<p>Italian is pretty easy as far as languages are concerned. It DEFINITELY helps if you've studied another Romance language like Portuguese, Spanish or (especially) French, but even if not it's still a pretty easy language.</p>
<p>Of course, NO ONE has EVER learned a language in a classroom. If you want to learn Italian, just go to Italy for a few months. Take a one way ticket, have no money, no place to live -- trust me, you will learn Italian.</p>
<p>I've studied French and would I say I read can read and understand atleast 60% of the everyday language now. I can cross over with my English and French knowledge and understand a decent amount of Italian and Spanish. The best way to learn it though is to actually live there. Once you start hearing people speak and talk you pick up on things and sayings; however once you leave you lose more than you've gained in your time there. I don't know if that makes since, but it is something you have to use frequently to retain.</p>
<p>Also, speaking is somewhat of a challenge, but listening and reading is not.</p>