I say this in many of my posts on other languages, but if you want to know how to learn Italian fast, one easy trick is to start with cognates. Thanks to its Latin and Italian sources, English language has lot of similarities with Italian. These similarities are called cognates, have same or similar spelling of Italian words. We will divide cognates in groups. If you want to know how to learn Italian fast, try picking up the following rules for Italian – English cognates.
- Words that are different due to the final letter (missing the vowel in English)
- Words ending in –ale in Italian and in –al in English
- Words ending in –bile in Italian and in –ble in English
- Words ending in –ente/-ante in Italian and in –ent/-ant in English
- Words ending with different vowel
- Words ending in -zione in Italian and in –tion in English
- Words ending in -tà in Italian and in –ty in English
- Words ending in -oso in Italian and in –ous in English
- Words eding in -ismo in Italian and end in –ism in English
- Words ending in in –bile in Italian and end in –ble in English
Was that a bit too abstract? Here are some examples to illustrate Italian and English cognates. Like I said, if you want to know how to learn Italian fast, picking up on cognates is the way to go.
Acrobata Acrobat
Altare Altar
Concerto Concert
Errore Error
Dollaro Dollar
Moderno Modern
Problema Problem
Poeta Poet
Accidentale Accidental
Artificiale Artificial
Canale Canal
Finale Final
Naturale Natural
Originale Original
Vitale Vital
Adorabile Adorable
Impossibile Impossible
Miserabile Miserable
Terribile Terrible
Responsabile Responsible
Diligente Diligent
Ingrediente Ingredient
Recente Recent
Eloquente Eloquent
Tollerante Tolerant
Cura Cure
Futuro Future
Minuto Minute
Nativo Native
Paradiso Paradise
Senso Sense
Temperatura Temperature
Amministrazione Administration
Approssimazione Approximation
Articolazione Articulation
Astrazione Abstration
Attrazione Attraction
Stazione Station
Azione Action
Circolazione Circulation
Città City
Università University
Fertilità Fertility
Stupidità Stupidity
Mobilità Mobility
Socialismo Socialism
Ottimismo Optimism
Comunismo Communism
Possibile Possible
Impossibile Possible
Terribile Terrible
