You can't learn a language without knowing its alphabet. Here's Marika to teach you the Italian one. Pay special attention when she gets to J! It's one of the letters that wasn't in the original alphabet of 21 letters.

Join Marika as she walks around the city pointing out different kinds of shops. Learn where to get that flat tire on your bicycle fixed. And discover the unlikely name of the place you go to get your dry cleaning done.

Do you have shoes that need repair? Or maybe you need new sunglasses? Marika walks around a residential neighborhood, pointing out the different shops.

With her students, Daniela shows us how to conjugate the verbs aprire (to open) and chiudere (to close).

For a TV commercial in Germany, Elisabetta Canalis, Italian actress and showgirl, lends her image to "Giotto" chocolates, made by the Italian company, Ferrero.

When two people meet, it's important to ask them how they are. Daniela explains the different ways to ask, and also how to answer.

Daniela explains when to use the different forms of greetings in Italian: "buongiorno," "buonasera," "buonanotte," and "salve."

Marika tells us about the clothes people wear, from underwear to winter coats.

Daniela teaches us the Italian way to say hello and goodbye, to both our friends and to people we don't know.

What time is the right time to say "Buongiorno?" Marika explains it and talks about how Italians tell time.

Big or small, thick or thin? Marika gives you a jump start to some of the most common opposites used in everyday Italian. You'll get the picture!

Marika takes us to Rome, and talks about all the different ways we can get around--trains, scooters, and even hydrofoils.

Marika shows us the various pots and pans, plates and silverware used every day in Italian kitchens, dining rooms and restaurants.

Giuditta sings a song about a beautiful turtle. The song tells about how the turtle ended up being such a slow animal.

Marika takes us through the vegetables used in Italian cooking. Buon appetito!

Marika goes over the names of farm animals, what their young are called, and the onomatopoetic calls of the animals.

Marika names some of the delicious fruits available in Italy. In general the fruits themselves are feminine, while the plants on which they grow take the masculine form.

In this video, Marika - with the help of Quincy - tells us about the chest and lower limbs of the human body. The lower limbs are attached to the chest at its base.

"Stella Stellina" [Star, little star) is a lullaby which repeats the names of farm animals and lulls children to sleep.

Do you already know the names of geometric figures in Italian? Review now with Marika and her very helpful little assistant, Nicolas.

Laura Sini, a finalist at the 2011 edition of Videofestival Live, sings about having to leave her native Sardinia in order to further her music career. This video was kindly provided by pa74music.

Today Marika talks to us about the head and the face. You can learn or practice by repeating after her.

The "Ninna nanna del chicco di caffè" [Coffee Bean Lullaby] was first performed at a musical festival devoted children's songs, the Zecchino d'Oro, in 1970. It is still sung today by many Italian mothers to lull their babies to sleep.

Mina's famous song, "Giorni" [Days] is performed here by Laura Vignes, for the fifth edition of the Festival Nazionale della Canzone D'Autore [National Festival of Songwriters] for young talents.