Italian subjunctive (summary)
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The tenses belonging to the modo congiuntivo (subjunctive mood) express actions, placed in dependent and secondary clauses, related to opinions, desires, wishes, needs, and so on.
There are four different tenses in the Italian subjunctive:
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An interesting pattern to take into notice is the vowel switch which takes place in conjugation: verbs from the I conjugation use i in their endings, whereas those from the II and the III use a.
parlare, "to talk" | vendere, "to sell" | scrivere, "to write" | |
---|---|---|---|
che io | parli | venda | scriva |
che tu | parli | venda | scriva |
che lui | parli | venda | scriva |
che noi | parliamo | vendiamo | scriviamo |
che voi | parliate | vendiate | scriviate |
che loro | parlino | vendano | scrivano |
Still, there are many irregular verb conjugations worth paying attention to:
dire | fare | potere | sedere | uscire | venire | volere |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
dica | faccia | possa | sieda | esca | venga | voglia |
dica | faccia | possa | sieda | esca | venga | voglia |
dica | faccia | possa | sieda | esca | venga | voglia |
diciamo | facciamo | possiamo | sediamo | usciamo | veniamo | vogliamo |
diciate | facciate | possiate | sediate | usciate | veniate | vogliate |
dicano | facciano | possano | siedano | escano | vengano | vogliano |
The imperfect subjunctive is formed through substitution of the endings of the imperfect indicative with the following ones:
parlare,"to talk" | vendere, "to sell" | scrivere, "to write" | |
---|---|---|---|
che io | parlassi | vendessi | scrivessi |
che tu | parlassi | vendessi | scrivessi |
che lui | parlasse | vendesse | scrivesse |
che noi | parlassimo | vendessimo | scrivessimo |
che voi | parlaste | vendeste | scriveste |
che loro | parlassero | vendessero | scrivessero |
Unlike the previous two tenses, the present perfect subjunctive (congiuntivo passato) is a compound verb.
The conjugated forms of essere and avere (for intransitive and transitive verbs respectively) preceed the past participle form of the base verb.
parlare, "to talk" (transitive) | uscire, "to go out" (intransitive) | |
---|---|---|
che io | abbia parlato | sia uscito |
che tu | abbia parlato | sia uscito |
che lui | abbia parlato | sia uscito |
che noi | abbiamo parlato | siamo usciti |
che voi | abbiate parlato | siate usciti |
che loro | abbiano parlato | siano usciti |
The congiuntivo trapassato is also a compound verb.
It follows the very same set of the rules as the previous tense, with the auxiliary essere or avere conjugated differently.
parlare, "to talk" (transitive) | uscire, "to go out" (intransitive) | |
---|---|---|
che io | avessi parlato | fossi uscito |
che tu | avessi parlato | fossi uscito |
che lui | avesse parlato | fosse uscito |
che noi | avessimo parlato | fossimo usciti |
che voi | aveste parlato | foste usciti |
che loro | avessero parlato | fossero usciti |
The subjunctive has many functions in Italian, as it introduces subordinate clauses which integrate the sentence as either the subject or the object of the main verb.
Most of the time - but not always - subordinate sentences in Italian are introduced by the conjunction che.
Here some of the main uses for the subjunctive in Italian:
IT | EN |
---|---|
È necessario che tu faccia di più per rimanere in questa compagnia. | It is necessary that you do more in order to stay in this firm. |
Volevamo che parlaste di altri argomenti durante la conferenza. | We wanted you to discuss something else during the conference. |
Ci aspettiamo che entro settembre tu abbia fatto progressi. | We expect you to have made some progress by September. |
È possibile che avesse già capito il problema tempo fa. | It is possible that he had already understood the problem some time ago. |
IT | EN |
---|---|
A loro piace che il caffè sia ben caldo. | They like the coffee to be well warm. |
Speravo che veniste alla festa. | I was hoping you would come to the party. |
Sono felice che tu abbia superato l'esame. | I am glad you have passed the exam. |
Il fatto che fossero riusciti in quell'impresa rese la città orgogliosa. | The fact that they succeeded in that effort made the city proud. |
IT | EN |
---|---|
Non credo che Giancarlo possa aiutarci. | I don't think Giancarlo could help us. |
Non era vero che Veronica avesse paura di trasferirsi all'estero. | It's not true that Veronica was afraid to move abroad. |
Supponiamo che Andrea abbia trascorso la settimana viaggiando. | We suppose Andrea has spent the whole week travelling. |
Gli è sembrato che la pasta non fosse cotta abbastanza. | It seemed to him that the pasta was not cooked enough. |
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- learn Dutch because you live in the Netherlands (or are planning to move there) and still don’t speak the language properly or haven’t started yet. You’ll enjoy your environment more!
