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Milan, most likely, might be one of those cities that has and offers almost any kind of entertainment. Therefore, if you’re looking for some “divertimento” in the city, just name it and you’ll find it!

You must be wondering what does “divertimento” mean…it simply stands for “Fun”. And there are two other ways to say so: “divertente”/ “divertire”. These words come from the Latin word de-verto which means turn from/go away from: in other words, change direction and find something new and different.  

In this case “to have fun”, basically, indicates to look and search for something different from your day-to- day routine and Milan is the perfect place for that!

If you are searching for the best places in Milan to have fun while attending a language exchange in Milano, L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano might be the perfect choice that offers you this opportunity: with our experiential courses, you will learn Italian both inside and outside in classroom, where you’re going to practise what you’ve learnt in class. L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano also offers different Italian courses that can suit your level of competence. 

Moreover, depending on your period of stay, you can choose between our Three Week Course, Three Month Course or Six Month Course. We also provide you a One-to-one courses in which you, together with the teacher, will choose the topics you want to talk about.

The “Must See” in Milan

You can find a variety of things to do while seeing the best places in Milan and here are few of the many places you could visit. For instance, you could start off with “Dialogo nel Buio”:

DIALOGO NEL BUIO

In a nice and silent street – Via Vivaio, in the centre of Milan, at no. 7 – there’s the Istituto dei Ciechi di Milano, an institute where blind people can take part in projects and activities giving you the possibility to live a special experience called “Dialogo nel buio”: a sensorial journey led by blind guides. 

You can experience the darkness, talk with the guides who’ll help you go on by  touching objects, smelling, listening to sounds, tasting … At the end of the journey, you can relax and exchange your personal experience with other people in the dark bar where you can also eat or drink something… You learn another way of seeing: to see in the dark.

If you are more prone to discover the cultural and artistic part of the city, right below you’ll find up a list of museums where you can attend different events and exhibitions:

• Museo del ‘900
• Palazzo Reale
• Castello Sforzesco
• Triennale
• MUDEC
• Fondazione Prada

Meanwhile, if you prefer visiting a place where you can relax, we suggest you to visit:

I BAGNI MISTERIOSI

Some years ago, an old bathing centre – founded in the ‘30s of XX century – has been re-opened: the area is just near the Parenti theatre, whose foundation took the responsibility to restore and reopen the place. It’s a combination of theatre, events and…movement: you can enjoy swimming in the summer, you can ice skate in winter, you can see shows, take part in workshops, spend an unusual evening with music and dancing. You can experience what you like more. 

I Bagni Misteriosi is located near Porta Romana, at 14 Via Pier Lombardo 

Milan from above

Milan’s skyline can be admired from more than one place; but there’s a specific one where you can have fun: the terraces of the Dome in which your experience starts already when you are climbing the steps: rose marble columns, the spiers, the statues are around you and at each step you can admire something different until you walk along narrow corridors where you can see the polychrome windows. 

Looking at the skyline of Milan from the terrace of the dome is like a magical experience: silence, peace, space… a place where you can almost relax. And, besides, once you are there you can’t help thinking about the travel on the brush of Vittorio De Sica’s Miracle in Milan (1957) 

If you scroll a little lower you can find a list of other skyscrapers where you can take a glimpse of Milan’s breathtaking view/skyline: 

• Palazzo Lombardia
• Triennale Terrace
• Torre Branca

Last but not surely the least: Milan’s nightlife! You can find everything you need to know in this article [Where to have language aperitifs in Milan], in which we enlisted some of the best places in Milan where you can try and live the “movida milanese” while learning Italian: a true language exchange experience in Milano!

If you have just arrived in the city and wish to learn Italian while having fun, L’Italiano a portata di mano can satisfy your wish through an [experiential course].

Our school offers and provides a full circle experience: alternating lessons in classroom and practicing outdoors. You can learn Italian moving from one place to another; you can talk with locals, make new experiences, and live the culture.
Your Italian language course will turn into a real exciting adventure. 

So, prepare yourself to have fun while making mistakes because your Italian journey awaits!

L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano: Learn Italian, Live Italy!

If this post arises your curiosity and you feel you need to attend an Italian language course you can click the button below:

Or click here to contact us: you can get more information about our experiential courses, find answers to your questions, and dispel your doubts.  

Milan is the business capital of Italy where most business events and conventions, both national and international, occur. Salone del mobile, better known as “Milan Design Week”, or the fashion week are some of the most famous business events in Milan which attract people from all over the world. During these occasions you can certainly meet the dynamic businessman, designer, architect…

Business events in Milan

Events are always a meeting point and Milan is the ideal place where you can connect with people and get inspiration for your business. Meeting people means language exchange, it means talking and interacting. Moreover, a business event in Milan can be the perfect opportunity where you can introduce yourself, your business/startup and your ideas altogether while doing some networking. Thus, learning Italian will open up the doors of the city and let you spread out your project, grow your sales, connections and, who knows, also your success.

