Learn Italian: Studio l'italiano per parlare con i miei amici. - I study Italian in order to speak with my friends.

In Italian, the verb ending usually tells you who is doing the action. The -o at the end of studio means "I study." You can say io studio, but Italians usually drop the io unless they want to add special emphasis.

Why is there an l' before italiano? Doesn't that mean "the Italian"?

Yes, it literally means "the Italian." In English, we just say "I study Italian," but in Italian, you generally need to use a definite article (like il, la, or l') before the names of languages.

Why use per parlare to mean "in order to speak"?

The word per usually means "for," but when you put it right before a verb in its dictionary form (the infinitive, like parlare), it translates to "in order to." So per parlare means "in order to speak."

Why does the sentence say i miei amici instead of just miei amici?

In Italian, you almost always need to put a "the" word (a definite article like i) before a possessive word like miei (my). Because of this rule, you literally have to say "the my friends" (i miei amici).