- learn Italian for work or because you will move to this beautiful country or simply because you just love it. Let me help you experience the language!
- study Spanish for pleasure, work or because you have to prepare an exam for school and you need to get confident to perform optimally
- get confident in useful daily conversations, meetings at work, exams, and presentations
- overcome the fear of failure; if you have learning problems, feel shy or need a boost of energy you’ll get confident enough to achieve your goals
My lessons are based on conversations. My method is to help you practice the language from the very beginning in spontaneous and direct conversations, using often role plays.
With books, articles, songs, and other interesting and stimulating material I will encourage conversation, develop grammar in a simpler way, and improve pronunciation.
Learning a foreign language is not a matter of doing much effort, but rather of being consistent, enjoying the lessons and allowing your intuition to work with you. You will book immediate results while having fun!
I've been teaching Dutch, Spanish and Italian for many years, in The Netherlands, for private institutes, for the integration of foreigners into society (Inburgering), and online from Italy, where I currently live.
Contact me for a free trial and let me know how I can help you.
CANCELATION POLICY
If you cancel a reservation please do it at least 24 hours before the session
(otherwise I would have to charge you for the lesson).
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Elena is a great teacher, she is extremely accessible, knowledgeable and will work with you to develop the best approach that works best for you. My husband and I have had multiple lessons now and we enjoy it a lot and look forward every week to the next lesson!
Elena P.
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Thank you for your feedback, Marja. It's a real pleasure to work with you and your husband. I am very satisfied of the results that you both have achieved in such a short time!
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Hi everyone!
My name is Daniela, I am Italian and I come from a small town in Sicily, Southern Italy. I am a qualified Italian language teacher and a CELI examiner! I work in two language schools teaching Italian and I also teach English at school.
I love foreign languages, translating, reading and listening to music. Are you ready to start your language learning path with me? We are going to learn many things and to talk a lot, if you allow me to! Don’t worry if you’ve never studied the language before: everyone can attend my classes – from beginner to advanced students. You just need passion for what you're going to do and... a good Internet connection. Materials are provided by me!
See you online!
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Daniela is a wonderful teacher and a pleasure to talk to. Any student would be lucky to have her as a teacher. Thank you Daniela for your help with my Italian!!!
Daniela V.
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Ciao Robbie, thanks a lot for your feedback. I'm very happy you like the classes together and I'll do my best to keep them as fun and interesting as possible :-)
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Hi, guys! My name is Lucia and I would like to invite you to learn Italian with me.
I am both a native speaker and a QUALIFIED teacher, as I hold a post-graduate degree in “Teaching Italian as a second language” and a national certification as teacher of Italian to not-native speaking.
My teaching method is COMMUNICATION-oriented and involves also the study of Italian culture and grammar. Indeed, as it happens in your mother language, the knowledge of spare words is not enough to get able to speak (i.e. INTERACT!) properly and conveniently.
I’ll prepare for you all teaching materials, tailoring lessons to your needs and interests, taking advantage from both the huge number of textbooks I hold and my creativity!
I offer lessons for all levels, from absolute beginners to advanced, as well as support in preparation to certification exams (I am also qualified ad examiner for the oral part of CELI).
Do not hesitate to get in contact with me to find a suitable time-slot for your trial lesson!
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Wonderful teacher with a broad knowledge of the structures of various languages, which I think helps to better understand students’ needs depending on their native language. Lucia uses a sophisticated platform where a student can easily find all the materials, test, or ask questions in the preparation for the next class. The class is structured in a very entertaining way, and she also has an examination focused approach if needed. Great experience, totally recommend.
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Hi everyone!
My name is Daniela, I am Italian and I come from a small town in Sicily, Southern Italy. I am a qualified Italian language teacher and a CELI examiner! I work in two language schools teaching Italian and I also teach English at school.
I love foreign languages, translating, reading and listening to music. Are you ready to start your language learning path with me? We are going to learn many things and to talk a lot, if you allow me to! Don’t worry if you’ve never studied the language before: everyone can attend my classes – from beginner to advanced students. You just need passion for what you're going to do and... a good Internet connection. Materials are provided by me!
