È stato vs. era: Which one to choose?
Passato Prossimo vs. Imperfetto of Essere in Italian If you’re learning Italian as an English speaker, you might wonder when to use “è stato/a” (or “sono stato”) versus “era” or “ero.” They all translate to “it was” or “I...
How To Use “Pure” in Italian
What does pure mean? The word “pure,” often used in spoken Italian, has two main meanings in Italian. The first meaning is “also” or “too.” The second meaning is more nuanced and typically accompanies an action, indicating that it...
Italian Partitive Articles (How to say “some” in Italian)
What is a partitive article? Partitive articles are an essential part of the Italian language and the easiest way to translate “some” in English. Unlike in English, they change their shape depending on the noun they precede because they are a combination...
Troppo, Troppa, Troppi, Troppe. What’s the difference?
Troppo (adverb) Troppo is invariable and thus does not change its ending when it acts as an adverb, which means that appears after a verb or before an adjective. Troppo = too much Troppo, Troppa, Troppi, Troppe (adjectives) Troppi is variable and changes its ending to...About
Ciao! I'm Serena, and I'm the creator of Smart Italian Learning. I am the head teacher of a small language school. We offer online, in-person and video courses for Italian learners, with a focus on adult English native speakers. Our courses are based on our passion for teaching and our experience as long-term adult language learners. You can meet us online, or in person in Rome.