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Italian Formal Register

Twelfth graders learn Italian’s two ways of saying “you” — informal tu (friends, family) and formal Lei (strangers, elders, business). Choosing the right register is a mark of manners (educazione) in Italy.

Grade 12Formal Register50 minutes1 class periodACTFL / World LanguagesExplicit teaching4 StandardsACTFL
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Tell tu from Lei.
  • ✓Learn formal & informal.
  • ✓Sort by register.
  • ✓Choose the right one.
Essential Question

Tu or Lei? When do you use formal vs informal Italian?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Sort It · Interactive

Informal (tu) or Formal (Lei)?

Project this and sort each phrase into Informal (tu) or Formal (Lei).

🗣️ Sort each — informal (tu) or formal (Lei)?Try it
😎 Informal — tu
🙇 Formal — Lei
Tap a phrase, then tap a box.
The Lesson · Language Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Speak · Reflect)

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Two Ways to Say “You”

6 min

When do you use formal vs informal Italian?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Greet a friend, then a stranger.
  • Ask who each is for.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Listen.
  • Wonder.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Formal Register

12 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Informal or Formal?
  • Sort each phrase.
  • Note tu vs Lei.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sort.
  • Note it.
  • Note it.
3

Practice — Practice

13 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Make “Come stai?” formal.
  • Make “Come sta?” informal.
  • Pick a level for a teacher.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Change.
  • Change.
  • Pick.
4

Speak — Speak

13 min

Students speak.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Greet a friend (tu).
  • Greet an elder (Lei).
  • Ask a partner both ways.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Greet.
  • Greet.
  • Ask.
5

Reflect — Reflect

6 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name the two registers.
  • Say when to use Lei.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name them.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (Intermediate-Mid).

ACTFL
Cultures 2.1

Explore politeness & register.

ACTFL
Communication 1.1

Interpersonal: choose the right register.

ACTFL
Comparisons 4.2

Compare formality systems.

ACTFL
Communication 1.3

Presentational: adjust formality.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Phrase pairs (tu/Lei).
  • Who-to-use-it-with chart.
  • Model both aloud.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with Ciao / Buongiorno.
  • Sort one at a time.
  • Use pictures of people.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add Loro (very formal).
  • Rewrite a dialogue two ways.
  • Discuss age & status.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🗣️Phrase cards (2 registers)
  • 💻Informal or Formal?
  • 👥“Who to use it with” chart
  • 📓Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

formaleformalinformaleinformaltuyou (informal)Leiyou (formal)Come staihow are you (inf.)Come stahow are you (form.)rispettorespecteducazionemanners
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
Which “you” is formal in Italian — tu or Lei?
Lei.
QUESTION 2
Would you use tu or Lei with a teacher?
Lei (formal).
QUESTION 3
What does “Come sta?” mean?
How are you? (formal)

Reflect: formal register.

Have students write a greeting two ways in Italian — informal (tu) and formal (Lei). A printable Italian register sheet is in the World Languages library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Italian Formal RegisterFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Italian Formal RegisterQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Italian Formal RegisterPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: Come sta, Come stai, educazione, formale, informale, Lei, rispetto, tu
  1. manners
  2. how are you (form.)
  3. formal
  4. respect
  5. informal
  6. you (informal)
  7. how are you (inf.)
  8. you (formal)

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. Which “you” is formal in Italian — tu or Lei?
  2. Would you use tu or Lei with a teacher?
  3. What does “Come sta?” mean?
Answer key — Part A: 1) educazione · 2) Come sta · 3) formale · 4) rispetto · 5) informale · 6) tu · 7) Come stai · 8) Lei
Part B: 1) Lei. 2) Lei (formal). 3) How are you? (formal)