Professional Native Italian Teacher teaching the Dolce Vita! Giving Italian classes for Life & Career - Practice Speaking, Reading, Writing, Grammar, Conversation and Culture!

Find out more about Andrea

• 1) Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  I’m Italian by birth — I was born in Calabria, in the south of Italy, my father is Neapolitan, and I’ve lived in Rome for most of my life. So, Italian is not only my native language, it’s part of who I am — the sounds, the rhythm, the expressions all run in my veins.

• 2) Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language’s culture?

  For me, Dante Alighieri perfectly represents the soul of Italian culture and language. He shaped the Italian we speak today and captured the beauty, passion, and complexity of our identity. But if I had to pick a more modern figure, Roberto Benigni would be another symbol — joyful, expressive, and deeply connected to our linguistic and cultural roots.

• 3) Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or behaviour in the language that you particularly like?

  One expression I love is “In bocca al lupo” — literally “in the mouth of the wolf.” It means “good luck,” but instead of saying “thank you,” we respond “Crepi il lupo!” (“May the wolf die!”). It shows how colorful and imaginative Italian can be — full of metaphor, emotion, and humor.

• 4) Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  Italian is not just a means of communication; it’s a way of feeling the world. Speaking Italian means connecting with beauty, history, art, and passion — it’s like seeing life through a more poetic lens. I love helping others experience that same feeling.

• 5) What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  The main challenge for many learners is verb conjugation and grammar endings, which are very precise and detailed. What helps most is combining theory and practice — understanding the rules but immediately using them in real conversations. Listening, speaking, and repetition are key — and of course, learning with joy!

• 6) Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  As a student, I remember one particular moment that completely changed the way I saw languages. When I was in high school, our Italian literature teacher asked us to read Dante aloud and explain the verses in our own words. At first, I thought it was impossible — the language felt ancient and distant. But as I read, I started to hear the rhythm, the music of the words, and suddenly it all made sense. That was the moment I realized how powerful language can be — it connects time, emotion, and people.

• 7) How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  Travelling around Italy — from Naples to Florence, Venice, and the small villages in the south — helped me appreciate the incredible diversity of dialects and accents that make Italian so rich. Each region has its own flavor and expressions, and exploring them deepened my understanding of the living, evolving nature of the language. The timeless beauty of Rome — has deepened my understanding of how language reflects culture. In Naples, I learned how every gesture and expression carries emotion and rhythm, almost like music. In Rome, where I’ve lived most of my life, I’ve seen how modern Italian blends with history — ancient phrases, local slang, and the warm, expressive tone that defines Romans. Exploring these differences helped me realize that Italian isn’t just one language — it’s a mosaic of voices, emotions, and traditions that keep evolving. But it was in Sicily that I truly grasped the poetic soul of the language. Listening to people in Palermo or Catania speak, I discovered words and rhythms that felt ancient yet alive, echoes of Greek, Arabic, and Spanish influences intertwined in everyday conversation. That journey made me realize how Italian is not just spoken — it’s sung, felt, and lived differently in every corner of the country

• 8) What makes you a Superprof in language?

  What makes me a Superprof is the way I connect language with culture, emotion, and real human experience. Teaching Italian, for me, isn’t just about mastering grammar or pronunciation — it’s about opening a door into the rhythm and soul of Italian life. When my students learn to say “magari,” “allora,” or “che bello!” they aren’t just learning words — they’re discovering how Italians think, feel, and relate to each other. Every expression carries a piece of our history, our humor, our passion for beauty, family, and good conversation.
  In my lessons, I bring all of this together. I combine my professional teaching experience with genuine enthusiasm for communication. My classes are dynamic and interactive — we talk, we laugh, we make mistakes, and we learn through real situations, as Italians do.
  I want my students not only to speak Italian, but to live it: to understand a song lyric, a film dialogue, a coffee bar chat, and to feel at home in the language. That’s what makes my work so rewarding — and what makes me a true Superprof.