Learn Italian and Spanish with Claudia's Online Lessons | Spanglitalian Learn Italian and Spanish

Language teacher, trained opera singer, cat enthusiast

Ciao! I'm Claudia

About me

I've been teaching Italian and Spanish for over 15 years and I still consider it an honour to be part of someone's learning journey.

From Lima to the Alps — via Rome and Devon

My Story

I was born in Lima, Perú and moved to Italy when I was 21. I completed a BA in Letteratura, Musica e Spettacolo at La Sapienza University in Rome, whilst also training as an opera singer. Over time, my passion for languages and teaching grew stronger, and I went on to earn a CELTA language teaching qualification from the University of Cambridge.

I married a very tall Englishman from Devon and started combining my two passions — singing professionally and teaching languages. After 10 years in Devon, il bel paese called me back for a quiet life in an Alpine village in Piedmont.

We now live there with three rescue cats, one foster and colony of six more in our terrace!

Tiny steps (piccoli passi
o pasito a paso)

My Teaching Philosophy

My grandfather used to say: "How does an ant eat an elephant? One bite at a time!"

I believe in the power of tiny steps to achieve big dreams. Even five minutes a day connecting with your "Italian you" or your "Spanish you" is a big win. Fun is essential — learning happens when you're relaxed and having fun.

Living proof? One of my favourite students started learning Italian from scratch at 80 years old. Now she orders coffee, apricot croissants, pizza, and buys impressive amounts of wool at the market — all in Italian. It's never too late if you take small steps.

A few random facts about me

I have sung in over 12 languages — including Kampa, a Peruvian jungle language, and Piedmontese. I had to study pronunciation for each language and understand word for word what I was singing and this deepened my love of how languages sound and feel. This also shaped how I teach today.

My husband and I volunteer at our local cat shelter. We adopted three cats, one of them with only one eye called Pirata. He'll also help you learn Spanish or Italian as he's the star of my Youtube teaching channels.

I taught myself how to crochet — I make little weird animals, like this axolotl. It took a few years and tiny steps but I recently completed my first granny square blanket!

I have no social media accounts like Facebook or Instagram but I have Youtube channels for teaching languages.
One of my most popular videos in Italian is a chat with my mum and Princesa (her dog) about our family history. You can watch the interview in Italian with subtitles here.

Life in "Spanglitalian"
My mum is the only person I can speak to in Spanish, English and Italian - sometimes in the same sentence! This is what gave me the idea for the name of the website and Youtube Channels. My husband gets a headache when I'm on the phone to her!

Laurea (BA) in Letteratura, Musica e Spettacolo
La Sapienza University, Rome

CELTA — English Language Teaching
University of Cambridge

Fluent in 4 languages, conversational in 2 more
Spanish · English · Italian · French · German · Quechua

15+ years teaching Italian, Spanish & English
Students aged 5 to 85 — it's never too late

Qualifications and Experience

"Claudia tailors my lessons to suit my level and creates innovative games and stories which really take the pressure off and make the whole process so enjoyable. She also explains cultural differences which really help when you're trying to fully understand a new language. I can't thank her enough for giving me the confidence to try and speak Italian more and more every time I visit Italy."
— Chris, beginner Italian student from Devon
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"Claudia is a friendly, experienced and fun teacher. She tailors her lessons to the student's interests and level and offers additional study material via her YouTube channel. 100% recommended."
— Lucy, intermediate Spanish student from London
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