Elaine Allaby - elaine.allaby@thelocal.com
Updated: Thu 3 Sep 2026 13:34 CET
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How good does your Italian need to be to live in Italy? Photo by Sterling Lanier on Unsplash
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'Can't rely on goodwill': The verdict on how well you need to speak Italian in Italy
Not every foreigner you’ll meet in Rome or Milan can speak Italian well, but do they really need to? Italy's international residents tell us how essential fluency is for a good life here.
540 words~2 min read
