How to Use the Kindle to Learn Italian

Your Kindle is a powerhouse tool for language learners. It’s a go-anywhere, learn-anytime resource that literally puts Italian at your fingertips.

There are tons of excellent Kindle resources for learning Italian—here are some of my favorites.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Kindle Books to Learn Italian

These books are created with learners in mind, breaking down aspects of the language in a way that’s useful for any learner!

“37 Ways to Learn the Italian Language”

Author: Larry Aiello

If you’re at all uncertain about how to begin your Italian language learning journey, this book is for you!

The book won’t teach you Italian, but rather how to learn Italian. It provides information on different learning techniques, programs to consider and how to choose the best program for you.

Written by an Italian teacher, this is a quick read that can point learners toward their personal best learning method.

“Italian Quickly!”

Author: Language Master

If you’re an absolute beginner to the language, this is a super resource. It covers all the basics, including the alphabet, numbers and how to ask for directions. You’ll also get a good starter guide on key verbs, adjectives, time expressions and other common words.

This is a good resource for anyone who wants a quick start to fuller learning, or simply those who want to travel and need to get the basics down quickly.

As a free bonus, you’ll also get an audio resource for Italian pronunciation practice.

“Read & Think Italian”

Authors: The Editors of “Think Italian!” Magazine

This multi-faceted addition to an Italian program packs a lot of punch, consisting of 224 illustrated pages bursting with information.

There are articles written by native speakers—complete with same-page definitions of key words, language lessons with audio, over 7,000 flashcards for vocabulary building and even interesting cultural and historical points to ponder.

“Practice Makes Perfect: Complete Italian Grammar”

Author: Marcel Danesi

Language learners often get stuck on grammar but with this guide it’s not difficult to understand the basic rules. Every learner should have a complete guide to Italian grammar, and this resource has it all.

Each grammar point comes with clear explanations and tons of exercises with answer keys that’ll help you learn from your mistakes.

Additionally, the book concentrates on useful and high-frequency vocabulary so it’s a vocabulary builder, too.

“Essential Italian Grammar”

Author: Olga Ragusa

If a full guide to grammar seems intimidating, try out this more focused resource, first.

This book is a guide to using grammar in conversational settings. It focuses on the basic rules of the language and how to apply them to everyday meetings.

It’s organized in an easy-to-follow way that introduces elements one at a time and builds on previously taught concepts for a strong foundation.

“Schaum’s Outline of Italian Grammar”

Authors: Joseph Germano and Conrad J. Schmitt

Grammar is one of those skills that gets easier with practice. This massive volume offers lots of opportunities to practice Italian grammar and works best as a supplement to other learning methods.

There are 480 exercises with answers—a huge addition to any Italian program. Unlike many other textbook-like resources, this one also includes contemporary Italian expressions, idioms and slang.

You also get access to downloadable audio files for extra practice.

“Italian Vocabulary Drills”

Authors: David M. Stillman, Tiziano Cherubini, Ronni L. Gordon

You can’t speak Italian if you don’t know the words to use! Build a solid vocabulary with over 2,500 essential Italian words and phrases.

More than 100 exercises help learners grasp Italian vocabulary and put it to good use. Words are organized into themed lists, centering around useful topics like food, daily life, technology, travel and much more.

A companion flashcard app provides an additional opportunity for vocabulary drills.

“Italian Vocabulary Book”

Author: Pinhok Languages

This reference book combines a vocabulary builder and dictionary into one.

It groups vocabulary words and phrases by topic and purposefully doesn’t alphabetize the lists so you don’t accidentally learn them in order. This means you can start with any word in any topic and study what’s important to you.

Italian-English and English-Italian dictionaries following the vocabulary portion provide additional definitions.

“Rick Steves’ Italian Phrase Book & Dictionary”

Author: Rick Steves

Many learn to speak Italian so they can travel. If you’re planning a trip to Italy, Rick Steves is a great guy to curate the phrases you’ll need to know.

The book covers the basics for navigating everyday situations and conversations. Every word and phrase comes with a special bonus: phonetic spelling.

You’ll also find other useful travel-oriented information here like everything you need to know about European currency, transportation and more. You can even tear out special on-the-go practice sheets so you always have a cheat-sheet with you in case you need it.

