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Italian language courses - Mendrisio, Autumn semester - Intensive
- Intensive Italian language courses offered prior to the semester start
- Autumn Semester
- 31 August – 11 September 2026
- Mendrisio Campus
Registration
Online enrollment is, in general, possible up to two weeks before the starting date of the course but a course may be full at an earlier time. For the good organization of the programme, register only if seriously interested. For description of courses: scroll down and read the section below "Intensive Italian language courses offered prior to the autumn semester start".
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Intensive Italian Absolute Beginners - Level A1 part 1 - Mendrisio Campus
Introducing myself! Basic expressions
The free of charge Intensive Absolute Beginners Course is intended for students with no previous knowledge of the Italian language. The course encourages to get fully involved in the language for two weeks. The morning class focus on grammar and writing whereas the afternoon class focus on improving listening and speaking skills, expanding vocabulary and developing confidence. By the end of the course students will be able to employ simple sentences and expressions when dealing with various situations in daily life.
Course details
- Where: USI, Accademia di architettura, Mendrisio, ground floor Turconi Building
- When: from 31 August until 11 September 2026
- Schedule: 60 hours during two weeks, 6 hours a day from 09:00 until 15:30, from Monday until Friday
Timetable
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 9.00 - 10.30 Class Class Class Class Class 10.30 - 11.00 Break Break Break Break Break 11.00 - 12.30 Class Class Class Class Class 12.30 - 14.00 Lunch break Lunch break Lunch break Lunch break Lunch break 14.00 - 15.30 Class Class Class Class Class Level
A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
Learning outcomes
- basic oral communication in everyday university life (first three units of the book);
- get to learn the social and cultural environment of the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland;
- the communication language will be English in the first part of the course and it will be changed gradually to Italian afterwards.
Course content
First three units of the book: numeri, articoli determinativi e indeterminativi singolari e plurali, plurale dei nomi, pronomi personali e riflessivi, ausiliari, verbi regolari e irregolari al presente, verbi riflessivi, concordanza degli aggettivi, aggettivi e pronomi possessivi, interrogativi, preposizioni.
Culture
Culture is a major and inseparable component of knowing a language, therefore a guided visit of a museum and an Italian film viewing on Lugano Campus are organised.
Final test
Different assessment procedures are conducted during the course, including an end of term test. This is a two hours test, and includes a short listening and reading comprehension, grammar exercises, one brief essay and a speaking part. The final test takes place the last Thursday of the course.
Study material
The general objective of Università della Svizzera italiana is to achieve environmental responsibility, the booklet is therefore available in PDF format in iCorsi3:
https://www.icorsi.ch/login/index.php.
Remember to bring your own laptop to class every day.
Handbook
The book is not covered by the University and must be purchased by the student before the start of the course.
Title: Marco Mezzadri, “Italiano Plus A1-A2”, Volume 1, Bonacci editore, 2015, ISBN 9788820108816Certificate of attendance
A regular and active attendance is compulsory once admitted. Students who meet the 75% attendance requirement and pass the final exam will receive a certificate of attendance.
ECTS
No ECTS points are accredited, except for SEMP (ex Erasmus), Swiss Mobility and International Exchange students who will be awarded 3 ECTS Credit Points after successful completion of the course.
Semestral course
Students and professionals of the Accademia willing to continue studying Italian free of charge after the Intensive Preparative course can apply for the Beginners 1 extensive course (CEFR A1-A2 level) held throughout the Semester on Mendrisio Campus.
Enrolment
The online application enrolls participants automatically. A detailed informative email confirming the enrolment will however be sent few days before the beginning of each course.
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Intensive Beginners - Level A1 part 2 - Mendrisio Campus SA
Interacting in the most common situations of everyday life
Candidates must possess the necessary ability to fulfil the essential communicative requirements of normal everyday situations. The course is intended for those students who have a basic knowledge of the Italian language and attended an absolute beginner A1 level course already.
Course details
The free of charge Intensive A1 part 2 level course encourage to get fully involved in the language for two weeks. The morning class focus on grammar and writing whereas the afternoon class focus on improving listening and speaking skills, expanding vocabulary and developing confidence. By the end of the course students will be able to employ simple sentences and expressions when dealing with various situations in daily life.
