There are many ways to learn a language and perhaps you have already tried some of them. What you will find here is a dynamic, but yet structured teaching method, highly qualified professor and guaranteed results.
– Emanuele Piva –
How to Reach B1 Level in Italian: A Friendly but Honest Conversation
Hello!
If you’re thinking about applying for Italian citizenship, you probably know that one of the key requirements is reaching B1 level in the Italian language, according to the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). But what does it really mean to reach B1? And how long does it actually take?
Let me give you an honest overview—without the miraculous promises we often see online.
What is B1 Level?
B1 is the first intermediate level. It’s not enough to understand or say a few words here and there:
you need to be able to understand and produce language on familiar topics, interact with others with some mastery, describe experiences, express opinions, and handle everyday situations.
In short, it means you can use the language with a certain degree of independence, not just know about it.
How much time do you really need to get there?
The CEFR estimates that going from zero to B1 requires around 350–400 hours of active study.
But be careful: exposing your brain to the language isn’t enough. The information must be absorbed, repeated, used, and consolidated, or it simply fades away. This is the step that many apps or “crash courses” skip.
And how much time do you have, realistically?
Let’s take a realistic example.
Say you work 8 hours a day, Monday to Friday. During the year, you have unexpected events, take 3 or 4 well-deserved vacations, and you enjoy your weekends—completely normal.
With that lifestyle, you might be able to dedicate 2–3 hours per week to studying Italian consistently.
Let’s do the math:
📆 3 hours a week × 12 months = 144 hours per year
To reach 400 hours, you’d need approximately two and a half years, on average.
Watch out for breaks and long pauses
One common mistake is to study intensively for a few months and then stop for weeks or even months.
This causes a natural regression—you forget what you learned, and when you come back to it, you need to rebuild.
It’s like training for a marathon and then not running for two months: you don’t restart where you left off—you go back a few steps.
“Fluency in 30 days”? No, thank you.
Many apps, teachers, or language coaches promise fast results: “Learn Italian in 30 days!”, “Fluent in 3 weeks!”
Let’s be clear: there are no shortcuts to learning a language in a stable and meaningful way.
Languages are learned through exposure, practice, mistakes, and repetition over time.
It’s not just about intelligence—it’s about consistency and method.
So, what can you do?
•Study regularly, even in small doses. 30 minutes a day is better than 3 hours once a month.
•Speak as much as you can, even with mistakes—that’s how we learn.
•Listen to real Italian, not just textbook phrases: music, podcasts, videos.
•Avoid long breaks. Even during holidays, 10 minutes a day keeps your memory active.
•Work with a serious teacher or guide, someone who knows the CEFR well and can help you build real-world skills.
In Conclusion
Yes, reaching B1 takes time.
But it’s a realistic, achievable, and deeply rewarding goal if you approach it with awareness and patience.
You don’t need to rush—you need to advance steadily, without illusions but with the certainty that, step by step, you will get there.
If you’d like real support, solid material, and a realistic plan to reach B1, I’m here to help.
I’ll guide you with honesty, structure, and full respect for your time and goals.
Italian in the park
How can you learn with us?
THE POSITION OF THE ADJECTIVE IN ITALIAN
Group lessons
Courses are ideal if you prefer to learn in a group but still want to benefit from dedicated attention.
Online course in a group of 3 people. Courses are available for levels A1 to C2 and start every 3 months.
The lessons follow a predefined study plan and include:
- convesration
- reading
- grammer
- listening
- writing
- italian in context
- homework
- all teaching material so you will not need to buy books
This courses are ideal if you prefer to learn in a group but still want to benefit from dedicated attention.
The duration of the course depends on the material that needs to be covered and is different for each level. Evening and weekend courses are available
For more information on the next course please contact us.
Privat lessons
This lessons are ideal if you would like to learn and improve your Italian by having lessons fully dedicated to your needs and goals. Available for all levels.
Online one to one lessons following a dynamic and fun teaching method which will help you to learn faster. The lessons follow personalised study plan and include:
- conversation
- reading
- grammer
- listening
- writing
- Italian in context and mental maps to help you learn faster
- homework
- all the teaching material so you will not need to buy books
This lessons are ideal if you would like to learn and improve your Italian by having lessons fully dedicated to your needs and goals. Available for all levels.
The duration of each lesson is 50minutes.
