Is your 2023 resolution to learn a new language? And why not Italian? Soft to the ear, close to French, it is a relatively simple language to master. While waiting for your short Vespa stay on the Amalfi Coast, you can watch Italian series to work on your oral comprehension.
Your ears need to get used to the language. Series are, therefore, a very simple way to progress. Because Duolingo is good, but we have to go further.
But there is no question of immersing yourself heartily in Gomorra ! You don’t need to complicate yourself with a sharp Neapolitan accent, so strong that some natives need subtitles themselves.
We advise you to take it slow, as Italians have the unfortunate tendency to speak quickly. To master Italian perfectly, here are 3 series to devour like pasta alla carborana.
1) Incastrate
Six episodes of about thirty minutes each, Incastrate (Where Stuck in French) is an Italian series available on Netflix. It’s funny and quirky with a hint of suspense… It’s perfect for putting your Italian to the test.
We follow two TV technicians who, we can say, are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. Or, in this case, the TV’s best-connected cables.
One is an old bachelor, a mother’s boy, the other is obsessed with detective series. But their daily plan-plan changes the day they find themselves, despite themselves, at a crime scene. The troubles begin, and our giggles too.
The series is short, easy to follow, light… In short, it is perfect for neophytes. We quickly get caught up in the game. To watch in VO, with Italian subtitles if you really want to progress. Good news, it looks like a second season is on the way…
2) Guida astrologica per cuori infranti
If you like romantic comedies and you have a certain appetite for the astrological signs, this series is made for you. Guida astrologica per cuori infranti (Where The Astrological Guide to Broken Hearts in the language of Molière) brings together all the ingredients of the classic rom-com.
Alice has a series of romantic disappointments, is still friends with her ex (with whom she works) and stagnates in her job in a TV studio. Until she meets Tio, a sassy young actor who will tell her about the love compatibility of astrological signs. A range of possibilities, both romantic and professional, are open to Alice.
Besides the signs of the zodiac (you will learn to say that you are Gemelli, Fish Where balance sheet in Italian), Guida astrologica per cuori infranti uses a fairly simple and common vocabulary, nothing very technical. It’s perfect to enrich your knowledge! The topics covered are also very ordinary, which is ideal when you are learning a language. Come on, leave the subtitles in French and put the subtitles in Italian: tutto andra bene.
Two seasons and a total of twelve episodes are waiting for you on Netflix. Guida astrologica per cuori infranti is a light series that warms the heart. Let’s be clear, it seems made to help you progress in Italian.
3) LOL: chi ride è fuori
You know LOL: Who laughs, comes out! on Prime Video ? Well, be aware that there are different variations depending on the country. Thus, there is an Australian version, a Mexican version and… An Italian version.
For once, a reality TV show allows you to get Italian, TRUE. The one we talk about without a script and without thinking. There’s nothing like it to improve your language skills… And put them to the test! In addition, you will learn good jokes.
LOL: chi ride è fuori!, in the language of Dante, is based on the same principle as its French counterpart. Ten celebrities are gathered in a huge house for six hours. One rule: don’t laugh. Obviously, everything is done to crack them before the time runs out. If you have already binge-watched the French version, this allows you to prolong the pleasure of the concept but also to highlight the minimal differences between the two countries. It’s always interesting!
The advantage of reality TV is that there is rarely much at stake. If you miss a joke, it’s not the end of the world, you’ll catch up on the next one. You’re not asking overpowering efforts from your brain, which has all the freedom to focus on the language.
To go further, we also advise you to watch the series and films that you know by heart. Again, the goal is to focus on the language and not necessarily the plot. When both take too much effort, your brain can say stop.
Finally, to work on your Italian unconsciously, do not hesitate to put the subtitles in Italian even if you are watching a program in French. It doesn’t eat bread, you don’t feel like you’re working and yet… So you might as well take advantage of it!
