This volume is designed to introduce students to spoken Italian. It covers virtually the entire sound system of the language and introduces the basic grammatical categories (gender, number, unit noun markers, person, tense). Although verb forms are for the most part limited to the present tense, a few other forms, including past and future tense, are also presented and practiced. The vocabulary and structure in this volume allows for participation in such situations as talking on the telephone, ordering a meal, discussing daily activities, and requesting or telling someone to do something. Volume I consists of thirty units, preceded by four preliminary units containing information and certain principles that are fundamental to the study of Italian. These four units are: What Is Italian?; Sounds or Letters?; Sounds and Sound-Classes; Stress. The thirty-four units of this volume are in a programmed format. This means that information is presented and practiced in very small steps. The steps are numbered and referred to as "frames." A unit may have as few as 27 frames or as many as 117 frames. Because of the programmed format, the material is self-instructional and requires the use of a tape recorder. Vocabulary lists are at the end of the volume. (Author/CFM)