You close your copy of Dieci A1 after a productive evening class, feeling a quiet sense of achievement. You have repeated the dialogues, completed the grammar exercises, and noted down new vocabulary. Yet, as you walk home, a familiar anxiety sets in. You wonder how you will actually use these Italian phrases before your next class meets next week.

You can practise between classes with a single question from the chapter you are studying. A short answer about your own plans or needs gives you something to check in the book and a clear question to ask in your next lesson.

This guide follows the 2019 edition of Dieci A1 from ALMA Edizioni, focusing specifically on how you can expand on the material in chapters 1, 6, and 10. Your teacher's assignments and the book's official audio remain your core tools. To help you vary your practice, we have created optional companion scenes on the Dieci A1 companion hub. These original conversations share themes with your textbook but use entirely different situations to help you stretch your skills.

A simple between-class routine

Many self-study methods demand long, daily speaking sessions that are difficult to maintain. A more practical approach is to build a quick, five-step routine around a single textbook audio track or an optional companion scene. This routine fits easily into a busy week and focuses on active recall rather than passive listening.

First, select a short dialogue from the chapter your class is currently studying. This could be an official track from your ALMA Edizioni resources or one of our optional companion conversations.

Second, listen to the dialogue once through to get your bearings. Focus on the situation: where are the speakers, what do they want, and what is the relationship between them?

Third, play the audio again and pause it immediately after a question is asked. This is the moment to step into the conversation.

Fourth, answer the question aloud using your own real-world details. If the speaker asks where you are from, do not repeat the character's city. State your actual hometown. If you do not know the vocabulary for your specific situation, say your answer using the closest words you know, or use English for the missing word.

Fifth, write down the one word or structure you struggled to find. This gives you a concrete question to bring to your next class. Your teacher can then help you refine a sentence you actually wanted to say, making the correction highly personal and memorable.

This structure works because it does not require you to write a long script or memorise complex grammar. It takes a few minutes and keeps you thinking in Italian between your scheduled classes.

Checking in at a hotel (Lezione 1)

In the first chapter of Dieci A1, titled Primi contatti, you cover the fundamentals of starting a conversation. You learn to greet people at different times of day, state your nationality, spell your name, and handle basic administrative situations. This is also where you learn to tell the difference between the informal tu and the formal Lei.

To practise these concepts, you can use our optional companion course Checking in at a hotel. The scene takes place at seven o'clock on a weekday evening at the reception of a small hotel near the train station in Padua. A guest named Jakub has arrived with a colleague for a trade fair. The receptionist, Alessia, checks them in. Because this is a business encounter, they use the formal Lei register from their very first words. Jakub's colleague is present but does not speak, which keeps the dialogue clear and focused.

This exchange contains several essential grammar structures from chapter 1, including the singular forms of avere (to have) and essere (to be), negation with non, and the spelling of names using the Italian alphabet.

How to use this scene for practice

You can adapt this hotel scenario into three distinct activities to keep your speaking practice active:

  • The spelling run: Listen to the audio until Alessia asks "Come si scrive?". Pause the track and spell your own surname aloud using the Italian alphabet. If your name contains letters like J (i lunga), K (kappa), W (doppia vu), X (ics), or Y (ipsilon), pay close attention to how you pronounce them. This helps you master the alphabet using words you actually need to spell in real life.
  • The document swap: In the dialogue, Alessia asks for an identification document. Jakub explains that he has his passport while his colleague has an identity card. When you listen, pause the tape and state which document you have on you right now: "Ho il passaporto" (I have the passport) or "Ho la carta d'identità" (I have the identity card). You can then ask your partner which document they have: Hai il passaporto?
  • The registration form: Create a simple profile for yourself based on the questions Alessia asks Jakub. State your name, your nationality, and your city of residence. Speak these details aloud as if you are answering a receptionist at a counter.

By inserting your own details into this formal structure, you transition from memorising grammar tables to preparing for a real travel encounter. Bring any questions about the pronunciation of the alphabet or the use of Lei to your next class.

Making plans for the weekend (Lezione 6)

In chapter 6, Parliamo di me, the focus shifts to your free time, your personal interests, and how you organise your daily life. This chapter introduces the informal tu register, reflexive verbs, the irregular verb uscire (to go out), and how to express preferences using piacere.

You can practise these skills with our companion course Making plans for the weekend. The scene is a phone call on a Thursday evening in Pisa. Elisa calls her university friend Filippo to suggest going to the cinema. Since Filippo works late in a restaurant on Fridays, they have to discuss their schedules, share their taste in films, and agree on a different day and time.

This dialogue highlights key vocabulary for days of the week, the use of articles with days to show routine (like il venerdì for "on Fridays"), and the structures we use to accept or decline invitations.

How to use this scene for practice

To build your confidence with these conversational structures, try these three exercises:

  • The honest refusal: Listen to Elisa's invitation: "Ti va di andare al cinema domani?". Pause the audio and give a real answer based on your own life. If you are busy, use the modal verb dovere (to have to) or a reflexive verb to explain why. You might say: "Non posso, domani devo studiare" (I cannot, tomorrow I have to study) or "Venerdì mi riposo" (On Friday I am resting).
  • The preference battle: In the dialogue, Filippo and Elisa talk about the films they like and dislike. Use the structure mi piace (I like) and non mi piace (I do not like) to describe your own tastes. Pause the audio when they mention horror films and state your own preference aloud: "A me piace il cinema italiano, non mi piacciono i film dell'orrore" (I like Italian cinema, I do not like horror films).
  • The calendar shuffle: Elisa and Filippo eventually agree to meet on Saturday. Change the day of the invitation in your practice. Suggest meeting on Sunday (domenica) or Monday (lunedì) instead, and state a specific time using the question "A che ora?" (At what time?).

