The fastest way to prepare for Italian conversations is to learn words and phrases that are likely to come up in everyday conversation. This means going against the traditional classroom way of learning languages: you don’t need to memorize all the rooms in a house, or names of sports before you can start having conversations with Italians. Just recognize the key words and observe the situation. The topics in a basic conversation are mostly the same.
Let’s start with names
It usually begins with basic greetings and pleasantries. The easiest (and most natural way) to introduce yourself to someone is to shake their hand and say:
Sono… [+ your name]
For example: Sono Katie (I’m Katie) Sono Matteo (I’m Matteo) Or you get asked: Come ti chiami?
Asking and answering small talk questions
After basic pleasantries, it’s time to pick up some common conversation questions in Italian. As in English, the first two questions that are most likely to come up in conversation are:
Di dove sei? Where are you from? Che lavoro fai? What do you do/is your occupation?
The simplest way to tell people where you’re from is to use “sono” (I am) + your nationality. For example: Sono italiano (I’m Italian – for males) If you want to name the city, you can say “sono di” (I’m from) + the city: For example: Sono di Londra (I’m from London) To describe your job, use “sono” (I am) + your job. For example: Sono insegnante (I’m a teacher – for males and females)
When you meet Italian people, they’ll probably ask you about yourself and your interests. It helps to have some prepared soundbites so you can talk about these topics without having to stop and think too much. One way to do this is to memorize a paragraph or two with basic personal information like your hometown, country, your job or your family. Italians love to ask your opinion of Italy and the Italians. The stereotype is true – talking about food is one of their favorite topics. Learning how to talk about food will also give you a great basis for light conversation in Italian. And making some nice comments about Italian food is bound to get you in the good graces of/regarded favorably by your conversation partner! Another classic small talk topic is the weather – Italians talk about it just as much as the British!
Managing communication breakdowns
Let’s not forget about the most important skill – managing communication breakdowns – because once you’ve mastered this, everything else will be easier. When people say they’re nervous about speaking a foreign language, usually they’re not scared of speaking it (that’s the goal!), they’re nervous about all the things that could go wrong, such as long silences or embarrassing mistakes. In other words, if you’re nervous about speaking Italian, you’re probably nervous about the communication breakdowns that could happen. The longer you can keep the conversation going in Italian, the better you’ll get at speaking.
Stopping people from replying in English
You finally pluck up the courage to try speaking Italian, then something frustrating happens… They reply in English!
Getting “Englished” is a common problem for language learners and it can knock your confidence before you’ve even started. Keep in mind that the reason Italians reply in English often has nothing to do with your language skills. They’re either trying to be nice, are used to dealing with foreigners all day and use English out of habit or want to practice their English. If you can see that a person is very busy and you’re not sure about your ability to speak Italian quickly, it’s probably better to go ahead and use English.
In other situations, there are a few techniques that will reduce your chances of getting “Englished”. Have the first phrase ready in your head and sound confident. Looking and behaving like an Italian will also help you. Dress smartly and avoid showing too much skin. Don’t drink cappuccinos or lattes after midday – they’re considered a breakfast drink in Italy. They also never drink wine with their pizza – the traditional combo is pizza & beer. If you get the chance, visit small towns that aren’t popular tourist destinations. You’ll be less likely to run into Italians who speak English, which will give you a great opportunity to practice your Italian.
« Thinking words »
When you start having conversations in Italian, it’s normal to have epically long pauses while you search your brain for words and combine them into grammatical sentences. When this happens, it’s useful to have some Italian “thinking words” because they will help you sound more Italian when you pause.
Switching “uhm” to “ehhhh” is a simple trick, but it instantly makes you sound more Italian. « Tipo » for example is the Italian equivalent to saying “like”, “kind of”, or “sort of” in English. But a bit less annoying. Or you can use « Diciamo » for « let’s say ». « Come dire…? » might help you as well for « How can I put it…? (literally: how can I say it) ». When they say « Senti » they mean either « listen to me » or « we need to talk». One of the most common expressions might be « Dai ». It’s equal to «give it!» or « come on!/really? ». « Allora » is the one you can use as a “filler word” to take some time to think before blurting out a response during a potentially embarrassing conversation, or to fill an awkward silence.
Hand gestures
It may sound like a cliché, but Italians love hand gestures. It’s part of their culture. So, don’t be surprised if Italian people use body language during a conversation! Italian people have a gesture to express almost everything: surprise, anger, worry, fear, happiness, etc. Learning some of them could help you communicate with Italian people: sometimes, body language can be more effective in expressing concepts than words!
Intonation
Knowing words and how to pronounce them doesn’t guarantee that you will understand a conversation. Sure, it helps. But there’s another element that plays an important role in the process of understanding. Knowing intonation can give you an extra oomph when you’re in the middle of an Italian conversation and you want (and need) to understand what people are talking about. Sure, you can ask someone to repeat when you don’t understand, and it’s encouraged. But it can be disheartening, after a while, when you have to repeatedly ask that question. Learning Italian intonation will provide a big advantage if you want to understand conversations in Italian.
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Sources:
http://speakita.com/how-to-understand-italian-conversations-and-engage-in-them/
http://joyoflanguages.com/italian-conversation/
