Italian conversation course for beginning learners

Practical information

CEF

B1+

CEF

A1	At the end of the course, you can understand and use familiar, everyday expressions and basic phrases in areas of immediate need. You can also read and write short, simple texts. You can interact in a simple way provided the other person speaks slowly and clearly and is willing to help. You can for example introduce yourself and you can ask and answer questions on very familiar topics.
A2	At the end of the course you can understand phrases related to areas of most immediate personal relevance (e.g. personal and family information, shopping, employment, ...). You can read and write short, simple notes and messages and find information in everyday material such as advertisements and timetables. You can communicate in simple and routine situations on familiar, everyday topics. You can describe in simple phrases some aspects of your background, your close surroundings and your immediate needs.
B1	At the end of the course you can understand the main points of standard communication on familiar matters regularly encountered. You can enter unprepared into conversation on topics that are familiar and you can connect phrases in a simple way. You can write simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest and you can briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
B2	At the end of the course you can understand most TV news and current affairs programmes. You can even follow complex lines of argument provided the topic is reasonably familiar. You can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible. You can understand the main points of complex texts on concrete and abstract topics and you can understand technical discussions related to your field. You can write clear, detailed texts on a wide range of subjects and you can explain a viewpoint on a topical issue expressing the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
C1	At the end of this course you can better understand native speakers, even when they talk very fast. You learn how to express yourself fluently and spontaneously without any preparation and without much obvious searching for expressions. You can understand more difficult and longer texts, like those you will encounter during your studies. You can also recognize implicit meaning. You can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. You can write clear, well-structured, detailed texts about complex subjects, logically structured, coherent and well connected.
C2	At the end of the course you have no difficulty in understanding any kind of spoken or written language. You can summarize spoken or written language and reconstruct arguments and presentations coherently. You can express yourself fluently and spontaneously and convey finer shades of meaning precisely, even in more complex situations.

Course hours

Prices		Evening
Commercial student This is the standard price for this language course. If you are not entitled to a discount, this is the price you will need to pay.		€300
Student UGent You are registered as a UGent student and you take a course this academic year (or the summer before). Not registered yet? Check out the FAQ discount for future UGent students. PhD students benefit from the staff rate.		€175
Scholarship student UGent You are registered as a UGent student and you have a scholarship from the Flemish Community this academic year. Send us a proof of your scholarship via this form, together with your registration.		€135
Incoming exchange student UGent You are registered as an incoming exchange student of UGent. You will receive an extra discount for a Dutch course. For more info, see the FAQ discount for incoming exchange students.		€175
Outgoing exchange student UGent As an outgoing exchange student of UGent you receive an extra discount. You pay the student fee first and after your departure (after you upload the confirmation of arrival) your discount will be settled automatically.		€65
Outgoing exchange scholarship student UGent		€50
Staff member UGent As a staff member of UGent, you receive a discount, independent of the paying method used for the course. PhD students fall under this category as well.		€235

Hours per week

1x2

Books by

UCT

Objectives and content

Oral skills: In this course, the focus lies on speaking skills: you will learn to function in everyday situations. By means of conversation and discussion exercises, we will review grammar structures and expand and practice vocabulary.
Listening skills: The number of listening exercises is limited. We will focus on speaking and acquiring extra vocabulary.
Reading skills: You will deepen your vocabulary and grammar base by reading texts of average difficulty. The texts serve as an introduction to small-scale debates, conversations and group talks.
Writing skills: Practical writing exercises (emails, short texts,etc.) allow you to practise grammar and vocabulary in realistic contexts.
Vocabulary: Each class covers a specific vocabulary theme to expand vocabulary. Special attention is also paid to idiomatic expressions. In this course, communication is key. Next to everyday Italian and tourist situations, you will also cover (basic) business Italian and polite forms.
The main four themes in this course are: Evviva l’Italia, La vita familiare, Tanti auguri ! and Il mondo del lavoro.

Required prior knowledge

You already have thorough prior knowlege of Italian, especially of the grammar, but you have not had many chances to put your knowledge into practice. You sometimes feel rather insecure when you speak. You often use the same verbs, words and structures and you doubt whether what you say is correct. Your speaking rhythm can also be improved.

This course builds on the course Practical Italian level 3, which means that you master the following tenses: presente, futuro semplice, condizionale semplice, l’imperativo (tutte le forme), il condizionale composto, il passato prossimo, l’imperfetto, il congiuntivo presente, la forma passiva. Equally, you master the following grammar elements: i pronomi personali, possessivi, diretti, indiretti, combinati; i gradi di comparazione and i pronomi relativi, gli avverbi.

Tests

There is a placement test and a final test.

Course materials

Course book: UCT course book. You will receive this book from your language teacher in class.

Recommended books:

Brinker H. (2011) : Prisma Grammatica Italiaans, Utrecht : Het Spectrum
Cappelletti L. (1997) : Bescherelle: Les verbes Italiens, Paris : Hatier
Prisma mini Italiaans, Utrecht: Het Spectrum
Prisma Woordenboek Italiaans - Nederlands, Utrecht: Het Spectrum
Prisma Woordenboek Nederlands - Italiaans, Utrecht: Het Spectrum

If you buy one of these books at Standaard Boekhandel Shopping Zuid, Woodrow Wilsonplein 4, 9000 Gent (in the campus shop next to the shop), you will receive a discount of 10% on the official price. Make sure to mention that you take a language course at the UCT.

Are you already registered for this course? Check out our FAQ ‘What to do after my registration?’.

Schedule and subscribe

10/02/2025 - 12/05/2025

Time	19:00 - 21:00
Days	Mon
Location	Roz 2.1 Rozier 2.1 Room 2.1, Rozier 44, 9000 GENT - 2nd floor

University Language Centre