journey. The speaker encourages viewers to have faith in their language learning path, acknowledging that progress is not always linear but can lead to beautiful and unexpected outcomes. They end on a motivational note, urging viewers to spread love and stay positive in their pursuits.

Keywords

💡Italian

Italian refers to the language and culture of Italy. In the context of the video, it is the language being studied by the speaker. The speaker discusses their personal journey and methods of learning Italian, making it a central theme of the video.

💡Conjugations

Conjugation in linguistics is the inflection of a verb for tense, mood, aspect, voice, person, and number. In the video, the speaker mentions conjugating verbs as part of their study routine, which is essential for mastering the Italian language.

💡Vocabulary

Vocabulary refers to the set of all the words known to a person or within a language. The speaker emphasizes the importance of expanding one's vocabulary in Italian through repetition and practice, which is a fundamental aspect of language learning.

💡Handwriting

Handwriting is the act of writing with a pen or pencil by hand. The speaker believes in the benefits of handwriting notes as it helps reinforce learning. This is exemplified when they mention handwriting their Italian study notes.

💡Reading Exercises

Reading exercises are activities designed to improve reading skills. The video mentions using reading exercises as a method to advance in the Italian language, including reading children's books and newspapers as examples.

💡Listening

Listening in language learning refers to the comprehension of spoken language. The speaker highlights the importance of listening to improve language skills, suggesting methods such as listening to music, TV shows, and movies in Italian.

💡Question and Answer

This method involves learning through asking and responding to questions. The speaker uses this technique to learn Italian phrases, such as 'Are you tall?' and 'No, I am not tall,' which helps in understanding both vocabulary and sentence structure.

💡Long Writing Exercises

Long writing exercises are extended practice sessions in writing to improve language proficiency. The speaker mentions using such exercises to practice Italian, incorporating common phrases to build fluency and confidence.

💡YouTube Videos

The speaker discusses using YouTube as a platform for creating language learning content. Making videos serves as a study method, allowing the speaker to review and improve their Italian language skills while also sharing knowledge with others.

💡Imaginable

The term 'unimaginable' refers to something that cannot be conceived or is beyond expectation. The speaker uses it to convey the idea that the progress and achievements in language learning or life can sometimes be surprising and rewarding, as they reflect on their own journey.

💡Seasons

Seasons are the four divisions of the year marked by changes in weather, ecology, and the length of day and night. The video opens with a description of a November morning, setting a scene that reflects the change of seasons and serves as a metaphor for personal growth and change in language learning.

Highlights

The speaker begins by setting the scene on a November morning in the park, expressing a love for the changing seasons.

The speaker shares their personal study method for learning Italian, which has evolved over time.

Emphasizes the importance of studying Italian daily and consistently for a long period.

Mentions looking back at old Italian notebooks to remember study patterns from the beginning.

Describes the initial study method of learning words and phrases of a particular topic, then moving to questions and answers.

Advocates for learning to speak first and understanding the 'why' later as an effective study approach.

Details the process of verb conjugation practice and its importance in language learning.

Suggests using translations to understand the meaning of conjugated verbs.

Recommends reviewing past material to ensure retention of knowledge.

Talks about the strategy of increasing vocabulary by repeating words multiple times and learning definite articles.

Believes in the effectiveness of handwriting notes for better retention.

Advises reading at one's level in Italian to improve language skills, starting with children's books and moving to more complex texts.

Encourages engaging with native speakers to practice and learn new vocabulary through conversation.

Suggests using writing exercises to practice common phrases and improve time efficiency.

Stresses the importance of listening in language acquisition and offers various ways to practice it.

Shares the personal evolution of studying Italian through creating YouTube videos as a method of practice and self-assessment.

Reflects on the personal growth and unexpected paths in language learning and life.

Encourages viewers to have faith in their learning journey, acknowledging that paths are not always linear.

