Coffee Break Italian

Coffee Break Italian is one of the most recognized Italian learning podcasts in the world, and for good reason. Teacher Mark guides learners from absolute zero alongside native speaker Francesca, building vocabulary and grammar through 15-minute lessons that actually fit into a busy schedule. In Season 1, learner Katie joins the mix, asking the kinds of stumbling questions that real beginners have. By Season 2, Isla takes the learner seat, and the difficulty notches up. The show launched in 2015 as part of the Coffee Break Languages family (the same team behind Coffee Break Spanish and French), and it has grown to over 205 episodes across 15 seasons. The newer seasons get more ambitious — "Scenes from the Coffee Break Cafe" uses immersive storytelling to teach intermediate Italian through narrative scenarios and treasure hunts. Episodes typically run about 15 minutes, though some specials stretch to 40. With 1,834 Apple ratings and a 4.7 star average, the audience is large and loyal. The free episodes cover core grammar and vocabulary thoroughly, while premium course materials through Coffee Break Academy add worksheets, extended audio, and video lessons. Mark's teaching style is patient without being condescending — he explains grammar points clearly, lets Francesca model natural pronunciation, and builds in plenty of repetition. If you are starting Italian from scratch and want a structured, classroom-style approach that still feels relaxed, this is probably the most proven option available.