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Italian language courses - Lugano, Autumn Semester - Intensive
- Intensive Italian language courses offered prior to the semester start
- Autumn Semester
- 31 August – 11 September 2026
- Lugano Campuses
Registration
Select the title of the course in the accordions below to see the course description. For the good organization of the programme, register only if seriously interested. Online enrolment 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. N.B: levels will only be activated if a minimum number of enrolments is reached.
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Intensive Absolute Beginners - Level A1 part 1 - Lugano Campus SA
Introducing myself! Basic expressions
The free of charge intensive absolute beginner 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: Lugano Campus, Università della Svizzera italiana, Via Buffi 13, 6900 Lugano.
- When: from Monday August 31 until Thursday September 10 (2026). On September 11 the 2026 Welcome event will take place .
- Schedule: 60 hours during two weeks, 6 hours a day from 08:30 until 14:30.
Level
A1 part 1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Schedule
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Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 8.30 - 10.00 Class Class Class Class Class 10.00 - 10.15 Break Break Break Break Break 10.15 - 11.45 Class Class Class Class Class 11.45 - 13.00 Break Break Break Break Break 13.00 - 14.30 Class Class Class Class Class 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 city tour, a guided visit of a museum and an Italian film viewing in the USI Auditorio are organised.
Final test
Different assessment procedures are conducted during the course, including an end-of-semester 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 grammar booklet is therefore available in PDF format in iCorsi.
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
SEMP (ex Erasmus), Swiss Mobility and International Exchange students will be awarded 3 ECTS credit points after successful completion of the course.
Faculty of Biomedical Sciences students of the Master in Cognitive psychology in health communication will receive 3 ECTS credit points for the successful completion of the course.
Semestral course
USI students and professionals 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.
Enrolment
The online application enrols 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 - Lugano Campus SA
Interact 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 in fact 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 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.
- Where: Lugano Campus, Università della Svizzera italiana, Via Buffi 13, 6900 Lugano.
- When: from Monday August 31 until Thursday September 10 (2026). On September 11 the 2026 Welcome eventwill take place.
- Schedule: 60 hours during two weeks, 6 hours a day from 08:30 until 14:30.
Level
A1.2 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. The 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.
Schedule
For a complete view of the content on your phone, please switch to landscape mode.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 8.30 - 10.00 Class Class Class Class Class 10.00 - 10.30 Break Break Break Break Break 10.30 - 12.00 Class Class Class Class Class 12.00 - 13.00 Break Break Break Break Break 13.00 - 14.30 Class Class Class Class Class Learning outcomes
To deal with everyday language and describe events using the present and the past. 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 we also organise a guided city tour, a guided visit of a museum and an Italian film viewing in the USI Auditorio.
Final test
Different assessment procedures are conducted during the course, including an end-of-semester 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 grammar booklet is therefore available in PDF format in iCorsi.
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
SEMP (ex Erasmus), Swiss Mobility and International Exchange students will be awarded 3 ECTS credit points after successful completion of the course.
Faculty of Biomedical Sciences students of the Master in Cognitive psychology in health communication will receive 3 ECTS credit points for the successful completion of the course.
Semestral course
USI students and professionals willing to continue studying Italian free of charge after the Intensive course can apply for the corso elementare A2 semester-time course (CEFR A2 level) held throughout the semester.
Enrolment
The online application enrols 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 - Lugano Campus SA
Expressing oneself fluently with simple language
The free intensive course allows to immerse oneself in the Italian language and culture for two weeks. The teaching methodology follows a traditional setting as regards grammatical and syntactic bases, from 08:30 to 12:00. In the afternoon the lesson is instead set according to the communicative approach.
Course details
- Where: USI Campus of Lugano, Main building, Via Buffi 13, 6900 Lugano.
- When: from Monday 31 August to Thursday 10 September 2026. On Friday 11 September the Welcome event 2026 will take place.
- Timetable: 60 hours distributed over two weeks, 6 hours per day from 08:30 to 14:30 from Monday to Friday.
Level
A2 according to the definition of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The course is intended for those who have an elementary knowledge of the Italian language (A1 part 2) and who therefore can understand communication situations, albeit not complex. The course is held entirely in Italian.
Placement test
Definitive admission to the course is subject to passing the test organized on the first day. The Placement test has the aim of ascertaining possession of the required level and is mandatory. If the level of knowledge of the Italian language is not sufficient, the teacher will recommend an alternative course.
Grammar prerequisites: definite and indefinite articles, plural of nouns, irregular nouns, regular and irregular verbs in the present tense, reflexive verbs, regular and irregular imperative, adjective agreement, possessive adjectives and pronouns, demonstrative adjectives and pronouns, interrogatives, use of the verb piacere, partitives, use of simple and articulated prepositions, prepositional phrases, particle ci, regular passato prossimo, frequency adverbs, indefinite adjectives “tutto” and “ogni”.
Vocabulary prerequisites: numbers, days of the week, months, seasons, hours, professions, vocabulary of the house and of the restaurant.
Weekly schedule
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 8.30 - 10.00 Class Class Class Class Class 10.00 - 10.30 Break Break Break Break Break 10.30 - 12.00 Class Class Class Class Class 12.00 - 13.00 Break Break Break Break Break 13.00 - 14.30 Class Class Class Class Class Course objectives
Understand phrases and expressions used frequently related to areas of immediate relevance (e.g. basic personal and family information, shopping, ordering at the restaurant, studying, local geography). Be able to describe in simple terms aspects of one's life, of the surrounding environment; be able to express immediate needs. The last three units of the textbook will be studied. At the end of the course, the participants will carry out an evaluation test.
Course contents
Last three units of the book: different grammatical topics will be explored in depth among which the use of stare + gerund, stare per + infinitive, the relative pronouns che and cui, the impersonal si, the irregular forms of passato prossimo, direct and indirect pronouns,, past participle with direct clitic pronouns, introduction to the imperfetto.
Culture
Besides the linguistic aspect, the cultural aspect also finds space in the Italian courses with the guided visit of the city of Lugano, the guided visit of a museum and the viewing of an Italian film in the Auditorium.
Final test
At the end of the course, usually the second-to-last day, a final test is organized with the duration of two hours, which is composed of a listening exercise, a written production, a written comprehension exercise, grammar exercises and an oral test. Passing the test entails the acquisition of the attended language level and the automatic passage to the following semester module, the elementary-intermediate course level A2 part 2.
Teaching material
The study material is available in PDF format on “iCorsi”, the online platform supporting the teaching activity:
https://www.icorsi.ch/login/index.php
Each participant must bring a laptop computer for the exercises.Textbook
The textbook is not included and must be purchased before the beginning of the course.
Title of the textbook: Marco Mezzadri, “Italiano Plus A1-A2”, Volume 1, Bonacci publisher, 2015, ISBN 9788820108816.Certificate of attendance
Regular and active attendance to the course is mandatory. A certificate of participation will be issued on the condition that at least 75% of the scheduled lessons have been attended and the final exam has been passed.
ECTS
SEMP (formerly Erasmus), Swiss Mobility and International Exchange students will be entitled to 3 ECTS credits on condition that they successfully complete the course.
Students of the Master in Cognitive Psychology in Health Communication of the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences will be entitled to 3 ECTS credits for having successfully completed the course.Semester course
Students and collaborators of USI wishing to continue studying the Italian language for free after completing the intensive course can enroll in the elementary-intermediate semester course, level A2 part 2.
Registration
The online registration request automatically registers the participants. A detailed informative confirmation email of the registration will however be sent a few days before the beginning of each course.
Updated on: 17 June 2026