If you want to come to Milan for business purposes or to base your startup in Italy, then you better start looking for an Italian language school in Milan. Learning Italian, most likely, will ensure and increase your networking opportunities making you discover how easily the language knowledge can create and expand your relationships both in and out your business. 

L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano, is an Italian language school in Milan that can help you learn the basics or improve your language competence to actively participate in the business events in Milan you’re attending.

Milan’s holy grails as business capital of Italy

Business events in Milan: design

Design is one of the focus points in Milan and many events take place here:  Magistretti, Castiglioni and others are some of the topics which become occasion for discussions. Ideas, opinions, proposals, and debates… it’s all about your project and yourself: an event is the place where you can speak, talk, and open your mind.  

Business events in Milan: technology and sustainability

Events about new technologies and sustainability are going on in Milan not only to show people new techniques and their sustainability but also to let people know each other, to network and talk about new developments. Your Italian language competence is the key to participate in these events and to make your own contribution.

Business events in Milan: fashion

Besides the wonderful fashion week, there are other fashion related business events in Milan in which you can participate: the art of fashion, the craftmanship and the sustainable choice. In some cases, you can test your own styling abilities and show your creativity. Events which are occasions to meet, talk and speak with other fashion lovers like you.    

It’s clear that learning Italian is the key to reach your success. And learning Italian means attending a course where you study the language and live the culture. 

L’Italiano a Portata di Mano (an Italian language school in Milan), with its Italian courses, could easily help you on your search. In fact, our courses vary depending on your Italian level and your necessities. With L’Italiano a portata di mano you’re going to have a full circle experience, meaning not only are you going to learn Italian but you’re also going to enjoy Italy.

Through lessons in the classroom and practise outside, you can learn Italian moving from one place to another; you can talk with locals, make new experiences. Your Italian language course will turn into a real adventure. So, prepare yourself to have fun while making mistakes because your Italian journey awaits! 

With our intensive Italian language course in Milan, you can turn learning into a journey across the city living the culture and practising the language.  

If this post arises your curiosity and you feel you need to attend an Italian language course you can click the button below:

Or click here to contact us: you can get more information about our experiential courses, find answers to your questions, and dispel your doubts.  

learn Italian in Italy for free, is possible if you know how!

Milan’s nightlife usually starts with a simple “aperitivo” with friends, colleagues, loved ones, etc.  that might turn out into a “language aperitif”, a fun way to learn Italian in Italy for free with a little bit of twist.

Which is the best way to learn Italian without spending a penny? I actually can’t find any. If you want to learn Italian in Italy for free you either have very good friends that could teach you the language or you are bound to drop some money in order to learn or deepen/reinforce/ your Italian knowledge.

What does an aperitivo mean?

Aperitivo means meeting after work, talking, getting news and being always up to date with all that’s new in such a modern and open city as Milan is. By these means, aperitivo might also be a perfect opportunity for some language exchange. L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano (IAPDM), with its Italian courses, could help you on this.

A brief story about the origins of the Aperitivo

It all started after World War II from the Jamaica café and went on during the ’60s and ’70s until “la Milano da bere” was born in the ’80’s. In the 90s the story of the aperitif went on and everybody in Milan, between 7.00 pm and 9.00 pm, met and drank an aperitif: they paid the drink and ate for free.  This long story comes to us and still nowadays people meet and drink aperitif. They are different from the past: empty pages are still to be written about the aperitif… 

Top 3 bars for a perfect language aperitif

There are many places in Milan where you can enjoy an aperitif and discover both new and traditional ways of drinking an aperitif, speak Italian and carry on conversations. Coffee bars, events and all types of gatherings are probably the most appropriate places where to have a language exchange.

The Aperitivo can be an occasion, as already said, to speak Italian, to test your competence and to meet with your Italian teacher and other students.

Now on to the fun part…

Would you like to have a good aperitif in Milan and speak Italian?

At Casa degli Artisti – 89/A, Corso Garibaldi (downtown) – there’s a bistrot where you can have a “language aperitif”. It is located in a very welcoming place which allows you to meet people and carry on conversations about different topics in a foreign language which is, in this case,  Italian. You can sit in a warm and cosy place or, when the weather is nice, you can enjoy a long stay outside in a green atmosphere. Stay tuned: special events are organised for you to meet and talk with the artists living there.  

Would you enjoy learning Italian, participating in an event and tasting an aperitif all at once?

21 Way Of Living – 24, Via E. Nöe (Città Studi) – is a special place where you can learn Italian for free, as well as taste an aperitif in the bistrot or in the courtyard, meet students who temporarily live there, and workers who work in the co-working area, and enjoy a young and lively atmosphere. And there’s more: at 21 WOL many events take place in which you can participate, listen to Italian local artists and to people who run different activities and talk with them, ask for questions and practise your Italian. Many foreigners live here but Italian is the main language you can hear. What a “language aperitif”!

Do you want to have a language aperitif in the lively Isola neighbourhood?

