vocabulary pills

HOW TO USE QUALSIASI / QUALUNQUE / CHIUNQUE

QUALSIASI (ANY)

Qualsiasi is one of those words that can often lead to confusion. In this article you will learn how to use it properly when speaking Italian.

Qualsiasi is an indefinite adjective, and it is invariable: it means that it is not modifiable, in fact qualsiasi never changes in Italian.

The meaning of qualsiasi is “any”, meaning no matter which amongst many options and is always followed by singular nouns.

Quale di questi dolci vuoi? Qualsiasi! – Which pastries would you like? Any!
Quale tipo di pasta vuoi? Dammene uno qualsiasi – What shape pasta would you like? Any!

Puoi chiamarmi a qualsiasi ora – You can call me any time.
Puoi passare a trovarmi in qualsiasi momento – You can visit me at any time.

QUALSIASI (WHICHEVER or WHATEVER)

Qualsiasi can also be used as a conjugation, meaning whichever or whatever, and in these cases requires the subjunctive use (see further explanations below).

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “QUALSIASI” AND “QUALUNQUE”?

Always, “qualsiasi” can be replaced by “qualunque”. These two adjectives are synonyms and entirely interchangeable.

Other meaning of qualsiasi/qualunque

Note that when following a noun, qualsiasi and qualunque have a different meaning:

Oggi non è un giorgio qualsiasi (o qualunque). E’ il mio anniversario di matrimonio! – Today is not just any old day. It is my anniversary!
Non voglio un vino qualunque – I don’t want just any old wine!

In the above sentences, qualsiasi (or qualunque) havee the meaning of “ordinary” and has a pejorative nuance.

CHIUNQUE (ANYONE / WHOEVER)

Chiunque (anyone, or whoever) is the corresponding pronoun of the indefinite adjectives qualsiasi and qualunque. Chiunque is a pronoun and refers only to people. It means “anyone“, meaning no matter who amongst several people.

Chiunque può imparare l’italiano – Anyone can learn Italian.
Chiunque può partecipare a questo progetto – Anyone can join the project.

QUALSIASI and CHIUNQUE with the subjunctive

When qualsiasi is used with the meaning of whichever / whatever and chiunque means whoever the subjunctive follows them.

Qualsiasi cosa ti chieda, fallo – Whatever he asks you, do it.
Qualsiasi cosa succeda, stai tranquilla – Whatever happens, be calm.
Chiunque chiami al telefono, digli che non ci sono – Whoever phones, tell them I am not here.

MAGARI vs. FORSE

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAGARI AND FORSE?

If you ended up here, you wonder whether there is any difference between the words “magari” and “forse“. Well, there is a subtle but significant one.

First of all, to understand the difference between magari and forse, we need to examine the various meanings of the Italian adverb magari.

The three meanings of MAGARI

Magari is one of those little words that Italians throw in all the time, that with no direct English translation, it’s often not easy to understand. Sometimes magari means if only, sometimes it means I wish, and it means maybe too.

💡SMART TIP

To understand the meaning of magari, you need to pay attention to the type of verbs used within the same tenses.

When magari is used with the indicative mood, it means perhaps.

When magari is used with an imperfect subjunctive, it means if only or I wish

Let’s have a closer look at how to use magari, and how it is different from forse.

When “magari” means “maybe”

Magari means maybe, just when it appears in combination with an indicative mood (generally the present tense or past participle).

How magari is different from forse, then?

While “forse” has a neutral connotation, “magari” entails a sense of excitement and hopefulness. If you use magari, in place of forse, you are excited about that possibility. You wish that to happen.

The Italian word magari stems from the ancient Greek word makarios, meaning positive, happy, positive.

Forse andiamo a sciare a Cortina, questo fine settimana (neutral)
Magari andiamo a sciare a Cortina, questo fine settimana (hopefully)

When “magari” means “I wish”

Magari means I wish when it is used as an exclamation in an answer. For example, if a friend asks you if you want to go for a drink downtown, and your reaction is positive, you might say magari! I wish that! Why not?. In this case, the word “magari” can be replaced by the adverb “volentieri” which means with pleasure.

Vuoi venire a vedere con me la mostra su Raffaello al Museo Nazionale?
Magari!

Magari, is used as an exclamation in an answer also when you mean I wished you could do something, like in the following sentences.

Parli bene italiano?
Magari!

It means that you wish you could speak Italian fluently, but you don’t at the moment.

When “magari” means “if only”

Magari means if only (with a positive connotation) in a sentence followed by the congiuntivo imperfetto (the one with the two esses – avessi, fossi, vivessi, etc).

Magari potessi parlare italiano perfettamente – If only I could speak Italian perfectly
Magati vivessi a NYC – If only I lived in NYC

IS IT ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO USE MAGARI INSTEAD OF FORSE?

YES. Is it possible to use magari instead of forse. Magari and forse are interchangeable when magari means forse and is used with the indicative mood. Don’t forget that the message you express will be slightly different if you use one or another. Remember, magari is always positive, forse is neutral.

SOME OTHER WAYS TO SAY FORSE IN ITALIAN

Può darsi – può darsi che cambi lavoro
Per caso – hai una penna da prestarmi, per caso?
Probabilmente – probabilmente pioverà domani
Chissà – chissà se andremo in vacanza quest’anno

What do you know about Sicilian?

If you are a passionate Italophile, the odds are you have been faced with the complex topic of “the languages and dialects of Italy.” If you have ever traveled to Sicily or you are planning to, you might have wondered if Sicilian people will understand you or you will understand them.