See you online!
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Daniela is an excellent teacher. He has a lot of patience and knowledge. . She is always very attentive to correct your mistakes, so that in each class you improve your speaking and your confidence to express yourself better outside the classroom. 100% the best
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Hi! My name is Federica, and I am a certified teacher of Italian as a foreign language.
I have 3 + years of experience as a teacher, and I have also been a translator/proofreader for almost three decades. I can speak English, a bit of German, French and Spanish, as well as very, very basic Swedish. In short, I know just how it feels to be a learner of a foreign language, too!
One thing I know is that learning a language is more effective - and much more fun - when teaching is personalized. That's why I don't follow any single textbook: I like to try and choose the texts and exercises which are best suited to my students' interests. I also prefer to use "real" material such as magazine articles, songs, videos, etc., so you'll get an authentic feel for the language.
But enough about me. Let's talk about you! What is your current level and what are your short- and long-term goals in learning Italian? Book a free trial lesson (half an hour) with me. We'll talk about your goals and discuss how best to achieve them.
Hope to meet you soon!
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She speaks so softly and understandable. Always cooperating with the student. I'd recommend her especially for grammar studies.
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Hi!
My name is Mariateresa, I'm Italian and I teach English, Italian and Spanish to foreign students.
Having lived in Spain during my last year at University, I moved to the UK, where I lived for the next five years. My English at that time was quite poor and I made a living by doing various jobs.
One day, inspired by my amazing English teacher Mandy, I had an idea: why not teach my native language and Spanish to English people and other nationalities? You wouldn’t believe how fascinated people are by these languages!
It was in 2017 when I fell in love with this job. So much so that one year later I successfully attained a TESOL Certificate, to teach English as a foreign language.
Teaching allows me to fully express myself and my personal qualities, such as patience and an ability to give my full attention to other people. By giving students a space in which to express themselves without fear, I create a safe, non-judgemental environment.
When a new student contacts me I always offer them a free trial lesson, so that we can introduce ourselves and I can get to know their level, interests and needs. It's from there that I create the ensuing lessons.
I provide students with a solid grammar base, but also help them to understand the application and use of the language in everyday life. At the same time, I tailor the lesson to suit the students' main interests – such as grammar, speaking, pronunciation, writing or exam preparation. I teach students of different levels, from beginners to advanced.
Although I love teaching in-person, I have adapted myself to teaching online as well. I have also completed a Teaching English Online course offered by Cambridge University. I have to admit that it's a really effective method, plus you meet people from all over the world!
Having lived abroad for several years I know that learning a foreign language requires time, but it's also fun. By speaking in it we can express hidden parts of ourselves – it's a bit like acting!
You can also assimilate the culture from which the language evolves. It's interesting to see how we can change and develop!
My aim is to transmit to students the idea that nothing is impossible. Learning a language is challenging, but entirely achievable if you keep in mind that it's a journey made of small steps.
What is important is to establish those small objectives every day, and reach them with calm determination.
Like a tracker counts the steps that you walk, put on your “count-words tracker” and you'll be surprised at how much you have learned by the end of the day!
For more information visit:
https://campsite.bio/mariateresa.medici
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I am more than happy to have met Mariateresa as a teacher! She quickly understands the problems a student can encounter, and finds the solutions. She keeps me motivated! I realise that I have made a lot of progress in Italian in the short time since we started our lessons. Can one say better than that?!!
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Hi everyone!
My name is Daniela, I am Italian and I come from a small town in Sicily, Southern Italy. I am a qualified Italian language teacher and a CELI examiner! I work in two language schools teaching Italian and I also teach English at school.
I love foreign languages, translating, reading and listening to music. Are you ready to start your language learning path with me? We are going to learn many things and to talk a lot, if you allow me to! Don’t worry if you’ve never studied the language before: everyone can attend my classes – from beginner to advanced students. You just need passion for what you're going to do and... a good Internet connection. Materials are provided by me!
See you online!
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Highly recommend Daniela She is professional, knowledgeable of on line teaching methods and has a good understanding of your proficiency level to know where to start you.
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Responds to needs and also suggests alternatives. Perfect all around. I can only recommend it to everyone.