Deus Café Isola – 3, Thaon de Revel – is located in a lively neighbourhood swarming with young people but where you can still meet pensioners living in this area who drink their “bianchino” in the traditional taverns that are still open in this neighbourhood. At Deus café you can enjoy a good aperitif in an informal and vibrant atmosphere and take the opportunity to speak Italian, visit their shop and live for a while in the world of bikers and motorcyclists.  

Learning Italian while enjoying life in Milan is our leitmotiv: our Italian language and culture courses take place all over the city. From classrooms to squares, from a café to a park. 

Through our experiential Italian courses, you can learn the language moving from one place to another; you can talk with locals and have a 360 degree Italian experience. Delight your night with a language aperitif, have fun together with your classmates, colleagues and new acquaintances. So, prepare yourself to have fun while making mistakes because your Italian journey awaits!

With our intensive Italian language course in Milan, you can turn learning into a journey across the city living the culture and practising the language.  

If this post arises your curiosity and you feel you need to attend an Italian language course you can click the button below:

Or click here to contact us: you can get more information about our experiential courses, find answers to your questions, and dispel your doubts.  

Haven’t you had your morning dose of caffeine, yet? Let’s go for a stroll around the coffee bars in Milan while learning Italian!

Drinking coffee in Milan, and all over Italy, is a daily ritual – Italians start in the morning at home and go on during the day at different café bars: they may drink a “caffè” standing in front of the bar or sitting at a table. In any case, drinking coffee means talking, socialising, and meeting people. It means, speaking Italian.

Coffee bars are all around the city, thereby you can easily find one where to drink a nice caffè espresso – near your working place, near your school, near the university, downtown… every café has its own characteristics and it’s full of people who, for any reason, spend their time around, i.e., students, co-workers, tourists, etc.

Looking for a place where you can drink coffee in Milan?

Right beneath, there are the top 4 coffee bars L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano suggests

Would you like to drink coffee in Milan and speak Italian?

Do you want to spend a good afternoon and practise Italian? 

Do you want to drink coffee in Milan right into a special place and learn Italian in a relaxing context?

Would you like to go at least once to an historical café in Brera?

With our intensive Italian language course in Milan, you can turn learning into a journey across the city living the culture and practising the language.  

If this post arises your curiosity and you feel you need to attend an Italian language course you can click the button below:

Or click here to contact us: you can get more information about our experiential courses, find answers to your questions, and dispel your doubts.  

Do you need to do a phone interview in Italian, and you don’t know where to start? Read this article!

Phone interview is becoming more and more the initial step for recruiting candidates. They are mainly used to narrow down the list of applicants who will be invited for the final step of the job interview which will be conducted personally. Sometimes, phone interviews may also be straight up the final step.

They are generally held to accomodate candidates that are out of town, minimizing possible expenses involving the interview process.

What is a phone interview?

A phone interview is basically a job interview only through the phone.

It is usually a scheduled phone call that might last from 30 to 60 minutes during which the employer will be asking specific questions, costum tailored ones to evaluate your compatibility with the position/employment at stake and see how well you’d work for your future team.

Phone interviews are usually supervised directly by the hiring manager but this is not always the case, as a matter of fact, you might also be interviewed by a recruiter or an HR (Human Resource). It actually depends on the company but, in any case, you should always take your interview seriously wether you’re talking to a recruiter or to an HR.

A well conducted phone interview can create career opportunities, therefore always come and be prepared.

Differences between phone screening and phone interview?

More often people confuse the two things. It is quite known that both are managed through a phone call and that they might have similar purposes but the main difference is that, phone screenings are usually held to have a first impression of the candidate, to see wether they are suitable for the position or not. In this process, the recruiter might simply ask qualification questions and you might be discussing informations about the employment as well, meanwhile the phone interview will be an in-depth interview which will include behavioral and more detailed questions about your past work experiences.

Another main differences are the time limit of the job interview and the interviewer per se. Generally, a phone screening lasts less than 30 minutes and is led by a recruiter or an HR, while the phone interview can also take up to an hour and it is led directly by the hiring manager.

Phone interview in italian

If you are looking for a possible employment in Milan, or getting ready to your first phone interview in italian but are not quite sure of your language level, don’t worry because our school – Italiano A Portata Di Mano – can easily solve and help you with your problem.

With our school, you can easily hold your phone interview in italian without having to worry about the outcome.

IAPDM (Italiano A Portata di Mano) provides a variety of italian courses that could help you improve your language skills. Thanks to our innovative system of teaching: the Experiential Course, learning italian language will be quicker and more efficient. By studying the language both indoors (inside a coworking space where you will be able to talk not only with your classmates and teachers but with locals as well) and outdoors (where you are going to practice what you’ve learned), you will acknowledge new experiences and competences.

In my personal opinion, living the culture first hand will only refine your italian skills more and fasten your learning process.

Italiano A Portata Di Mano will be dealing different topics, including the perfect way to handle a phone interview in italian. If you need and desire, we can also help you rehearse in class. We will help you prepare your presentation and we will review your answers to any possible questions they might ask you.