Transcripts

well oh well a Gabon Jordan up to tea

good morning everybody it is 9:00 a.m.

on a fresh and brisk November morning

here at the park as you can see there's

leaves everywhere I was like I gotta

film a video in the park when all the

leaves change because it's just I love

it right change of the seasons but

anyway what I'd like to do is talk to

you guys a little bit about how I study

Italian it's something that has changed

a lot over the years and I'm going to be

explaining that to you guys today I

thought it's about time that I actually

finally sit down with you guys and say

look this is exactly what I do not only

advice but this is exactly what I do to

study Italian because it is something

that I do every day and something that

I've been doing for a very very long

time now

so in order to remember some of the

things that I used to do to study

Italian I had to look back at my old

Italian notebook for when I first

started studying because I found when I

first started studying Italian I pretty

much followed the same sort of pattern

whenever I would learn something new or

whenever I was doing practice there was

always this certain structure the

certain kind of formal way that I would

follow with studying so I'll try to

insert some photos of my old notebook so

you guys can get an idea also but the

very first thing that I always did is

something that I do a lot of the times

in my videos or at least what I used to

do in a lot of my videos which was begin

with words and phrases of a particular

topic then I went into questions and

answers so I would say for example like

if I was learning how to say are you

tall I would say say Alto question

answer see sono Alto and I would also

give a negative response no no no no

Alto

so no bus so then right there not only

am i learning how to say are you tall

yes I'm tall no I'm not all I'm also

learning how to say no I'm sure so

you're learning vocab and question and

answers are a great way to study

especially in the beginning when you're

starting with a new topic it was then at

this point that I would start doing

conjugations with verbs so though it may

appear as if though it's like a reversed

or backwards sort of way of learning

something because I'm already saying say

I saw no Alto I'm using

conjugations of the verb s today the

reason being is I just found it's easier

just start speaking you know learn how

to say something first and then learn

why after that is the way that I like to

learn it's not necessarily the way that

everyone else likes to learn but it's

the way that I like to learn and I found

it useful sometimes I find if you have

shake things up a little bit and don't

always do it like everyone else does you

can have some pretty cool and exciting

results you know so it's worked for me

maybe it'll work for you guys too and if

it doesn't it doesn't matter but try it

anyway you know what I mean so then I

would do conjugations of verbs I would

take the whole / best at it and

conjugate it and then after I'd

conjugate it and give myself some

translations so I even knew what it

meant I'd then go into some more

exercises with the purpose today and do

phrases with every pronouns with you -

Louie like we were Laura and I would go

through it and then with time as I kind

of graduated and as I moved up in levels

and could learn different verb tenses I

do the same things just with different

verb tenses and then however once you

move on to other verb tenses you need to

do review of the past stuff that way you

never forget it so you give yourself a

nice little setup here to build you up

for success that's what it's all about

guys then what I do is I would try to

increase and improve my vocabulary so

that would mean taking some vocab words

and doing repetitions of three times

each so let's say I take the word ilka

bata right which which means a code so I

would take ilka Pato and I'd write it

three times and then I would then say

the coat underneath so

repetition really helped and this also

helped with spelling and also to

remember the article so I would go heel

cup out the wheel Capote look about the

coat then I would say II kabbadi kabbadi

kabbadi the coats so this was a very

good way to learn the definite articles

and was also a great way to remember the

word was masculine or feminine and how

it would change if it was singular or

plural

whenever I speak now I see my notes and

especially because I hand wrote my notes

I think that really made a difference

I'm a firm believer in handwriting

things whenever I study I always

handwrite my things it's time-consuming

your hand can hurt after some time but I

just found it's really good just writing

really really helps

reinforce things in the mind then after

I did all of this I saw that I would go

into reading exercises and long writing

exercises so then what I would do is

essentially I'd read things in Italian

and if I was at a basic level I tried to

read basic things if I was at a more

advanced level then I would go into

things like so examples of basic stuff

reading children's books in Italian

reading Disney books in Italian it's

very useful you can find a lot of this

stuff online and then once I was more

intermediate more advanced then I try to

graduate into novels into books short

stories reading articles online like

Italian newspaper and even entertainment

news in Italian it's great to talk to

someone in their language about their

singers you know what I mean it's just

well I love talking about music for

example so I always liked to learn about

you know the singers and new songs and I

just thought that was a great way for me

also to practice and to learn new vocab

and it's just great so you know read

anything you know and don't be

discouraged if you don't understand

something it's okay maybe take a little

note jot something quickly down and then

ask a pen pal you know that's that's

just a great way get in that habit you