These activities help you practise the transition between stating an activity and coordinating with another person. They also show you how to say "no" politely in Italian, which is just as important as saying "yes".

At the pharmacy (Lezione 10)

The final chapter of the book, Il giusto equilibrio, covers work habits, parts of the body, minor physical ailments, and how to give advice. The grammar focuses on the tu imperative (both regular and irregular), the imperfect tense of essere, and expressions of time like da quanto tempo (for how long).

Our companion course At the pharmacy offers a practical setting to use this language. The scene is a pharmacy near the seafront in Trieste, just before closing on a cold November evening. Gabriele, a chef who works long hours, comes in with a headache and a bad back. The pharmacist, Silvia, went to school with him, so they speak informally. Silvia gives him medicine and some friendly advice about managing stress.

This conversation shows how to describe physical symptoms and explain work routines using simple time expressions.

How to use this scene for practice

Use these exercises to familiarise yourself with the language of health and physical wellbeing:

  • The symptom check: When Silvia asks "Che hai?", pause the track and describe a minor ailment of your own. You can use the construction ho mal di followed by a body part, such as ho mal di pancia (I have a stomach ache) or ho mal di gola (I have a sore throat). This helps you connect the vocabulary of the body to physical sensations you have felt.
  • The schedule check: Gabriele works twelve hours a day, which Silvia identifies as the source of his stress. Pause the audio and state how many hours you work or study each day: "Lavoro otto ore al giorno" (I work eight hours a day). Use this to practise your numbers and the preposition al (per/a) in context.
  • The advice response: Silvia uses the informal imperative to give Gabriele advice, telling him to take a walk or get some rest: "Prendi questa medicina" (Take this medicine) or "Fai una passeggiata" (Take a walk). Listen to her advice and practise responding with a promise to slow down, such as "Va bene, stasera finisco presto" (All right, tonight I will finish early).

Remember, this practice is designed to help you get comfortable with Italian vocabulary and grammar structures. It is a language exercise, not a source of actual medical advice. If you have real health concerns, always consult a qualified medical professional.

Vary your questions to keep practice natural

Once you are comfortable answering questions, try changing your focus to the questions themselves. In a real conversation, you are rarely just passive, you need to ask for information, check details, and keep the dialogue moving.

In the hotel reception scene, practice asking the receptionist for clarification. If you do not understand a room number or a spelling, ask the speaker to repeat it. You can use a simple phrase like:

Come, scusi? Può ripetere? (What, sorry? Can you repeat?)

In the weekend planning scene, practice turning the question back to your partner. If someone asks if you want to go to the cinema, do not just say no. State your reason, and then immediately ask what they want to do instead:

E tu che cosa vuoi fare? (And what do you want to do?)

In the pharmacy scene, if you hear an unfamiliar word, practice asking what it means:

Che significa questa parola? (What does this word mean?)

By practising these questions, you prepare yourself for the unpredictable nature of real conversations. You can try these variations alone by speaking back to the recording, or practise them with a classmate between your weekly lessons.

Your teacher is your best resource

The ultimate goal of practising between classes is not to achieve perfect fluency on your own. It is to identify the exact areas where you need help so you can make the most of your time with your teacher. When you speak Italian at home, keep a small notepad nearby to jot down any doubts or moments of hesitation.

If you struggle to pronounce a specific letter while spelling your name, or if you are unsure whether to use a reflexive verb when describing your routine, write it down. Before your next class, look up the grammar explanations in your Dieci A1 textbook. If you still feel unsure, start your next lesson by asking your teacher about it.

Your teacher will appreciate your specific questions. It shows you are actively engaging with the language and gives them a clear starting point for the class.

The official audio tracks and exercises in your textbook are completely sufficient for this practice. Our optional companion conversations are simply there to give you extra variety and new contexts when you want them.

If you want to explore these optional dialogues, you can find the complete index of companion courses on our Dieci A1 companion hub.

HearSay is not affiliated with or endorsed by ALMA Edizioni. Dieci A1 is a trademark of its owner. These are our own conversations, written around each chapter's themes.

FAQ

Which edition and chapters of Dieci A1 does this guide use?

This guide is based on the 2019 edition of Dieci A1 published by ALMA Edizioni. It focuses on the themes and grammar structures in Lezione 1, Lezione 6, and Lezione 10. If you are using a different edition, check your table of contents to match these specific topics.

Can I use this practice routine without HearSay?

Yes. You can easily apply this five-step routine using the official publisher audio, your classroom assignments, or by practising with a classmate. HearSay provides optional, original companion scenes on related themes to give you extra listening and speaking variety between your scheduled classes.

What if I cannot answer the questions without reading the script?

Start by checking just one unfamiliar word or phrase in your book, then try giving a much shorter answer aloud. If you are still unsure about a specific grammar structure, write it down and ask your teacher for clarification in your next class before you practise the scene again.