Skip to content

2026 Matta Immersion Programs

  • Home
  • Contact
  • Learning Resources
  • Favorite Matta Things
  • Shop
Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube
  • Shopping Cart 0
    • No products in the cart.

Online Lessons
Studentessa Matta
  • BlogExpand
    • Italian Language Learning, Tips, Motivation
    • Art & Artists
    • Cultural Anecdotes & Current Affairs
    • Food & Wine
    • History, Holidays, Festivals
    • Literature, Music, Film
    • Traveling, Cities, Excursions
    • Matta Posts with Quizlet Vocabulary Flashcards
    • Sofia la piccola Matta teaches beginner Italian to children
    • Blog Signup
  • AboutExpand
    • Get to know Melissa
    • What people are saying…
    • Matta Guest Posts
    • Other sites by MelissaExpand
      • Melissa Muldoon Author Site
      • Art of Loving Italy Blog
      • Pinterest Art of Loving Italy
      • Matta Youtube Channel
      • Matta Music Spotify Playlist
      • Matta Podcast
    • News, Awards
    • Studentessa Matta Theme Song
    • Why are you learning Italian? Share Your Story
  • Learn with MelissaExpand
    • Online Lessons + Conversation
    • Learn in Italy with Melissa
    • Join the Matta Italian Book Club — Private & Group Reading Experiences
    • Matta Quizlet Interactive FlashcardsExpand
      • Book Club Vocabulary: Io Non Ho Paura
      • Book Club Vocabulary: Guida Astrologica
      • 2022 Italian Words of Week
      • 2021 Italian Words of Week
  • Learn in ItalyExpand
    • Matta Travel Programs – Study in Italy with MelissaExpand
      • 2027 June Matta Arezzo Italian Program
      • 2026 September Matta Tuscan Villa Language Program
      • 2026 September Matta & ItalianME Florence Language Program
      • 2026 Arezzo Jousting Festival September Weekend Program
      • Matta Travel Philosophy
    • Previous Matta Language Programs Italy
    • Italian Language Homestay Vacations
    • Walk in Italy Day Experience / Italian Lesson in Italy
  • BookClubExpand
    • About BookClub
    • Commissario Ricciardi: Il posto di ognuno
    • Commissario Ricciardi: Condanna del sangue
    • Commissario Ricciardi:Il senso del dolore
    • Il Treno dei Bambini
    • La Libreria dei Gatti Neri
    • Brodetto galeotto
    • Io non ho paura
    • Quattro metà
    • Prima regola non innamorarsi
    • Il risveglio di Isabella
    • Guida astrologica per cuori infranti
    • Book Club Resource Hub
  • NovelsExpand
    • Melissa Muldoon Author Website
    • Amazon Author PageExpand
      • Buy Dreaming Sophia
      • Buy Waking Isabella
      • Buy Il Risveglio di Isabella
      • Buy Eternally Artemisia
Shopping Cart 0
Studentessa Matta

Italian Language Learning, Tips, Motivation

  • Grammar Lessons
  • Homestay Teachers
  • Italian Expressions, Idioms & Vocabulary
  • Italian Podcasts
  • italian podcasts
  • Language Sites
  • Learn Italian
  • Learning Apps
  • Learning Games
  • Matta Language Programs
  • Motivation
  • Reference Materials
  • Tips, Learning Methods & Way to practice
  • A Occhio e Croce: The Italian Way to Guesstimate

    A Occhio e Croce: The Italian Way to Guesstimate

  • Gaeta, charming seaside town: Where Sun, Sand, and Serenity Meet

    Gaeta, charming seaside town: Where Sun, Sand, and Serenity Meet

  • Learn Italian in Florence! Join the 2025 Matta Language Program!

    Learn Italian in Florence! Join the 2025 Matta Language Program!

  • Giostra del Saracino Giugno 2025 – Un weekend medievale a giugno ad Arezzo.

    Giostra del Saracino Giugno 2025 – Un weekend medievale a giugno ad Arezzo.

  • Italian Words that Go in Circles: Cerchio, Cerchia, Circo, Circa, Circuito, Circolo

    Italian Words that Go in Circles: Cerchio, Cerchia, Circo, Circa, Circuito, Circolo

  • Paola Cortellesi at Rondine: Feminism, Irony, and “C’è anche domani”

    Paola Cortellesi at Rondine: Feminism, Irony, and “C’è anche domani”

  • The Dante connection between galley ships and fishy aphrodisiacs

    The Dante connection between galley ships and fishy aphrodisiacs

  • “Walk in Italy Day City Experience” – Learn Italian While You Travel

    “Walk in Italy Day City Experience” – Learn Italian While You Travel

  • Packing for my return to Italy and Arezzo with Italian Idioms & Excitement!

