Nicola Ferrario

Community Tutor

Teaches

English

French

Speaks

Bulgarian

Native

Italian

Native

Spanish

Chinese (Mandarin)

Portuguese

Other

Russian

Learned 5 languages as an adult. From zero or improving, my lessons are built around your goals.

Teaches

English

French

Speaks

Bulgarian

Native

Italian

Native

Spanish

Chinese (Mandarin)

Portuguese

Other

Russian

Learned 5 languages as an adult. From zero or improving, my lessons are built around your goals.

About Me

Me as a Teacher

My lessons & teaching style

From ItalyLiving in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain (09:10 UTC+01:00)

About Me

italki teacher since Mar 14, 2026

InterestsEnvironment & NatureTravelMusicWritingBusiness & Finance

I've lived in five countries and learned five languages as an adult, which gave me a clear picture of what really works when acquiring a new language, each one experienced from the inside, in real-life contexts. I've lived in Italy, China, Spain, France and the UK, and every time I had to start over, make mistakes, find shortcuts, figure out what actually sped up the process. Teaching is my way of putting all of this to good use. One of the most formative experiences of my life was travelling for over 400 days across Asia. During that time I came to understand that language is only part of something bigger, and that what really connects people is genuine curiosity about one another.

Me as a Teacher

What learning so many languages has taught me is that grammar alone doesn't get you very far. You acquire a language when you start using it, even imperfectly. My role is to create the conditions for that to happen as soon as possible. I'm demanding enough to help you make progress, but never in a way that puts you under pressure. I correct with judgement, focusing on what genuinely gets in the way of communication and leaving room for spontaneous expression. I've worked with students at very different levels and I adapt my pace and register to whoever is in front of me. Most students go from A1 to B2 within a year to a year and a half with one hour of practice per week.

My lessons & teaching style

Every lesson starts from where you are, not from a standard plan. Before we begin I take the time to understand your goals, whether that's everyday conversation, professional language or exam preparation, and I build the path accordingly. I work a great deal with exposure to the language in real contexts, because that's how natural acquisition works, the same way we all learned our mother tongue as children. Lessons are conversational by nature, with targeted input on vocabulary or grammar structures whenever needed. The materials I choose are always based on you. If we already share a language, we can use it as a bridge into the one you are learning.

My teaching material