Italian is a melodious and expressive language spoken by over 85 million people globally. As the official language of Italy and parts of Switzerland, San Marino, and Vatican City, Italian is deeply rooted in centuries of history, culture, and art. Known as the language of music, cuisine, and design, Italian resonates through the masterpieces of opera, Renaissance art, and the global culinary scene. Many English words in music and gastronomy find their origins in Italian.