Just yesterday, someone complimented me on my Italian. People tend to think I started learning the language when I arrived two years ago, but in fact, I started studying it 10 years ago.
And yet, I still have a way to go to feel fully fluent.
Let's Talk About Verb Tense
My Achilles heel right now is congiuntivo, as well as condizionale. The problem is, many people don't use them, but they aren't speaking correctly! As a writer with an English degree, I WANT to speak a language correctly!
Most of my friends are past the point of correcting me, which is frustrating. It gives me a false sense of security when I know I still have a lot to improve.
I Will Always Sound Not-Italian
Try as I might, I can't shake my American accent. I find that I can focus on speaking quickly and fluently, or pronounce words carefully and correctly. I haven't yet managed to do it all at once.
Sometimes It's Easier to Pretend
I definitely understand 30% more Italian than I did when I moved here, but there are still gaps. Sometimes I find it easier to smile and nod like I know what someone's saying than to interrupt an anecdote to say "non ho capito."
It's frustrating, and I hope with time those gaps will fill in. A Ukrainian friend who's lived here for 10 years told me it took a full three years for her to understand everything.
My Other Language Skills are Deteriorating
The more I focus on Italian, the less I can speak of other languages. I used to be fluent in French, but now when I try to speak it, Italian bubbles up.
Even my English is faltering! Sometimes I can only remember the Italian words for things!
On the Plus Side...
While the Calabrian dialects sounded like a mouthful of marbles a year ago, I'm understanding a lot more.
The dialects vary just slightly from one town to another. In Fra's town, they often drop the "f" on words and replace it with "h," so Fernando becomes Hernando.
I love making the Davolese laugh by throwing out a few phrases in dialect!
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