“The Complete Italian Travel Phrasebook”

Author: Erica Stewart, “Learning Italian”

This phrasebook does more than skim the basics: It provides in-depth material to facilitate traveling in Italy!

Learn how to order food, negotiate shopping excursions, ask for directions and get by during many other everyday situations. There are over 1,000 phrases in the book, so it covers a lot of ground.

“Short Stories in Italian for Beginners”

Author: Olly Richards

This book contains eight fun short stories to strengthen your reading skills while being entertained.

The stories cover a wide range of genres from science fiction to thriller, so you’ll definitely find something you love in here.

Each story is written using vocabulary specifically geared toward beginners, so you’ll be getting targeted language.

Stories also come with a glossary of key or difficult words, a plot summary and even comprehension questions at the end of each chapter to make sure you’re keeping up.

“Harry Potter e la Pietra Filosofale” (“Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”)

Author: J.K. Rowling

Power up your reading practice with full-length novels. There are so many to choose from, but starting with a familiar story might be the perfect way to slide into extended reading practice.

This book is the first in the well-known series about Harry Potter, who probably needs no introduction. (In case you’re somehow unfamiliar, the Harry Potter books are a young-adult series that follow a young wizard who’s invited into the magical school of Hogwarts, where he makes friends, masters his magic, fights monsters and stands up to the shadows of his past.)

Every Harry Potter volume is available in Italian. The language is uncomplicated and the vocabulary is pretty standard, since the series is intended for younger readers, so it’s a good place to start. Remember to note the vocabulary you don’t understand so you can practice later.

“Il passato è una terra straniera” (“The Past Is a Foreign Country”)

Author: Gianrico Carofiglio

Reading a new-to-you book or author is a great way to find interesting genres or brilliant authors. Reading in Italian also gives you a chance to read some works in their original language!

This book is written by a bestselling Italian author whose work has sold over four million copies in Italy. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and can say firsthand that you’re in for a treat.

This psychological thriller follows Lieutenant Chiti on the hunt for a serial rapist as he delves deeper into the world of corruption until he risks being consumed by it.

Needless to say, this is quite an advanced book for mature readers only: If your skills have progressed to the advanced stage, give it a try for a dark, thrilling ride.

Why a Kindle Is Great for Learning Italian

You might be attached to the comfy travel pillow you grab for long flights but it may not be your best travel buddy. Not by a long shot. Your Kindle? Now there’s any traveler’s bff!

• It’s budget-friendly and allows you tailor your language program to your own goals for some Italian to go!
• The device is simple to operate and its text size is customizable.
• It’s also adaptable and suited for learning anywhere, including on a plane, by the poolside or even in a desert. It’s practically impervious to damage, is lightweight and tucks smoothly into even a small carry-on.
• The fact that it’s designed for reading and learning just cements the deal for language learners. This is a useful tool for anyone who wants to learn a language.
• Best of all, you can save some money by using a Kindle instead of buying the paperback version! Many books are available for free with Kindle Unlimited, while others can be bought at a nice discount from the print book list price.

How to Use a Kindle in Your Italian Language Program

Install an Italian dictionary

Having an Italian dictionary installed before you begin reading is a good idea. That way, when you’re reading and hit an unfamiliar word (as all language learners do), looking for the definition is no trouble at all.

Download materials

Peruse the options available to Italian language learners. Choose the ones that appeal to you and download them so you can access them from anywhere. Having your learning materials available makes it a snap to access learning and just get down to it.

Become familiar with Kindle features

Knowing how to use your Kindle to your best advantage sets you up for learning success, so take a minute to review its features.

For instance, if there’s additional material that’s introduced as a footnote, you’ll see an asterisk or underlined text in the material. Tap onto whichever one appears and you’ll advance to the footnote. Use the “back” button to return to your place in the book.

You can even highlight and take your own notes as you’re reading.

Schedule Kindle study time

A Kindle is a tool and like any other part of your language program you need to use it regularly. Schedule time in your study program to devote to the material on your Kindle.

Remember: Reading skills improve with practice, so practice often.

 

You can also practice by reading subtitles when watching videos. For example, the FluentU program offers a wide array of Italian videos accompanied by interactive subtitles.

The more you practice Italian, the better your skills will become. And the more you read, the easier it’ll get.

Have fun and good luck!

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)