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PhrasesSmall TalkChe lingua stai imparando?
A2informal

Che lingua stai imparando?

What language are you learning?

Pronunciation

'Imparando' = eem-pa-RAN-do — gerund form of 'imparare.' 'Stai imparando' = ongoing action, like 'you are learning.'

When to use it

Perfect at a language school, exchange event, or when someone is studying with a language app or book. It shows interest in the person's self-improvement journey.

What it means

'Stare + gerundio' for ongoing activities is the Italian equivalent of the present continuous. 'Imparando' is the gerund of 'imparare.' 'Che lingua' = 'what language' — 'che' as an adjective before the noun.

Variations

Da quanto studi quella lingua?

How long have you been studying that language?

Follow-up duration question — uses 'da + present tense' structure.

Come stai imparando — da solo o con un insegnante?

How are you learning — alone or with a teacher?

Explores the method — interesting for language learning conversation.

È difficile per te quella lingua?

Is that language difficult for you?

Empathy-based follow-up — invites sharing learning challenges.

Mini Dialogue

— Che lingua stai imparando? — Sto imparando il giapponese. È una sfida enorme! — Che coraggio! Perché proprio il giapponese? — Ho una passione per la cultura giapponese da anni.

— What language are you learning? — I'm learning Japanese. It's a huge challenge! — How brave! Why Japanese specifically? — I've had a passion for Japanese culture for years.

Cultural Note

Japan is one of the most admired cultures in Italy — the shared appreciation for craftsmanship, food aesthetics, and tradition creates a strong cultural affinity. Many Italians learn Japanese out of genuine passion for anime, manga, or cuisine.