Ciao a tutti from Orvieto, Italia, where I am studying Italian for the summer. I am currently double majoring in English and Italian at the University of Arizona, and my ultimate goal is to become fluent in Italian. As someone whose weakness (in Italian) is reading, I’ve started trying to incorporate it into my everyday life. It can be so hard to immerse yourself in a language when you are not in that language’s country, but reading books in your target language can be a great way to improve your language skills.
The first thing to keep in mind is that it is going to be hard. I recently started The Lightning Thief in Italian and my Kindle estimated it would take me 12 hours to finish. In English, it takes me about three hours to complete. There are so many words you will not understand, but that is the point. Reading in your target language helps you grow your vocabulary by introducing you to new words. I have a lot of holes in my vocabulary in Italian, so it is really hard to read, but that is exactly why I’m doing it.
It’s important to start small. Don’t start with something like Pride & Prejudice when you’ve never read a book in your target language. Start with smaller books that are easier to understand. There is nothing wrong with buying yourself a picture book or a children’s chapter book. You have to remember that you’re essentially learning to read all over again, except you don’t have the same level of understanding of the language that you did when you learned to read in your native language as a kid. When you learn how to read as a kid, you already know the language in spoken context. Once you learn how to sound out the words, you know what they’re saying. Right now, you are learning the language and learning how to read simultaneously. This is a whole new challenge.
Reread some old favorites in your target language. It can be easy to become confused when trying to read a new book in a new language. However, when you read a book you’ve already read in your native language, you already have an understanding of the plot. Depending on how well you know the book, you might also have added context that can help you decipher the meaning of certain words or sentences. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still going to be hard to follow and you will be confused, but it will be a little easier. If you’re a book collector like me, it also gives you an excuse to buy new copies of your favorite books!
Don’t be afraid to look things up. It’s okay to stop reading every five seconds to look up what a word means on your phone. It’s okay if you have Google Translate open (though I recommend WordReference!) to help you understand what’s happening. Have a notebook or a section of your notes app dedicated to writing down the words as you come across them in the book. Don’t be afraid to highlight and annotate either. If you are reading on a Kindle, it will tell you the translation of a word when you click on it, which can be a life saver!
It can be scary to start a book in a language you can barely speak. I know from experience. I haven’t finished a book in Italian yet, and it might be years before I ever do. However, I learn something new with every page I read. Don’t give up, even when you feel lost, because eventually you won’t feel quite as lost. Eventually it will start to make sense. In bocca al lupo (good luck) with your reading, and buona giornata!
Sam Yanis, Pine Reads Review Lead Writer