I am an Italian and Sicilian speaker (although my Italian is more robust than my Sicilian) and in this article, I will

shed light on the topic, “Is Sicilian a Language?”
bring you examples of how Sicilian is different from Italian
give a few recommendations for learning Sicilian

I wish I could integrate more information about the other minority languages and dialects spoken in Italy. However, as a native Sicilian, I think it makes much more sense to share my first-hand experience as a polyglot, a linguist, and an Italian teacher in Sicily living in between Sicilian and Italian.

Let’s start with the first dilemma…

Is Sicilian a language or a dialect?

Sicilian is a language that has many dialects spoken in different parts of the island. That’s why, at the moment, it is kind of hard to find a definition of standard Sicilian. The good news is that the Cademia Siciliana is doing a great job normalizing the Sicilian orography and spreading Sicilian’s awareness across the island and the world.

And so, is Sicilian a language or a dialect?

The widespread misconception about Sicilian Language being a dialect derives from the fact that most people don’t know what makes a dialect different from a language.

What is an Italian dialect? What is a language?

An Italian dialect is a variation of the Italian Language, and so, we can say that it lays its roots in the Italian language. The most famous dialects in Italy are, undoubtedly, the “Romano or “Romanesco.” These are the dialects, respectively spoken in Rome and Central Italy.

So, a dialect is an alteration of Italian.

Let’s see an example:

English: what are you doing?

Italian: che fai?

Roman Dialect: che stai a fa?

Sicilian is considered a language because it is not a variation of Italian but an evolution of the Latin language, with massive influences of Ancient Greek, Arabic, Spanish, French, and Catalan. Quite a unique combination, isn’t it?

So, why many people, including Sicilians, think of Sicilian has a dialect? In a nutshell: prejudices. For decades Sicilian has been considered a dialect spoken only by uneducated people or peasants.

Is Sicilian Language different from Italian?

Yes, it is, just like the other romance languages (French, Spanish, or Portuguese) are different from Italian. The Sicilian grammar shares the same fundamentals as the other Latin language and, in my opinion, has a closer relation to Spanish grammar.

For example, Sicilian does not use the “passato prossimo” like Italian, but the “passato remoto (the historical past)” to speak about the immediate past.

For examples:

English: I did / I made

Italian: io ho fatto (passato prossimo)

Sicilian: Jo fici (passato remoto)

Spanish: Yo hice (Spanish passato remoto/ preterito indefinido)

That’s just one example, but I could make a very long list of parallelisms and shared vocabulary between the Spanish and Sicilian.

Sicilian stems from Latin and has Greek, Arabic, French, Catalan, Spanish, and German influences.

The reason for such a unique combination goes back to our history. Several different civilizations conquered and settled in Sicily in our current time, leaving legacies in the Sicilian arts, culture, and language. These influences make Sicilian different from standard Italian.

Let’s see an example of how Sicilian is different than Italian

English: where do you work?

Italian: dove lavori?

Roman Dialect: ‘ndo stai a lavora’?

Sicilian: Unni travagghi?

Let’s analyze the sentence…

Unni means “dove/where” and can be associated with the French “où“ meaning where.
Travagghiari is the verb meaning to work and shares the same root with the Spanish (trabajar), the French (travailler), the Portuguese (trabalhar).

Examples of other influences

Arabic influence

English – a quarrel

Sicilian – na sciarra

Arabic – siarr

Italian – un litigio

Spanish influence

English – to blink

Sicilian – pappadiari

Spanish – parpadear

Italian – sabattere le palpebre

French influence

English – tissue

Sicilian – muccaturi

French – mouchoir

Italian – fazzoletto

Greek influence

English – to kid around

Sicilian – babbiari

Greek – babazein

Italian – scherzare

Is Sicilian a live language?

Sicilian is recognized as a minority language by Unesco. With over 4 million speakers of “Sicilianu” in Sicily, Southern Italy (Calabria and Apulia), and in the world. Sicilian is not considered an endangered language but a “vulnerable one”, since it has been facing pressure from Italian over the last century.

No surprise, Sicilian has been “italianized” over the last decades. The language is not (yet) an official language in Sicily and thus is not taught in schools.

However, being a Sicilian and polyglot simultaneously, I have seen a revival of the Sicilian Language in the last few years.

Both the Cademia Siciliana and some brilliant polyglots and language students are doing a great job by shedding light on Sicilian’s study as a minority language.

Where is Sicilian spoken?

Sicilian is also spoken out of Italy in many Sicilian immigrant communities in Canada, Germany, Argentina, the USA, or Australia. It is not rare to bump into third-generation Sicilian-American having a good grasp of the language or being completely fluent, who inherited and learned the language from her ancestors.

Funny fact, the Sicilian spoken abroad in the immigrant communities uses many words and expressions that have been forgotten in the contemporary Sicilian. It’s a lot of fun listening to an old Canadian nonno speaking a much older and purer version of Sicilian than my family here in Sicily does.

Are Sicilians bilingual?

Yes and no. The official and most spoken language is Italian. Italian is the language we use at school, at work, and in the vast majority of everyday situations. So if you are asking yourself, will I be able to understand Sicilian people? My answer is YES. We do speak Italian. Sicilian is used in informal settings, for jokes o to emphasize something ironically. The only people who might not talk proper Italian (very few at this time) would live in rural areas and have probably been born in the first half of the 20th century!

Do I need to know Sicilian to travel to Sicily? Or do I need to speak the local dialects when traveling or living in Italy?

