Where to Learn the Italian Language in San Francisco

The ItaLingua Institute has locations in both Berkeley and San Francisco, and conducts classes, lectures, seminars and private lessons. The primary language courses consist of a six course program from the absolute basics to intermediate level and then advanced Italian. There are also specialized courses in reading, writing and conversation. Regular workshops include Tuscan cooking, pasta and cuisine exploration and focusing on the use of verbs. Private lessons are charged by the hour, and phone lessons are available at $30 for each 30 minute lesson.

The Girotondo Italian School offers courses for all ages, including babies! Special courses are designed for parents and young children to learn together at the same time. Tuition for these classes is about $60 for a class in the morning that runs a little over an hour. Adults without children are limited to private lessons, and small group lessons can be arranged. Cooking and wine tasting classes are also available for the grown ups.

The Istituto Italiano Scuola is actually sponsored by the Italian government. It has elementary, intermediate and advanced classes, as well as Italian for business, conversation and a preparation course for the Certificate of Italian Proficiency. Courses are generally $50 to $70 each but you can register in advance for ten-week courses for about $275 to $360, which seems pretty reasonable. The school is located at 425 Washington Street, Suite 100.

The City College of San Francisco offers a number of courses in Italian. Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced Conversational Italian are offered as well as a class on the culture and civilization of Italy. This is a California state community college and thus tuition is only $20 per credit, if you made a low income in the previous year you may be qualified for the Board of Governors waiver which covers your tuition in full for as many classes as you would like to take for the academic year. Speak to a counselor at CCSF for more information.

San Francisco State University also offers an Italian program which can lead to a Bachelors or Masters of Arts and a teaching credential. There is also a study abroad program centered in Florence or Pavia for one year. Generally students must apply normally to the school and be accepted, however it may be possible to take some of the Italian courses through the College of Extended Learning's "Open University" program. Contact the school directly through their website for further details.