Almost every day, students ask me which textbook is the best for learning Italian. My answer is always the same: “Dipende” — it depends.
There are so many handbooks out there, and each one has something valuable to offer. Some of them are better for beginners, other are the best for grammar nerds or maybe for practical people who don’t like learning rules.
Here I’ll share a few words about the four textbooks I know best — plus one extra tip directly from me.
This is the Italian textbook I know best — I used it for years at a school where it was adopted for every course.
It’s a solid series of textbooks, probably the best choice for learners who aren’t in a hurry and want to build confidence through theory before jumping into conversation.
I find the volumes for levels A1, A2, and B1 very good. For more advanced learners, however, I usually prefer other resources.
Authors: Maurizio Trifone, Andreina Scaglione
Published by: Le Monnier/Mondadori Education
This is an old-school Italian textbook. I know a second edition was released, but the old version is still available, so I assume the approach hasn’t changed much. They probably updated some vocabulary and examples.
The method relies heavily on repetition — an approach I wouldn’t recommend for the long term. However, it can be very helpful at the beginning, when you need to memorize lots of new conjugations.
It’s the best choice if you learn best through lots of mechanical exercises.
Authors: Alberto Mazzetti, Marina Falcinelli, Bianca Servadio
Published by: Le Monnier
A very up-to-date Italian textbook. As the title clearly suggests, it’s made up of 10 short chapters designed to get straight to the point with a very practical approach, including games and a variety of audio and video resources.
It’s probably the best choice for those who aren’t interested in grammar nuances and prefer to gain practical tools to start speaking as soon as possibile. I wouldn’t recommend it for self-study, but it works great in a dynamic group of learners.
Authors: Ciro Massimo Naddeo, Euridice Orlandino
Published by: Alma edizioni
In my opinion, this Italian textbook strikes the best balance between a solid grammar foundation and genuinely useful language skills.
What I appreciate most is that the dialogues sound natural — they really show Italian as it’s authentically used in everyday life.
Unfortunately, the first volume doesn’t do a great job of explaining how to use prepositions. But to be honest, this is an issue I’ve noticed in almost every handbook available.
Authors: T. Marin, S. Ruggieri, S. Magnelli
Published by: Edilingua
Which one is the Italian textbook that I use in my classes?
To be honest, none.
I’m currently teaching only online, and it’s hard to use a traditional textbook in that format.Moreover, I mainly teach individuals or very small groups, and handbooks are usually tailored for larger classes, like in schools.
So I prefer to create my own materials: flexible presentations that I can continually improve and adapt to my learners’ needs.
They’re not perfect, of course — but no textbook you can buy would be. I do my best to create Italian learning tools that are clear, useful, and even fun.
Woud you like to see some of my learning tools? Send me a message or book directly a free meeting on Zoom, talk about your level, goals and needs and I can share with you some of my tools so you’ll understand if they fit to you or not! 🙂