No, I would generally argue that learning Italian is a great idea if you plan an extended stay in Italy. However, Italians would not expect any foreigner to speak the local language or dialect.

But you know… hearing someone from far away speaking the local language or dialect would make the day of a native speaker, as happened to me whenever I spoke Sicilian with a foreigner. So, why don’t you try to pick up a few words in dialects before your trips?

How can I learn Sicilian?

As a minority language, there is no great deal of learning material or textbooks as for the other Romance languages.

However, you shouldn’t be put off by the scarcity of “conventional material.”

Other than a few Sicilian grammar books that you can find on Amazon, you can learn Sicilian online using Utalk or taking lessons with private tutors on Italki.

The Sicilian culture is pervasive, exciting and rooted in the island. There is a wealth of songs, books, and online material that serve as authentic material for your Sicilian learning routine.

Wikipedia is an incredible source for Sicilian learners as you can use the many translated articles as a free learning resource.

On Glosbe.com, you can find Sicilian – Italian or English – Italian dictionary.

HELPFUL RESOURCES TO LEARN SICILIAN ON YOUR OWN

Disclaimer: I wrote this article due to my experience with Sicilian in Sicily and within the international community of polyglots who decided to embrace the Sicilian journey. There are undoubtedly people or academics who can better and, in more scientific terms, describe the state of the Sicilian Language today.

Conoscere vs Sapere : how to use them

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “SAPERE” AND “CONOSCERE”?

If you came across this page, it’s because you have been confused by using the Italian verbs sapere and conoscere. Fair enough!

English (and other languages) use only one verb, the verb to know, to cover knowledge’s meaning in all possible forms.

Italian uses two different verbs: sapere and conoscere.

Sapere and conoscere are rarely interchangeable and they express a different form of knowledge.

Let’s see now how to use the Italian verbs sapere and conoscere and what the difference is between the two of them.

WHEN TO USE “CONOSCERE”

Conoscere means to be acquainted with something or someone: a topic, a person, a place, or a subject.

Conoscere is used with people, places or things and means having good knowledge of something or someone because if you have previously experienced it.

If you are still not sure whether to use sapere or conoscere, try this:

Nouns always follow CONOSCERE

You will never see conoscere used with another verb (which instead, is likely to happen with sapere)

Examples:

Conosco la geografia italiana molto bene – I know Italian geography (topic/subject) very well.
Conosci Luciana? – Do you know Luciana? (person)
Conosci un buon ristorante a Roma? – Do you know a good restaurant in Roma? (place)
Conosciamo molto bene la città di Lucca, è incantevole. – We know Lucca very well… (place)
Conosci un buon dentista in città? Do you know a good dentist (place) in town?
Lucia conosce la grammatica molto bene – Lucia knows grammar (topic) very well.

WHEN TO USE “SAPERE”

The counter part of conoscere, is sapere. Sapere means to be aware of something. In short, sapere means knowing a fact, an event or a piece of information.

The clause che almost always follows sapere.

Ho saputo che Marco si è trasferito – I learned Marco moved away
Sai che Maria si è sposata? – Do you know that Maria got married?
Sai che Marco ha avuto un bambino? – Do you that Marco had a baby?

Sapere is also used in questions to ask for a specific piece of information:

Sai che ore sono? – Do you know what time is it?
Sai a che ora parte il treno? – Do you know at what time the train is leaving?
Sapete dov’è Maria? – Do you (guys) know, where Maria is?

SAPERE AS A MODAL VERB

SAPERE is also used as a modal verb when an infinitive verb accompanies it. In this case, it is used to say that you know HOW to do something, that you have an ability or a skill.

So parlare molto bene italiano, ma non so cucinare! – I can speak Italian, but I can’t cook!
Sai suonare la chitarra? – Can you play the guitar?

OTHER MEANINGS OF SAPERE

Sapere also covers other meanings in Italian colloquial expressions.

You can use sapere to:

tell the taste of something with the expression “SAPERE DI”
tell an opinion with the expression “MI SA CHE…”

SAPERE DI…

Questo drink non sa di niente – This drink tastes like nothing
Questo dolce sa di cannella – This cake tastes cinnamon

MI SA CHE…

Mi sa che rimango a casa stasera – troppo freddo! – I think I stay home tonight – it’s too cold!
Mi sa che non cucino oggi – sono troppo stanca – I think I won’t cook today – too tired!

Useful links to practice this topic

15 well-known Italian sayings and how to use them

You speak Italian well enough, but you are a smart learner looking for the next challenge and want to perfect her Italian fluency and sound like a native? Start to incorporate recurring Italian sayings into your daily vocabulary!

Some Italian sayings have sharp cultural or regional bounds, so it isn’t easy to figure them out without an in-depth knowledge of the Italian culture/background. The vast majority of Italian proverbs are just words of wisdom whose counterpart you can find in many different languages and cultures.

The most effective way to incorporate sayings or idioms in Italian is to decide to learn the “transparent ones,” that is to say, the ones that have a literal translation in your native language: they simply make more sense are easier to retain.

In this selection, I am pulling together a list of typical Italian sayings that I like to use in my everyday speech.

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

1. Le bugie hanno le gambe corte

Lies have short legs (lit.)

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 nowhere because lies have “short legs” and so they can’t go a long way and won’t last long.

2. Piove sempre sul bagnato

It always rains on the wet (lit.)

The closest English translation is when it rains, it pours. If in English, this sentence has just a negative connotation implying that things keep going wrong for someone already unlucky. In Italian piove sul bagnato has a positive connotation too. It also means that things keep going great for those who have already had good luck.