To give you some headups on how to conduct a successful phone interview in italian, here are some basic guidelines to follow while you’re waiting for that call:

1. Research

Make a thorough research about the company or the employer. The more you know the better chance you’ll have to impress the hiring manager or the recruiter. Researching allows you to tailor your answers, by doing so you maximize and ensure your oppotunities to be considered as a perfect candidate for the offered employment.

2. Be prepared

Be ready to make an impeccable presentation of yourself, enlist your strengths and weaknesses and be prepared to answer to their job and company related questions and to ask them back as well. Expressing interest and excitement in the opportunity can only leave a positive impression. Furthermore make sure that your phone is charged and that you have a clear signal.

3. Practice interviewing

Phone interview isn’t as easy as it seems and you should be as professional as your in-person interview. Practice can be helpful to realize if you have some adjustments to make in order to sound more appealing for the recruiters.

4. Body language and tone of voice

Eventhough your recruiters can’t see you, you are still able to pass on a positive impression of yourself by paying attention to your body language. For instance, make sure to sit up straight or simply stand up, this will keep you alert and focus on the interviewer. Don’t forget to smile, it’ll make you sound more upbeat and engaged.

Since this type of job interview is mainly led through the phone, body language is missing in the communication, therefore you have to rely only on your language competence, the tone and the register of your voice and the ability to understand even the “speaking silence”.

To wrap up, after the phone interview, make sure to write a thank you letter. Thank you the recruiter for the time and for considering you as a possible candidate. Remember to reiterate your strengths and your interests for the job.

Speaking, listening, and understanding are of absolute importance in a phone interview and Italian competence is the key to do that with Italian candidates. 

Learn italian language by living the italian culture! Prepare yourself to have fun while making mistakes because your italian journey awaits!

If this post arises your curiosity and you feel you need to attend an Italian language course you can click the button below:

Or click here to contact us: you can get more information about our experiential courses, find answers to your questions, and dispel your doubts.  

Looking how to lead a sales negotiation in italian? You’re in the right place.

Before going right into this topic, it is important to know the meaning of sales negotiation:

sales negotiation is a series of meetings, discussions, and proposals between sellers and buyers. In this process, you are able to speak and persuade, to give a solution and satisfy your customer and, for this matter, you must use the correct verbal and non-verbal language in order to empathise with the person you are negotiating with. 

Here you can find some tips & tricks about how to lead your customer into signing a contract deal and sell your product

Connection

You have to build a connection with your possible client or buyer. Therefore, in this stage, the first impression is crucial. It’s with your self-introduction that you give the most important information about your product or sales proposition. 

As soon as you meet a person, you open a communication channel touching the emotional part of the human being: words are very important as well as paying attention to the sensibility of your buyer. Be a good listener, read between the lines and acknowledge their concerns. 

Be prepared

Before heading to your sales meeting you should prepare a well-done plan which contains relevant insights about possible challenges that could occur and how you can handle them. In this way, you let your customer think that your proposition is valuable for the company. Trust building is a key factor, in that you create a strong bond that could lead to a successful sales negotiation outcome.

Remember: Be proactive, don’t let the buyer lead the entire negotiation process.

Lead the negotiation

After building a bond and  gaining your costumer’s trust, you can begin the meeting by leading the negotiation. Show your goals and share your concerns, your offers, and your ideas, and set the agenda for the meeting. 

Note the essentials: what you want as a sales representative and what the buyer wants. You must be able to foresee future desires, be prepared for possible challenges, requirements, and so on. 

Be a problem solver

You should always have a plan B, in case you fail to reach an agreement with your initial offer. You should always keep your eyes open for opportunities, explore new possibilities, make a trade that could change the price.

Walk away 

If demands become unreasonable or unprofitable for the company don’t be afraid to walk away, mostly if it doesn’t give you any kind of benefits despite your best efforts to reach an agreement. 

These are only few of the many other stages on how to lead a sales negotiation. There are many blogs, studies, trainings which can teach you more about it. If you live in Milan and work as a sales representative, you should be able to communicate well to finalise your sales negotiations. You need to learn and speak italian. You have to know the right questions to ask, explain why you are asking them, how to let your customer understand you’re paying attention to him.

Before starting any sales negotiation, not only should you be able to speak Italian, but you should also know the Italian culture, the attitude of the locals and understand who’s the person in front of you. To achieve these goals, L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano is the school for you. Our school offers various courses which vary according to your level of Italian and your needs. IAPDM provides a different way of teaching: the “Experiential Course”.

• It’s clear that learning Italian is the key to run a successful sales negotiation in Milan. And learning Italian means not only learning the language rules but learning to use the language in real situations.

Through our experiential Italian courses, you can learn the language moving from one place to another; you can talk with locals and have a 360 degree Italian experience from understanding the body language and gestures to becoming one of us.

