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PhrasesIntroducing YourselfHo sempre amato le lingue straniere.
B1

Ho sempre amato le lingue straniere.

I have always loved foreign languages.

Pronunciation

'Amato' = a-MAH-toh — past participle of 'amare.' 'Straniere' = stra-NYEH-reh — four syllables.

When to use it

Use in language-learning contexts or when explaining your linguistic background. It connects immediately to the shared interest of learning Italian and sets a positive, enthusiastic tone.

What it means

'Ho sempre amato' = passato prossimo with 'sempre' — 'I have always loved.' Placing 'sempre' between the auxiliary and past participle is the standard position in Italian. 'Lingue straniere' = foreign languages.

Variations

Le lingue mi hanno sempre appassionato.

Languages have always fascinated me.

Inverts the structure — 'le lingue' is the subject, 'mi' is the indirect object.

Da bambino/a sognavo di parlare tante lingue.

As a child I dreamed of speaking many languages.

'Da bambino/a' = as a child — adds a nostalgic childhood dimension.

Credo che imparare lingue apra la mente.

I believe that learning languages opens the mind.

Philosophical statement — signals intellectual values alongside personal passion.

Mini Dialogue

— Perché hai imparato l'italiano? — Ho sempre amato le lingue straniere. Parlo già inglese, spagnolo e ora italiano. — Sei un vero poliglotta! — Ci provo! L'italiano è la più bella di tutte.

— Why did you learn Italian? — I have always loved foreign languages. I already speak English, Spanish and now Italian. — You're a true polyglot! — I try! Italian is the most beautiful of all.

Cultural Note

Telling Italians that their language is the most beautiful you have encountered is universally met with delight. Italian is widely considered one of the world's most melodic and literary languages — a fact Italians are genuinely proud of.