1. There is not even one “Learn Italian Quick” program that will be your be-all-end-all. There is no lightning in a bottle for Italian. There are hundreds of great, high-quality resources, many of which I can recommend, but know, above all, that YOU are the person learning the language. As polyglot Luca Lampariello often says, “Languages cannot be taught, they can only be learned.”

2. In the beginning stages of learning, you will learn a ton, and then as you near that blessed intermediate level, you’ll have a period where you feel like you’re not making any progress. This is normal. Don’t get down on yourself about it. You actually are making progress, but at that stage, more effort is required, particularly when it comes to spoken Italian. Speaking of…