Reach Italian A2
12 weeks · 3 milestones
Communicate in simple exchanges on familiar topics in Italian. Unlike app-based learning, every milestone requires proof of real human communication — not a score on an app.
Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
A2 Italian vocabulary reaches roughly 1,200–1,500 words covering food, transport, shopping, health, work, and family in real-use detail. At A2 the Italian verb system introduces its most notorious challenge for English speakers: the passato prossimo requires selecting the correct auxiliary — essere for motion and change-of-state verbs (sono andato/a, sono partito/a, sono venuto/a), avere for most action verbs (ho mangiato, ho parlato, ho letto). There is no grammatical shorthand — the essere-taking verbs must be learned individually. Build vocabulary through narration, not lists.
Proof required
Record a 2–3 minute audio in Italian describing how you spent last weekend. Use at minimum 5 verbs in passato prossimo — at least 2 taking essere (sono andato/a, sono arrivato/a, sono uscito/a) and at least 2 taking avere (ho mangiato, ho visto, ho fatto). Also use at least 2 verbs in imperfetto for background states or ongoing past actions (era, stavo, faceva).
What gets checked
- Essere/avere auxiliary selection is correct for all 5 passato prossimo verbs — using avere with motion verbs (ho andato instead of sono andato) is the most common A2 Italian error and the clearest signal that this grammar has not consolidated
- Imperfetto is used for genuine background state or ongoing action — not as an alternative past tense for completed events (ho mangiato = I ate, mangiavo = I was eating / I used to eat)
- Vocabulary covers the familiar-topics register — the narration should not be restricted to home and family; it must reflect at minimum food, movement, and one additional activity or topic