Serena

About Serena

https://www.italianpills.com/

Serena is a proud polyglot, teacher and language expert. After learning 8+ foreign languages and working long hours a job she was not born for, she decided she urged a significant life change. She is now combining what she loves doing with what she is good at, helping people to learn Italian online. She has been sharing her love for Italy and the Bella Lingua across the world for the last four years. Her goal is helping enthusiastic humans to transform Italian Language Learning into a habit in their lives.

Posts by Serena :

The 21 Most Popular Italian Sayings About Life and Their Meanings

25 Most Popular Italian Sayings About Life and Their Meanings

Learning sayings in Italian may not only help you with your learning but also give you an insight into the culture of Italy. There are many Italian sayings that are used in everyday life;

Most Italian proverbs have clear cultural or regional boundaries, making them difficult to interpret without a thorough understanding of Italian culture and history. The vast majority of Italian sayings are simply wise words that can be found in a variety of languages and cultures.

How to learn Italian sayings effectively as a non-native speaker?

The most effective way to incorporate Italian sayings or idioms is to choose the transparent ones, that is, those with a literal translation in your mother language: they simply make more sense and are easier to remember.

In this list, I chose to focus on these sayings because they represent some aspects that are very typical for Italy and Italians, like family values, life, love, or food. And, they are sentences we Italians really use.

Do you want to learn more idioms? Try these Latin ones 12 Latin expressions Italian likes to use.

1. Fidarsi è bene ma non fidarsi è meglio

Trusting is good, but not trusting is better.

Meaning: It means that while trust is important in life, you don’t have to be overly optimistic; a little extra attention won’t hurt anyone.

2. Finché c’è vita, c’è speranza

As long as there is life there is hope

Meaning: It means that one should never despair, even in difficult circumstances. This expression is sometimes used ironically with those who continue to hope despite the fact that it is useless.

3. Il fine giustifica i mezzi

the end justifies the means

Meaning: it means that If the goal is good, one should not be concerned with the means and methods employed to get there.

4. Can che abbaia non morde

The dog that barks doesn’t bite

Meaning: It means that those who make a lot of threats don’t always follow through with their threats.

5. Parlare come un libro stampato

To talk like a printed book

Meaning: someone who speaks like a printed book does so by using the language correctly and appropriately, as a book would.

6. A caval donato non si guarda in bocca

You don’t look a gift horse in the mouth

Meaning: “caval donato” literally means a horse that has been given as a gift. “Non si guarda in bocca” means you should look in the mouth (of the horse).

In a figurative sense, the statement implies that you should not criticize what has been given to you. This expression comes from the old practice of horse traders inspecting a horse’s teeth before purchasing it, to determine the good health of the animal.

7. Ambasciator non porta pena

Don’t shoot the messenger

Meaning: this phrase essentially indicates that “the ambassador does not give unpleasant news” The meaning of the statement is that anyone who delivers bad or unpleasant news on behalf of others is not responsible and hence cannot be condemned.

8. Le bugie hanno le gambe corte

Lies have short legs

Meaning: that’s, of course, an appeal not to lie because “lies have short legs.” What does it mean? It means that lying won’t get you anywhere because lies have “short legs” and so they can’t go a long way and won’t last long.

9. Piove sempre sul bagnato

It always rains on the wet (lit.)

Meaning: when it rains, it pours is the closest English translation. This sentence has only a negative connotation in English, implying that things are continuing to go wrong for someone who is already unlucky. Piove sul bagnato also has a positive connotation in Italian. It also means that those who have already had good fortune will continue to have it.

10. Occhio non vede, cuore non duole

The eye doesn’t see, the heart does not hurt (lit.)

Meaning: If you don’t see something you probably don’t want to know about, you won’t suffer from it. So, what the eye doesn’t know, the heart doesn’t grieve over it.

11. Ogni lasciata è persa

Everything left is lost (lit.)

Meaning: this Italian proverb is used to point out that if you haven’t been able to seize an opportunity when it arose, you will most likely miss it forever. It’s then used as an exhortation to take the chances when they arise, without pondering and postponing too much.

12. Chi nasce tondo non può morir quadrato

Those who are born round, can’t die square (lit.)

Meaning: this Italian proverb suggests that it’s complicated to eradicate bad habits and that it’s complicated, if not impossible, to change them.

13. Non si può avere la botte piena e la moglie ubriaca

You can’t have a barrel full of wine and a drunk wife at the same time (lit.)

Meaning: this Italian saying is good for those who struggle to make decisions. Sometimes to get something, you need to give up on something else. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Sometimes, you can’t have all you want simultaneously, but you need to give up on something.

14. Paese che vai usanze che trovi

Every country you visit has different customs (lit.)

Meaning: that’s an invitation to be tolerant of the customs of other cultures.

That’s the Italian equivalent of the famous saying when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

15. Mal comune mezzo gaudio

Shared trouble, shared joy

Meaning: that’s an invitation to open up or share your trouble. If you share it, it’s less likely to overwhelm you, and your problem won’t seem so daunting. A trouble shared is a trouble halved.

16. Chi ha tempo non aspetti tempo

Who has time, shouldn’t wait for time

Meaning: that’s something you can say to invite someone to stop procrastinating and put off until tomorrow what he can do today.

17. La notte porta consiglio

Night brings advice

Meaning: some days we are presented with many challenges or important decisions to make. That’s why it makes more sense to sleep over it and make your choices in the morning with a fresh mind.

Read also: 5 Italian sayings on love

18. L’ospite è come il pesce dopo tre giorni puzza

A guest is like a fish that, after three days, stinks

Meaning: I find it very funny and real. We all like to have friends and family around, but we don’t like it anymore if they stick around too long.

19. Meglio soli che male accompagnati

Better alone than in the bad company

Meaning: This saying can be used in a situation where one is not happy about doing something alone. It says that it is better to be alone or carry a task individually than in the company of someone that might harm your life, business, tasks.

20. L’erba del vicino è sempre più verde

The grass is always greener on the other side

Meaning: That’s a saying that you can find in almost every language. The English have a literal translation of the Italian proverb. L’erba del vicino è sempre più verde means that we might think that our friends or neighbors are in a better situation than ourselves, even though this is not true.

21. De gustibus non disputandum est (Latin) – Tastes differ

Tastes differ (lit.)

Meaning: Italy has a long list of Latin sayings that have survived into modern Italian, such as De gustibus non disputandum est. It means that everyone is different and so has different tastes. We should be tolerant and respect other people’s feelings or inclinations.

22. Troppi cuochi guastano la cucina

Too many cooks spoil the broth

Meaning: Only one chef should be in charge in the kitchen; otherwise, things go horribly wrong. Similar to this, when an excessive number of people work on the same task without communicating with one another, the result can be chaos and conflicting instructions.

23. TENTAR NON NUOCE

There’s no harm in trying (lit.)

Meaning: there is nothing wrong with making an attempt; If you have a problem, always try to solve it; if it fails, you’ve learned just another lesson.

24. CHI SI FA I FATTI SUOI CAMPA 100 anni

Who wants to live longer, should mind his own business (lit.)

Meaning: it means that if you stay out of other people’s business, you’ll a happier and longer life.

25. NON DIRE GATTO SE NON CE L’HAI NEL SACCO

Don’t count your chickens before they hatch (British proverb)

Don’t say cat if you don’t have it in the bag (lit.)

Meaning: this is a popular Italian proverb that means we should not rely on something hoped for until we are certain it will happen. It’s frequently used in negative sentences.

Read also: 12 Latin Sayings in Italian

Do you enoy learning new Italian words or idioms?

It is best to do so using simplified Italian texts and short stories. Stories will provide you with a visual to relate to new words or idioms, making it easier to retain new information.

Are you curious about how it works? Check out my short stories narrated in slow Italian by me here.

Basta/Abbastanza/Mi basta: The Difference Explained

Everyone has heard at least once the words “basta! or “abbastanza” or “mi basta.”And although they all look very similar, their uses and meanings differ significantly. Let’s take a look at it now!

BASTA

Basta! means enough! stop!

It’s an invariable noun, and it’s used as an interjection or exclamation.

Sometimes we can attach an additional phrase to basta, like this:

Basta con questo rumore! – enough with this noise.
Basta parlare ad alta voce

Don’t forget that the tone you use when saying “basta” defines the message you want to get across.

