October 02 - December 04

Parliamo! Free Italian Conversation Fridays at IIS

Practice your Italian, meet new people, and spend an informal Friday evening in Italian at Istituto Italiano Scuola.

Additional information

Our students often tell us they would love more opportunities to speak Italian outside the classroom. So this fall, IIS is launching Parliamo!, a new series of free, informal Italian conversation meetups at our North Beach location.

There is no lesson plan, no textbook, no homework, and no formal instruction. Just come by, meet other people who are learning Italian, and enjoy some relaxed conversation in Italian.

The meetups are open to IIS students and anyone in the wider community who would like to practice their Italian.

All levels are welcome. You do not need to attend every session: join us for one, a few, or all.

 

Fall 2026 Dates

  • Friday, October 2
  • Friday, October 16
  • Friday, November 13
  • Friday, December 4

6:30–7:30 pm PT

 

Participation is FREE. Registration is required.

Space is limited to 15 participants per session.

 

 

Meet Your Conversation Host

The gatherings will be hosted by Lorenza Cappellato, a native Italian speaker from Rome currently spending six months in the Bay Area as a visiting PhD researcher at UC Berkeley.

Lorenza is pursuing a PhD in hydraulic engineering and has lived between Rome and London.

Fluent in both Italian and English, she joined the IIS community while in San Francisco with the goal of meeting people, volunteering, and helping create more opportunities for Italian conversation and community building.Lorenza will help welcome participants and keep the conversation flowing, but

 

 

N. B. Parliamo! is not an Italian class.

The idea is simply to create a friendly space where people can use the Italian they already know, meet fellow Italian enthusiasts, and enjoy being part of the IIS community.

Come for the Italian. Stay for the conversation.

 

This event is free, but if you’d like to support IIS and help us continue offering programs like Parliamo!, optional donations are always warmly appreciated.

Your can make a donation here: Support us | SFIIS

 

 

For additional information, please contact us via email at:
REGISTER
REGISTER
PRICE
$0/pers
DURATION

1 hour

HOURS
6:30–7:30 pm
WHERE
at school - 725 GREENWICH STREET, SUITE 202, 94133 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

Let our students speak for us!

Truly a gem of a school
Erin Yu
"SFIIS runs a fantastic org and program - truly a gem of a school. The staff are warm and wonderfully efficient. I've done both in-person and online classes, and plan to continue for as long as I can. They cover all levels of Italian proficiency, with an engaging mix of private lessons, themed classes (e.g. Italian for Travelers), and regular Term classes. If you can, I highly recommend going in person for at least some lessons - they have a wonderful office in sunny North Beach."
Cannot recommend this online foreign language program for toddlers enough!
Andrea DiSandro
"First and foremost, let me sing praises for the incredible teacher, Francesca. She possesses a remarkable talent for not only teaching but captivating young minds. Her ability to blend learning and play seamlessly is nothing short of amazing. [...] What's truly heartwarming is witnessing my daughter's enthusiasm for her weekly class. [...] As a family that values multilingualism, I can confidently say that this virtual program stands head and shoulders above the rest. [...] I am beyond impressed and immensely grateful for the positive impact this program has had on our family. If you're seeking a top-tier virtual language learning experience for your little one, look no further. This program is truly amazing, and I wholeheartedly endorse it to any parent seeking to enrich their child's linguistic abilities.
Beginners 1 experience
Jeffrey Jordan
"I just completed my first course with Istituto Italiano Scuola and was quite impressed. It was both rigorous and fun in balance, inspiring me to learn and take my Italian further than ever before. I'll be back for the next level course."
IL MIO POSTO FELICE!!!!
Leslie Hughes
“What I like most about participating in a literature class with the Istituto is having classmates with whom to discuss our books. I like hearing their opinions and responding to them. Reading is a great pleasure of mine, but sharing a book makes reading an adventure. With a teacher guiding us we improve our language skills and become more self-confident expressing ourselves. I’m grateful for the opportunity!”
The best way to maintain and improve my language skills
Dennis Abbe
“I have been taking classes at the SFIIS for years because, short of a long stay in Italy, it is the best way to maintain and improve my language skills. But more than that, I enjoy being with the other students and my instructor(s), many of whom are now good friends. In my class we read classic and contemporary Italian literature, and our instructor keeps us up to date on Italian culture and even politics. The experience on Zoom is almost as good as the in-person classes; Barbara is amazing in her use of the tools to run a lively, efficient, and fun class.”
I've made life-long friends through SFIIS classes
Dede Heitman
“The SFIIS school offers the best, well rounded Italian languages classes in the Bay Area. With native speakers as teachers, the classes provide a comprehensive, natural and fun way of learning. Everyone feels welcome, no matter the level. The teachers are encouraging, entertaining and enthusiastic about their language and culture. As a bonus, I've made life-long friends through SFIIS classes. Please join our Italian language learning community!”
An authentic learning experience
SPEAK
ITALIAN
AND
LIVE
NEW
EXPERIENCES