"L'italiano" means "the italian". "L'" is an abreviation of "il" (the definite article for male) or "la" (female). You abreviate like that when the word is singular. The plural is "i" (male) or "le" (female). But if the word is male and begins with a "z", "s" + consonant, "gn" or "ps", you must use "lo" (for singular) or "gli" (for plural). Like "l'alunno", "il padre", "lo zio", "lo studente", "lo psichiatra", "i padri", "gli alunni"... (sorry, my english is not that good... Hope you understand!)

Do you know about apostrophe usage in Italian language ? / Lo italiano / is shortened to /l' italiano/ Conosci l'italiano ? meaning: do you know the italian language ? Here /italiano/ is used as a noun.

Io sto studiando l'italiano. I am studying italian. Io subject sto studiando verb to study l'italiano italian object (what?) L'italiano è la lingua parlata solo in Italia. The language italian is spoke only in Italy. The language italian is adjective is spoke --> verb only in Italy.

If you use "italiano" as an adjective or "l'italiano" as a object/subject