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 I switched from learning Spanish on Duolingo to learning Italian for a year for a trip to Italy which was cancelled. Now I have just finished learning the Italian from the Duolingo course and I have gone back to Spanish.

This time I am more methodical. A few days ago I wanted to say goodnight to my husband in Italian and could not rmember the Italian for good night. He was astonished and said, "After a year of Italian, you still can't say good night!" 

I wrote down the Italian for good night on a piece of paper and put it by his bed on the bedside talbe (which Americans call a night stand). I wrote it again for myself, to go on my bedside table. 

When I switched to Spanish, I wrote the Italian for good night, and good morning.

Italian - English

ciao - hello/goodbye

buon giorno - good morning (literally good day)

buona notte - good night

Spanish - English

hola (silent h)  - hello/goodbye

buenas noches - good night

buenos dias - good day/morning

I think of Spain, Espana, with  the letter s. Add s for plurals, like Los Angeles, the city, which means the angels. 

Dia is day and dias is days. Day has the letter A second in Spanish.

Now, as soon as I think of good night or good morning in English, either the Italian or Spanish for good night or good day will pop into my head. How do I remember the difference is spelling of the word good for night and day, and which is Spanish and which is Italian.

I thought I'd check out the Portugese. Very close to Spanish. In spelling and pronounciation.

Handy in both Europe, in Portugal, and in South America in Brazil

Portuguese - English

olá - hello

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Useful Websites Languages For Travellers

Duolingo.com

wikitravel phrasebook Italian 

wikitravel phrasebook Spanish 

wikitravel phrasebook Portuguese

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