Group lessons - B1 for Italian citizenship
Lessons are dedicated to those who need to pass B1 exams for Italian citizenship. We work in groups of max 10 people.
Online one to one conversation during which we will analyse and correct your mistakes.
This lessons are ideal if you already have a good knowledge of the Italian language and would like to improve your speaking skills.
The duration of the lesson is 50 minutes.
Exam preparation
Online one to one lessons to prepare you for PLIDA, CILS,CIC and CELI exams.
Submit your review | |
I am fully satisfied with the lessons taught by Emanuele. He is a very skilled teacher, and his classes are dynamic and efficient.
Emanuele is a kind and structured teacher who makes learning Italian feel easy and enjoyable. His lessons are always clear, well-organized, and full of positive energy. He creates a relaxed atmosphere where you feel comfortable making mistakes and improving step by step. I always looked forward to our sessions, and I’d honestly recommend him to anyone who wants to learn Italian in a fun and effective way
Emanuele is a fantastic teacher. He really brings the Italian lessons to live, not only explaining the grammar but also teaching about the cuture of Italy. I always have a lot of fun on my lessons and really improved my language skills.
Emanuele picks me up where I am stand and is always prepared.
Emanuele helped me achieve a much higher level of Italian in a very short time. His lessons were structured, clear, and perfectly adapted to my learning needs. He made complex topics easy to understand and always kept me motivated. If you're serious about learning Italian, Emanuele is the teacher you need!
I have been taking lessons with Emanuele Piva for two years, and hands down he has been the best teacher I’ve ever had. His lessons are very well structured, he’s got a systematic approach and balances the lessons in a way so that they are both productive and fun/interesting at the same time. One thing I’ve learned in my foreign language acquisition journey; when you finally find a good teacher, hang on to them. Teachers like Emanuele are few and far between.
To get my Italian to a passable B1, I looked for someone who could 'teach to the test' i.e. someone who knew CILS and could help me study the pratical content I needed to succeed on the exam in order to apply for Italian citizenship.
I tried a few other teachers and they just couldn't focus their lessons on the target skills for B1. When I met Emanuele, he quickly made clear he knew the CILS well and could provide me the instruction needed to bring my spoken Italian to the correct level.
His lessons paid off and I am extremely grateful! Grazie a te, Manu, sono (quasi) italiana!
I have been studying Italian on a off for many years. While I am motivated to study and learn the language, often times I have dropped lessons after some time cause I plateau and teachers don't usually have a systematic methodology or an entertaining approach to motivate the student.
Then I found Emanuele, who is the best language teacher I ever had: Emanuele has a wealth of teaching experience and he creates content which is enjoyable while helping me to bring my Italian to the next level. He strikes the right balance between conversation, grammar, and reading and lessons never fail to teach me something new. The content is tailored to my needs and focuses on the areas where I need most improvements, so I can progress rapidly and steadily.
After I few months with him my Italian is progressing faster than ever, and while I am far from proficient I know that Emanuele will push me to the next level. The value for price is amazing and anyone thinking of studying Italian, no matter the level, should give Emanuele teaching a try.
Mir macht es großen Spaß, mit Emanuele meine Iralienischkenntnisse zu verbessern. Ich war während der Pandemie anfangs skeptisch gegenüber Sprachkursen in Online-Formaten, aber kann jetzt sagen, dass es wunderbar funktioniert! Ich habe durch Emanuele sehr viel lernen und meine Sprachkenntnisse verbessern können. Er ist super zuverlässig, hat immer anspruchsvolle Texte/Materialen vorbereitet und legt viel Wert auf Konversation und Aussprache. Daher: uneingeschränkt zu empfehlen 🙂
Emmanuelle is not only patient and organized but very down to earth. He knows what works best for the student and will tailor his lessons to the students' needs.
I am studying Italian for nearly 1.5 years now. On this journey I have met few tutors, before ending up with Emanuele as my teacher. The quality and the effects are just incomparable. I made so much progress since I started to work with Emanuele.
His lessons are fully tailored to individual needs. He does not use standard textbooks, but his own created materials, which I find incredible and a lot more effective.
Emanuele always comes prepared with the clear program for the day, but if needed he easily responses to request to do something else or repeat the subject. Lessons with him are never boring.
I truly enjoy this time and hope we will be working together until I master my Italian language skills.