Gift subscriptions

Give someone a letter from Italy, every month.

A native Italian teacher writes to them by post, reads their handwritten replies and answers each one with corrections and a little of Italian life. You choose the plan and how long it lasts. They choose when to begin.

Choose a giftHow a gift works
3, 6 or 12months of letters
Paid oncenever renews
24 hoursto the first letter

Received a gift? Redeem your code

How a gift works

Three steps, and the post does the rest.

1

You choose the gift

Pick a plan and a length: three, six or twelve months. You pay once, and nothing renews.

2

They receive a gift card

We email it to them on the day you choose, with your message. Or you print it at home and give it by hand.

3

They begin when they’re ready

They create an account, enter the code and add their address. The gift starts that day, and their first letter is posted within 24 hours.

Choose a gift

Put together their envelope.

Every plan includes letters from a native Italian teacher living in Italy, written at their level and answered when they reply.

i.

The plan

ii.

How long

iii.

The card

0/300

Bologna, 3 dicembre

Cara Anna,

che bella sorpresa la tua lettera. Mi hai scritto che a Boston fa già freddo: anche qui la nebbia è arrivata, e la mattina i portici sono pieni di gente con il cappotto e il caffè in mano...

Nota di grammaticaYou wrote “sono andata al mercato e ho comprato le mele”. Perfect: andare takes essere, so the past participle agrees with you.

An example of the kind of letter they’ll receive.

What they’ll receive

A correspondence that teaches as it goes.

  • a
    Letters written for themA native Italian teacher living in Italy writes at their level, about things they care about, and stretches them a little with each letter.
  • b
    Their replies, correctedThey answer by hand. The next letter replies to what they said and explains their mistakes, so every exchange teaches something about their own Italian.
  • c
    Italy in every envelopeGrammar notes and a piece of everyday Italian life: a tradition, a word, a city in a particular season.
  • d
    No app, no screen timePaper, a pen and a few unhurried evenings a month.
Is it the right gift?

An honest answer before you buy.

A lovely gift for

  • Someone with Italian roots who wants to read the family’s letters, or write to relatives.
  • A traveler planning a long trip, a sabbatical or a move to Italy.
  • A learner who has stalled on apps and misses a real reader.
  • Anyone who still loves the post, and the slow pleasure of an envelope with their name on it.

Probably not the right gift for

  • A complete beginner. They should already know a little Italian, enough to read a short paragraph with a dictionary.
  • Someone who mainly wants to speak. Letters train reading and writing; they don’t replace conversation.
  • Anyone under 18. Inkwell is for adults.

Not sure of their level? Our free level test takes a few minutes, if you or they want to check.

Questions

Before you give it

When they redeem it, not when you buy it. They have twelve months to redeem the card, so a gift given in December can start in January, or after a busy spring.

No. A gift is paid once and ends on its own. Before it ends we ask whether they’d like to continue on their own subscription, and only if they choose to.

No. They add their own address when they redeem the card, which keeps the surprise and keeps their details theirs.

Letters are posted from Italy. Typical delivery times: Europe 3–8 working days, the Mediterranean 5–12, the US and Canada 6–16, Australia and New Zealand 8–16, the rest of the world 8–22.

Italian is open now. French, German, Spanish and English are coming soon.

If they’re on the same plan, the gift adds its months to theirs and their next payment moves back. If it’s a different plan, write to us and we’ll set it up.

Some gifts are opened once.
This one arrives every month.

Choose a plan, write a few lines, and we’ll take care of the envelope.

Choose a gift