Like I’ve mentioned in my other posts, learning Italian has not been easy for me.
It’s been challenging, frustrating at times… and definitely a lot slower than I expected.
Looking back on my journey, I can clearly see that I made quite a few mistakes.
Some of them could have been avoided.
But at the same time, I think making mistakes is part of the process it helps you figure out what actually works for you.
So here are the biggest mistakes I made learning Italian… so you don’t have to.
If you’re learning Italian, avoiding these common mistakes can save you time, frustration, and help you make faster progress.
1. Not Learning Enough Before Moving to Italy
One of my biggest mistakes was not learning enough Italian before I moved.
I really believed that I would “pick it up” once I got here.
But in reality, trying to learn from scratch while:
- settling into a new country
- dealing with life
- adjusting to everything
…made things much harder.
Even just completing an A1 course beforehand would have made a huge difference.
2. Not Understanding My Own Language
This is something I didn’t expect at all.
I realised that I didn’t fully understand the structure of English my own language.
Things like:
- verb conjugation
- sentence structure
- grammar rules
When you don’t understand these in your own language, learning a new one becomes even harder.
I also take responsibility for this I never really took the time to learn it properly.
But I now see how helpful it is.
3. Studying Without Structure
For years, I studied randomly.
I would:
- memorise words
- learn random verbs
- jump between topics
There was no structure.
And because of that:
things didn’t stick
I felt frustrated
I lost motivation
Having a clear learning path makes a huge difference.
If you like this post ou may also want to read the following:
6 Tools I’m Using to Learn Italian (What Actually Works)
How Long Does It Take to Learn Italian? (Honest Answer)
How I Use Netflix to Learn Italian (Step-by-Step for Beginners)
3 Italian Netflix Series to Learn Italian (Fun & Easy for Beginners)
10 Language Learning Tips That Actually Work (From Living in Italy)
4. Being Inconsistent
This one slowed me down a lot.
I would go through phases like:
- studying 3 hours a day for a week
- then doing nothing for weeks (or months)
That kind of stop-start approach doesn’t work.
Consistency beats intensity every time.
Even 20–30 minutes a day is better than doing nothing for long periods.
5. Stopping Completely
At one point, I just stopped learning altogether.
I felt like I wasn’t making progress, and honestly… I was fed up.
Life was also happening at the same time.
But stopping completely made it harder to start again.
You lose momentum
You forget things
It feels like starting over
If you need a break, that’s fine but try not to stop completely.
6. Speaking Too Much English
When I met my partner, we mostly spoke English.
At the time, it made things easier.
But now, it’s become a habit and it’s actually harder to switch to Italian.
If you’re in a similar situation:
try to use Italian as much as possible from the beginning
Even if it feels uncomfortable.
7. Comparing Myself to Others
This is a big one.
I would compare my progress to other people and feel like I was behind.
But the truth is:
- everyone learns differently
- everyone has different circumstances
- everyone progresses at their own pace
Comparing yourself can actually slow you down because you start trying methods that don’t suit you.
8. Watching Too Many “Learn Fast” Videos
I spent a lot of time watching videos like:
“Learn Italian in 7 days”
“Become fluent in 24 hours”
They can be motivating…
But they can also become a distraction.
Instead of actually learning, I was just consuming content about learning.
Watching is not the same as doing.
9. Choosing the Wrong Teachers
I’ve had quite a few teachers over the years.
And one mistake I made was staying too long with teachers that didn’t suit me.
Not every teacher is right for every student.
Some teaching styles just don’t match how you learn.
I also found that some teaching methods were very traditional heavily focused on grammar and textbooks.
That works for some people, but not for everyone.
Find a teacher that fits your learning style not the other way around.
Learning Italian is not a straight path.
There are mistakes, setbacks, and moments where you feel stuck.
But that’s all part of the process.
If you can avoid even a few of these mistakes, you’ll save yourself a lot of time and frustration.
Have you made any of these mistakes while learning Italian? Or do you relate to any of them?
See you in the next post
xoxo Rebeah