3. Occhio non vede, cuore non duole

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

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

4. Ogni lasciata è persa

Everything left is lost (lit.)

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.

5. Chi nasce tondo non può morir quadrato

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

This Italian proverb suggests that it’s complicated to eradicate bad habits and that it’s complicated, if not impossible, to change it.

6. 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.)

This proverb 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.

7. E’ inutile piangere sul latte versato

It’s pointless to cry on spilled milk

You can say this Italian saying to someone who’s been feeling sorry about something that has already happened, and so that can’t be changed – it’s of no use to cry on something that you can’t change!

8. Paese che vai usanze che trovi

Every country you visit has different customs (lit.)

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.

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

Italy counts with a long list of Latin sayings that survived in contemporary Italian, like De gustibus non disputandum est(lit. tastes differ). It means that everyone is different and so has different tastes. We should be tolerant and respect other people’s feelings or inclinations.

10. Mal comune mezzo gaudio

A shared trouble, a shared joy (lit.)

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.

11. Chi ha tempo non aspetti tempo

Who has time, shouldn’t wait for time (lit.)

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

12. La notte porta consiglio

Night brings advice (lit.)

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 take your choices in the morning with a fresh mind.

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

A guest is like the fish, after three days stinks (lit.)

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.

14. Meglio soli che male accompagnati

Better alone than in the bad company

This proverb 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.

15. L’erba del vicino è sempre più verde

The grass is always greener on the other side

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 verse in a better situation than ourselves, even though this is not true.

9 smart ways to learn Italian vocabulary efficiently and fast

Learning a foreign language has never been easier than today.

We can easily access dozens of languages, Apps, and flashcards, mostly for free.

We are not at a loss for Italian language content or inputs to spend our evening on.

But how much of this input will you retain long term? How many new Italian words and expressions will you internalize? How to make the most out of the time we spend learning vocabulary?

A strategic Italian vocabulary learning habit is the key to a strong and long-lasting impact on your Italian language journey. Let me show you how.

In this article, I share my experience as an Italian Language Coach and Polyglot through a list of eight hacks on how to learn Italian vocabulary smartly, efficiently, and fast!

1. I DON’T LEARN WORDS

… I learn collocations. A collocation is a habitual combination of a particular word with another word or words with a frequency greater than chance. Learning which words go together when building your vocabulary will help you use it naturally instead of fitting it based on your native language.

Example:

If you add to your vocab list the single word “concordare” there is a big chance you will automatically add it to your passive vocabulary. The key is to learn the above word together with words it often appears with, such as:

Concordare un appuntamento, meaning fixing an appointment
Concordare una strategia, meaning setting up a strategy
Concordare un prezzo, meaning deciding a price

To find collocations in Italian, you can use:

The Google Search Engine, which automatically shows the most searched combinations of words by users.
The amazingly useful Dizionario delle collocazione italiane, especially for advanced Italian learners, is ideal for enlarging and enriching vocabulary.

2. LESS IS MORE IS MY MOTTO

Prevent “words overdose”. Unless you have a photographic memory, you should avoid making endless Italian vocabulary lists or flashcards, which, I assure you, will be of no use in the long term. The optimal number of words to learn at each session should range from five to ten.

3. I LEARN SELECTIVELY AND MEANINGFULLY

Our memory works selectively. Humans tend to recall what is more relevant in their lives and what is associated with novelty. Emotions play a crucial role too, as they narrow the scope of attention, that is to say, that some words are retained to many others’ expense.

Example:

In my own experience as a language learner, I have always chosen the material I wanted to use to better my target language. These days, I am happening to learn German. What is by far my favorite way to build up my German vocabulary?

Once a week, I make some time to select an article from one of my favorite German blogs that cover psychology. So I am not just studying German, but I am reading about a topic I am interested in. My mind is hungry for learning more about psychology, and guess what? My gateway to access knowledge is going to be the language I am learning at the moment. That’s what learning vocabulary efficiently is about!

How do I learn vocabulary through an article or blog I am interested in?

At first, I read the article without taking any notes to acquire the general sentiment or just for the pleasure of reading something I like.

Secondly, I copy the article into a Google Doc, and I read it again while underlining the mysterious words or sentences.

At last, I write down in my notebook only the words or sentences that had an impact on me or that I think I might want to use when I speak German with my teacher or friends. Bear in mind; I don’t highlight everything I don’t recognize. I choose just what I need.

4. I TELL MYSELF USE IT OR LOSE IT

To learn Italian vocabulary efficiently, you need to take any chances to use the collocations you have learned and do not stick to the same words or standard sentences you are comfortable with while speaking. Get out of your linguistic comfort zone and make your speaking nicer by actually using the content of your vocabulary lists/flashcards.

5. I LOOK FOR REAL WORLD INPUTS

If I speak in my target language and my interlocutor uses idioms or words I am not familiar with, I jot down a note in my memos or on my phone. Writing down something you have listened to strengthens your ability to assimilate what you are trying to learn.

I personally like to pick up sentences here and there from my favorite TV shows or blogs. Bear in mind, do not take note of everything new to you. Our short-term memory can retain just a finite amount of words at a time. Choose the ones you are most likely to use, which arouse emotions in you or belong to your sphere of interest.

Where do you look for real-world inputs in Italian?

GOOGLE NEWS

Google News is an incredible tool to track down daily news you might want to read in Italian. Just type into the search bar the subject you want to read about.

ITALIAN YOUTUBERS AND BLOGGERS

Italian YouTubers and bloggers are an excellent source for real-world language inputs. Are you into beauty, lifestyle or veganism? Dive into the internet and look for people blogging about it. Make it a habit to watch one video or read one article a week.

