Italian is the first language of only 62 million or so people in the world - substantially fewer than speak Spanish, French, German or Korean - and yet it is remarkably popular as a foreign language, attracting students of all ages and backgrounds.

The Italian language is beautiful and some people are moved to study it for that reason alone - to understand Italian opera without needing translation and/or to read Dante, Manzoni and other giants of literature in the original. For most, however, it is the lure of Italy itself that prompts them to learn the language.

When you look at what it has got to offer, there can be little wonder that Italy is such a popular holiday destination. It's got sea, great beaches, mountains for walking or skiing; it's got music, art, architecture; it's got fabulous food, wine and coffee. And it's got energetic, entertaining people. Italy offers excitement, romance, relaxation and fun. In every season, there is something for everyone.

Having mastered even the rudiments of the language will add enormously to your experience. Many Italians speak English, though less so outside the cities and the touristy places. However, apart from the fact that it is not polite to expect everyone abroad to speak English, it is much more fun to use the local lingo.

If you have never tried to learn Italian before, you may be surprised at how (relatively) easy it is. Many English words also come straight from Latin and the words that came into English from Greek went into Italian in a similar way. What do you think "possibile" means? Or "secondo", "errore" or "fotografia"? There is so much you can guess.

Then there is another huge group of words that don't immediately appear obvious but which can often be worked out with some lateral thinking. "Amico", for example, is a very different word from "friend" but we look at "amicable" it makes sense. Often, we have two words for the same thing in English, an Anglo-Saxon one and a Latin one. The Latin one tends to be more formal but it will be closer to the Italian. Think "enough" vs "sufficient" (sufficiente); "brotherly" vs "fraternal" (fraterno); "hateful" vs "odious" (odioso).

It is - and has been for a long time - fashionable in Italy to sprinkle Italian with English vocabulary. Words such as "computer" and "film" are just the terms used for these concepts; Italian equivalents don't even exist. Similarly, we use some Italian words in English: "piano[forte]" and "ballerina", for example, which we may not even recognise as Italian; as well as more deliberately Italian expressions such as "cappuccino" and "numero uno".

Once you know some Italian, you will be able to get under the surface, the tourist layer, of Italy and experience real Italian life. What people are saying around you won't be just a noise any more but conversation. And you will be able to join in, make jokes in Italian, read the newspapers, feel part of the scene instead of just a spectator.

It requires discipline and effort to learn a foreign language and the first phase - getting to grips with basic grammar and vocabulary - is particularly hard work. After the initial hump, however, the road to success flattens out and eventually leads downhill, as you gain momentum and it becomes easier and easier to absorb new words and structures. With the right materials and/or teacher, anyone can learn Italian - and the rewards are enormous.

Language Products on our marketplace

For more information about Italy and the Italian language, check out our website! Learn to speak Italian with our listening guide and step by step e-book.