Nothing can teach you quicker and more efficiently than L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano which offers, exactly what you’re searching for: a school that teaches you the Italian language while living the Italian culture. So prepare yourself to have fun while making mistakes because your Italian journey is waiting!

If this post arises your curiosity and you feel you need to attend an Italian language course before holding a sales negotiation in Italian, click the button below

Or click here to contact us: you can get more information about our experiential courses, find answers to your questions, and dispel your doubts.  

Leading an interview in Italian: what to ask

Leading an interview implies education in the HR area and a very good preparation to ask the correct questions according to the position you’re hiring for. There are many and different techniques which can help you conducting an interview for hiring the correct candidate for your business

If you’re in Milan for work and you need to conduct an interview, learning Italian is the easiest way to get the most important information out of the candidates. Speaking the same language can simplify your communication, therefore also the interview.

L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano can help you learn Italian at any moment. You can be ready to conduct an interview either in three months or, even better, in three weeks. 

Our school is based in Milan and we offer a variety of Italian courses and provide a unique way of learning: The Experiential Course. It consists of learning Italian and living like an Italian. Therefore, you’re going to learn not only the Italian language but you’re also going to live the Italian culture, making your journey more exciting and fun. 

With L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano, you’re going to discuss about different topics including “how to lead an interview” 

To find the perfect candidate you should know what you’re looking for. For this matter, there are several guidelines to follow in order to hire the right person for the job title you’re offering. 

How to lead an interview: be well prepared

Before the interview, read and study the candidate’s resume and, if necessary, print out a copy for reference while interviewing. 

To narrow down the list of candidates look at your top performers for inspiration and guidance. By doing so, you will be able to construct relevant questions, finding common vision and values with your candidates

How to lead an interview: describe the company and the position

When you start leading an interview, the very first thing you do is to introduce yourself and describe the company: your language competence will help you sum up its background and vision. By using appropriate words, you’ll help candidates understand which the expectations, and responsibilities of the position are. 

The questions you ask and your language competence let you understand the attitude of the candidates, their abilities to describe how they overcome challenges and little by little if they were the candidates you would like to hire. 

How to lead an interview: candidate’s career goals

You can realise how important it is to learn Italian when you need to understand the candidate’s career goals, when you ask them their professional interests and why they are interested in that specific position.

How to lead an interview: what to ask

Basically, the most frequently asked questions are the following:

• A brief presentation of the candidate
• Why would you fit the position?
• How would your boss and co-workers describe you?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
• How do you handle situations of disagreement with colleagues and your boss?
• How do you handle situations of stress?

After asking these specific questions, you will listen to the candidates’ questions and evaluate their interest in the position, their expectations about salary and career: your language competence will help you understand whether that candidate can proceed to the next steps of the interview process or not. 

When leading an interview in Milan, speaking and listening are two of the main abilities you need.

You can start attending our Italian classes which alternates lessons in classroom and practising outside, all over Milan, and learn Italian. You can talk with locals, understand their body language, and the gesture and make new experiences. 

What are you waiting for? Prepare yourself to have fun while making mistakes because your Italian journey awaits!

Learn Italian, Live Italy with L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano!

If this post arises your curiosity and you feel you need to attend an Italian language course before leading an interview in Italian

or contact us >

You can get more information about our experiential courses, find answers to your questions, and dispel your doubts.  

Interview in Italian

Nowadays, job opportunities, and therefore job interviews, are getting harder to achieve: either you work to get one or you are lucky enough to receive  job offers. If you are looking for an occupation in Milan, you shall learn the basic words for a job interview, or at least know them, to maximize your chances to get hired. The school L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano (IAPDM) could be the solution for your research. Our school offers different Italian courses in Milano and provides an alternative way of learning: an experiential course, with practice outside and real experience, in which not only are you going to learn the Italian language but also to live the Italian culture. We will be addressing the historical, cultural, and artistic aspects of Italy, and Milan in particular, and if you’d rather, you can opt for an individual course that can fit the topics you are more interested in. 

Learning Italian is a commitment. It might seem an enormous work but, with our Italian courses in Milano, learning will be more enjoyable and exciting. And you’ll have a lot of fun.

Would you like to get ready for a job interview in Italian?

Test your Italian competence level and evaluate whether to attend an Italian course. It’s not grasping words that you can face an interview!

Tips of the day

The first thing to do when you get a job interview is to make a thorough research about the company you’re going to have an interview with. Secondly, prepare your answers to possible questions, such as “tell me about yourself, and why you are the perfect candidate for this role”. Therefore, you must learn how to do an excellent “Presentazione”, a self-introduction that could impress your interviewers.

With L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano, you could also mock an interview, so that you can practice and get corrected by the teacher. 

Whatever your project is, a high professional job in Italy after finishing your studies or odd jobs to support your stay in Milan, you need to hold interviews for a job: talk about you and your competences, your working experiences, tell which your strengths and your weaknesses are. In other words: you have to be able to communicate. 