Examples of Italian blogs I like to follow:

Zen

https://lamenteemeravigliosa.it/

https://www.efficacemente.com/

Lifestyle

https://blogunisalute.it/

https://greenme.it

Yoga

https://www.atuttoyoga.it/

QUORA

Quora is, by far, my favorite platform for learning the real spoken language in any of my target languages. If you still don’t know it, Quora is a question-and-answer website where questions are asked, answered, edited, and organized by its community of users in the form of opinions. If you set Quora on your target language and follow your chosen topics’ threads, you browse through a wide variety of interactions between native speakers. I like Quora because of its format: language is used in the shape of questions and answers, and the language used by the writers varies from their education or region, thus, you will be exposed to a myriad of language differences.

6. I MAKE REPETITION A PRIORITY

To learn Italian vocabulary efficiently, you need to design a strategy to review what you have studied. Our brain learns through repetition and repetition is when the magic happens. As a rule, you need to make sure that what you have learned previously won’t fade, thus making your efforts vane.

If don’t know what the learning curve is and how it affects efficient language learning this post from Fluent in 3 Month.

What strategy do I use to overcome fading memory when learning new collocations?

I use a notebook, an excel sheet or a word page will also do.
I put the date for each page and name the weekday, e.g. Monday 12th
I draw three columns, e.g. one for the new word, one for the translation in my mother tongue and one to put the word into context. I use different colors for each column.
I review regularly. I review using two different ways: on weekdays (e.g. on Monday I review the Monday pages) or by day of the month (e.g. on the 12th I review the other 12th of the previous months). I start a new notebook each year.
When reviewing, I just look at the third column. You should remember the meaning of the sentence when you see it and if you don’t, have a look at the second or first column.
I highlight the words I am not able to remember.
I make my own flashcards to keep in mind the most complicated words or collocations.
You can buy a set of blank index cards or simply use the Apps Quizlet or Memrise that allows you to create your own set of flashcards.

7. I USE INSTAGRAM

Are you into traveling or vegan cooking? Do you like climbing? Use #hashtags in Italian to find people managing a page about your passions on Instagram. The most famous pages are most likely to post every day… in Italian!

Even on the busiest days, we take some time to scroll down through our IG feeds.

Some examples of popular Italian IG pages about Italian cuisine:

@ilpugliesechecucina

@il_cibonauta

@piattifantastici

8. I USE HANDWRITING

According to neuroscientists, handwriting helps our brain to retain chunks of information better. Jotting down new words that you read here and there will help your brain to produce longer-lasting memories. Besides, handwriting can be a way to slow down the fast-paced lives. No matter if you write on your Ipad or in your language journal, take the time to let the language soak in.

9. BE AWARE OF YOUR LEARNING STYLE

What kind of learner are you? When you meet someone new, do you remember her face or her name/voice? If the first one, there is a big chance you are a visual learner; if the letter, you are an auditory learner. Being one type of learner or another makes a difference when it comes to learning Italian vocabulary efficiently.

Being a visual learner means you make the most out of your learning time by reading Italian articles or visualizing the language. Being an auditory learner means that you pick up new words by listening to podcasts or conversation. Use your time smartly. Don’t do what seems cool or easy. Do what is suitable for yourself.

Don’t you know what your learning style yet? Do the test here

CONCLUSION

Pick one or two of my language hacks, maximum, for your smart learning journey. Many learners make a salad of learning apps, language methods, and learning strategies. Less is more. If you try something that does not help you make any progress, ditch it. Take time to design your very own learning strategy, stick to it, and give yourself time to develop your own method. Choose your learning material and be leery of those who are promising you can learn any language in no time at all.

And if you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit. Rome was not built in a day.

6 GREAT ITALIAN SHORT STORIES FOR BEGINNERS

1. Amore a Cappuccino – beginners A0/A1

If you have learned Italian for a month or two, Amore and Cappuccino is the first short story you should read. This is an Italian short storybook for A0-A1 level. If you are an advanced beginner, you will find this book way too easy, so scroll below for the other ones :). The language used is simple and tailored for a real beginner Italian learner. Each chapter consists of short dialogues between the two main characters: a German girl visiting Rome and her date, Claudio, a man that hides a few mysteries. The setting is the eternal city of Rome. The best about Amore and Cappuccino is that it takes place in Rome’s most iconic areas, and other than the language, it teaches you of a few elements of Roman art and culture. An excellent introductory course on the eternal city if you are planning to visit Rome one day.

2. Dolomiti – beginners A1

I love this short story because it takes you to one of my favorite areas in Northern Italy – the Dolomites!
This storybook is written in the present tense. It revolves about Emanuela, a young woman who lives in Dobbiaco (a picturesque mountain village immersed in the Dolomites) and still is not very happy with her life…until when she finds a way to change it.

The story uses a great deal of useful Italian vocabulary for work/transport and the mountains. At the end of the book, you will find a cultural section where you can read in simple Italian all about the culture, the language, and the food Aldo Adige (Sudtirol), the region where the Dolomites belong.

The book’s level is for Italian learners who have learned the language for 3-4 months and are familiar with the basic Italian grammar and most recurring Italian everyday vocabulary.