    Packing for my return to Italy and Arezzo with Italian Idioms & Excitement!

  • Una giornata da matti! The Race of the Candles in Gubbio

    Una giornata da matti! The Race of the Candles in Gubbio

  • Level Up Your Italian with ChatGPT: Fun & Smart Language Learning with Ai

    Level Up Your Italian with ChatGPT: Fun & Smart Language Learning with Ai

  • Farewell to the Pope, words of hope, and a pinch of papal history!

    Farewell to the Pope, words of hope, and a pinch of papal history!

  • I Cuoricini in Cima alle Classifiche Italiane!

    I Cuoricini in Cima alle Classifiche Italiane!

  • Rimettiamoci in sesto! Let’s get back on our feet!

    Rimettiamoci in sesto! Let’s get back on our feet!

  • Colazione all’italiana! Ordering breakfast at the bar like a local

    Colazione all’italiana! Ordering breakfast at the bar like a local

  • “Da Mario”: How One Preposition Turns a Restaurant into a Home

    “Da Mario”: How One Preposition Turns a Restaurant into a Home

  • White Nights & Red Peppers: Colorful Italian Idioms You Can’t Translate

    White Nights & Red Peppers: Colorful Italian Idioms You Can’t Translate

  • Best Books and Films to Learn About the Medici Family of Florence

    Best Books and Films to Learn About the Medici Family of Florence

  • Crazy Italian Idioms That’ll Make You Laugh “A Crepapelle”

    Crazy Italian Idioms That’ll Make You Laugh “A Crepapelle”

  • Il Gattopardo: The Leopard Roars Again — Comparing Film Adaptations of a Literary Classic

    Il Gattopardo: The Leopard Roars Again — Comparing Film Adaptations of a Literary Classic

  • Beavers Chomp Through Bureaucracy. Build Better Dam than Human Engineers

    Beavers Chomp Through Bureaucracy. Build Better Dam than Human Engineers

  • Renaissance Rascals and Medici Hunting Gadgets that Wreaked Havoc in Florence

    Renaissance Rascals and Medici Hunting Gadgets that Wreaked Havoc in Florence

  • Taking a Closer Look at Four Tricky Italian Words: Attendere, Assistere, Pretendere, Prescindere

    Taking a Closer Look at Four Tricky Italian Words: Attendere, Assistere, Pretendere, Prescindere

  • Italian Immersion in Arezzo & Florence 2025 – Learn, Live & Love Italy with la Matta!

    Italian Immersion in Arezzo & Florence 2025 – Learn, Live & Love Italy with la Matta!

  • Tune Into Italian: Recommended Podcasts, Audiobooks & Apps to Boost Your Italian Skills!

    Tune Into Italian: Recommended Podcasts, Audiobooks & Apps to Boost Your Italian Skills!

  • La Piccola Sofia Wins Silver in the 2024-2025 Reader Views Literary Awards!

    La Piccola Sofia Wins Silver in the 2024-2025 Reader Views Literary Awards!

  • A Toast to the Negroni Cocktail: Discover its Florentine Origins, Legends and Fun Facts

    A Toast to the Negroni Cocktail: Discover its Florentine Origins, Legends and Fun Facts

  • Spensieratezza: Carefree and Living Without Worries at Carnevale

    Spensieratezza: Carefree and Living Without Worries at Carnevale

  • La Matta meets the Bittersweet Life: experiencing Italy via podcasts & guided programs in Tuscany & Rome

    La Matta meets the Bittersweet Life: experiencing Italy via podcasts & guided programs in Tuscany & Rome

  • Tirare: The Italian Verb That Pulls in Two Directions!

    Tirare: The Italian Verb That Pulls in Two Directions!

  • Reading a Novel in Italian: 10 Strategies for Language Learners

    Reading a Novel in Italian: 10 Strategies for Language Learners

  • 2025 Learn Italian in Florence and Arezzo with Matta Immersive Language Programs

    2025 Learn Italian in Florence and Arezzo with Matta Immersive Language Programs

Page navigation

Previous PagePrevious 1 2 3 4 5 … 16 Next PageNext

Learn with Melissa

homestays

Travel Programs

blog

  • Mail
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest
  • X

Subscribe to the Matta Blog

Receive “5 Things to Do Every Day to Learn Italian” FREE!

One of the greatest joys of writing novels set in One of the greatest joys of writing novels set in Italy is hearing from readers who experience the places I’ve written about firsthand. 

This is Lauretta, whom I had the pleasure of meeting in Arezzo this June. Originally from San Francisco, she’s spending the summer in beautiful Arezzo studying Italian at Cultura Italiana Arezzo, my wonderful partner language school.