“Colloquio”, “presentazione”, “titolo di studio”, “carriera”, “azienda”, “posizione” “risorse umane” “esperienza professionale”, “approccio”…  are only some of the crucial words you need to know for an interview and your success. It’s about you and your life and these are some of the words which mark the way you’ll follow in the coming years.

Which level of our Italian courses suits you best?

• Have you been in Milan for a while, and you enjoyed it so much to look for a job? 

If you’ve decided to experience working in Milan because you like to stay here and you need to improve your language competence, both oral and written, I do suggest you reach an intermediate-advanced level so you can prepare and easily hold interviews and have the chance to get a good job.  

• Is your Italian language competence at least at a threshold level?

This is the minimum language competence level I can suggest you before starting your job research. Then, make sure the job post you’d like to respond to doesn’t require any Italian certification. Ask yourself: am I able to hold an interview in Italian? Do I need an Italian course?

As you can see, learning Italian is the key to a successful interview. And learning Italian means attending a course where you study the language and live the culture. 

Have you ever thought to attend an experiential Italian course? You can learn Italian more easily and quickly; on top of that, you can talk with locals and make new experiences. So prepare yourself to have fun while making mistakes because your Italian journey is waiting! 

Learn Italian, Live Italy with L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano!

If this post intrigued you somehow and you feel the need to attend an Italian language course before holding an interview in Italian, click on the link down below and test your level of competence to choose the perfect Italian course suitable for you

or simply contact us clicking here >

We can talk directly, answer your questions, and dispel your doubts!

How to choose the way to introduce yourself speaking in Italian?

Speaking in Italian is not always as hard as it seems!

Moving to a new town or a metropolis like Milan, might seem difficult at first. There’s a lot of adjustments you have to go through, a lot of processing and learning to do. Speaking a new language, introducing someone as well as yourself in Italian, might seem difficult but, with our [Italian courses], your journey in this new environment will be a lot easier than you expect, even if your stay in Milan is short and you want to learn Italian for holiday, as example.

The Basics

The language is the first thing to learn when you move to Milan. As a beginner, you must learn the basics,  for example the appropriate way to greet someone or the proper way to introduce yourself in every and any kind of context you’re going to be in. The greetings and presentations may result quite tricky. As a matter of fact, there are different ways to do so. 

Self-introduction (and greetings)

When you meet Italians and you want to introduce yourself, pay attention to whom you’re meeting: is it a formal or an informal context? 

Before introducing yourself, you greet the person you meet: 

• formally “Buongiorno” (if it is daytime), “Buonasera” (if it is nighttime); 
• informally “Ciao”, “Salve”, and not “Pronto!” 

Fun Fact:

Once a friend of mine from Germany went to the petrol station and when she came back, she told me: “After paying, I greeted the man and I said “pronto pronto” but he looked at me with a puzzled face and didn’t answer. Did I say anything wrong?” I started laughing… and she looked at me saying “But… you always say “pronto pronto” on the telephone! Doesn’t it mean “Hello”…”  No, definitely not.

The word “pronto” means “ready” in Italian, and the use of this word when Italians answer at the telephone goes back to the very beginning of the telephone itself: in that time you couldn’t dial the telephone number and talk directly with the person you wanted to contact. You could dial only an operator number and ask for connection with the person you wanted to talk with. So, when the connection was ready, the operator said “pronto”. That’s why, still today, even using mobile phones, Italians say “pronto”. 

Furthermore, mainly, it is used to say that something or someone is ready or, under these circumstances, to greet someone on the phone.

On to the specifics

Depending on the circumstances, you can either choose to introduce yourself in a formal manner or the other way around. For instance, in a formal context, you can start by saying your name and surname then end it with a “Piacere”, which means “nice to meet you”. 

• “John Doe, piacere!”

Meanwhile, in an informal context, you can simply say your name then “Piacere”. This is basically the first approach that you’re going to have by meeting new people.

• “John, piacere!”

If you want to greet and introduce yourself in italian, you can say: 

• Formally: “Buongiorno! John Doe, piacere.”

• Informally: “Ciao! John Doe, piacere.”

You can add a little formula before your name, like “my name is…”

• “Buongiorno/Ciao! Mi chiamo John Doe, piacere.”

Different scenarios to introduce yourself

Already booked a flight to Milan and thrilled to learn italian for Holiday? Are you wondering “how can I introduce myself properly”?

Once you’ve landed you might already find someone from the hotel holding a sign with your name and/or surname on it, waiting to pick you up. You may start your Italian journey by saying the following: 

“Buongiorno, sono John Doe” 

This kind of presentation may also work in other formal contexts such as:

• At the hotel reception where you can introduce yourself in this way: 

“Buongiorno, sono il signor/la signora Doe. Ho prenotato una stanza per tre notti” (“Good morning, I am Mr/Ms Doe. I’ve reserved a room for three nights”)

• At a gala: 

“Buonasera, sono John Doe, molto lieto di conoscerla” (Good evening, I am John Doe, really nice to meet you)

• At the entrance of an event where they will ask you: 

“Buonasera, come si chiama?” (Good evening, what’s your name?) and you’ll answer: “Mi chiamo John Doe” (My name is John Doe).

