There’s a moment every language learner hits where they think, Why am I doing all this work and still understanding nothing?
I hit that moment more than once.
I was “studying.” I was consistent. I was doing all the right things or so I thought. But when Italian showed up outside of my notebook, it felt like I’d learnt nothing at all.
That’s when I realised the problem wasn’t effort.
It was strategy.
What No One Explains About Language Learning
Languages aren’t made up of thousands of equally important words.
Some words do most of the work.
In fact, a relatively small group of words appears again and again forming the backbone of the language.
When you don’t know them:
- Listening feels exhausting
- Reading feels slow
- Speaking feels impossible
When you do know them:
- You start recognising meaning quickly
- You feel less lost
- You stop needing to understand every word
This is the difference between studying a language and processing it.
Why Rare Words Make You Feel Stuck
For a long time, I focused on learning new words every day.
New words feel productive. They give you that little hit of “I did something.”
But if those words don’t repeat often enough, your brain doesn’t keep them.
So you end up with a lot of knowledge and very little ability.
Once I shifted to learning the most common words, Italian stopped feeling fragile. I wasn’t constantly starting over.
The Confidence Shift No One Talks About
Here’s what surprised me most.
Learning common words didn’t just help my comprehension it changed how confident I felt.
I could hear Italian and think, Oh, I know this word. And this one. And that one too.
That feeling keeps you going.
Not discipline.
Not motivation.
Confidence.
When your brain feels capable, it wants to continue.
How I’d Start Again If I Were a Beginner
If I were starting from scratch today, I wouldn’t chase streaks or fancy resources.
I would:
- Learn the most common words first
- Hear them daily
- Use them in simple sentences
- Let progress come from recognition, not memorisation
That foundation makes everything else easier grammar, speaking, listening, all of it.
Want Italian to Feel Familiar Instead of Frustrating?
My Italian Flashcards and Learning Guides are designed around this exact idea.
They focus on the words that actually appear in real Italian, so you can build confidence first — not last.
They’re made for adults with full lives who want progress without pressure.
If you want Italian to stop feeling like effort and start feeling possible, you can take a look at what’s included here.