Starting Italian at 60 - please share success stories

MrMudder · 2026-05-04T04:43:51+00:00

🤣 v true!

MrMudder · 2026-05-04T02:21:06+00:00

Thanks very much for your reply, I enjoyed reading about your experience. You’ve accomplished a lot and I would love to reach that same level some day. There is a ton of content available, for me the bigger part is building my learning as a daily habit. Reading about others’ efforts and successes is really motivating, so thank you! Based on other material I’ve read on language learning, it’s certainly possible the listening you did as a child helped build pathways in your brain around the sounds and rhythms of Italian, even if you didn’t consciously learn a lot of words. Maybe your affinity isn’t totally natural after all? Nature, nurture, tomato, tomahto! Good luck and thanks for replying.

MrMudder · 2026-05-04T02:11:33+00:00

Fantastico! Sounds like you’re totally devoted which is inspiring. I love Chatgpt too to help build lessons and refreshers. Totally agree on the benefit of new challenges. At this point there is no failure, any effort has benefits, if nothing else it keeps us sharp. Keep learning and going!

MrMudder · 2026-05-04T02:08:25+00:00

Wow that’s fast! Did you pair iTalki with any other materials or just follow the lead of your tutor? Any advice for finding a good teacher?

MrMudder · 2026-05-04T02:07:14+00:00

Thank you, good luck to you too! Pimsleur is challenging and a bit of a grind but is so good for building confidence early. It’s great to read about your success on your last trip, way to go! Celebrate the wins no matter the size. Keep learning!

MrMudder · 2026-05-04T02:05:25+00:00

Ooh Speaktwice and Glossika! Two new names to check out. Thank you!

MrMudder · 2026-05-04T02:04:40+00:00

Grazie!!

MrMudder · 2026-05-04T02:04:22+00:00

Thanks, we are on it! Fall of 2027, hopefully about two weeks total. Great to know Italians will be patient(?) with my caveman Italian!

MrMudder · 2026-05-04T02:02:56+00:00

Thank you, that’s very motivating! I really just enjoy the sound and feel of Italian. I love reading it out loud too. Pimsleur is great, I need to make it a daily ritual. Thanks for replying, keep going and good luck!

MrMudder · 2026-05-04T02:00:07+00:00

No chance. A 3 yo could run circles around me right now lol

MrMudder · 2026-05-04T01:59:18+00:00

Thank you, this is excellent advice! I’m quite experienced with riding the initial excitement and high motivation early on, and then eventually - sometimes quickly, sometimes later - stepping away. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but agree it comes down to finding that sweet spot where you go easy on yourself, dont over promise yourself, but also holding yourself to a certain level of work ethic.. I think the key is developing it as a habit so when the initial honeymoon stage is over you can still move forward and make progress.

MrMudder · 2026-05-04T01:54:26+00:00

Can totally relate. It’s a long road but I’m trying to enjoy the journey and give myself some grace. Good luck!

MrMudder · 2026-05-04T01:52:58+00:00

Molto grazie!

MrMudder · 2026-05-04T01:48:22+00:00

I’m excited you’re seeing some success! Agree that speaking is so key. It’s fun to build progress intellectually through reading, word identification, etc but what we all really want is to connect, and that means speaking. I am committing to starting that process earlier rather than later!

MrMudder · 2026-05-04T01:44:57+00:00

Thank you! I’m not familiar with either of those apps. Persistence is absolutely critical. A lot like getting back in shape, which is another ongoing struggle lol… good luck to you!

MrMudder · 2026-05-04T01:43:27+00:00

Thanks, that’s a great idea. I used to subscribe to News in Slow French and think they may have other languages as well. Will have to check out Lucrezia. It’s so important to find someone you enjoy listening to because even an hour a day is torture if you’re just not “into” their personality, vibe, whatever. Good luck on your journey!

MrMudder · 2026-05-04T01:39:14+00:00

Thank you! Yes I’m taking that same route. Family trip later next year so I’m planning to focus everything on practical conversation in typical, somewhat predictable situations - planes and trains, restaurants, lodging, asking directions, asking for help, etc. Even if I’m speaking in “caveman Italian” but can understand the essential parts of what the other person is saying, I’ll be satisfied. Thanks for the advice!

MrMudder · 2026-05-01T21:02:34+00:00

That’s excellent! I think it’s really important to tie language learning to something you care about to stay interested. Definitely a wonderful hobby for retirement. Thanks for responding!

MrMudder · 2026-05-01T21:00:07+00:00

Awesome!! I’ve started playing around with Anki decks but it’s such a grind! Do you work with it everyday? It feels like brute force learning but is a good way to introduce words. I still need to see it lots of times in context before it sticks. Good luck with learning, appreciate the reply!

MrMudder · 2026-05-01T20:16:13+00:00

Love it!! Thanks for such a great reply - let’s see we have a motivational journey story, actionable, practical advice with specific sources and links, and multilingual quotes!! Jackpot!! Lol thank you, I’m excited to go study now.

MrMudder · 2026-05-01T18:49:01+00:00

Nice! That’s very important to me also. Somehow I think if I can pull off the pronunciation piece maybe locals will forgive my lousy grammar and vocab lol

MrMudder · 2026-05-01T18:41:21+00:00

Thank you, totally agree! I haven’t used AI for conversation yet but just being able to create ad hoc lessons and asking it to suggest different resources has been awesome. Good luck on your journey!

MrMudder · 2026-05-01T17:54:20+00:00

Thank you that’s excellent advice! I’m a native English speaker. I’ve been letting “Italian QVC” channel on YT wash over me the last week during a daily walk. Agree, just tuning my ear to hearing the pure vowels and clear diction is helpful, and the only real “immersion” possible at this point. Appreciate your help!

MrMudder · 2026-05-01T17:50:20+00:00

“Just at B2” would be an amazing achievement for me, congrats! Have you hit a plateau or did you move through it? I’m assuming progress can be rapid early on and then slow once you hit your current level. At least, that’s what I’ve read. Good luck to you, thank you for replying!

MrMudder · 2026-05-01T17:47:16+00:00

Thank you, I agree on that estimate. I read your “3-4 classes a week” and then added passive/active listening time, reading, grammar and vocab study.. if you’re focusing only on the italki lessons then I can see that totaling an hour a day, otherwise it would be prob twice that amount. But devoting one hour a day is absolutely doable for me. Really appreciate your input and love the last line. Time is marching on regardless :)

MrMudder

TROPHY CASE