know that stuff is really good so

reading exercises and then long writing

exercises then what I would literally do

is if I saw certain phrases that I sore

would pop up all the time

I'd try to use them myself I would then

write things like I remember I'd always

say about each has a toning because I

was a TV show that I always watched all

have a link down below in the

description if I can find anything on

that TV show I don't watch it anymore

but several years ago I used to be

obsessed with it and it was just such a

great tool that I utilized to help me to

learn more and more Italian into

practice and to hear how natives spoke

but yeah I would say la familia chosen

una familia la la gata I remember always

hearing that phrase and so whenever I

had to do like a writing exercise in

school or just you know for myself if I

wanted to practice I'd always use like

that phrase and it just helped build my

vocabulary and it also helped with being

time-efficient is that how you say or

with being using my time effectively

especially on an exam when you don't

have much time to think about

word-for-word translation you just need

to belt out phrases and so hearing

things all the time and then just

repeating them really helped and

then naturally this brings me into the

next thing that I wanted to say which is

listening listening is very very

important and listening is one of the

easiest things we can do because we get

to listen to someone talking to us

instead of us having to take the time to

sit down and read something in quiet

where we're not distracted we can

actually sit quietly but have someone

say something to us does that make sense

listening is great and you can do it in

many fun ways you can listen to music

you can listen to TV shows I mean you

can watch movies and listen to that you

can listen to dialogue that way there's

just it's endless so now that we're done

with all of these more formal and

structured ways of learning I then

started changing up my studying patterns

and my studying style when I started

making YouTube videos because what was

happening was that my way of studying

and practicing became preparing lessons

for videos because I had to think about

concepts talk to my Italian friends to

make sure what I was presenting was

correct were looking textbooks or look

things up online if I wasn't sure and

that became my new way of studying so

presently I no longer do those things

that I mentioned to you guys just

moments ago in this video my new way of

studying Italian is to make youtube

videos because I literally get to hear

myself talk I get to hear my accent here

my pronunciation and then if I see I

need to work on something I do my best

to work on it and then I kind of have

like this video diary when I look back

at all of my videos I can look back at

videos from years ago and be like oh

yeah that's when I used to say that now

I say this way or now I learned this new

word or now I learned this new verb

tense and so therefore I can see the

improvement of my Italian so that's why

I've said it before in one of my past

videos and ink rose giving advice if I

can locate that video I'll put it down

below once you do more than like 100 in

something videos you start to lose track

of the videos that you've made so but I

do my best to find them for you guys and

link them in the description the

description is the place for anything

extra that I want you guys to know just

a little heads up but yeah I had

mentioned make videos of yourself you

don't have to go putting them up on

YouTube like I do

you can just have them for yourself that

way you can have a video diary to see

how you sound you know so making my

videos is tremendously helpful not only

as at least I hope for you guys but for

myself because I literally create lesson

plans for myself and also it's great

review when I'm reviewing old topics

that I've already mastered so yeah get

creative with with your studies you know

you really can so I'm gonna close up

this video and now guys thanks so much

for tuning in and checking this out

you're all amazing and I hope you guys

are just having fantastic days fantastic

weeks fantastic lives and you know what

something that I've learned recently is

that the unimaginable can be or the

unimaginable yet the unimaginable can be

a very beautiful thing so sometimes

things can happen to you that you never

imagined could happen or you look back

on an old picture of yourself and you're

like wow I never thought I'd be in the

place that I am today in any in any

aspect of your life you know and that's

a very beautiful thing the unimaginable

you couldn't fathom something when you

were little you know like because what I

was doing when you know I was looking

back sorry to get all deep and

sentimental here but just the thought

when I was looking back on my old

notebooks it just so happened that I was

also looking back they're like old photo

albums and I was like wow so I remember

this is when I was like really studying

Italian for the first time and

everything was so new and exciting and

all this stuff and I was like I never

thought that I'd be in the place where I

am today where I feel confident enough

to like with my Italian you know what

I'm saying and then like even with

YouTube I never thought I'd be doing

this stuff on YouTube you know back then

I was still putting up videos of me

playing songs on the piano on my channel

you know what I'm saying like it's just

so random like how things happen so just

know have faith and every step that you

take that you will be going in the right

direction the path to where you're going

is never linear it's always zigzag up

and down backwards around so don't worry

about it

just take a day-by-day and know that the

unimaginable can happen and the

unimaginable can be very very beautiful

always remember to spread the love guys

have a great day and I'll see you all

next time ciao