Lauretta speaks Italian beautifully and recently sent me this message:

“Ciao Melissa, sono Lauretta d’Arezzo. Sto leggendo il tuo libro, Il risveglio di Isabella, e mi piace moltissimo! Mi aiuta ad ampliare il mio vocabolario. Penso che i romanzi che parlino dei fatti veri della storia siano molto interessanti. Grazie per aver scritto Il Risveglio di Isabella.”

Grazie, Lauretta! ❤️ Sono davvero felice che il romanzo ti stia piacendo.

Il risveglio di Isabella is set against the backdrop of Arezzo, Tuscany, and follows an American art historian who uncovers a centuries old mystery linking a missing Renaissance masterpiece, the tragic life of Isabella de’ Medici, and a young woman living in wartime Italy. Blending art, history, romance, and suspense, the novel is a journey through Tuscany’s rich past that inspires one woman to rediscover her own creativity and purpose.

Available now on Amazon in paperback, Kindle ebook, and Audible audiobook.
Happy reading... or as we say in Italy, buona lettura! 🇮🇹❤️

#StudentessaMatta #IlRisvegliodiIsabella #WakingIsabella #ItalianLanguage #Arezzo
🇮🇹 Un consiglio dalla Matta 🇮🇹 Matta Italian Langu 🇮🇹 Un consiglio dalla Matta 🇮🇹
Matta Italian Language Tip!

When it comes to comparing things in Italian! 

(Read the latest blog post on the http://StudentessaMatta.com )

Comparing things is something we do every day. We compare prices, restaurants, cities, wines, calories… and even grammar rules! In Italian, you’ll hear three different verbs for making comparisons: confrontare, paragonare, and comparare. They may all translate as to compare, but each has its own nuance. And watch out for one particularly sneaky false friend: confrontare.

Confrontare = to compare two or more things side by side to identify their similarities and differences. This is the verb Italians use most often in everyday conversation when comparing prices, cities, restaurants, books, wines, or just about anything else.

Paragonare = to compare by drawing a likeness or placing one thing on the same level as another. It often has a more figurative, descriptive, or literary feel.

Comparare = also means to compare, but it’s much less common in spoken Italian. You’ll mainly encounter it in formal, legal, bureaucratic, or technical language.

And most importantly... Confrontare ≠ to confront

In Italian, confrontare has nothing to do with 
challenging or confronting someone.

You confrontare two wines.
You don’t confront the waiter!
Le Sfide delle Comparazioni: Più Di o Più Che? Wh Le Sfide delle Comparazioni: Più Di o Più Che?

When asking questions like: Who wore it better what do we use? Più Di or Più Che?

Come fare confronti efficaci con "più/meno che" e "più/meno di"
How to make effective comparisons with “più/meno che and più/meno di”

Le espressioni italiane più/meno che e più/meno di sono strumenti essenziali per esprimere confronti di disuguaglianza.
Come confrontare le cose in italiano senza confond Come confrontare le cose in italiano senza confondere le parole

How to Compare Things in Italian Without Mixing Up the Words

Confrontare vs. Paragonare
To Compare vs. To Liken

Confrontare le cose è qualcosa che facciamo ogni giorno. Confrontiamo prezzi, ristoranti, città, vini, calorie… e perfino regole grammaticali!
#AmarodelCapo #comparare #compareinItalian #confrontare #falsefriends #ItalianCulture #Italianexpressions #Italiangrammar #italianlanguage #Italianvocabulary #ItalyTravel #LanguageLearning #LearnItalian #paragonare #StudentessaMatta
🇮🇹 Un consiglio dalla Matta 🇮🇹 Matta Italian Langu 🇮🇹 Un consiglio dalla Matta 🇮🇹
Matta Italian Language Tip!

Introducing the Matta Espresso weekly lesson for A1-B1 Students

Don’t wait until your next trip to use your Italian. ☕🇮🇹

Italian doesn’t belong only to Italy. It belongs to you every time you choose to use it.

Describe what you’re doing while making your morning coffee. Read a page from an Italian book. Watch an episode of your favorite Italian TV series. Or spend just five minutes reviewing a Matta Espresso lesson.

Fluency isn’t built during marathon study sessions. It’s built through hundreds of small moments lived in the language. One espresso, one conversation, one day at a time. ❤️

Want to read the full article and learn more about the Matta Espresso lessons? You’ll find it on the http://www.StudentessaMatta.com blog.

Now… if you are really serious about learning Italian in Italy — don’t let me stop you!!! LOL  If you’re dreaming of a true Italian immersion experience, come join me for one of my Matta Italian Language Programs in Italy. This September 2026 we’ll spend our days together in a beautiful Tuscan villa, speaking Italian, sharing wonderful meals, exploring charming villages, and experiencing the language the way it was meant to be lived. Sign up and learn more on the Studentessa Matta website.