Basta (enough!) can sound very harsh if you yell it at someone, or it can sound just like “that’s all.”

Basta or basta così, is a common phrase you can use at a market or restaurant, and it means that’s all.

For example:

Vuole altro, Signora? – anything else, M’am?
No, basta così, grazie – that’s all, thank you

ABBASTANZA

Abbastanza is an adverb of quantity. As all adverbs, abbastanza is an invariable word (it always stays the same).

When abbastanza is used after a verb, it means “enough“.

Stanotte non ho dormito abbastanza – I didn’t get enough sleep last night
Hai abbastanza soldi? – Do you have enough money?
Ho comprato abbastanza libri per oggi – I’ve bought enough books for today

When abbastanza is used before an adjective means “quite” or “pretty”.

Questo casa è abbastanza nuova – this house is quite new
Questa libro è abbastanza vecchio – this book is pretty old

MI BASTA/MI BASTANO

(If you’re a beginner learner, you can skip this for now.)

Mi basta is a form of the verb “bastare.” Bastare is an impersonal verb (just like the verbs piacere, mancare, and servire), which follows a different conjugation than the other regular verbs.

Bastare doesn’t have a straightforward translation into English, and it means something close to “enough” or “sufficient.”

Similar to the verb piacere, bastare gets conjugated in the third person singular and plural and with the indirect object pronouns, like in the following chart.

3rd person singular	3rd person plural	in English
mi basta	mi bastano	it's enough for me
ti basta	ti bastano	it's enough for you
gli/le basta	gli/le bastano	it's enough for him/her
ci basta	ci bastano	it's enough for us
vi basta	vi bastano	it's enough for you
gli basta	gli bastano	it's enough for them

Example sentences

Mi bastano 6 ore di sonno – six hours of sleep is enough for me
Ti basta questa formaggio per cucina la lasagna? – is this cheese sufficient to make the lasagna?
Questo mi basta – this is enough for me
Ti bastano 20 dollari? – is 20 dollars enough for you?
Ci basta questo pane – is the bread enough for us?
Gli bastano 6 ore di sonno due mesi per prepararmi all’esame? – is two months enough for him to prepare for the exam?

The PLIDA Italian Test

What is the PLIDA Italian exam?

The P.L.I.D.A (Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri) is an Italian exam created by the Italian Ministry of Education to test language proficiency at different levels in Italian. It’s intended for people who don’t live or study Italian outside the country, immigrants in Italy or those who apply for Italian Citizenship through marriage or residency.

There are six levels of the exam: A1 (beginner), A2 (lower- intermediate), B1 (intermediate), B2 (upper-intermediate), C1 (advanced), C2 (natitve).

The PLIDA B1 for Citizenship

If you’re planning to take the PLIDA exam for citizenship reason, you should book the PLIDA B1.

What’s does B1 stand for?

The level B1 is often referred to as the threshold stage, because it’s the point at which an Italian speaker moves beyond the simplest use of language usage and is able to deal with most scenarios that can happen when living or traveling in Italy.

B1 listening skills

At the B1 level, a student of Italian should be able to understand the general sentiment of clear and standard input of everyday conversation about things like work, family life, leisure, as well as understanding the main idea of television shows or radio stations, when the topics discussed are simple, clear, and don’t deal with complicated topics (e.g. politics, finance, economics, science, etc.).
B1 reading skills
B1 grammar skills
At this level, the learner should be proficient in both the A1 and A2 levels of Italian, as well as have a firm grasp of the B1 grammar. The standard grammar topics for B1 include:
- The use of articulated prepositions (e.g., di, dalla, sulla, etc..)
- The direct and indirect Italian pronouns (e.g. gli dico v lo dico)
- The particules ci e ne (e.g. ne parlo / ci parlo)
- The double object pronouns (e.g. me lo, te lo, glielo..)
- The use of most frequent Italian connectors (anche se, perciò, siccome, quindi, etc..)
- How to use and differentiate the imperfetto from the passato prossimo
- The use of the pronouns with the imperative and modal verbs
- The informal and formal imperative
- The use of the main Italian connectors (perché, poiché, quindi, etc…)
- The future tense and the present conditional
- The use of the present subjunctive
B1 writing skills
B1 speaking skills

A student of Italian who has reached the B1 is able to handle the majority of real-word situations. Additionally, he or she is also able to briefly give his or her opinion on topics of interest (such as the environment, education, healthcare, and lifestyle habits) and describe personal events and experiences. He or she is expected to construct Italian sentences with a variety of verb forms (present, past, future, conditional), connectors, and pronouns.

What’s the structure of the PLIDA B1 test?

The PLIDA exam has four parts:

Listening
Reading
Writing
Speaking

Tasks breakdown

ASCOLTARE – around 30 minutes

The listening part is split into four sections. Each section lasts around between five and seven minutes. The audio input takes the form of an actor-narrated dialogue or messaged. After listening to the audio inputs, you’ll need to complete a multiple choices quiz or matching vocabulary exercises. If you’ve reached the intermediate level, all of the exercises are fairly simple and easy.

LEGGERE – around 40 minutes

The reading part is split into four sections, each one lasting. Each section includes a number of brief texts. You’ll be given multiple choice or matching exercises at the end of each text.

SCRIVERE – around 60 minutes

The writing part is split into two sections consistent of two writing prompts. The first text should be between 110 and 150 words , the second between 70 and 100 words. The first task requires you to create a brief essay based on a visual and written prompt, and the second usually involves writing an official or informal email to request information or voice your dissatisfaction with a service.

PARLARE – around 15 minutes

The speaking portion is divided into three sections. In the first section (about two minutes) you’ll be required to introduce yourself in the first section, telling us where you live, what you do for a living, and why you’re learning Italian. In the second section, you will be paired with another student and required to have a conversation about a given subject. The third and last part will be carried out by students individually and the student will be involved in a conversation with the examiner . Both the second and third part last around 3-4 minutes, plus an additional three minutes reserved for gathering ideas and preparing for the conversations.

How can I prepare for the PLIDA test?

The Plida B1 (as well as any other B1 exams) will attest your intermediate Italian proficiency. This means that if you are a total beginner, you should first acquire language proficiency in A1 and A2, and only then should you start working on B1.

Regarding the actual exam preparation, I suggest breaking it up into two parts:

FIRST PART – make sure you have solid grasp of desired level for the exam. You can do this alone, in a school or with a private instructor.

SECOND PART – prepare for navigating the exam structure. Each exam has a unique format. Being familiar with the structure (e.g. how and where to fill in your answers!) on the day of the exam will help you pass it with easy and prevent some headaches. Work on exam samples or the PLIDA textbooks to accomplish this.

How is the PLIDA B1 for Citizenship different from the CILS UNO B1 or CELI 2?

The PLIDA B1 exam’s structure and input make it more accessible and overall simpler than the CILS and CELI B1 exams, despite the fact that it lacks a citizenship format.

Pros: easier and shorter than the CILS and CELI B1

Cons: There aren’t many PLIDA’s examination centers in the US.

How long does it take get to the B1 level?

There is no simple answer to this. It all comes down to your starting point. If you’re a total beginner, learning a foreign language from scratch can be a fun, but time-consuming task. Getting from zero to an intermediate level of Italian can take anywhere from 6 months to two years of immersive of semi-immersive study. On the other hand, if you have already taken Italian classes and your level is close to the intermediate threshold, all it would take is for you to start working on exam samples for a month or two.

How much does the PLIDA exam cost?

The cost of the PLIDA is different for every level and might also vary from one country to another. Please, confirm the price with your chosen PLIDA examination centers.

PLIDA exam centers and dates

The PLIDA language exams can be taken at Dante Alighieri schools, university or other accredited languages institutions. Just look up on google “PLIDA Italian exams” and your country to find out if there’s any examination center near you. As for the exam dates, you should check it up with your chose examination center. The Dante Alighieri is a well-reputable non-profit organization with over 550 committees all over the world. Use this website to look for a Dante Alighieri centers in your country.

PLIDA B1 preparation textbooks

Can I take a PLIDA B1 preparation course with you?

