Italian Beginners Level 1 (NEW)
Course Overview
This fun and practical course is perfect for those with no prior knowledge of Italian or anyone who wants to refresh their beginner skills.
You'll learn how to communicate in everyday situations through interactive activities that build your confidence and introduce you to the rich culture of Italy.
Each week will focus on essential grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation to help you understand and use common expressions. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to greet people, introduce yourself, order at a café or restaurant, talk about daily routines and preferences, ask for directions, and shop with ease.
Lessons are engaging and supportive, using games, role-play, audio-visual materials, and conversation practice to make learning enjoyable. The course also weaves in cultural insights to deepen your understanding and appreciation of Italian life.
Topics include:
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Basic greetings, introductions, and exchanging personal information
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Ordering food and drinks
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Talking about free time and daily activities
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Booking accommodation and asking for directions
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Describing places and objects
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Expressing preferences and opinions
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Shopping, numbers, time, and dates
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Talking about family and past events
Course Breakdown:
Week 1 - Getting started: Pronouns, verbs essere and avere, articles, nationalities, numbers 0–20, the alphabet, basic prepositions
Week 2 - At the bar/restaurant: Regular -are verbs, food vocabulary, polite requests, preferences
Week 3 - Free time & tastes: Expressing likes/dislikes, adverbs of frequency, telling the time
Week 4 - Accommodation: Vocabulary for booking, months and dates, using potere, combined prepositions
Week 5 - Daily routines: Reflexive verbs, time expressions, verb fare
Week 6 - Describing places: Asking for and giving directions, andare, modal verbs
Week 7 - Shopping & past events: Present perfect tense, shopping vocabulary, seasons, weather
Week 8 - Family & review: Family vocabulary, possessive adjectives, comparatives, final revision and conversation practice
Materials:
We recommend the textbook Nuovo Espresso Plus 1 (Alma Edizioni) Please make sure it is the one with QR codes, along with a notebook and pen.
This course is ideal if you're preparing to travel to Italy or simply want to start your Italian journey with confidence and a solid foundation.
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About the tutor
Elena De Felice
Elena was born and bred in Milan, speaks 5 languages fluently and has a Degree in Interpreting and an honours degree in Foreign Languages and Literature from Milan University.
Languages and communication have been her passion from a very young age.
She has been teaching for over 20 years with great passion and is running yearly Tours to Italy to help students of all levels improve their Italian and discover Italian culture and lifestyle.
Tutor's Personal Page
About the tutor
Lara Toffolon
My name is Lara. I’m originally from the Venice area and have been living in Sydney since 2015. I hold both Italian and Australian citizenship.
I’ve been working as an Italian tutor for the past seven years, collaborating with a local language school and teaching both group classes and one-to-one lessons, in person and online. I create dedicated lesson plans to support learners at all levels in a positive, engaging, and motivating atmosphere. My teaching is interactive and student-focused, drawing on a wide range of materials, online platforms, and digital resources.
I’m passionate about communicative language teaching and love sharing Italian culture and traditions to bring the language to life for my students.
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Italian Language and Literature from Ca’ Foscari University in Venice. To keep my skills up to date, I’ve completed Italian teaching courses for non-native speakers at the Universities of Perugia and Venice, as well as a Certificate III in Education Support from TAFE NSW (Meadowbank campus).
Before teaching, I worked in Italy for 15 years in the human resources sector, mainly as a recruitment consultant and counsellor. Teaching is a natural fit for my background and interests, and it allows me to continue connecting with people through my native language.
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