- Where: USI, Accademia di architettura, Mendrisio, ground floor Turconi Building
- When: from 31 August until 11 September 2026
- Schedule: 60 hours during two weeks, 6 hours a day from 09:00 until 15:30, from Monday until Friday
Timetable
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Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 9.00 - 10.30 Class Class Class Class Class 10.30 - 11.00 Break Break Break Break Break 11.00 - 12.30 Class Class Class Class Class 12.30 - 14.00 Lunch break Lunch break Lunch break Lunch break Lunch break 14.00 - 15.30 Class Class Class Class Class Level
A1 part 2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Self-assessment grid for language skills
The self-assessment grid illustrates the levels of proficiency described in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). It is useful to measure personal knowledge in connection with language acquisition. Assess your current skills level by using the grid below:
- Griglia per l’autovalutazione (Portfolio europeo delle lingue)
- Self-assessment Grid (European Language Portfolio)
Entrance test
All higher level courses require knowledge of material covered in other courses. A definitive decision about admission can consequently be taken only after the entrance test organised the first day. The lecturer will address participants who chose the wrong level to the correct one after the first lesson.
- Prerequisites of the A1 part 2 level course are: numeri, articoli determinativi e indeterminativi singolari e plurali, plurale dei nomi, pronomi personali e riflessivi, ausiliari, esserci, verbi regolari e irregolari al presente, verbi riflessivi, concordanza degli aggettivi, aggettivi e pronomi possessivi, interrogativi.
Learning outcomes
To deal with everyday language and describe events using the present and the future. Unit 4 to 6 are studied.
Course content
Differenza tra sapere e conoscere, differenza tra andare e venire, introduzione al condizionale, gli avverbi di frequenza, gli avverbi di modo, i verbi fraseologici, le preposizioni semplici e articolate, l’imperativo regolare e irregolare, l’introduzione al passato prossimo, l’espressione aver bisogno di, i verbi riflessivi (ripasso), l’avverbio di luogo ci, il verbo piacere, i partitivi, gli indefiniti nessuno, poco, alcuni, un po’, molto, troppo, gli aggettivi e i pronomi dimostrativi questo e quello, i nomi irregolari, gli interrogativi (ripasso).
Culture
Culture is a major and inseparable component of knowing a language, therefore a guided visit of an exposition and an Italian film viewing on Lugano Campus are organised.
Final test
Different assessment procedures are conducted during the course, including an end of term test. This is a two hours test, and includes a short listening and reading comprehension, grammar exercises, one brief essay and a speaking part. The final test takes place the last Thursday of the course.
Study material
The general objective of Università della Svizzera italiana is to achieve environmental responsibility, the booklet is therefore available in PDF format in iCorsi3:
https://www.icorsi.ch/login/index.php.Remember to bring your own laptop to class every day.
Handbook
The book is not covered by the University and must be purchased by the student before the start of the course. Title: Marco Mezzadri, “Italiano Plus A1-A2”, Volume 1, Bonacci editore, 2015, ISBN 9788820108816
Certificate of attendance
A regular and active attendance is compulsory once admitted. Students who meet the 75% attendance requirement and pass the final exam will receive a certificate of attendance.
ECTS
No ECTS are given except for SEMP (ex Erasmus), Swiss Mobility and International Exchange students who will be awarded 3 ECTS credit points after successful completion of the course.
Semestral course
Students and professionals of the Accademia willing to continue studying Italian free of charge after the Intensive course can apply for the Corso elementare 2 extensive course (CEFR A2 level) held throughout the Semester on Mendrisio Campus.
Enrolment
The online application enrolls participants automatically. A detailed informative email confirming the enrolment will however be sent few days before the beginning of each course.
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Intensive Elementary - Level A2 part 1 - Mendrisio Campus SA
Express yourself fluently in simple language
The free intensive course allows you to immerse yourself in the Italian language and culture for a fortnight. The teaching methodology follows a traditional approach with regard to grammatical and syntactic basics from 09:00 to 12:30. In the afternoon, the lesson is instead set according to the communicative approach.