2027 Programs soon to be announced!

Until the next Matta Espresso! ☕

Remember... to truly learn a language, you have to live it. And don’t forget to stay just a little Matta! 💙🇮🇹

#StudentessaMatta #LearnItalian #ItalianLanguage #SpeakItalian #ItalianImmersion
Espresso Espresso! Un sorso di caffè, un sorso d'i Espresso Espresso! Un sorso di caffè, un sorso d'italiano

Espresso Espresso! One Sip of Coffee, One Sip of Italian

Nasce Matta Espresso!
Introducing Matta Espresso!

Sono tornata ad Austin dopo sette meravigliose settimane trascorse vivendo la lingua in Italia, tra Arezzo, Napoli e Gaeta. Ho lasciato un pezzetto di cuore nel Bel Paese... ma non ho lasciato lì l'italiano.
#EspressoLesson #Italiangrammar #italianlanguage #Italianvocabulary #LearnItalian #StudentessaMatta

Connect

Email
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter
LinkTree — Links to all Matta Social Media Sites
Reach 150 Studentessa Matta Reviews

Learn

Italian Lessons/Conversation with Melissa
Matta Italian Language Resources
Matta Quizlet Interactive Flashcards
Matta Affiliate Schools
Matta Italian Gifts
Matta Book Club
Matta Learning Motivation
Matta Travel Tips
Matta Travel Philosophy

Melissa’s Other Sites

Matta Youtube Channel
Matta Podcast on Spotify
Melissa Muldoon Author Web Site
Melissa Muldoon Amazon Author Page
Matta Amazon Italian Resource Page
Art of Loving Italy Blog
Matta Etsy Italian Page
Matta Italian Pinterest Page
Matta Instagram Feed

Support the Site

Buy Melissa a cup of coffee!
Leave a comment on the blog!
Privacy Policy

© 2026 Studentessa Matta • Site Design & Development by Bellano Web Studio

Scroll to top
  • Blog
    • Italian Language Learning, Tips, Motivation
    • Art & Artists
    • Cultural Anecdotes & Current Affairs
    • Food & Wine
    • History, Holidays, Festivals
    • Literature, Music, Film
    • Traveling, Cities, Excursions
    • Matta Posts with Quizlet Vocabulary Flashcards
    • Sofia la piccola Matta teaches beginner Italian to children
    • Blog Signup
  • About
    • Get to know Melissa
    • What people are saying…
    • Matta Guest Posts
    • Other sites by Melissa
      • Melissa Muldoon Author Site
      • Art of Loving Italy Blog
      • Pinterest Art of Loving Italy
      • Matta Youtube Channel
      • Matta Music Spotify Playlist
      • Matta Podcast
    • News, Awards
    • Studentessa Matta Theme Song
    • Why are you learning Italian? Share Your Story
  • Learn with Melissa
    • Online Lessons + Conversation
    • Learn in Italy with Melissa
    • Join the Matta Italian Book Club — Private & Group Reading Experiences
    • Matta Quizlet Interactive Flashcards
      • Book Club Vocabulary: Io Non Ho Paura
      • Book Club Vocabulary: Guida Astrologica
      • 2022 Italian Words of Week
      • 2021 Italian Words of Week
  • Learn in Italy
    • Matta Travel Programs – Study in Italy with Melissa
      • 2027 June Matta Arezzo Italian Program
      • 2026 September Matta Tuscan Villa Language Program
      • 2026 September Matta & ItalianME Florence Language Program
      • 2026 Arezzo Jousting Festival September Weekend Program
      • Matta Travel Philosophy
    • Previous Matta Language Programs Italy
    • Italian Language Homestay Vacations
    • Walk in Italy Day Experience / Italian Lesson in Italy
  • BookClub
    • About BookClub
    • Commissario Ricciardi: Il posto di ognuno
    • Commissario Ricciardi: Condanna del sangue
    • Commissario Ricciardi:Il senso del dolore
    • Il Treno dei Bambini
    • La Libreria dei Gatti Neri
    • Brodetto galeotto
    • Io non ho paura
    • Quattro metà
    • Prima regola non innamorarsi
    • Il risveglio di Isabella
    • Guida astrologica per cuori infranti
    • Book Club Resource Hub
  • Novels
    • Melissa Muldoon Author Website
    • Amazon Author Page
      • Buy Dreaming Sophia
      • Buy Waking Isabella
      • Buy Il Risveglio di Isabella
      • Buy Eternally Artemisia
Search