Using the Italian phrases you've learned is one thing. Understanding the reply is quite another.

Learners mention this problem all the time and I remember it well myself, but understanding spoken Italian isn't quite as hard as it seems.

Most people struggle because they've been using the wrong strategies, or often none at all.

Once you know how to train your listening skills,

you can improve surprisingly fast. So here you'll learn four simple techniques that will help

you understand us, especially when we talk fast. You'll also learn one phrase you should never say

to Italians when you don't understand,

and what to say instead.

Ciao all, and welcome to learn Italian with joy of languages.

Before we get started we have

One Buona Notizia.

One Buona Notizia.

Good news, our online Italian school is opening in a couple of days.

If you'd like extra support in understanding Italians and in having Italian conversations in general,

we'd love to welcome you. You can find out more by clicking the link in the description.

So today we're talking about how to understand us Italians better. It's not easy, I know, because we talk

very fast sometimes and we often talk differently to how you might expect.

If you feel overwhelmed and disheartened when you listen to Italian, this lesson is for you.

And first of all, don't worry because it's not actually your fault.

Yes. First, we have to talk about why you don't understand Italian. And the reason often comes

from how you learn languages at school. I remember my English lessons in high school. We spent a lot of time learning verbs and vocabulary lists,

but hardly any listening to natural spoken English.

...