You Already Know Italian

That's right, you already know Italian--even if you never took a language course in your life!

Many of the words you know in English are similar and often the same in Italian, such as arte and delizioso. And pizza, bambino, and diva have been part of our lexicon for so long you forget they were ever "foreign." You Already Know Italian is the easiest and fastest way to build your Italian vocabulary by using your prior knowledge as the foundation for language learning.

Inside you will find chapters devoted to three types of words: familiar terms, identical and similar terms, and "falsely similar" terms. By studying these words, you will realize just how many Italian words you already know and how easy it is to pick up those terms that are close in meaning to their English counterparts. You will have a 5,000-word Italian vocabulary in no time at all!

Look how much Italian vocabulary you already know:

Familiar Italian terms:


Amore--Love

Bandito--Outlaw

Ciao--Hello

Pasta--Pasta

Simpatico--Agreeable

Vino--Wine




Italian words identical or similar to English ones:


Computer--Computer

Jazz--Jazz

Leader--Leader

Quota--Quota

Uso--Use

Virus--Virus




But beware these falsely similar words:


Ago--Needle

Camera--Room

Fatto--Fact

Salto--Jump

Stare--To stand

Villano--Inconsiderate