Need to Learn Some Basic Italian by March
 

<BR> <BR>Does anyone know of a way, a book or a CD series that will help me learn some basic Italian?

Italian is very easy to learn. Check your local library for tapes (I listen in my car while commuting). M.

Before my first trip to Italy I bought Berliz CD Italian. It is one 70 minute CD of only travel related words and phrases. Not too much to digest, and no grammar. I listened in my car every day for 10 months. (Obsessive, I know). I didn't "try" to learn, I just listened and repeated. By the time of my trip I was surprised at how much I had retained(for having never studied a foreign language). The CD also has the benefit of letting you easily repeat a section before moving on to the next. I highly recommend it over cassettes. Good luck!

I'm using the Berlitz computer program and find it pretty good. IT is very subtle in the way it introduces grammar and verb conjugation. There are three or four speakers in each lesson (there are 50 lessons) so that you hear variations of pronunciation. It also has a writing exercise as part of each lesson.

For the last couple of years, I've used Pimsleur tapes. They are the best I've found for listening while driving. I've used Spanish, Polish and Romanian. They are the most expensive but IMO are the best. They go slow with a lot of reputation and what I've learned is burned into my brain. They really emphasize pronunciation. A Romanian acquaintance of minementioned that my pronouciation was perfect.

In addition to any tapes try www.parlo.com They are a nice site and will send you a free Italian lesson to your inbox every week. The lessons are basic conversation and travel phrases for the most part, some grammar etc. <BR>

I echo Art's Pimsleur recommendation. They're expensive but really well-done.

Is there any way you could possibly take a class where you live? Even just a little adult school evening class might be helpful.

Just go to the Fodors home page and find the resources section and print out the 5 pages of conversational vocaulary for Italian. If you study about half of that you will be fine. <BR>There are 2 phrases you need every day. <BR>Dove la toiletta ? <BR>Il conto, per favore ! <BR> <BR>Buon viaggio !

In addition to using tapes, I just found www.fodorslivinglanguages.com which will pronounce the word for you when you click on it.

I, too, like the Pimsleur tapes. They have a beginning series that is not too expensive. I like the travellang.com (sp?)site too and they will pronounce the words for you. I bought I series of 8 disks from Barnes and Noble, I don't remember the man's name, but it was about $69. It also has been very good, but he moves through fairly rapidly. Marilyn