Yes. I offer three types of courses:

1-on-1 intensive programs from your current level up to the B1 intermediate threshold.
1-on-1 short programs to focus right on the exam competencies (for those who have already reached the intermediate level or are very close to that point)
One time classes with no commitment and tailored to your needs (exam rehearsal, assessment, language coaching)

You can check out my programs in greater detail here.

PLIDA B1 exam samples

You can download a sample of test on their official website here.

What’s the CILS Uno B1? (intermediate level)

What is the CILS Uno B1?

The CILS Uno B1 is an official Language Certificate issued by the University for foreigners of Siena, Italy, to prove the Italian government, an Italian university institution or an employer in Italy a B1 (intermediate) level of competence in the Italian Language.

What does B1 stand for?

Skills breakdown

Listening

At the B1 level, a student of Italian should be able to understand the general sentiment of clear and standard input of everyday conversation about things like work, family life, leisure, as well as understanding the main idea of television shows or radio stations, when the topics discussed are simple, clear, and don’t deal with complicated topics (e.g. politics, finance, economics, science, etc.).

Reading

At the B1 level, a student is able to read and understand a simple magazine article or blog post on affairs and uncomplicated general topics of general which don’t use advanced or technical language.

Grammar

At this level, the learner should be proficient in both the A1 and A2 levels of Italian, as well as have a firm grasp of the B1 grammar. The standard grammar topics for B1 include:

The use of articulated prepositions (e.g., di, dalla, sulla, etc..)
The direct and indirect Italian pronouns (e.g. gli dico v lo dico)
The particules ci e ne (e.g. ne parlo / ci parlo)
The double object pronouns (e.g. me lo, te lo, glielo..)
The use of most frequent Italian connectors (anche se, perciò, siccome, quindi, etc..)
How to use and differentiate the imperfetto from the passato prossimo
The use of the pronouns with the imperative and modal verbs
The informal and formal imperative
The use of the main Italian connectors (perché, poiché, quindi, etc…)
The future tense and the present conditional
The use of the present subjunctive

Writing

A student of Italian who has reached the B1 should be able to produce simple essays or emails in both formal and informal settings about personal experiences of interests. Additionally, he or she should be able to write formal emails to request information in general (e.g. to a school of Italian, to a hotel, to a city council, etc..).

Speaking

A student of Italian who has reached the B1 is able to handle the majority of real-word situations. Additionally, he or she is also able to briefly give his or her opinion on topics of interest (such as the environment, education, healthcare, and lifestyle habits) and describe personal events and experiences. He or she is expected to construct Italian sentences with a variety of verb forms (present, past, future, conditional), connectors, and pronouns.

What’s the structure of the CILS UNO B1 exam?

The CILS B1 exam consists of five sections, and it’s a writing and oral exam which lasts about 3.30 h.

Tasks breakdown

Test di ascolto – listening comprehension (30 minutes)
Test di comprensione della lettura – reading comprehension (45 minutes)
Test di analisi delle strutture di comunicazione – grammar and vocabulary (1 hour)
Test di produzione scritta – writing production (70 minutes)
Test di produzione orale – speaking practise (10 minutes)

The test di ascolto (listening part) lasts 30 minutes and consists of three short listening prompts. After listening to the audio prompts, you will complete a set multiple choices questionnaires about the audios.

The test di comprensione della lettura (reading part) will last 45 minutes and consists of three short reading exercises with texts to read and filling the gaps exercises.

The test di analisi delle strutture di comunicazione (grammar and vocabulary part) will last 1 hour and consists of four assignments: you will you to fill the missing parts in some short texts with the missing grammar (prepositions, verbs, articles) or vocabulary.

The test di produzione scritta (writing part) lasts 70 minutes and consists of two short writing prompts to chose from: one is usually about describing an event concerning your life, and another one is about writing an email. email in prova 1. Each text should be 90-120 words long.

Example of a writing assignment for the CILS Uno – B1

Descrivi una persona della tua famiglia. Devi scrivere da 100 a 120 parole.
Scrivi una e-mail ad un tuo amico italiano per invitarlo a visitare la tua città. Devi scrivere da 80 a 100 parole

The test di produzione orale is the speaking part and will last about 10-12 minutes. Your Italian speaking exam will be recorded. The tested is divided into two short sections, and you will need to:

briefly present yourself
carry out a role play with the examiner based on a visual prompt (ex. complain at a restaurant, giving a piece of advice to a friend)
describe a visual prompt – the examiner might ask you questions

How can I take the CILS Uno B1 exam?

You can take the exam virtually worldwide at any accredited Italian Language Centers in the world or in Italy.

CILS examinations center around the world

You should sign up and pay for the exam with at least one month’s notice.

Every year there are three to five dates for taking the exam depending on the examination center you decide to use.

The cost of the CILS Uno B1 is around 140/180 USD. It may cost slightly more depending on your chosen center for the exam.

You should also know that…

If you pass just two sections in five, let’s say test di ascolto e di produzione orale – on your next exam you will need to complete just the other three, and the cost of the whole exam will be reduced.

Helpful prep textbooks for the CILS Uno B1 exam

Do you offer an exam preparation course for the CILS UNO B1?

I offer individual courses for highly motivated students who want to perfect their Italian and get in the right shape for the exam.

If you don’t have time to commit to regular meetings or just need a quick fix for the exam (e.g., a customized learning plan, language assessment, etc..), you can book a one-time session with me here.

Italian Phrases for Saying You’re Sick

Whether you got Covid (hopefully not) or the seasonal flu (influenza stagionale), these phrases will help you describe your symptoms or ask about someone’s health conditions.

How to say you’re sick

Sono malato (malato = adj.) – I’m sick

Mi sono ammalato (ammalarsi = verb) – I got sick

Ho preso l’influenza – I got the flu

Ho preso il COVID – I got Covid

Non mi sento molto bene – I don’t feel very well

Italian phrases to describe your symptoms:

ho la febbre – I have a fever
ho mal di testa – I have a headache
ho mal di gola – I’ve got a sore throat
ho mal di pancia – I’ve bellyache
ho mal di stomaco – I’ve a stomach ache
ho mal di schiena – I have back pain
ho un (forte) raffreddore – I have a (severe) cold
ho la tosse – to cough
ho le braccia deboli / senza forza – I have weak arms
ho le gambe deboli / senza forza – I have weak legs
non ho appetito – I have no appetite
mi gira la testa – I feel dizzy
mi sento stanco/a – I feel tired
ho la schiena a pezzi – my back is broken
non riesco a respirare – I can not breathe
non riesco a dormire – I can not sleep

Asking a sick person, how they are feeling

Come ti senti? – How do you feel?
Ti senti meglio? – You feel better?
Come stai oggi? – How are you today?
Ti sei ripreso? – Did you recover?
Ti è passato/a il mal di gola/il mal di testa/la febbre? – Did your sore throat/the cough/the fever go away?

How to wish someone a speedy recovery

Spero che ti senti meglio presto – I hope you feel better soon
Spero che ti riprenda presto – I hope you get better soon
Riguardati! – take care!

Tell that you’re recovering from being sick

Mi sento bene/meglio adesso – I feel better now
L’influenza/la tosse/la febbre mi è passato/a – the flu/cough/fever went way
Mi sento di nuovo in forma – I fell in good shape again

Verbs used in Italian to talk about feeling sick

ammalarsi – to get sick
riprendersi – to recover
guarire – to recover
riguardarsi – to take care
curarsi – to take care of yourself
curare – to nurse

Medicines and treatments

prendere una compressa – to take a pill
prendere uno sciroppo – to take syrup
prendere una bustina di analgesico – to take a packet of painkiller
misurare la febbre – to measure one’s temperature
chiamare il medico – to call the doctor
andare dal medico – to go to the doctor
andare in farmacia – to go the pharmacy
riposarsi – to rest, to lie down
stare a letto – to stay in bed

The Italian Language test for Citizenship

The Italian Language Test for Citizenship

Due to the amendments to the Italian law in December 2018, it is now compulsory to obtain an Italian B1 language text for all applicants for Italian citizenship through marriage or residence.

Anyone applying for dual citizenship under these terms must prove an adequate competence in the Italian language.

What does the B1 Italian Certification stand for?

The Italian level B1 is the third level of Italian in the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), a definition of the different language levels stated by the Council of Europe.