Course details
- Where: USI, Academy of Architecture, Mendrisio, ground floor Palazzo Turconi
- When: from Monday 31 August to Friday 11 September 2026
- Schedule: 60 hours spread over two weeks, 6 hours a day from 09:00 to 15:30 from Monday to Friday
Timetable
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 9.00 - 10.30 Class Class Class Class Class 10.30 - 11.00 Break Break Break Break Break 11.00 - 12.30 Class Class Class Class Class 12.30 - 14.00 Break Break Break Break Break 14.00 - 15.30 Class Class Class Class Class Level
Level A2 part 1 according to the definition of the Common European Framework of Reference. The course is intended for those who have an elementary knowledge of the Italian language (A1 part 2) and can therefore understand communication situations, albeit not very complex. The course is held entirely in Italian.
Self-assessment grid for language skills
The self-assessment grid illustrates the levels of proficiency described in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). It is useful to measure personal knowledge in connection with language acquisition. Assess your current skills level by using the grid below.
- Griglia per l’autovalutazione (Portfolio europeo delle lingue)
- Self-assessment Grid (European Language Portfolio)
Entrance test
Final admission to the course is subject to passing the test organised on the first day. The test is designed to ascertain possession of the required level and is compulsory. Should the level of knowledge of the Italian language not be sufficient, the teacher will recommend an alternative course.
- Prerequisites grammar : Definite and indefinite articles, plural of nouns, irregular nouns, regular and irregular verbs in the present tense, reflexive verbs, regular and irregular imperative, adjective concordance, possessive adjectives and pronouns, demonstrative adjectives and pronouns, interrogatives, use of the verb pleasure, partitives, use of simple and articulated prepositions, prepositional locutions, particle ci, regular past tense, adverbs of frequency, indefinite adjectives "tutto" and "ogni".
- Prerequisites vocabulary : numbers, days of the week, months, seasons, hours, crafts, house and restaurant vocabulary.
Learning outcomes
Understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of immediate relevance (e.g. basic personal and family information, shopping, ordering in restaurants, study, local geography). Be able to describe in simple terms aspects of one's own life and surroundings; be able to express immediate needs. The last three units of the textbook will be studied. At the end of the course participants will take an assessment test.
Course content
Last three units of the textbook: various grammatical topics will be studied in depth, including the use of stare + gerund, stare per + infinitive, the relative pronouns che and cui, the impersonal si, the irregular near past, direct pronouns and indirect pronouns, the agreement of the past participle with direct atonal pronouns, introduction to the imperfect.
Culture
In addition to the linguistic aspect, the cultural aspect also finds its place in the Italian courses with a guided tour of a museum and the viewing of an Italian film in the Lugano Campus Auditorium.
Final test
At the end of the course, as a rule on the penultimate day, a final test lasting two hours is organised. It consists of a listening exercise, a written production, a reading comprehension exercise, grammar exercises and an oral test. Passing the test leads to acquisition of the language level attended and automatic passage to the following six-month module, the Intermediate 1 course, level B1.
Study material
The University of Lugano wants to reduce its ecological footprint. The booklet is therefore available in PDF format in "iCorsi3", an online platform supporting teaching activities:
https://www.icorsi.ch/login/index.php
Each participant must bring a laptop computer for the exercises.
Handbook
The textbook is not included and must be purchased before the start of the course.
Title of textbook: Marco Mezzadri, "Italiano Plus A1-A2", Volume 1, Bonacci editore, 2015, ISBN 9788820108816.
Certificate of attendance
The course has compulsory and active attendance. A certificate of attendance will be issued provided that at least 75% of the scheduled lessons are attended and the final test is passed.
ECTS
No ECTS will be awarded except for SEMP (formerly Erasmus), Swiss Mobility and International Exchange students who will be entitled to 3 ECTS credits provided they successfully complete the course.
Semester course
Students and employees of the Academy wishing to continue studying Italian free of charge after the intensive course may enrol in the A2.2 elementary-intermediate semester course to be held at the Mendrisio Campus.
Enrolment
The online application enrolls participants automatically. A detailed informative email confirming the enrolment will however be sent few days before the beginning of each course.
Updated on: 17 June 2026