3. Come hai detto che ti chiami – advanced beginners / A1-A2.1

Have you already landed the foundations for your basic Italian grammar and vocabulary? If you have learned the Italian present perfect (passato prossimo), the common irregular verbs and the basic pronouns, this story is for you.The setting is the beautiful city of Como in Northern Italy. It’s a story about a young German woman learning Italian in Germany and an Italian young man learning German in Italy. They meet online for a language exchange; their friendship is based on a misunderstanding, though! This book is a fun story that won’t only reinforce your basic Italian grammar but also help you internalize a lot of relevant Italian vocabulary through the power of reading in context. And if you haven’t been to Como yet, you will learn a lot about the city too.

4. Le città impossibili – advanced beginners A1/2

This is a great short storybook for those who explore the major Italian cities through its cliches. The book contains 12 chapters: each chapter focuses on a different town from Palermo to Turin. Every chapter isn’t longer than two pages and follows the steps of a first time visitor in the cities. At the end of the book, you will find some useful vocabulary and exercises and cultural insights about each town. This resource helps the advanced beginners, and it focuses more on vocabulary (lots of adjectives, vocabulary related to cities) rather than the grammar.

5. Storie per i giorni di festa – advanced beginners A1/A2

Have you ever heard about Carnevale? Or Ferragosto? Or do you know how Italians love to spend their Saturdays night? This Italian short story book for advanced beginners is culture based. Each chapter tells you a story related to a significant Italian holiday and the Italian habits that go with it. Brilliant book if you want to expand your Italian vocabulary and strengthen your beginner grammar. As usual for the Alma Italian short stories book, you will find grammar and vocabulary exercises and extra cultural insights.

6. Imparo l’italiano con le favole di Esopo (A1/A2)

This Italian short story book contains fourteen of Aesop’s fables translated and adapted for a beginner level: the first seven are in the present tense, the last seven in the past tense.

Each chapter (fable) comes with a vocabulary list of the story’s essential words and some simple exercises.

You will also have the option to listen to the audio tracks by downloading the audiobook for free by following the last page’s instructions.

The fables are profound and straightforward, with a final moral to discover. This short story series in Italian is ideal for those learning Italian at A1 or A2 level.

💡SMART LEARNING TIPS

Use these short stories in Italian, if you are a beginner or advance beginner and you are looking for an efficient ways to consolidate your Italian grammar and vocabulary.
Be proactive: don’t limit yourself to read the stories. Use them with your Italian teacher or language exchange partner. Summing up each chapter in 6-8 sentences or discuss it with your teacher is a brilliant way to cement the new vocabulary and fix the grammar patterns.
Don’t underestimate reading, at any level. Reading is the way to go to boost your Italian since the very beginning of your learning journey. Why? When you read, you naturally absorb things like the correct order of the different parts of the speech, the correct conjugations or the use of the prepositions.
Re-read your story. One you are done with one of these short stories books in Italian don’t put them way for ever. Set them side for a couple of months and go back to re-read it a second or third time: that’s how you will learn efficiently (retain) your vocabulary.

Beato me! Beati lore! But.. what does it mean?

HOW TO USE THE WORD “BEATO” IN ITALIAN

What does the expression beato me or beato te mean?

“Beato” is an adjective indicating a person that feels very happy about about herself or the good fortune of someone else.

Beato lui che va ogni mese in vacanza! – How lucky he is to go on vacation every month!
Massimo è andato in pension e adesso vive beato e contento alle Bahamas – Massimo retired and now he is happily living in Bahamas!

Beato me!

Beato often appears in combination with the Italian tonic pronouns me/te/lui/lei/noi/voi/loro. In the such cases is an exclamation of good fortune! Lucky!

Beato me! – lucky me
Beato te! – lucky you
Beato lui / Beata lei! – lucky him/her
Beati noi! – lucky us
Beati voi! – lucky you (all)
Beati loro! lucky them

How to say the time in Italian correctly

HOW TO SAY THE TIME IN ITALIAN

I am writing this article because I believe that talking about the time is one of those topics you can use to break the ice or start a small talk in Italian or when in Italy.

This is a topic which is often overlooked, while should be not. Anyone can ask you what time is in for any number of reasons during your trips to Italy, and you want to be prepared to answer in the best way.

First things first, the word time has two primary meanings in Italian.

The time, as a period, translates in Italian into tempo

The time, by the clock, translates in Italian into ora

How to say in Italian “what time is it”

When you want to ask someone what time it is in Italian you should say:

Che ore sono?

As you might notice by yourself, both the word “ore” and the verb “essere” appear in its plural form. This makes sense, because the time in Italian is plural, as numbers are plural.

The answer to “che ore sono” is:

Sono le (any time of the day)
Sono le 9 – it’s 9 am (or 9 pm)

There are few exceptions to the rule and involve the number 1, which is, by any means, singular.

E’ l’una → it’s 1 am (or 1 pm)
E’ mezzogiorno → it’s noon
E’ mezzanotte → it’s midnight

Don’t forget that the 24h usage is widespread in Italy, especially when it comes to set appointments or in formal situations, like in the workplace. A train or plane ticket will use the 24h system too.

Nevertheless, the 12h usage is also widely accepted informal situations.
For instance, it is common to say

Le 9 di mattina – 8am (9in the morning)
Le 9 di sera – 8 pm (9 in the night)

How to count minutes when saying the time in Italian?

Minutes past

Until 35 five minutes past, you can use the following pattern

Sono le 9 e cinque – 9:05
Sono le 9 e dieci – 9:10
Sono le 9 e quindici – 9:15
Sono le 9 e venti – 9:20
Sono le 9 e venticinque – 9:25
Sono le 9 e trenta – 9:30
Sono le 9 e trentacinque – 9:35

With quarter and half, the following pattern is preferred.