In other words, those who have reached the B1 language level have a level of Italian that is beyond the basics but still not perfect. He or she can interact with the language on a day-to-day basis, deal with most of the situations on a trip to Italy, describe personal experiences, events, or aspirations, and briefly express his opinions.

List of grammar topics to study in order to pass an Italian B1 level test

Before beginning your B1 exam preparation, make sure to cover the fundamental grammar milestones of the A1-A2 levels by taking general Italian classes.

A1 – A2 Italian grammar topics

B1 Italian grammar topics for the Citizenship Exam

the indirect object pronouns
the double object pronouns (me lo, te la..)
the pronouns “ci” and “ne”
the difference of the imperfect and past tense
the correct use of articles and prepositions
the indefinite adjectives (qualche, alcuni, nessuno)
the comparatives (più buono, più bello)
the present conditional

Conversation topics to study in order to pass an Italian B1 level test

your work
your vacations
your hobbies, like favorite music, movies, sport or books
the environment (pollution, recycling, etc)
the healthcare system in your country and in Italy
the education system in your country and Italy
your shopping habits
relationships
your educational background and your plans for future training
and, more broadly, debating the advantages and disadvantages of any particular topic

What are the available certifications for the B1 Cittadinanza test?

CILS B1 Cittadinanza – the University of Siena for foreigners (more information here)
CELI 2 Cittadinanza – the University of Perugia for foreigners (more information here)
PLIDA B1 – Dante Alighieri Association (more information here)
CERT – The University of Roma 3

All of the above certifications are available in Italy and at Italian institutions and schools around the world.

What is the structure of the B1 Citizenship test?

All of the B1 Italian Language Exams consist of 5 parts.

A listening section
A reading section
A writing section
A speaking section
A communication section

However, one task’s specifics and lengths may change from one type of exam to another.

The CILS certification

I would say that the CILS certification is most recognized worldwide as it has the most significant number of examination centers worldwide, spread among Italian schools, universities, or other types of institutions.

It is also easier to access prep material for the CILS certification online in the form of courses or books.

The CILS offers citizenship applicants the possibility to take a specific certification tailored to their needs, the CILS B1 Citizenship.

How does the CILS B1 for Citizenship differ from the regular CILS?

This exam has been specially designed for all those applicants that need to obtain the Italian Certification for Citizenship. It thus has a focus on the communicative aspects that the potential passport holder might be involved in.

The CILS B1 level for Citizenship includes a reduced number of tasks compared to the regular CILS B1 exam (two listening tasks, two reading tasks, one speaking task, and one writing task) and takes around 2 hours instead of 5.

The CILS B1 for Citizenship differs from the regular B1 because it has to be passed in full. In fact, in the regular CILS exam, you allow the applicants to retake only those parts of the exam that they have not passed (e.g., listening and writing).

List of CILS exam centers around the world

More information about how to pass the CILS B1 Cittadinanza test here

The CELI certification

The CELI certification is very similar to the CILS certification. The CELI also provides a shortened citizenship exam (CELI 2 Cittadinanza). However, this letter is only available in Italy.So, if you do not live in Italy, I would recommend taking CILS B1 for Citizenship, which is offered by many institutions around the world.

List of CELI exam centers around the world

Check out my page here if you want to learn more about the CELI 2 exam.

The PLIDA certification

Because the PLIDA exam does not have a Citizenship version, you must take a regular B1 exam. Although this exam is longer than the CILS and CELI, I believe it is easier. This certification It is mostly available in South America, Canada, and Europe. Only one or two centers in the United States currently provide it.

More information about the PLIDA B1 exam here.

How much time do you need to prepare for the exam?

It all depends on your level. If you are an absolute beginner in Italian, it might take anywhere from 6 to 24 months, depending on your time commitment and native language. If you already have an intermediate level, it might take you a month to handle how the exam works.

In both circumstances, when it comes to taking a language test, what matters is not just the knowledge of the required grammar and vocabulary but a good understanding of how the test is structured.

Test preparation material

To pass the B1 Cittadinanza exam successfully, you don’t just need to have a good command of the topics I listed above, but you also need to be acquainted with the exam structure. Knowing beforehand in what order the tasks are presented, how much time you will be allowed for every task, and the specific requirements of each task will make the difference on the day of the exam.

My suggestion is to get as many exam samples as you can. You can find them online in the form of a certification or as a textbook on Amazon.Just dial your accreditation and your level.

Best textbooks to study for the CILS/CELI/PLIDAB1 Citizenship exam

Once you reach the intermediate level, you can start to train to pass your CILS B1 citizenship certification. The best game plan is to buy a textbook that collects the certification test samples.

If you haven’t yet reach the appropriate level for the Citizenship Exam, I recommend signing up for general Italian classes to have the fundamental basics of the language covered.

Do you offer a prep course for the B1 Citizenship Test?

I offer individual courses for highly motivated students who want to perfect their Italian and get in the right shape for the exam.

If you don’t have time to commit to regular meetings or just need a quick fix for the exam (e.g., a customized learning plan), you can book a one-time session with me here.

The verb MANCARE explained

If you want to say “I miss” in Italian, you should say “mi manca” and not “manco”.

Why so? What does the “mi” in front stand for?

**The verb “*mancare”***

The mi is an indirect pronoun and it’s used because mancare doesn’t follow a regular conjugation pattern, but it has the same construction of the verb “piacere”.

Both verbs piacere and mancare are known as “impersonal verbs”.

Impersonal verbs are conjugated with indirect objects pronouns and in the third persons singular and plural.

That’s why in Italian we can’t say “manco” (which literally would mean something like, “I am lacking”). Instead we use the forms mi manca or mi mancano, which are the third personal singular and plural conjugations of the verb mancare + the appropriate indirect pronoun.

Use the verb “mancare” with the following pattern:

Mi manca + singular noun, or verb (in the infinitive form)
Mi mancano + plural noun

Examples:

Mi manca l’italia → I miss Italy
Ti manca viaggiare? → Do you miss traveling?
Mi mancano i miei amici → I miss my friends

Mancare in the present tense

3° person singular	3° person plural	In English
mi manca	mi mancano	I miss
ti manca	ti mancano	you miss
gli manca	gli mancano	he misses
le manca	le mancano	she misses
ci manca	ci mancano	we miss
vi manca	vi mancano	you miss (pl.)
gli manca	gli mancano	they miss

Why do you use “a” before mancare, sometimes?

When the person who misses something is explicit (is mentioned), the noun must be preceded by the preposition “a“:

For example,

A Marco manca l’italia – Marco misses Italy
A Lucia non manca la sua vecchia casa – Lucia doesn’t miss her old house
Ai miei amici manca viaggiare – My friends miss traveling

In all of the foregoing sentences Marco, Lucia and i miei amici are explicit.

Of course, if we wanted we could replace the person mentioned with the indirect pronouns, for example:

Gli (a Marco) manca l’italia – He misses Italy
Le (a Lucia) non manca la sua vecchia casa – She doesn’t miss her old house
Gli (ai miei amici) manca viaggiare – They miss travelling

How to say “I missed” – MANCARE with the passato prossimo

Just like in the present tense, mancare follows a different conjugation pattern with the passato prossimo.

3° person singular	3° person plural	In English
mi è mancato/a	mi sono mancati/e	I missed
ti è mancato/a	ti sono mancati/e	you missed
gli è mancato/a	gli sono mancati/e	he missed
le è mancato/a	le sono mancati/e	she missed
ci è mancato/a	ci sono mancati/e	we missed
vi è mancato/a	vi sono mancati/e	you missed (pl.)
gli è mancato/a	gli sono mancati/e	they missed

As you can see from the list above, the past tense combines three elements:

the indirect pronouns + the auxiliary essere + the past participle (mancato/a/i/e).

Different uses of the mancare

mancare = non c’è (there’s not)

Mancare is a verb with many usages. One of them is when mancare is used to state that something is there or not there.

In this case the meaning of mancare is similar to the meaning of “there isn’t” and “there aren’t”.

manca = non c’è (there’s not)
non manca = c’è (there’s)
mancano = non ci sono (there are not)
non mancano = ci sono (there are)

For example:

manca una persona nel gruppo – one person is missing from the group
mancano i bicchieri a tavola – there are no glasses on the table
non manca niente – nothing is missing

Quanto manca?

Another usage of mancare is related with the time and is the translation of the English sentences “X time is left until something”

For example

mancano due settimane a Natale – there are two weeks left until Christmas
manca un’ora per arrivare – there’s one hour left until arrival
mancano 10 minuti alla fine della lezione – there are 10 minutes left until the end of class

This use of mancare is very colloquial and used in spoken in Italian and sometimes it’s hard to translate in English.

mancare vs. perdere

The verb “to miss” has two main definitions in English: either you miss something or someone with nostalgia, or you miss a train, bus, or an opportunity. The verb “to miss” in Italian, however, only has the first meaning (when you miss someone or something in a nostalgic way), not the second.

Use the verb perdere, which means to lose, to say that you missed a train or an opportunity.

ho perso il treno – I missed my train
ho perso una grande opportunità – I missed a good opportunity

How to say I miss you

Mi manchi means “I miss you” and I recommend learning this sentence as an expression as this us of the verb mancare is not common in other conjugations or tenses.

The 3 ways of saying TIME in Italian – ORA/TEMPO/VOLTA

ORA/TEMPO/VOLTA: What’s the difference?

Ora, tempo, volta all express, in different ways, the idea of time in English.

However, they can’t be used interchangeably and there’s a stark difference between all of them.

So, what’s the difference between these three words?

When ORA means time

Ora (or ore, in the plural form ) is used to ask the time

Che ora è? – What time is it?
Che ore sono? – What time is it?

(Both questions are equally used)

Ora is also used in the common expression it’s time to…

E ora di andare a letto! – It’s time to go sleep

Ora has another common meaning in Italian, which is now. In this case, ora is a synonym of adesso.

Ora andiamo a casa, ragazzi! – Now, we go home kids!

Ora is also used in the common Italian idiom non vedo l’ora, which means. I can’t wait or I look forward to.

Non vedo l’ora che arrivi l’estate – I can’t wait for the summer

When TEMPO means time

The word tempo is used to describe the abstract idea of time or the passing of time.

Il tempo vola – time flies
Hai tempo per oggi? – Do you have time for me today?
Non ho mai tempo per i miei amici – I never have time for my friends

Tempo is also used in many time expressions too, for instance

Molto tempo – long time
Molto tempo fa – a long time ago
Poco tempo fa – a short while ago
Pl tempo libero – free time

But tempo also means weather, and so it used to speak about the weather…

Che tempo fa? – How is the weather?
Il tempo è bello oggi – It’s nice/sunny today

When VOLTA means time

Volta (or volte, the plural fom) is generally used in combination with other words resulting in time expressions.

We use volte to say how many times you have done something.

Molte volte – many times
Poche volte – few times
Qualche volta – sometimes
Una volta – once
Due volte – twice
etc..

We use the word volta in expressions like the first time, the second time, etc..

Prima volta – first time
Seconda volta – second time
Etc…

And, finally, we use volta in several other time expressions like

C’era una volta – once upon time
Una volta – once
Un poco alla volta – little by little

Do you enjoy learning new Italian words or idioms?

It is best to do so using simplified Italian texts and short stories. Stories will provide you with a visual to relate to new words or idioms, making it easier to retain new information.

Are you curious about how it works? Check out my short stories narrated in slow Italian by me here.

How to succeed at the CILS B1 for Citizenship – My best strategies

If you are here, you need to pass the Italian certification test to get your citizenship. In this post, I will expand on the CILS B1 for Citizenship test (CILS B1 cittadinanza).

For the sake of thoroughness, I must say there are at least two other B1 certifications that will also serve you to get your citizenship. The reason why I am expanding on the CILS is that:

The CILS is the most popular one and the one that many of my students have already taken and passed.
People who want to become citizens can take a test called CILS B1 Cittadinanza, which is easier to take and shorter than the regular CILS B1 exam.
The CILS B1 Cittadinanza can be taken both in Italy and abroad, while other citizenship exams, like the CELI, can be taken just in Italy.

The CILS B1 for citizenship (CILS B1 Cittadinanza) consists of four sections and will take 2.05 hours to complete, with a 15 minute break.

The four sections are:

the listening section
the reading comprehension and syntax section
the writing section
the oral section

In this post I expand on the best strategies to pass the exam, which are more or less the same ones I use in private exam preparation courses.

What are the best strategies to pass the Italian CILS Cittadinanza?

The listening section (PART 1)

Preparing for the Listening Section

The Italian CILS B1 for Citizenship consists of 2 audio recordings.

What’s the best way to improve your listening skills in order to pass the CILS Citizenship test?

Your listening skills are not perfect at this stage, and you can probably understand when Italian is spoken slowly and uses simple vocabulary. That’s totally normal at your level.

However, if you want to improve your Italian listening at this point, you should start using audio materials that are suitable for your level.

How do you know what kind of Italian audio resources are appropriate for you level? Easy. The rule of thumb is that if you don’t understand most of it, you are not using the correct audio source for your level. To challenge your listening and gradually improve, you should not try to understand a movie or even the Italian TV news (that will turn into an overwhelming activity and is not useful to hone your intermediate listening skills). Instead, it would help if you listened to audio sources that are slightly higher than your current level of Italian. Ideally, it should be challenging, without being too difficult or too easy. Like this, you’ll help your brain absorb the new language naturally and consciously.

That means that you should listen to understandable content (you understand most of it).

A great technique to enhance your listening skills at this level is to use Italian short story books with incorporated audio for beginner or intermediate levels. You can find a comprehensive list of the best short stories available with slow audio on my articles here:

REMEMBER: the key to improving your listening skills in Italian is being exposed to the right content at the right level as much as possible.

Another helpful resource to improve your listening comprehension skills is:

ItalianPod101

You can learn more about this resource on my blog post here. It’s especially great for getting the hang of how conversations work in Italian.

The reading section (PART 2)

Preparing for the Reading Section

The Italian CILS for Citizenship (B1) consists of 2 short texts and lasts 40 minutes. The first text requires you to complete multiple-choice answers. The second text is a vocabulary-based exercise about choosing the right word for each gap.

How to improve your reading to pass the B1 Italian language exam?

At this level, I recommend my students use the Italian short stories for levels A2–B1 (see above links) or use A2 reading content out of an Italian textbooks, like Al Dente 1 or Al Dente 2 (some of the best pre-intermediate textbooks available on the market, in my opinion)

As stated in many of my articles, reading is a fundamental part of your Italian language learning process (often and mistakenly underrated!) . When reading, you naturally pick up on the natural language patterns and use the passive vocabulary and grammar you’ve learned in different situations.

The short stories are great because they are short and you can easily choose those that adapt more to your actual level. If you want to improve your beginner or intermediate reading skills, I recommend using these short stories in simple Italian. That’s what I use with my private clients too and I guarantee it’s one of the best ways to improve your Italian vocabulary, and more broadly, your ability of putting sentences together.

My favorite Italian Short Stories

The writing section (PART 3)

Preparing for the Writing Section

The writing part for the CILS B1 Cittadinanza consists of two writing prompts. Usually of of them involves writing an e-email (around 80 words) and the second one involves writing a short essay (approximately 100 words) about a general topic regarding your life (e.g., describing your latest birthday or vacation). You’ll need to choose and complete only one prompt.

A sample of writing prompts from a CILS B1 Citizenship Test.

How to improve your Italian writing to pass a certification?

Needless to say that you need to practice your writing skills to pass this task.

Writing won’t only help you pass your Italian exam, though. It’s also a fantastic way to brush up on high-frequency errors, prepositions, and verb conjugations in Italian.

The most important part is to have your Italian texts corrected and edited by your professional teacher (best case scenario) or your language exchange partner. Most learners use their language exchange partners only to practice their conversational skills. Why not use your Italian conversation partner to have your short essay corrected? I guarantee you will be surprised at how much you can learn from your mistakes.

To give you an idea of how writing can be effective and efficient to improve your Italian grammar and speaking flow...

This is a short text written by an intermediate student preparing for her citizenship exam; as you can see, it is possible to detect some of her high-frequency mistakes through a simple piece of writing.

A writing prompt can serve as a magical tool to point out your common mistakes in grammar and vocabulary. In this case, despite having reached an intermediate level, she was misusing the words meglio/migliore, male/cattivo, and il/lo. Addressing high-frequency mistakes is essential. If you don’t do that at the due time, they will become automatic mistakes and spoil your overall fluency in the long run.

The oral section (PART 4)

Preparing for the Oral Section

The speaking part for the CILS B1 Cittadinanza consists of four speaking prompts, and you’ll have the chance to choose which one you want to expand on.

Once you start talking about your chosen topic, the examiner will step in with some questions to test your ability to debate and be engaged in a real conversation.

Before this, you’ll also be asked to introduce yourself.

The speaking part lasts around 3-5 minutes, and it is recorded on the spot.

CILS B1 Cittadinanza SAMPLE

you can sneak a peek into a sample of the citizenship exam test here!

Best textbooks to study for the CILS B1 Citizenship exam

Once you reach the intermediate level, you can start to train to pass your CILS B1 citizenship certification. The best game plan is to buy a textbook that collects the certification test samples.

Do you offer a prep course for the Cils B1 Cittadinanza?

I offer individual courses for highly motivated students who want to perfect their Italian and get in the right shape for the exam.

If you don’t have time to commit to regular meetings or just need a quick fix for the exam (e.g., a customized learning plan), you can book a one-time session with me here.

Dates

These are the upcoming dates for the CILS Cittadinanza Exam in 2022 and 2023, both in Italy and abroad

2022

December 15th

2023

February 16th
April 23rd
June 8th
July 20th
October 23rd
December 5th

Remember that you must register for the exam at least 40 days before the exam.

Cost

The exam costs between 120 and 180 USD, this varies slightly depending on the examination center.

This page contains an up-to-date list of CILS B1 Citizenship examination centers in Italy and abroad.

CILS exam centers

Essere and Esserci: The Difference

Essere vs. esserci
Essere and esserci are different verbs.

Essere is the infinitive verb (the stem verb) meaning “to be”.

Esserci is the infinitive verb of the common forms “c’è” and “ci sono“, which state the presence and existence of something or someone. They express the idea of being in place.

For instance,

Nel giardino, c’è un albero di mele – In the garden, there is an apple tree
Nel giardino, ci sono molti fiori – In the garden, there are many flowers

A common mistake I hear is to default to the use of c’è for both plural and singular. This error, I believe, stems from the fact that it is very common in spoken American English to use both “there’s” for singular and plural nouns, which is wrong in Italian.

In Italian we use “c’è” only in front of singular nouns, and “ci sono” in front of plural nouns.

When to use “esserci” in a sentence?

Esserci is simply the infinitive form of the forms “c’è” and “ci sono”. It’s not used very often, although it often appears in conjugation with the modal verbs “deve = it has to/must” or “dovrebbe = it should”.

For example,

Deve esserci un libro sul tavolo – there must be a book on the table
Dovrebbero esserci le mie chiavi nel cassetto – my keys (there) should be in the drawer

È vs c’è

There’s a clear difference between è and c’è and they can’t be interchanged.

” È”means it is and “c’è” means there is (and ci sono means there are)

However, sometimes it’s confusing to understand when to use one or the other.

This is a simple rule to keep in mind whenever you’re in doubt

If the first bit of information in a sentence is the position of something or someone, you should use the “c’è” or “ci sono”

Sul tavolo, c’è un libro – on the table, there’s a book
A sinistra, c’è una piazza – on the left, there’s a piazza
Sotto il tavolo, c’è un gatto – under the table, there’s a cat

If the information about the position is provided but not in the initial part of the sentence, you shouldn’t use the forms “c’è” or “ci sono”.

Il libro è sul tavolo – the book is on the table
La piazza è a sinistra – the piazza is on the left
Il gatto è sotto il tavolo – the cat is under the table

The negative forms

To make the negative forms of esserci just place a “non” before “c’è” and “ci sono”.

Non c’è – there is not, there isn’t
Non ci sono – there are not, there aren’t

Interrogative questions

In English, when you’re asking a question with there’s and there’re, you’re making an inversion and saying “is there? Are there?. In Italian, we don’t have this.

All it takes to ask a question with these forms is to simply raise the pitch of your voice, as in Italian we formulate questions only with the use of intonation.

C’è and ci sono stay at the beginning of the question.

C’è un bagno qui? – Is there a restroom here?
C’è un bancomat qui vicino – Is there an ATM nearby?

The Complete Guide to Conjugating Verbs in Italian

If you’ve ever taken a formal Italian class, I’m sure your teachers required you to spend a significant amount on verb conjugation drills.

parlo, parli, parla

ho parlato, hai parlato, ha parlato

parlerò, parlerai, parlerà

etc.

I understand that this is not a simple or easy task, and that it may frustrate some students, but believe me when I say that once you understand why we conjugate in Italian and why it is important, it will blow your mind.

What’s a verb?

A verb is the most important part of a sentence in Italian: it describes an action or a state of being or an occurrent.

is or are arte parts of the conjugated verb “to be”

I speak, is the verb “to speak”

she can is the the verb “can” or “to be able”

just to name a few!

The conjugation of verbs in Italian is fairly easy. It doesn’t take much memorizing, and there are only 12 tenses.

The simplest way to conjugate Italian verbs is to identify the verb’s infinitive form (the base form of the verb) and then add the appropriate ending to it. It’s very straightforward!

Conjugating verbs: English vs Italian

Italian verbs conjugate through the six main patterns:

IO: the first person singular (I)

TU: second person singular (you, when you’re addressing one person)

LUI/LEI: the third person singular (he, she or it)

NOI: the first person plural (we)

VOI: the second person plural (you all, when you’re addressing two or more people)

LORO: the third person plural (they)

As a result, when conjugating a verb in Italian, you’ll have to change the verbs ending six times!

If you’re wondering why this isn’t done in English, I’ll explain. The use of the subjects in front of the verbs is required in English. That’s why the verbs aren’t changed. The subject (I, you, we, etc.) is in charge of giving the direction of the sentence.

To get a sense of who is performing the action described by the verb, you must say I speak or we speak instead of just “speak.”

Meanwhile, in Italian, it’s the verbs (and their conjugations) that determine the direction of sentences. In simple terms, knowing the ending of a verb allows you to determine who is performing the action (I, you, she, your friends, etc.) and whether it occurs in the present, past, or future.

As a result, subject object pronouns (io, tu, lui, noi, voi, loro) are unnecessary. The verb itself expresses who is carrying out the action.

For example, the “o” ending in the present tense describes an action carried out by the “I” or “io” in the present tense.

parl-o → I speak

studi-o → I study

mangi-o → I eat

For example, the “-erò” or “-irò”ending in the future simple describes an action carried out by the “I” in the future

parl-erò → I’ll speak

fin-irò → I’ll finish

Learn the Rules to Conjugating Italian Verbs

How do you conjugate verbs in Italian?

To conjugate a verb, in Italian, you always have to keep in mind the infinitive of the verb. We call infinitive, the base form of any verb. The base verb can be found in any dictionary. It corresponds to “to + any verb” in English.

infinitive in Italian	infinitive in English
cucinare	to cook
mangiare	to eat
aspettare	to wait
lavorare	to work

To conjugate any verb in Italian, you need to add a different ending to the stem of the verb.

To get the stem of the verb, you need to remove the last three letters of the infinitive of regular verbs.

For example,

The stem of parlare is parl-. We got the stem by removing the last three letters of the infinitive of the verb (parlare)

We can simply conjugate in various tenses by using the stem parl- and the corresponding endings to each conjugation/subject.

parl-o → I speak

parl-avo → I was speaking or I used to speak

parl-erò → I’ll speak

etc.

Regular verbs

The rules I just mentioned about conjugation only apply to regular verbs.

Regular verbs are those whose conjugations follow standard patterns. Their conjugation is fairly simple. All you need to do is memorize the standard conjugations and use them.

Regular vs. Irregular verbs

Irregular verbs are those that don’t follow the same rules as regular verbs.

Some verbs in Italian are irregular, as they are in any language. A verb with an irregular conjugation pattern is one that does not follow the standard pattern of conjugation. These verbs are also among the most commonly used in spoken English.

When you conjugate irregular verbs, the stem to which you must attach the conjugation patterns changes.

Dire is a common irregular verb that means “to say” or “to tell.” The root of the verb dire is dic-. You’ll need to add the endings to this stem.

Making a list of the most common irregular verbs and memorizing them is the best way to deal with them.

In the following page, you’ll find the most common irregular verbs in Italian conjugated in the present tense.

13 Most Common Irregular Verbs in Italian

How To Conjugate A Verb In A Question?

This depends on whether you’re addressing a person formally or informally or if you’re addressing two or more people.

You should conjugate with “tu” if you’re asking a question to someone in an informal setting (second person singular)

Scusa, parli inglese? – Excuse-me, do you speak English? (parli = do you speak?)

You should conjugate with “Lei” (third person singular) which is used in Italian to address a person you don’t know or one to whom you want to show respect) and if you’re asking a question to a person in a formal setting.

Scusi, parla inglese? – Excuse-me Sir/Madam, do you speak English? (parla = do you speak, Sir/Madam)

You should conjugate with “voi” (second person plural) if you are asking a question to two or more people, regardless of the setting..

Scusate, parlate inglese? – Excuse-me, do you (all) speak English?

3 Useful Tools for Learning and Memorizing the Forms of Italian Verb Conjugations

Finally, you might want to use any of these tools to look up the conjugations of any Italian verbs.Don’t get overwhelmed by trying to master all of them; you’ll never need to.

What Are The Most Common Conjugations To Use as A Beginner?

While there are several tenses in Italian, you don’t need to use them all as a beginner. In everyday Italian; even most native speakers use only a few tenses / conjugations

With the present simple (presente indicativo) and present perfect (il passato prossimo) You can be conversational, at least at a beginner level, if you master these two tenses.

Learn Italian the smart way with Serena’s stories

Do you know that there is a German-speaking region in Italy? Do you know that when hiking in the Dolomites, you can refuel at a local “malga“? And do you know what typical food in the Dolomites is like? If you don’t, you can learn everything about it in simple Italian by listening to and reading my short story “Due Amiche.”

Italian Adjectives & Expressions to talk about someone’s Personality

Italian Adjectives & Expressions to Describe Someone’s Personality

Describing someone’s personality in one’s native language is difficult enough, let alone in a language we don’t know well. Adjectives are commonly used to describe someone’s personality.

I’ve created a list of some of the most basic Italian adjectives to use when discussing personality, as well as some fun and useful expressions for more advanced learners.

I recommend learning every adjective and its antonym and associating it with someone you know or yourself.

Basic Italian adjectives to describe someone’s personality

buono – good | cattivo – bad, mean

simpatico – nice, friendly | antipatico – unfriendly

empatico – empathetic

gentile, educato – polite | maleducato – rude

generoso – generous | taccagno – cheap

felice – happy | triste – sad

paziente – patient | impaziente – impatient

responsabile – responsible | irresponsabile – irresponsible

espansivo – effusive, warm | riservato – secretive, reserved

affettuoso – affectionate

altruista – altruistic | egoista – selfish

ottimista – optimistic | pessimista – pessimistic

impulsivo – impulsive | riflessivo – pensive

sicuro di sé – confident | timido – shy

estroverso – extrovert | introverso – introvert

silenzioso – quiet | chiacchierone – chatty

coraggioso – brave | codardo – cowardly

attivo – dynamic | pigro – lazy

affidabile – trustworthy, reliable | inaffidabile – untrustworthy, unreliable

ipocrita – hypocrite | sincero – honest

allegro – cheerful, bubbly

arrogante – arrogant

socievole – sociable | asociale – not sociable

stravagante – extravagant

sensibile – sensitive | insensibile – insensitive, callous

Advanced Italian adjectives to describe someone’s personality

spensierato – cheerful, a person who doesn’t worry

negligente – sloppy, carless

pensieroso – thoughtful

logorroico – long-winded (in an annoying way)

loquace – chatty, talkative

polemico – quarrelsome, someone who has always an argument

scorbutico – crabby, obnoxious person

affascinante – charming

superficiale – shallow

tenace, determinato – determined

lunatico – moody

ipocondriaco – hypochondriac

vanesio – vain

venale – venal

permaloso – prickly

saccente – a know-all, a smart-ass

ambizioso – ambitious

parsimonioso – thrifty

curioso – inquisitive

invadente – nosy

insistente – pushy

sbadato – absent-minded

Italian expressions to describe someone’s personality

avere un caratteraccio – to be bad tempered

avere un carattere solare – to have a radiant personality

avere una personalità affascinante – to have a charming personality

essere una vipera – to be bitchy

avere la mente aperta – to open-minded

avere la mente chiusa – to be close-minded

essere alla mano – to be easygoing

avere un carattere deciso – someone who knows what he or she wants

essere un rompiscatole (vulgar) – to be a pain in the neck

essere un attaccabrighe – to be troublemaker

essere una persona di buon cuore – to be good-hearted

essere una persona di sani principi – to be someone with good values

essere in (gran) forma – to be in a great shape

essere fuori forma – to be in poor shape

vivere in un modo tutto suo – to live in one’s own world

essere pieni di sé – to be full of one’s self

essere fuori dagli schemi – an unconventional person

avere una personalità forte – to have a strong personality

avere i piedi per terra – to be down-to-earth

Italian adjectives to describe someone intellectual ability

geniale – brilliant

brillante – brilliant

sveglio – brainy (colloquial), smart

intelligente – intelligent

acuto – sharp

furbo – cunning (negative)

essere in gamba – to be very capable

Do you enjoy learning new Italian words or idioms?

It is best to do so using simplified Italian texts and short stories. Stories will provide you with a visual to relate to new words or idioms, making it easier to retain new information.

Are you curious about how it works? Check out my short stories narrated in slow Italian by me here.

How to write a formal (or informal) email in Italian

How to write an email or letter in Italian

You may have been faced with the situation that you need to write a letter or an email in Italian to your Italian professor, your tour guide in Italy or an Italian Language School, and you don’t know where to start. So you switch to English, the lingua franca.

You shouldn’t, because writing a letter in Italian is not so difficult. All you need to do is learn the standard greetings and introductions, and there you have it.

Of course, the types of greetings and introductions, you are going to use, depend on to whom you are writing. And so, a distinction has to be made between writing a formal letter and an informal one.

How to write a formal email or letter

How to start a formal email or letter in Italian

If the situation requires you to be formal, you can start your email like this…

Gentile Sig. Rossi – Dear Sir
Gentile Sig.a Rossi – Dear Madam

If the situation requires you to be super formal, you should opt for this greeting

Egregio Sig. Rossi Sir
Egregia Sig.ra Rossi Madam

In formal letters or emails the abbreviations Sig. stands for Sir, Sig.ra stands for Madam.

If the setting is not so formal or you don’t know, you could start your email with a Buongiorno or Buonasera.

THE TITLES

Italians love using their titles, so it is important to mention them even in a letter. If the addressee has a title, you can use the following abbreviations The abbreviation goes straight before the person’s name. For example: Dott.ssa Mattea Capelli or Ing. Marco Ruggero.

Dott. – Dott.ssa (dottore – dottoressa = a doctor or anyone with a degree)
Avv. (avvocato – lawyer),
Ing. (ingegnere – engineer),
Arch. (architetto – architect),
Rag. (ragioniere – accountant)

The introduction…

Referring to something

Le scrivo, in riferimento al nostro incontro – I am writing with regard to our meeting
Le scrivo, in riferimento al colloquio telefonico – I am writing with regard to our phone call
Come anticipato nella mail precedente / telefonicamente – as stated in previous mail / call
In risposta alla Sua mail…- In answer to your email (Sua is upper case here to distinguish it from the possessive adjective of the 3rd person singular sua “his/her)”

The body

In the main body of the mail you should write the reasons for writing, such as…

Con la presente comunico… – I am writing with regard to
Con presente, scrivo per presentare la mia candidatura per il posto di (job position) presso (company) – I am writing to apply to the X job position
Le scrivo perché vorrei qualche informazione su… – I am writing because I would like to know…

The closings

The most common Italian letter closings are:

In attesa di riscontro, resto a disposizione per chiarimenti e porgo cordiali saluti
In attesa di un Suo cortese riscontro
Ringraziando per l’attenzione
In attesa di un Suo riscontro, porgo i miei più cordiali saluti

These letter endings stand for the English I am looking forward to hearing from you. Regardless, the meaning is slightly different, they serve the same purpose and are used in Italian in the same way.

Formal salutation

As for the final greetings, you should use the following Italian (formal) salutations or saluti formali, which stands for the English sincerely or warm/kind regards.

Distinti Saluti
Cordiali Saluti
Cordialmente

If you have an attachment, don’t forget to mention it

In allegato invio… – please find in attachment
Allego… – I am attaching

How to say “I am looking forward to hearing from you”?

To round out the list, a note goes to the standard way of concluding an email in English: “I look forward to hearing from you.” The better way to translate this sentence in Italian is by using the phrases

Aspetto Sue notizie (formal setting)
Aspetto tue notizie (informal meeting)

Examples of formal letters (or emails) in Italian

Gentile Sig.na Rossi,

Con la presente, invio la mia candidatura per il posto di lavoro come Responsabile di Amministrazione presso i Vostri uffici.

Allego il mio CV e lettera di motivazione.

In attesa di un Suo riscontro, porgo i miei più cordiali saluti.

Serena

Gentile Sig. Rossi

Le scrivo in in riferimento al nostro colloquio telefonico di ieri, per comunicarle che abbiamo preso in considerazione la Sua proposta di progetto. La invitiamo a mandarci al più presto un report completo del progetto.

In attesa di un cordiale riscontro, le porgo i miei cordiali saluti.

Serena Rossi

How to write a informal email or letter in Italian

If you are writing your email or letter to an Italian friend or colleague, then the tone must be different, and you can switch to more informal greetings and ending salutations. Let’s see how

When it comes to starting a friendly email, you can opt for

Caro Marco
Cara Lucia

Caro stands for dear, but it is used just in informal and friendly settings. You can also open your letter by using ciao.

Concerning to ending a friendly letter or email, you should choose one of the following Italian salutations (Saluti informali)

Fammi sapere – let me know
Un abbraccio – hugs
Un caro saluto – cheers
A presto – until the next time

Example of a (short) friendly email in Italian

Ciao Marcello

Come stai? Scusami se ti rispondo con molto ritardo ma sono stato molto impegnato ultimamente. Come va la vita? Ci sono novità a lavoro? Per quanto riguarda quel progetto, ne ho parlato con il mio capo. In allegato ti mando mando i dettagli dell’incontro.

Fammi sapere cosa ne pensi

Un abbraccio

Marco

Learn Italian the efficiently with Serena’s stories

Do you know that Rome is jigsaw puzzle of different neighborhoods, each one with its own identity and history? Follow Paul’s adventures in the Eternal City and experience the Italian capital better through Italian dialogues and texts for beginners and intermediate learns through “Le Avventure di Paul a Roma“.

Nessuno & Niente (How to say any, anyone and anything in Italian)

Nessuno/Nessuna/Nessun = (not…any)

Nessuno can be used both as an indefinite adjective and as a pronoun .

As an adjective, nessuno comes before a noun and is the translation of “any” in negative sentences in English.

For example:

Non ho nessun dubbio – I don’t have any doubt
Non ho nessun amico – I don’t have any friend
Non abbiamo nessuna riunione oggi – We don’t have any meetings today

Nessuno has four possibile forms:

Nessun which is the default version for the masculine nouns.
Nessuno which is used just as a pronoun and means “no-one, nobody”.
Nessuna which is used before feminine nouns (e.g., nessuna sedia, nessuna stanza).
Nessun’ which is used before feminine nouns starting with a vowel sound (e.g., nessun’amica, nessun’ idea).

Nessuno has no plural!

For English speakers, take note of the following:

Any can also be translated as “qualsiasi” in Italian. However, “any” defaults to qualsiasi only when it is used to mean “no matter which,” as in:

Quale gusto vuoi? – Which flavor do you want?
Qualsiasi – Any

Instead, any goes to nessuno/nessuna/nessun only in negative sentences, like in the phrases above.

Nessuno/Nessuna = no one, anyone, none

Nessuno is also a pronoun, and in this case it means nobody / no one, none or anybody / anyone.

When used as a pronoun, it only refers to people and is followed by a 3rd person singular verb conjugation.

For instance,

Non c’è nessuno – there isn’t anyone
Nessuno è venuto alla festa – nobody came to the party.
Nessuno di noi parla francese – none of us speak French

Note that, we don’t require a double negative if nessuno comes first in a sentence (we won’t need to use the “non” before the verb). In all other cases, use nessuno as follows: non + verb + nessuno.

For example,

Non ho incontrato nessuno per strada – I haven’t met anyone/anybody in the street

Niente = nothing/anything

Niente is a adverb and it means nothing or anything.

Niente only refers to things.

The words nulla and niente are interchangeable and have the same usage. Both are invariable entities (because they are adverbs, they remain the same and are unaffected by gender or number)!

Let’s see a couple of examples:

Ieri sera non ho mangiato niente – last night I haven’t had anything
Niente funziona qui – nothing works here
Qui non funziona niente – nothing works here

Note that, we won’t require a double negative if niente (or nulla) comes first in a sentence (we won’t need to use the “non” before the verb). In all other cases, use niente (or nulla) as follows: non + verb + niente.

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Serena

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25 Most Popular Italian Sayings About Life and Their Meanings

How to learn Italian sayings effectively as a non-native speaker?

1. Fidarsi è bene ma non fidarsi è meglio

2. Finché c’è vita, c’è speranza

3. Il fine giustifica i mezzi

4. Can che abbaia non morde

5. Parlare come un libro stampato

6. A caval donato non si guarda in bocca

7. Ambasciator non porta pena

8. Le bugie hanno le gambe corte

9. Piove sempre sul bagnato

10. Occhio non vede, cuore non duole

11. Ogni lasciata è persa

12. Chi nasce tondo non può morir quadrato

13. Non si può avere la botte piena e la moglie ubriaca

14. Paese che vai usanze che trovi

15. Mal comune mezzo gaudio

16. Chi ha tempo non aspetti tempo

17. La notte porta consiglio

19. Meglio soli che male accompagnati

20. L’erba del vicino è sempre più verde

21. De gustibus non disputandum est (Latin) – Tastes differ

22. Troppi cuochi guastano la cucina

24. CHI SI FA I FATTI SUOI CAMPA 100 anni

25. NON DIRE GATTO SE NON CE L’HAI NEL SACCO

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Basta/Abbastanza/Mi basta: The Difference Explained

BASTA

ABBASTANZA

MI BASTA/MI BASTANO

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The PLIDA Italian Test

What is the PLIDA Italian exam?

What’s the structure of the PLIDA B1 test?

ASCOLTARE – around 30 minutes

LEGGERE – around 40 minutes

SCRIVERE – around 60 minutes

PARLARE – around 15 minutes

How can I prepare for the PLIDA test?

How is the PLIDA B1 for Citizenship different from the CILS UNO B1 or CELI 2?

Learning Italian?

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What is the CILS Uno B1?

What does B1 stand for?

What’s the structure of the CILS UNO B1 exam?

The CILS B1 exam consists of five sections, and it’s a writing and oral exam which lasts about 3.30 h.

Do you offer an exam preparation course for the CILS UNO B1?

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Italian Phrases for Saying You’re Sick

How to say you’re sick

Italian phrases to describe your symptoms:

Asking a sick person, how they are feeling

How to wish someone a speedy recovery

Tell that you’re recovering from being sick

Verbs used in Italian to talk about feeling sick

Medicines and treatments

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The Italian Language Test for Citizenship

What does the B1 Italian Certification stand for?

List of grammar topics to study in order to pass an Italian B1 level test

The CILS certification

The CELI certification

The PLIDA certification

Test preparation material

Best textbooks to study for the CILS/CELI/PLIDAB1 Citizenship exam

Do you offer a prep course for the B1 Citizenship Test?

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The verb MANCARE explained

The verb “mancare”

Mancare in the present tense

How to say “I missed” – MANCARE with the passato prossimo

**The verb “*mancare”***

Essere vs. esserci
Essere and esserci are different verbs.