Learned Italian? Learn this next
Best language to learn after Italian
Italian gives you regular spelling and Latin roots, which makes the languages around it feel familiar before you start.
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Updated · by the 4ToSpeak team
Spanish · lesson preview
Step 4¿Dónde está la estación?
Where is the station?
- Order
- Translate
- Listen
- Speak
Say it out loud. Green landed, yellow was close.
Start free5 languages to learn after Italian, ranked
1. Spanish
A lot carries overShares vocabulary and verb patterns, and the vowels are nearly identical.
Closest to English for English speakers · about 700 hours
2. Portuguese
A lot carries overClose in vocabulary and grammar, with a very different set of sounds.
Closest to English for English speakers · about 700 hours
3. French
Some carries overFamiliar roots and grammar, but pronunciation is the new challenge.
Closest to English for English speakers · about 700 hours
4. Romanian
Some carries overA Romance language with many Italian-like words, plus cases.
Closest to English for English speakers · about 700 hours
5. Latin
A lot carries overThe ancestor of Italian. Reading Latin builds directly on what you know.
Harder for English speakers · about 1,100 hours
“Carries over” is a guide to how much vocabulary, grammar and sound you will recognise, not a measurement. Hours are for a native English speaker starting from zero; your head start will shorten them.
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Other starting points
What is the best language to learn after Italian?
After Italian, the best language to learn next is Spanish. Shares vocabulary and verb patterns, and the vowels are nearly identical. Portuguese is the next best choice.
Which language is easiest to learn after Italian?
Spanish is the easiest next step, with "a lot" carrying over. Based on difficulty bands for English speakers, it takes about 700 hours, and you start ahead because of Italian.
Should I master Italian before starting another language?
You do not need to master it. A comfortable conversational level (the point where you can hold a short chat without panic) is enough. Starting a similar language too early can blur the two together, so build a solid base first.
Can I learn Italian and Spanish at the same time?
You can, but similar languages are easy to mix up. Most learners do better getting Italian to a comfortable level and then adding Spanish, which will feel much faster than starting from scratch.
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