Sono le 9 e un quarto – 9:15
Sono le 9 e mezzo – 9:30

Minutes to

Sono le 9 meno 20 – 8:40
Sono le 9 meno 15 – 8:45
Sono le 9 meno 10 – 8:50
Sono le 9 meno 5 – 8:55

With the quarter minus the following pattern is preferred:

Sono le 9 meno un quarto – 8:45

How to say in Italian “what time…?”

If you need to meet an Italian friend, you need to ask her what time you are going to meet, in Italian, right?

The question slightly changes from the previous one, and, it is:

A che ora….?

And the answer is…

Alle…

Examples

A che ora ci vediamo domani sera? – What time do we meet tomorrow night?
Alle 20 – At 8(pm)

EXTRAS

The adverb “verso”

When asking someone what time you should do something, an Italian person might reply by using the adverb “verso” right before the time.

A che ora ci vediamo domani? – What time are we meeting tomorrow?
Verso le 10 – at around 10, tenish

Note that you are not using the preposition alle, but the adverb verso + the article le

The expression “in punto“

Another common Italian time expression is “in punto”.

Che ore sono? – What time is it?
Sono le 10 in punto – It’s ten (in punto means that it’s precisely 10)

Other frequent Italian expressions involving the word “time”

Have you got the time? – hai l’ora esatta?
On time (person) → puntuale
On time (train) – in orario
Just in time – appena in tempo

EPISODIO #3: IL MOVIMENTO SLOW FOOD

7 minutes in Slow Italian - Season 1

EPISODIO #3 – IL MOVIMENTO SLOW FOOD

Oggi vi parlo di Slow Food.

Slow Food un movimento internazionale che si batte contro la cattiva alimentazione e il cibo spazzatura, incentivato dalla produzione industriale e dalle catene di fast food.

Il movimento è nato nel Nord Italia, a Bra nel 1985. L’obiettivo di questa organizzazione è quello di promuovere un’alimentazione più sana, etica ed ecologica. Infatti, il suo motto è “buono, pulito e giusto” e il suo logo è una lumaca.

Slow food si batte, inoltre, per preservare la biodiversità della terra e sostenere l’agricoltura sostenibile, meno intensiva e più rispettosa dell’ambiente.

Comprare un prodotto Slow Food” significa essere sicuri che il prodotto è stato coltivato in modo sostenibile.

[FINE DELL’ESTRATTO]

Download the PDF the full transcription and vocabulary list

Più informazioni qui

💡DOWNLOAD ALL THE EPISODES TRANSCRIPTIONS (+ VOCABULARY/GRAMMAR OBSERVATIONS) HERE

My podcast: 7 minutes in slow Italian

I HAVE LAUNCHED A PODCAST SERIES FOR ITALIAN LEANERS!

WHY I CREATED 7 MINUTES IN SLOW ITALIAN

As a Language Coach, working with a large number of students, I have realized there is a shortage of content for listening comprehension for Italian beginners or intermediate learners.

As an avid language learner, the biggest obstacle I have always encountered is overcoming the plateau of listening comprehension in my target languages.

Being a visual learner I found out at my expenses that relying on the myth that putting on the Italian TV or Netflix in my target language was not helping me the way I needed.

And this is why I came out with 7 minutes in slow Italian. A podcast designed by an avid language learner to the benefit of students of Italian. A short and sweet Podcast in slow Italian, with transcript, that you can easily integrate into your routine as an independent Italian language learner or with your Italian course.

HOW 7 MINUTES IN SLOW ITALIAN CAN HELP YOU

My podcast in slow Italian is designed for advanced beginners and to intermediate learners and is thought to push the student to listen to an audio actively and take the time to reflect, memorize and eventually use the vocabulary in use.

The best way to improve your Italian listening comprehension, especially as a beginner, to listen to easy content, or comprehensible Italian content.

7 minutes in slow Italian is presented in two speeds: around 3 minutes in natural speed and 4 minutes in slow Italian. The purpose is to present you the language at a regular/fast pace and then allowing you the time to listen in slow motion, in order to pick up the words, tenses and sentences you missed in the first part.

7 minutes in slow Italian is short and easy to use: if you are a beginner or intermediate Italian learner, in order to make the most out of studying time, you should practice active listening. Active listening is not just listening for the sake of it. Instead, tt involves reflection on the language, the vocabulary in use and the ability to take notes. This why it must be short. Quality over quantity is the key.

7 minutes in slow Italian is interesting: when exploring a new place (let it be in Italy or abroad) I like to learn all about the interesting and quirky facts.. Cliché hasn’t ever picked my interests and I find it often downgrading. And this has led to the topics of my first Italiano Podcast.

7 minutes in slow Italian is memorable: the podcast talks about curiosities and interesting facts about Italy, I am sure you don’t know yet. This choice is not casual. Being exposed in a foreign language to something that is unusual or that you have heard for the first time, will help you better retain and internalize the information and memorize the vocabulary used. The input must be attractive to cement in your mind.

7 minutes in slow Italian isa podcast with transcript: I don’t expect you to know it all. I make sure there is a transcript for each podcast episode. There is evidence that most students learn visually – the transcript is a tool to help you out taking your notes and visualize the “missing parts”

7 minutes in slow Italian is a Podcast for beginners or intermediate learners seeking an actionable way to improve their listening comprehension in Italian and have wonderful conversations when in Italy. Remember, not only speaking, but especially understanding what is going around when you are in Italy will make the difference.

