We chatted with Camille Revuz about her Italian language learning journey with us. Find out what made her choose Italian, what she enjoys the most during class, and why she’s so passionate about the language.

Hello Camille! Tell us a little about yourself.

Ciao! (Hello!) My name is Camille, I’m from Paris, France. I’ve been living in Dubai for almost 4 years now. I work in the luxury industry and I enjoy it a lot! In my free time, I like to dance, play some music and… learn Italian.

I speak French, English, German (and now Italian!)

Why did you decide to learn Italian?

I started learning Italian in high school; I took it for my A-Levels. It is a language I truly cherish; it puts me in a really good mood. To me, Italian is the most beautiful language in the world. I also have Italian colleagues at work and so I just wanted to further improve my Italian.

I’ve learned it for three years back in high school (a long time ago!) and it’s been six months since I started my Italian courses at Eton Institute.

Since I started my Italian language learning at Eton Institute, I had the same teacher and she is just so great. She’s making it a wonderful learning experience!

My favorite time during class is when we start a discussion about Italian history, current politics or questions about society. It is always interesting to hear the point of views on different topics.

What could be a practical benefit of learning Italian for you?

In the luxury and fashion industry, French, Italian, and English are the three main languages used in communication. So, it is a true added value to my professional profile. Plus, I can use Italian every day with my Italian coworkers or when I travel to Italy for holidays.

What level do you aspire to reach and how long do you plan to do it in?

I’d like to finish up until level B2 in order to have a strong knowledge of the language and feel comfortable speaking and reading Italian books and newspapers. I really hope to do well in the CILS exam in May.

What’s your best tip for people who want to start learning Italian?

Consistency is key and that also goes for any other language. If you want to learn Italian, try to dig into the culture, history, and cuisine as it all makes a real difference. I would also advise to always practice reading and listening. The key is to find a topic that interests you. Try to find Italian newspapers or watch Italian TV series and movies. You can also listen to podcasts that talk about your hobby. There are a lot of choices!

“If you want to learn Italian, try to dig into the culture, history, and cuisine as it all makes a real difference.” 

What did you find challenging and how did you overcome it?

The two main challenges I faced are the Italian conjugation and the similarity with my mother tongue, French. I tend to apply the French grammar rule to Italian, but it does not work at all. Even if the languages are somehow similar, I shouldn’t try to compare. For conjugation, identifying the different times while reading helps.

What advice do you have for other language learners?

Try to immerse yourself into the culture of the language you’re learning. Find the trendiest TV series, newspapers, latest books, popular dishes, history, so when you meet the person from this language you will also have the culture and many things to share.

Are there any other languages on your bucket list? 

Yes! I would love to learn Mandarin Chinese. I started it when I was in university but didn’t have the time to continue learning it. Maybe next year, who knows…

That was some inspiration to get you started with the beautiful Italian language! Check our Italian courses.