Skip to content

Art & Beauty are all around us

Home
About
- In the News
Art Blog
Learn Italian with Melissa
- Learn Italian in Italy!
- Studentessa Matta Italian Language Site
Melissa’s Books
- Melissa Muldoon Author Site
- Amazon Author Site
Book & Gift Shop
Subscribe & Connect
- Art Loving Italy FaceBook
- Pinterest

Art comics

Finding Humor in Art: Playful Parodies of the Great Masters

Follow along on Instagram @studentessamatta

Hello Lake Garda! An Italian homestay with Claudia

Hello Lake Garda! An Italian homestay with Claudia in Desenzano

Dreaming of improving your Italian in Italy—with a lake view? Now you can. Through the Studentessa Matta blog, you can book an Italian Language Homestay in Desenzano del Garda, on the southern shore of Lake Garda.

You’ll stay in your own private apartment (yes—with a terrace view 😍) and immerse yourself in daily life while learning Italian with Claudia, who officially joins the Matta Homestay family.

Picture your days:
• morning Italian + real-life conversation
• passeggiata along the waterfront
• aperitivo in the piazza
• and a ferry ride “just to see where you end up” 🚤

Ready to live Italian—lake edition?

Learn more + book your homestay on http://StudentessaMatta.com

#StudentessaMatta #ItalianLanguageHomestay #LakeGarda #DesenzanoDelGarda #LearnItalianInItaly VitaItaliana ItalianImmersion StudyAbroadForAdults ParliamoItaliano AperitivoTime

🇮🇹 Un consiglio dalla Matta Matta Italian Languag

🇮🇹 Un consiglio dalla Matta
Matta Italian Language Tip!

Vocab for Day Tripping, visiting & Galavanting About

In Italian you don’t just “take a trip.”
You might fare un salto (a quick hop) or fare un giro (a stroll).

Facciamo un salto a Sirmione?
Facciamo un giro sul lungolago?

Super Matta Tip

In English, we use “to visit” for everything: a friend, a city, a museum, a whole country. In Italian, visitare is more specific—it’s mainly for places and attractions (museums, monuments, cities you “tour”). When it comes to people, Italians usually choose different verbs.

Quick guidelines

visitare = visit a place (museum, site, city, exhibit, doctor or dentist)  Domani visitiamo la Villa Romana di Desenzano. Ho visitato Verona per la prima volta.  andare a trovare / passare a trovare = visit a person (natural choice)  Vado a trovare Claudia domani. Passo a trovarti dopo lezione.  fare visita a = more formal (“pay a visit”)  Siamo andati a fare visita ai parenti. Ha fatto visita alla zia.

#StudentessaMatta #LearnItalianInItaly #ItalianImmersion #ItalianLanguage #StudyAbroadForAdults TuscanLife Arezzo FlorenceItaly ParlaItaliano ItalianoConMelissa Italy2026 LanguageTravel

Eccomi! Sono Melissa — la Studentessa Matta — e da

Eccomi! Sono Melissa — la Studentessa Matta — e da Austin, Texas, sto facendo un brindisi a voi… e all’Italia che mi chiama! 🇮🇹✨

Here I am! I’m Melissa — the Studentessa Matta — and from Austin, Texas, I’m raising a toast to you… and to Italy, which is calling me!

It’s January, but I’m already dreaming of June. I can’t wait to go back to Italy—and you can come with me!

In June we’ll wander the little streets of Arezzo and feel the excitement of the Giostra del Saracino (June 14–26).
 In September we’ll slow down in a Tuscan villa with a pool: Italian, excursions, and country life (September 12–21).
 And in late September we’ll jump into the Florentine rhythm, with artisan shops, cafés, and the magic of the Oltrarno (Sept 26–Oct 5).

I posti stanno sparendo (e tanti studenti tornano per la 2ª, 3ª, 4ª volta!)… quindi: che aspetti? 🍷
Vieni con me. Andiamo! 🇮🇹💛

Spots are disappearing fast (and many students come back for a 2nd, 3rd, even 4th time!)… so: what are you waiting for?  
Come with me. Let’s go! 🇮🇹💛

🇮🇹 Come for the Italian. Stay for the people. Retu

🇮🇹 Come for the Italian. Stay for the people. Return for the joy.

The 2025 Matta Italian Language Immersion Programs are officially filling—and there’s a reason:
 many students are coming back for their second, third… even fourth time!

Because this isn’t just a language program. It’s a shared experience, a rhythm, a little Italian life you don’t want to leave.

Choose your 2026 immersion:

June | Arezzo City Center Program June 14–26 Live and learn in the heart of Arezzo—morning Italian classes, real conversations, and afternoons that turn classmates into friends.

September | Tuscan Villa Program September 12–21 A magical setting for focused learning, long meals, laughter, and Italian spoken from breakfast to bedtime.