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Hello Everybody
My name is Luisa and I teach Italian for foreign students, English, French and German for Italian students
Since 1994, I have dedicated myself to translating and teaching thanks to my travels, abroad studies, foreign reading and writing. I provide fun and customized lessons based on the student's goals. I also triy to minimize English speaking during the lessons. I give homework exercises, and my lessons are intermixed with grammar, conversation, customs and traditions. My goal is to make certain that each student finds learning Italian exciting.
I am available for any explanations also via e mail
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Luisa is the best! Always enthusiastic and she makes the lessons fun and interesting. She's an expert teacher and my Italian has improved enormously.
Luisa A.
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Dear Janice thank you !!!! thank you so much !!!
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Hello everyone!
My name is Ermanno, I am 37 years old, and I am a Italian native speaker.
I got a Master Degree in 2010. Since then I have worked with languages, as a student support, tour guide and event coordinator between Spain and Ireland.
Also, I have been teaching Italian and Spanish giving private classes to students and refugees for over ten years.
I speak English (level c1) and Spanish (level c2) well enough to explain something to you in one of those languages just in case you need.
We can have amazing Italian or Spanish Classes if you are starting to get into a new language or if you just need some conversation classes to broaden or refine your vocabulary.
I will guide and support you through your learning adventure!
Are you ready for that?
-What I offer-
I have been teaching Italian and Spanish for more than 10 years so far, and I have always used no traditional teaching method.
What we need is to enjoy the class, to express ourself and our creativity.
That's the best way to learn and to keep learning.
Furthermore, I will guide you in all the learning process steps and you will learn the grammar in a funny way. ;)
In the conversation class we spend the full hour talking in Italian/spanish about topics of your interest (sports, arts, traveling, culture, food, relations..);and I will make you speak as much as you can.
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT YOU SPEAK AS MUCH YOU CAN?
Because our brain need some time to make us fluent and being confident speaking in another language.
Do not be afraid to make mistakes.
It is the essential and funniest part of the learning process.
What are you waiting for?
Ci vediamo presto L'Italiano ti aspetta!
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Perfect the class with Ermanno. Punctual, professional, educational and very friendly. He prepared the class in advance and adjusted to what I asked. Also send me a pdf with the class information so you can review it at home !! We were able to take full advantage of it. As soon as I have a little more time I will sign up for more classes with Ermanno without hesitation. Recommended 100%
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I offer English and Indonesian language classes. My class is based on conversation practice. You will learn grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary through practice. You will learn in a safest way because I always want to make sure my students feel comfortable and safe during the class, so they are not afraid to make mistakes.
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Ade is a very gentle person with lots of experience in teaching English. She offers well structured lessons, I totally recommend her!
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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Hi everyone!
My name is Daniela, I am Italian and I come from a small town in Sicily, Southern Italy. I am a qualified Italian language teacher and a CELI examiner! I work in two language schools teaching Italian and I also teach English at school.
I love foreign languages, translating, reading and listening to music. Are you ready to start your language learning path with me? We are going to learn many things and to talk a lot, if you allow me to! Don’t worry if you’ve never studied the language before: everyone can attend my classes – from beginner to advanced students. You just need passion for what you're going to do and... a good Internet connection. Materials are provided by me!
See you online!
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Daniela is an excellent teacher. has a lot of patience and you shouldn't be afraid of making mistakes. she is always there to help you. Thanks Daniela
Daniela V.
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Dear Linda, thank you for your positive feedback. I am very happy that you feel comfortable and this is very important to me. Thanks to you for the great trust :-)
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Hello Everybody
My name is Luisa and I teach Italian for foreign students, English, French and German for Italian students
Since 1994, I have dedicated myself to translating and teaching thanks to my travels, abroad studies, foreign reading and writing. I provide fun and customized lessons based on the student's goals. I also triy to minimize English speaking during the lessons. I give homework exercises, and my lessons are intermixed with grammar, conversation, customs and traditions. My goal is to make certain that each student finds learning Italian exciting.
I am available for any explanations also via e mail
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Luisa is a really nice teacher with a lovely personality. She makes you feel very comfortable and will tailor the lessons for you. Thank you Luisa.
Luisa A.
Dear Veronica, thank you, thank you so much !! :-))
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Why should you choose me? Take a look at what people say who have taken online classes with me.
Book lessons with me and
- prepare Dutch exams "Basisinburgering A1" and "Inburgeringsexamen A2". Your full commitment and my energetic, professional approach are the winning combination to help you succeed at once!
- learn Dutch because you live in the Netherlands (or are planning to move there) and still don’t speak the language properly or haven’t started yet. You’ll enjoy your environment more!
- learn Italian for work or because you will move to this beautiful country or simply because you just love it. Let me help you experience the language!
- study Spanish for pleasure, work or because you have to prepare an exam for school and you need to get confident to perform optimally
- get confident in useful daily conversations, meetings at work, exams, and presentations
- overcome the fear of failure; if you have learning problems, feel shy or need a boost of energy you’ll get confident enough to achieve your goals
My lessons are based on conversations. My method is to help you practice the language from the very beginning in spontaneous and direct conversations, using often role plays.
With books, articles, songs, and other interesting and stimulating material I will encourage conversation, develop grammar in a simpler way, and improve pronunciation.
Learning a foreign language is not a matter of doing much effort, but rather of being consistent, enjoying the lessons and allowing your intuition to work with you. You will book immediate results while having fun!
I've been teaching Dutch, Spanish and Italian for many years, in The Netherlands, for private institutes, for the integration of foreigners into society (Inburgering), and online from Italy, where I currently live.
Contact me for a free trial and let me know how I can help you.
CANCELATION POLICY
If you cancel a reservation please do it at least 24 hours before the session
(otherwise I would have to charge you for the lesson).
Reviews
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Communication
Punctuality
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Elena is a great teacher, she is extremely accessible, knowledgeable and will work with you to develop the best approach that works best for you. My husband and I have had multiple lessons now and we enjoy it a lot and look forward every week to the next lesson!
Elena P.
![]()
Thank you for your feedback, Marja. It's a real pleasure to work with you and your husband. I am very satisfied of the results that you both have achieved in such a short time!
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Hi everyone!
My name is Daniela, I am Italian and I come from a small town in Sicily, Southern Italy. I am a qualified Italian language teacher and a CELI examiner! I work in two language schools teaching Italian and I also teach English at school.
I love foreign languages, translating, reading and listening to music. Are you ready to start your language learning path with me? We are going to learn many things and to talk a lot, if you allow me to! Don’t worry if you’ve never studied the language before: everyone can attend my classes – from beginner to advanced students. You just need passion for what you're going to do and... a good Internet connection. Materials are provided by me!
See you online!
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Daniela is a wonderful teacher and a pleasure to talk to. Any student would be lucky to have her as a teacher. Thank you Daniela for your help with my Italian!!!
Daniela V.
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Ciao Robbie, thanks a lot for your feedback. I'm very happy you like the classes together and I'll do my best to keep them as fun and interesting as possible :-)
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Hi, guys! My name is Lucia and I would like to invite you to learn Italian with me.
I am both a native speaker and a QUALIFIED teacher, as I hold a post-graduate degree in “Teaching Italian as a second language” and a national certification as teacher of Italian to not-native speaking.
My teaching method is COMMUNICATION-oriented and involves also the study of Italian culture and grammar. Indeed, as it happens in your mother language, the knowledge of spare words is not enough to get able to speak (i.e. INTERACT!) properly and conveniently.
I’ll prepare for you all teaching materials, tailoring lessons to your needs and interests, taking advantage from both the huge number of textbooks I hold and my creativity!
I offer lessons for all levels, from absolute beginners to advanced, as well as support in preparation to certification exams (I am also qualified ad examiner for the oral part of CELI).
Do not hesitate to get in contact with me to find a suitable time-slot for your trial lesson!
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Wonderful teacher with a broad knowledge of the structures of various languages, which I think helps to better understand students’ needs depending on their native language. Lucia uses a sophisticated platform where a student can easily find all the materials, test, or ask questions in the preparation for the next class. The class is structured in a very entertaining way, and she also has an examination focused approach if needed. Great experience, totally recommend.
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Hi everyone!
My name is Daniela, I am Italian and I come from a small town in Sicily, Southern Italy. I am a qualified Italian language teacher and a CELI examiner! I work in two language schools teaching Italian and I also teach English at school.
I love foreign languages, translating, reading and listening to music. Are you ready to start your language learning path with me? We are going to learn many things and to talk a lot, if you allow me to! Don’t worry if you’ve never studied the language before: everyone can attend my classes – from beginner to advanced students. You just need passion for what you're going to do and... a good Internet connection. Materials are provided by me!
See you online!
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Daniela is an excellent teacher. He has a lot of patience and knowledge. . She is always very attentive to correct your mistakes, so that in each class you improve your speaking and your confidence to express yourself better outside the classroom. 100% the best
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