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How to Say “To Join” in Italian
If you're learning Italian, you might have noticed that the English verb “to join” is tricky to translate directly, as it doesn’t have just one equivalent in Italian. Instead, several options exist, each depending on the context. Here are some of the most common ways...
Andare, Andarsene and Andarci: The Difference
Let’s break down the differences between "me ne vado," "vado," and "ci vado." Vado (andare) "Vado" means “I’m going” and is the most neutral of the three. It can stand alone when you’re simply stating that you’re going somewhere, without further details, or it’s used...
The Placement of Italian Pronouns in Sentences
1. What Are Pronouns? Pronouns in Italian, like in English, are little words that we use to replace a noun. These include direct and indirect object pronouns, as well as the particles “ci” and “ne,” which are also considered pronouns. PronounMeaningMime / to meTiyou /...
Incontrare vs. Incontrarsi. The Difference Explained.
The verb incontrare (to meet) can be used with the auxiliary avere: ho incontrato and with the auxiliary essere in its reflexive form: ci siamo incontrati. One of the most recurring questions I get in my private classes is whether there’s any difference between...
È stato vs. era: Which one to choose?
Passato Prossimo vs. Imperfetto of essere If you’re learning Italian as a native English speaker, you might be wondering when to use è stato or è stata versus era. È stato/a is the third person singular of the passato prossimo tense of the...
Mastering Italian Vocabulary: Main Uses of ‘Pure’
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 can be done without hesitation or...
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 of "di" plus...
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...
Poco, Poca, Pochi, Poche: A Simple Guide to Italian Quantifiers
If you have ever felt confused about choosing between pochi, poche, or poca, this article is for you. English has separate words to express what in Italian is conveyed by “poco” and its variations, and that’s where the confusion comes from. To choose the correct...
Reflexive Pronouns in Italian
What are reflexive pronouns? Reflexive pronouns are those pronouns that are used in conjunction with verbs known as reflexive verbs. They are used exclusively when conjugating these verbs. Reflexive PronounIomiTutiLui, LeisiNoiciVoiviLorosiReflexive Pronouns in...