Is Italian similar to French?

Subject : French, Italian

Bonjour/Buongiorno,

It is said that 89% of Italian words have a French cognate. That means a similar word in French to Italian.

Structurally too, the 2 languages are very similar. For example, both languages use the verbs “To have” and “To be” to form perfect tenses. In similar situations, the past participle must agree in gender and or quantity with the subject or with the direct object. There are very many situations however where the past participle must not agree.

Here is a great video with Langfocus who discusses this further.

However, a huge difference between French and Italian is the pronunciation. French words are much harder to pronounce (albeit with some logic and consistency) than Italian words. The latter are pronounced far more as they are written.

If you are having any problems with French or Italian or if you would like to learn more about these languages or Spanish then please follow the links below:

French Tutor North London – GCSE & A-Level French Tuition

Italian Tutor North London – GCSE & A-Level Italian Lessons

Spanish Tutor North London – One-to-One GCSE & A-Level Tuition

Help your child thrive with caring, personalised home and online tutoring in Maths, French, Spanish, Italian and Chess. Every session is designed to build confidence, skills and a love of learning.
© 2026 Matts Study Hub. All rights Reserved.
Designed by Monodot Studio