I want to learn Italian.

I’ve managed to learn German and can’t imagine learning Italian would be anywhere near as difficult or as stressful. My German is really only as good as it is because I moved here. But I’ve had enough of Germany.

Can anyone recommend how I best go about this without moving to Italy. Any books or tools?

Grazie…

I best go about this without moving to Italy

Move to Switzerland?

Marry an Italian.

Allora

I learned a lot of my Italian watching the Voltron* cartoon as a kid, not sure how practical that is but the robots are pretty cool.

*in Italian.

Prego.

Just say that a lot.

I must admit I get a bit hot under the collar when an Italian lady says “allora”.

Marrying an Italian won’t work. Already have myself a German.

N+1?

I learned what little italian I have in the local chippy.

All our local chip shops are owned by Italians and I happened to mention to Alfredo in our local that I was off on holiday to Italy.

He armed with a few basic phrases and tested me every time I went in for years afterwards, long after I’d returned from my holidays.

“Ah, si, si!! Bella, bella!!”

“Ah, parliamo italiano?”

“No, not really. Just bella, bella.”

“Oh. I think it’s a wonderful language.”

“It’s so alive!”

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082477/

Smile
Wave your hands about whilst miming what you want say
Smile

Cazzo!

Spend some time in the Dolomites – they interchange the two languages mid sentence – it will give you a fighting chance
You can ride whilst there

I used to work for an Italian and when ever I was in his car he used his car horn constantly.

Is that an Italian thing?

Spend some time in the Dolomites – they interchange the two languages mid sentence – it will give you a fighting chance
You can ride whilst there

have considered moving to South Tyrol. spend quite a bit of time as it is riding there, but it’s an expensive area to live compared to Piedmont or Liguria.
Many German speakers, the young included, don’t speak Italian generally resent the Italians. the Italians generally act as Italians do.

beautiful area, mind. (look at the latest ST mag).