My favorite aspect of learning a new language is the opportunity to interact with new groups of people and learn about their culture and lives. That's why I love the idea behind the Easy Languages series. Originally developed as Easy German, its a series of free videos in which native speakers hit the streets and ask topic-based questions to people they meet. Transcripts of the original dialogue as well as the English translation are included. It's a great way to glean some insight about that particular culture as well as to hear how native speakers really speak and respond.
In this first Easy Italian episode they take us to Matera, Italy and ask the question:
Cosa ti piace di più mangiare?
(What is your favorite thing to eat?)
See how the people of Matera responded:
Did you notice how she asked questions in the informal "tu" form with some people, the formal "Lei" form with others, and the plural "Voi" for couples or groups of people?
Here are some of the questions asked in the video. (I've converted them all to the informal "tu" form) Try responding to them yourself (either on your own or in the comment section below.)
Cosa ti piace di più mangiare?
Cosa non deve mai mancare nel tuo frigo?
Sai cucinare?
Cosa sai cucinare meglio?
Qual'è il piatto che cucini peggio?
How do your food preferences compare to those expressed in the video? Any similarities or differences? Have you ever tried some of the dishes mentioned in the video? If so, what did you think?
For additional grammar practice, try converting the above questions to the formal "Lei" or plural "Voi" forms. (Use the comment section below or email your answers for feedback.)
So far, I could only find this one Italian episode, but I'll keep you posted if I find any others. If you're interested in other languages as well you can go to the Easy Languages site for Arabic, Malay, German, Spanish, French, and English.
Happy Studying!
-Alex
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