Meanwhile in informal contexts like:

• At school, you can try introducing yourself by saying your name, age, where are you from and what do you do or your job title: 

“Ciao, io sono John, abito a Milano. Ho 25 anni e sono ingegnere.” (Hello, I’m John, I live in Milan. I am 25 years old and I’m an engineer.”

• At a night out with your italian friends introducing you to other people, in this case, you could say: 

“Ciao, John! Piacere” (Hello, John! Nice to meet you)

If speaking Italian properly, learning in a quick and effective way is what you are looking for, then you’re at the right place. 

L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano (IAPDM), indeed, offers guided courses both in classroom and all over the city, that’s why we love to call them “experiential courses”. And if you prefer, you can easily learn Italian during Holidays thanks to our short period courses.

By attending lessons in classroom and practising outdoors, you can learn Italian more easily and quickly; you can talk with locals and make new experiences. We are going to be addressing subjects regarding job titles, interviews, the “movida italiana” and many other more.

What do you think? Are you ready to turn your Italian language course into an adventure?

Prepare yourself to have fun while making mistakes because your Italian journey awaits!

HAVE A LOOK TO OUR COURSES >

Are you looking for Italian classes to learn and talk Italian in Milan?

Language is the mirror of culture and as the world becomes more and more globalized, knowing another language can only be considered as an enormous skill and advantage. 

Nowadays being multilingual opens the doors to more opportunities, both in studies and career. 

It is no doubt that learning a foreign language is difficult, most certainly the Italian one which is completely different from the English one. At first you’re going to make mistakes, using a word for another just like when mistakenly people use “talk italian”, instead of “speak italian”. 

This kind of mistakes usually occurs when you’re at a beginner level, in this case when you’ve just started to learn a foreign language. What I’m trying to say is that, if you’re planning to live away from home, in Milan perhaps, then you better start looking for a school where you can take Italian classes.

Taking an Italian course, therefore learning Italian language, can definitely make your journey in Italy much easier and enjoyable. L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano can be your life saver in this regard.

As a matter of fact, our school offers a great range of Italian Courses, for every need and level.

What to expect from our Italian Language School

According to your necessities and level of competence, you can find courses that either last three weeks, three months or six months. And if you may prefer, you can also opt for our one to one course where you can basically plan, together with the teacher, the topics you want to learn more about.

L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano (IAPDM) aims to teach the language through what we call “experiential courses”. This kind of approach has been chosen specifically to create a more effective result from what has been learned in class.  By attending lessons in classroom and practising outdoors, you can learn Italian more easily and quickly and improve your Italian by talking with locals and making new experiences. 

With that being said, learning a foreign language is all about being able to communicate and connect with others and this can only be cultivated by interacting with people. Besides, with our Experiential Courses you will be given a 360-degree insight in the Italian culture where not only are you going to learn Italian but you’re also going to live like it.

Talk Italian in Milan with us means expecting laughs and mistakes to remember. With our Italian courses we will be addressing different topics, for example:

Talk italian in Milan: how to choose the right way to introduce yourself

Most certainly we will start with the basis, therefore the first thing you will learn is the right way to introduce yourself in Italian. 

If you want to improve your Italian, this is the first step you have to learn. It may seem hard at first mostly if you’re new in Italy, but there’s nothing to worry about because with IAPDM you’re in good hands.

Thanks to our Italian classes you will be getting some tips and tricks on how to impress who is in front of you. You will learn the appropriate way to greet someone and the proper way to introduce yourself in both formal and informal context.

Self-introduction is different per scenario. In a more formal context, usually, we say “Buongiorno” or “Buonasera” otherwise we simply say “Ciao”, “Salve”.

In this specific case, you can directly practice what you’ve learned out in the city, living first hand some of the storylines that we’ve enlisted in the article.
How you introduce yourself can determine how people perceive you, so it is important to be aware of the context you’re in and who you are talking with. If you want to learn and read more about this matter you can find it in this post: How to choose the right way to introduce yourself.

Talk italian in Milan: which words you need to know for an interview

After introducing yourself, we will go more in depth with the Italian language, more precisely with the correct words to use and know for a job interview. As already said before, learning Italian can only bring advantage for your career.
Basically it becomes easier to hold an interview when you know the company, therefore if you want to make and leave a good impression on your first job interview then I suggest you do a thorough research on the company. Learning more about the place where you want to work can help you answer in a smart and impressing way to the possible questions that may come up during an interview. Also don’t forget to prepare yourself a meticulous self-introduction.

A nice and well-prepared self-presentation can be useful to stand up among the other candidates: if ever you want to practice and mock an interview, IAPDM would be glad and pleased to help you. For your job interview it is crucial to know some basic words so that you can answer to the interviewer’s questions promptly and besides acquiring new knowledge can only give you more confidence with you job interview.

