Best Books to Learn Italian – 8 Top Choices

Do you want to revitalize your old knowledge of Italian? Are you trying to teach yourself the language without having to invest in a comprehensive class or online course? If you answered yes to any of those questions, Italian learning books may be the perfect pick for you. 

Italian learning books help Italian learners improve their vocabulary, reading comprehension, and writing skills. Many of these books offer helpful tools that will allow you to speak, study, and memorize the most important phrases in the language. 

There are many choices available when it comes to Italian learning books, so it’s important to identify your current level first. While some books contain basic phrases that are suited for any type of Italian learner, others are geared toward beginner, intermediate, or expert speakers. Personalized books like these make it crucial that you know your current skill set before investing in a book. 

It’s also key to figure out why and how you want to improve your knowledge of Italian. If you want to order at restaurants while traveling to Italy, a small phrase book may be the best for you. On the contrary, if you want to study for your next Italian exam in school, books that contain comprehensive lessons will likely help you prepare in the best way possible. 

So, after all that, the only thing left to do is find the right book to help you learn. Below are our picks for the 10 best books to learn Italian that will help you speak and understand the language.

Best Books To Learn Italian

The 8 Italian learning books below will help you memorize important phrases, read interesting Italian stories, and learn the language quickly. More importantly, these books provide engaging material that will help you stay interested throughout the entire process. 

1. Intermediate Italian Short Stories by Lingo Mastery

Intermediate Italian Short Stories contains 10 captivating short stories that will help you learn Italian and grow your vocabulary the fun way. The best part of learning a new language is diving into the culture and immersing yourself in engaging material. That’s exactly what Intermediate Italian Short Stories has to offer.

In this, you’ll find 10 captivating stories, natural dialogues, and a comprehensive study guide that will help you track your progress.

2. Italian Short Stories for Beginners by Lingo Mastery

Finding proper reading material that they can handle is one of the biggest struggles for Italian language learners. Luckily, Italian Short Stories for Beginners provides entertaining and useful content that will keep you interested and eager to learn.

In this, you’ll find 20 easy-to-read, compelling stories that will help you expand your vocabulary and improve your overall grasp of the language. 

3. Learning Italian for Beginners by Italian Academy 

With 2,500 Italian phrases and basic grammar rules, Learning Italian for Beginners has all the tools you need to get started on your language learning journey. If you’re trying to speak, write, and understand Italian fast, this is the perfect book for you.

In this comprehensive book, you’ll find phrases and grammar basics that can be applied to the entire language, making this language learning strategy easy and quick. Unlike other books that overload you with complex information, Learning Italian for Beginners contains only the essentials that will help you learn spoken Italian in a matter of weeks. 

4. Italian All-In-One For Dummies by Antonietta Di Pietro 

Learn to speak Italian like a native with Italian All-In-One For Dummies. If you’re looking for an all-encompassing guide to mastering the Italian language, this is the book for you. This book offers readers a valuable reference for understanding all of the concepts of the complex language. 

Whether you’re an avid traveler or curious student, this book provides helpful practice opportunities that will empower you to speak like a native. 

5. Italian: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners Who Want to Learn the Italian Language by Daily Language Learning

With grammar, short stories, and useful phrases, this ultimate guide for beginners provides a powerful method for learning Italian fast. If you’re avoiding boring textbooks or in a hurry to learn more Italian, this book is for you.

In this, you’ll find: 

• Plurals 
• Adjectives 
• Adverbs
• Pronouns
• Situations with space and time 
• Reflexives 
• Time and negatives 
• Short stories
• Grammar basics 

6. Italian Key Words by Gianpaolo Intronati 

Master basic Italian and build a comprehensive vocabulary fast with Italian Key Words. This book provides an easy route to master basic Italian with an easy-to-learn unit structure. This book contains the essential building blocks of the language that will help you build your language framework.

With an Italian-English dictionary, helpful vocabulary words, and cultural media, this book will help you learn Italian with ease.

7. Italian Vocabulary Builder by Lingo Mastery

Italian Vocabulary Builder contains 2,222 Italian phrases that will help you learn and grow your vocabulary. If you’ve been trying to learn Italian but still feel like you’re a long way from talking like a native, this book may be the next step for you.

This efficient resource teaches you words and phrases that are most commonly used. More importantly, it explains context that will help you better understand how and when to use them. 

8. Easy Italian Phrase Book by Dover

With 770 basic phrases for everyday use, this book is fast and effective when Italian communication is needed. This comprehensive volume provides the practical language that’s necessary for most daily conversations. Whether you’re traveling abroad or trying to learn new phrases each day, this is the perfect book to keep by your side.

By reading this, you’ll be able to better understand native speakers, hold phone conversations, order at restaurants, and much more. 

Alternative Way To Learn Italian: Rocket Languages

So maybe you’re looking for something a little more interactive for your language learning needs, or maybe you just want to add another resource to your Italian learning tool belt. Either way, Rocket Languages is here to help! Rocket Languages is an online language learning site with a wide variety of language options. This, of course, includes Rocket Languages Italian.

With Rocket Languages Italian, you have the ability to choose from 3 different level options. Each level will include more course materials, lesson hours, and activities as well as some additional bonus kits. Each level includes over 130 hours of lesson content as well as a voice recognition tool for pronunciation, a variety of interactive audio lessons on the Italian language and culture, reinforcement activities, flashcards, and the ability to track progress. There is also an app available so you can learn whenever from wherever you are. Additionally, Rocket Languages offers a free trial which provides 24/7 lifetime access to over 4 hours worth of course material and lessons.

Final Thoughts: Learning The Italian Language

The Italian learning books above are great to keep by your side while learning the language. Whether you want to score higher on your next test or understand native speakers, the books above will help you get closer to those goals. 

With expert guidance, engaging readings, and explanations of important phrases, the Italian learning books above have all the tools you’ll need to improve your knowledge of the language in a fast and efficient way.