September | Florence Program September 26–October 5 Step into daily Florentine life—language, culture, art, food, and the confidence that comes from truly using your Italian.

Small groups Big conversations Supportive, welcoming atmosphere Plenty of laughs along the way
Spots are filling quickly: Join the fun, meet an incredible community of Italian lovers, and reserve your place now.

Learn more & sign up at StudentessaMatta.com
Italian isn’t just learned here—it’s lived. 🇮🇹

#LearnItalian #ItalianImmersion #LiveItalian #StudyItalianInItaly #StudentessaMatta #ItalyLovers

Nuova tappa Matta: lezioni + vita vera sul lago di

Nuova tappa Matta: lezioni + vita vera sul lago di Garda

New Matta stop: lessons + real Italian life on lake Garda

Benvenuta, Claudia, il tuo insegnante di Homestay su Lago di Garda!Welcome, Claudia, your homestay teacher on Lago di Garda!

Claudia entra ufficialmente nella famiglia Matta Homestay—e con lei arrivano nuove possibilità per vivere l’italiano… con vista lago.
#DesenzanodelGarda #ImparareItaliano #ItalianHomestay #ItalianinItaly #ItalianLanguageLearning #LakeGarda #Lugana #Sirmione #studentessamatta #viaggiostudio

https://www.studentessamatta.com/italian-homestay-claudia-desenzano-lake-garda/

🇮🇹 Matta Italian Language Immersion Programs — Ita

🇮🇹 Matta Italian Language Immersion Programs — Italy 2026 🇮🇹
 Ready to stop studying Italian and start living it? Come to Italy with me and watch your language skills improve leaps and bounds—because when you’re ordering, chatting, laughing, and learning in Italian, everything clicks.

3 incredible programs in 2026 (small groups, big progress):

AREZZO Immersion: June 14–26, 2026 Two weeks of Italian life in a beautiful Tuscan city—language, culture, local rhythms, and lots of real conversations.

TUSCAN VILLA Immersion (limited availability!): September 12-21, 2026 Spend a week in the Tuscan countryside—Italian, food, laughter, and that “I can’t believe this is my life” feeling. ⚠️ Just a few spots left for the Villa program!

FLORENCE Immersion (late September) September 26–October 5, 2026 A city stay with the “live like a Florentine” vibe—Italian classes + cultural experiences in the heart of Firenze.

Spots are filling (and the Villa is almost full!).
 📩 DM me “ITALY 2026” or tap the link in bio to hop over to the Studentessa Matta Website to enroll and save your spot.

Andiamo! 🇮🇹

#StudentessaMatta #LearnItalianInItaly #ItalianImmersion #ItalianLanguage #StudyAbroadForAdults TuscanLife Arezzo FlorenceItaly ParlaItaliano ItalianoConMelissa Italy2026 LanguageTravel

MATTA TIP: The Quick “Lifesaver” Recap of DOVERE

MATTA TIP: The Quick “Lifesaver” Recap of DOVERE

Practicing—and actually remembering—Italian grammar can feel a little tricky (and honestly, a bit daunting) at times. But after this post, you’ll have a much clearer grasp of the many meanings and uses of DOVERE. Below is a quick mini-guide you can come back to anytime.

Matta move: Write it on a Post-it and stick it right on your computer monitor.
 With practice and repetition, these forms will start to feel familiar… and one day you’ll catch yourself using them naturally without even thinking.

Quick “Lifesaver” Recap:

OBLIGATION / PRESSURE / ADVICE / REGRET • Devo = obligation now • Dovevo = past pressure/expectation (doesn’t say if you did it) • Ho dovuto = completed obligation (yes, it happened) • Avevo dovuto = obligation earlier than another past moment (pluperfect) • Dovrei = advice / it would be better • Avrei dovuto = regret
• Dovere = to owe / to be indebted to someone

➕➕➕➕➕➕➕➕➕➕

DEDUCTION (Detective Mode 🕵️‍♀️) • Deve essere = present deduction (state) • Deve essere stato/a = past deduction (state) • Deve aver + participle = past deduction (action) • Doveva = often past deduction (but can be obligation—context decides!)

Want the full explanation + examples? Read the full article on the Studentessa Matta website about DOVERE!

#StudentessaMatta #ItalianGrammar #LearnItalian #ItalianLanguage #ItalianVerbs Dovere ItalianTips ItalianStudy LanguageLearning StudiareItaliano ItalianoAvanzato ItalianLesson

© 2026 Art of Loving Italy • Site Design & Development by Bellano Web Studio

About
Art / Artists
Blog
Books by Melissa set in Italy Celebrating Art
In the News
Learn Italian in Italy!
Learn Italian with Melissa
Melissa Muldoon Guest Posts for other publications
Melissa Muldoon’s Italian Language Learning Sites
New Home
Pinterest
Store / Affiliates
Subscribe and Connect via Email & Social Media

Search for: