There comes a time when we all ask the golden question, when will I stop translating in my head and start thinking in Italian?

Thinking in Italian, or any other foreign language, isn’t an easy task and you cannot force it.  However, there are various steps you can take to make progress towards thinking in Italian, cutting out the pesky deed of translating in your head nonstop. 

Here are 3 important tips to start thinking in Italian from the get-go. Learning to think in Italian directly can make your journey to fluency much smoother and more enjoyable. The key is to immerse yourself in the language and change the way you approach learning. 

Let's dive into the three essential strategies to stop translating and start thinking in Italian!

#1. Acquisition VS. Learning | It’s Time for Massive Input!

Thinking directly in Italian comes as a result of having Italian in you! 

I know that statement might sound weird, but stick with me for a moment. 

When I started learning English, I struggled for two years. My parents eventually hired a tutor, which I recount in my book. During our initial lessons, I constantly translated in my head from Italian into English—the opposite problem you have now! My tutor, Susan, smiled and reassuringly told me not to worry. Instead of focusing on conversations, we prioritized input. We read texts she found for me, underlined words, and she brought me a new VHS video tape every week. This pain-free method brought me the most unexpected results. 

In a matter of two months (compared to two years!), I started speaking English.

Come!? How!?

In order to start thinking in Italian, you need to consume comprehensible and interesting content. This way, your brain will start absorbing the sounds and grammar patterns of the language. Remember: language learning is mostly a subconscious process called acquiring a language, not conscious learning. 

Ideally, 80% of your language learning should be acquisition, and only 20% should be deliberate learning. Unfortunately, most people do the opposite, spending 80% of their time on conscious learning and only 20% on acquisition. This is why they think through their native language instead of thinking in Italian. If you’re always in learning (and analysis) mode, you’re going to constantly be translating in your head! 

How You Can Take Action

No matter your current level, if you want to think in Italian, follow this rule: every single day, consume content that you find interesting and rich. If you are a beginner, use simple dialogues from language resources like ASSIMIL, Pod 101, or Teach Yourself. Listen and read at the same time and do it a lot! 

If you are intermediate, aim for podcasts and videos. Use helpful resources like LingQ or LingoPie. Thinking and speaking in Italian will naturally follow from this.

Consume. Consume. Consume! 

#2. Learn to Think in Key Words (Embrace Your Inner Tarzan! MI Piace!)

Two years ago, I was at Termini Station waiting for my train to Florence. A lady approached me and said in broken Italian, "Treno... Venezia?" The language snob within me would have thought, "This lady speaks terrible Italian! She has disgraced the beauty of my native language and should be thrown into prison for at least one full year!" 

But I’m not a language snob and she’s not a language criminal.  I admired her courage to speak Italian and appreciated that she successfully got her point across despite her broken Italian.

What really counts in thinking (and then speaking) in a language are the key words. Key words and context can work wonders. Start by thinking in terms of key words first (a bit like Tarzan talk) and then fill in the details as your language skills develop over time. What's the simplest way to express a concept? Simple does not mean simplistic. 

Remember this motto taken from our Speak Easy course: COP—Communication Over Performance.

It’s not about being perfect, it’s about delivering a message that someone will understand, regardless of how detailed it is.

You get me? Me good teacher! Me happy you learn! You brave student! 

How You Can Take Action

Embrace your inner Tarzan! 

Start thinking in terms of key words. 

Simplify your thoughts into basic components before fleshing them out into full sentences. For example: 

Voglio andare a Venezia per vedere la Cattedrale di San Marco.

Key words:

- Andare. Venezia. Vedere. Cattedrale.

Link them together: 

- Voglio andare a Venezia.

Add the finishing touchings: 

- Voglio andare a Venezia vedere Cattedrale.

This approach will help you think and speak more naturally in Italian. Ottimo! 

#3: Writing Helps Thinking!

Around 2018, I was at Feltrinelli (an Italian bookstore) and I saw a bunch of wonderfully small notebooks. They could fit my notebook purchasing criteria, because they could fit in my palm as well as my pockets.  I started using them to write key words and short sentences in Greek. During the weekends, I took these words and started forming very simple sentences. I focused on key words first, eventually refining these keywords into more complex sentences. 

Little did I know how powerful this practice was and just how much your writing, thinking and speaking are so closely connected. 

You can leverage the power of handwriting and keywords to generate short and meaningful sentences. This practice helps get your mind used to thinking directly in your target language. 

How You Can Take Action

Connect writing with speaking in Italian. Write Italian keywords on a piece of paper, in a notebook, or even on your mobile phone or computer (although I highly recommend paper). 

Start thinking and speaking to yourself, developing very simple ideas with these keywords.

Keep it simple, but meaningful.  Here’s what I mean by that. 

Example:

Key Words

- Maria, andare, Roma

- Maria andare Roma (incorrect but meaningful)

Refine it:

- Maria vuole andare a Roma.

Refine it again:

- Maria è andata a Roma (2 mesi fa).

Refine it another time:

- Maria andrà a Roma.

And one last time for good measure:

- Maria andrà a Roma (ad agosto).

This method will help you develop the habit of thinking directly in Italian. Don’t rush it, take your time and have fun with the words.  Feel free to make as many mistakes as you need. There is no comparison or competition here, there is just you and your love for the Italian language! 

Consume, Use Keywords and Write Away! 

Thinking in Italian is possible with the right approach. 

By getting massive comprehensible and interesting input according to your level, starting with keywords, and expanding from there, you can gradually shift from translating in your head to thinking in Italian.  Initially, those thoughts will come out in Tarzan-like speaking patterns, but that’s ok.  Over time, you’ll refine your speech to sound less like Tarzan and more like a native. 

Embrace these strategies, and you'll find yourself becoming more fluent in Italian, experiencing more fluent thoughts and enjoying Italian fluency. The journey might be challenging, but with persistence and the right techniques, you'll achieve your goal of thinking in Italian directly.

In bocca al Lupo!

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