Talk italian in Milan: how to lead an interview

The right way to conduct an interview is one of the many topics we discuss in our Italian classes. As a matter of fact, leading an interview is not as easy as it seems. It might look simple and intuitive at first but asking the precise questions to your future candidates, implies a good preparation about the interviewee.

In all reality, it can be quite challenging if you don’t have an education in the HR area. Furthermore, the interview might become more tricky if you have to conduct it in a foreign language. For this reason, there are few steps to know and learn about conducting a well done job interview and L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano can, hands down, help you on this.

How to lead a Sales Negotiation

If you’re looking for a school that can help you with your sales negotiating skills speaking entirely in Italian, you might have found the right one for you. Italiano A Portata Di Mano, will help you in this journey. Not only are you going to learn Italian but also live as if you’re one of the locals.

Sales negotiation is a very vast topic and talking about it might become quite chaotic but worry not because during our classes we are going to discuss the matter more extensively. In this article you are going to find some key points on How to lead a sales negotiation.

To be and become a good seller, you must be good at convincing people as well as empathising with them. You have to build a certain connection with the buyers in order for them to sign the contract but, by doing so, you must also know your client and propositions, therefore you must be prepared at every given circumstances. Another crucial fact to know is that you are not forced to negotiate with a client with whom you don’t connect with and most importantly if the demands don’t give both parties any kind of benefits.

How to do a phone interview in italian

Anxious on your first phone interview?

These days phone interviews are becoming more and more essential for companies. This kind of strategy is mainly used to speed up the process of recruitment narrowing down the list of applicants. Usually, it is also held to accommodate candidates that are out of town, therefore to minimise possible expenses. Phone interviews are basically the previous step before the final interview which is generally conducted in person. Phone interviews are often confused with phone screenings and even though they are both conducted through the phone, they are still different from each other.

The main differences are: the time limit, the type of questions that are asked and the interviewers. You can find everything you need to know about this topic inside the article in which you will find more information about the meaning of phone interview, some tips & tricks to learn on how to conduct an excellent phone interview.

For this matter Italiano A Portata Di Mano might also help you mock a phone interview in Italian if needed. You are going to learn the basic words to use during a phone interview. By such means you’re going to leave an excellent impression on your recruiter. 

Best places to drink coffee in Milan and meet people

Drinking coffee is a daily ritual for Italian people. In fact, they always start their morning by doing so. You can basically drink coffee anytime you feel like, which could be a perfect opportunity to socialise, learn, practice and improve your Italian. As a result, you’re going to find coffee bars all around the city of Milan.

If you ever find yourself wondering on the best places to drink a nice shot of espresso or simply somewhere to spend your coffee break, L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano has its own top 4 coffee bars to suggest in this article: depending on your personal preferences, you can either find a quiet place where to chit chat with your friends or sip your cup of coffee in a nice bookshop, or spend your time discovering the history.

Where to have language aperitifs in Milan

Amusement and study sounds like an unusual duo but not impossible. With L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano you can easily integrate study with fun. If you want to learn the Italian language while having a glass of wine, by reading this article you will discover the top 3 bars where you can put into practice everything you have learned in class. You will have the opportunity to improve your Italian skills while having an “aperitivo” for the first time.

Though, it is safe to say the meaning of the word “aperitivo”. It simply means gathering with friends or loved ones after work to be always up to date with all the news that Milan has to offer. In this case, you might use it as a chance for some language exchange, therefore intensify your knowledge with the Italian language and to be more confident by speaking it with locals while drinking your Pinacolada and eating the appetisers.

In Milan, having an aperitif on the weekends is almost a must just like getting coffee in the morning. Italian’s nightlife is characterised by getting an aperitivo in the evening. You can easily find bars where you can have and aperitif and L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano can share you the best ones.  

What are the best business events in Milan

Milan is considered as the business capital of Italy. With that being said, there can be different types of business events that occur within the city, such as the “Salone del Mobile”, also known as the “Design Week”, and the Fashion Week. These events usually attract thousands of tourists from all over the world, furthermore they might be the perfect place to encounter and meet new people.

Attending business events is a great opportunity not only to expand your acquaintances but most especially if you are planning to open your own startup. Therefore to leave a good first impression you should be prepared to understand, to speak and communicate in Italian. L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano can easily help you get through this journey. Milan has become the capital of business thanks to three main factors: design, technology and fashion. Discover more in this article >

With our Italian courses in Milan not only you will learn the tips and tricks about the task, improving your skills as an interviewer and, as a bonus factor, you’ll also learn Italian language as well as Italian culture. Some of the key points to keep in mind when you’re about to conduct an interview is your preparation about the applicant, learn as much as possible and, if needed, print a copy of their resume for reference while interviewing; introduce yourself and the company, let your interviewee ask questions and talk. Inside the article you can also find the typical questions that every interviewer might ask.

With L’Italiano A Portata Di Mano, learning Italian has never been so easy!

Or click here to contact us: you can get more information about our experiential courses, find answers to your questions, and dispel your doubts.