Needing a little motivation and inspiration to learn Italian? You've come to the right place.

Italian, which is part of the Romance language family, has over 90 million total speakers (70 million native) around the world. But don't let the small number fool you. This language did not gain its global recognition based on how many speakers there are. Its popularity has sprouted from its beauty, deep history, and the one-of-a-kind culture that Italy brings.

Today, Italy is spoken as an official language in the Vatican City, Switzerland, San Marino, and of course, Italy. It doesn't stop there though. It's also a minority spoken language in Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, and more.
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Why learn a new language?

This is for the person who's still on the fence of whether they should learn a language at all. If you're already convinced, you can skip this section, but there's always benefits to be reminded.

One of the most interesting things about learning a new language is that the benefits aren't visible. Unlike working out, which gives you physical results, the benefits of language learning are in the mind. And scientific studies have proven this.The first surprising benefit is that it can prevent brain diseases better than any medicine.

A study done around this shows that acquiring a language can delay Alzheimers or dementia by 4.5 years compared to the best drugs which only delays it for 6-12 months.

The other surprising reward you get is that it can actually improve your native languages. Whether you speak English, Chinese, Spanish right now, learning another language can help you become better at those languages. In hindsight, this may make sense. By learning a new language again, you're able to review the fundamentals that you originally learned (often without much conscious thought).

Here's an article we wrote about the scientific benefits of learning a new language.

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8 Major Benefits of Learning Italian That Will Motivate You

Now let's dig deeper. What are the best reasons to learn Italian specifically? Here's eight for you to digest.

1. Enjoy pasta like you've never had before

If you've ever visited an authentic Italian restaurant, they take pride in keeping it Italian. From the waiter to the items on the menu, you'll almost feel like you're in Italy. Italian cuisine is spread vastly everywhere you go, and you're going to run into situations that involve it. By learning Italian, you'll not only feel confident while reading the menu, but you'll appreciate the food more.Of course, bonus points if you can also order in Italian!
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2. It's an easy language to learn

Sure, Italian may sound different when you hear someone talking. The accents are different, the culture is different, and the people are also different. But the language itself is much similar than you think.If you happen to know Spanish, French, English, or Portuguese, you'll find a ton of similarities to Italian. They share many of the same, if not similar vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structures. That's why Italian is recognized as one of the easiest languages to learn for English speakers.
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3. Seduce any girl or guy with this magic language

There's a reason why Italy is known as one of the most romantic countries in the world. It shares the same stage as France. Over centuries, Italian has built up a notable repuation as a language of love, art, and even seduction. I mean, there's a reason why Romeo and Juliet is based in Italian!

4. Just +1 reason to travel to Italy

Traveling to Italy whether for its for vacation or honeymoon is a dream for many. As you learn how to speak Italian, the forefront of your thoughts will be when your next trip to Italy will be. Besides, what better way to truly test your Italian skills and put it to good use than experiencing Italy itself?

People have said that spring (April to June) and fall (September to October) are the best times to travel to Italy. However, no need to wait if your goal is to use Italian in real life.
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5. Gain a competitive advantage at work

Given the demand and worldwide popularity of Italian, there are still only 90 millions speakers globally. In other words, you can categorize it as a niche language. However, that also means that by learning to speak it, you'll stand out as one of the fewer Italian speakers.

Keep in mind that Italy is also a thriving economy, as it's the 3rd largest in the Euro zone. Global brands that have and are constantly expanding offices there to serve Italian consumers and businesses. When you learn Italian, you'll be able to take advantage of these abundant opportunities.
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6. Open yourself up to new art, music, entertainment

You'll be exposed to the creativity that was originally written in Italian. From Mozart composing in Italian to plays like Romeo and Juliet being written in Italian, you'll gain a new appreciation. For movie buffs, you can appreciate the recent masterpieces of Sorrentino and Benigni, and other amazing artists based in Italy.
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7. Build stronger relationships with your Italian friends

Look through your list of contacts on social media, and surely you'll have at least a few friends from Italy. Given the melting pot of European nationalities, even if someone doesn't identify as full Italian, they'll likely have some Italian in them.As Nelson Mandela famously quotes:

If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.

There's no better shortcut to making a great first impresson or taking an existing relationship to the next level than communicating with someone in their native language.
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8. Introduce more fashion to your life

OK, so we can't promise that you'll be walking on the stage of The Next Top Model after learning Italian. But as you may know, Milan is the fashion capital of the world. Many of the top fashion brands like Versace, Gucci, and Prada are from Italy. If you needed a little inspiration or nudge to improve your fashion knowledge, learning Italian can be the gateway.
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How to Learn Italian Today

Hopefully we've been able to motivate you after sharing the major benefits of learning Italian. What's the next step?

The good news is, learning Italian is quite easy for English speakers, or speakers of other Romance languages. If your goal is to be able to speak confidently, we recommend checking out Rype. We'll pair you up with a professional Italian teacher that create a personalized lesson plan for you, offer accountability and feedback, while helping you get to conversational fluency faster.

Experience it for yourself, by taking advantage of our free trial today.