THE EPISODES - SEASON 1

Episodio #6 – La sindrome del viaggiatore (o sindrome di Stendhal) – INTERMEDIO

EPISODIO #5 – PERCHE’ ESISTONO I TRULLI IN PUGLIA

EPISODIO #4 – LA VALLE D’AOSTA

EPISODIO #3: IL MOVIMENTO SLOW FOOD

The best way to use this Italian Podcast for intermediate learners

Listen to the first part of the Podcast, in natural Italian
Focus on the second part in slow Italian
Listen to the entire audio and take notes of the vocabulary you want to retain
Use the transcript and the vocabulary section to double-check your understanding
Sprinkle your Italian conversations and lessons with the new learned vocabulary

The best way to use this Italian Podcast for beginners

Listen to the second part of the Podcast (the slow one) and use it as a prompt for a dictation. Once you have written down your transcript, confront it with my transcription. Listen to the Podcast with a natural speed again.
If it is still too difficult to understand, listen and read my transcript simultaneously.

Ciò and cioè explained

The question I want to reply to today regards the meaning of the word ciò.

I will also digress on the difference between ciò and cioè, another common and peculiar Italian word

HOW TO USE CIO’ IN ITALIAN

Ciò appears to have multiple meanings.

Ciò is a demonstrative pronoun, and it is often used instead of questo and quello, especially in formal or written Italian.

Examples with ciò

Ciò che mi fa arrabbiare è che (formal) – What drive me crazy is that…
Quello che mi fa arrabbiare (informal) – What drive me crazy is that…
Questo non è ciò che ti avevo detto di fare – This is not what I told you to do to (formal)
Questo non è quello che ti avevo detto di fare – This is not what I told you to do to (informal)
Ciò che voglio dirti…– What I want to tell you (formal)
Quello che voglio dirti… – What I want to tell you (informal)

Both quello che (informal) and ciò che (formal) means “that thing.”
The function of the pronoun is to replace something that was previously mentioned.

You should also know that ciò refers just to events or ideas, or to something that has just been said in the shape of a sentence.

HOW TO USE CIOE’ IN ITALIAN

Cio is often confused with the verb cioè, which has a different meaning and pronunciation.
Cioè is meanly a connector and is used in between two sentences in which the second one explains, corrects or rephrase the first one.

Examples with cioè

Ci vediamo alle 3, cioè alle 4 – Let’s meet at 3, I mean at 4
Vado in Belize, no cioè inn Guatemala – I am going to Belize, I mean, to Guatemala

In English, the most accurate translation of cioè would be “I mean.”

The formal pronoun referring to people is costei or costui.
It’s hardly ever used in spoken Italian and belongs to the written language.

Other related articles

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

HOW TO WRITE 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 and recurring greetings and introduction formulas, and there you have it.

Of course, the types of greetings and formulas, you are going to use, depend on who you are writing to. 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 IN ITALIAN

How to start a letter or email 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

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

And then it comes 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… – with answer to your email

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…

LETTER CLOSINGS

How to close a formal letter or email in Italian

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

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 SALUTATIONS

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

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 riscontro, porgo cordiali saluti.

Serena

Gentle 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 AN 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

The use of FARE and with an INFINITIVE verb

How to use FARE + infinitive verb

Faccio riparare il frigo a mio fratello or mi faccio riparare il frigo da mio fratello

(I will have the fridge repaired by my brother)

Your keen eye might spot the interesting usage of the verb fare and an infinitive that you have ever seen before.

FARE CAUSATIVO

The combination of fare and infinite verb in Italian.

This construction is called fare causativo.

The fare causativo is vastly used in conversational Italian and expresses the idea of having something done by someone (else).

There two possible constructions:

Verb fare + action verb + a + person carrying out the action → faccio riparare il frigo a mio padre
Indirect object – action verb + da + person carrying out the action → mi faccio riparare il frigo da mio padre

Other examples

Ho fatto pulire l’appartamento a mio marito – I had the flat cleaned by my husband
Mi faccio tagliare i capelli da mia zia – I have my hair cut by my auntie

Another use of fare + infinitive expresses the idea of getting someone to do something and is a translation of the English “get or make”

Fa’ leggere tuo figlio – get your/tell your son to read
Fa’ fare sport a tuo figlio – get your/tell your son to do sport
Fa’ giocare tuo figlio – – get your/tell your son to play

*in the above phrases the verb fare appears in the imperative mood.

Another common use of the verb FARE and the infinitive is a translation of the English “let”

Fammi vedere – let me see
Fammi provare – let me try
Fammi sentire – let me hear
Puoi farmi vedere? – Can you let me see?
Mi fai sentire? Can you let me hear?

Of course, the conjugation of fare can occur in all the different Italian tenses.

Mi faccio tagliare i capelli (present tense)
Mi sono fatto tagliare i capelli (passato prossimo)
Mi facevo tagliare i capelli (imperfect)
Mi farò tagliare i capelli (future tense)
Mi farei tagliare i capelli (present conditional)
Mi faccio tagliare i capelli (present tense)
Fammi tagliare i capelli, mamma! (imperative)

1 2 3 4

vocabulary pills

HOW TO USE QUALSIASI / QUALUNQUE / CHIUNQUE

QUALSIASI (ANY)

QUALSIASI (WHICHEVER or WHATEVER)

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “QUALSIASI” AND “QUALUNQUE”?

Other meaning of qualsiasi/qualunque

CHIUNQUE (ANYONE / WHOEVER)

QUALSIASI and CHIUNQUE with the subjunctive

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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAGARI AND FORSE?

The three meanings of MAGARI

When “magari” means “maybe”

When “magari” means “I wish”

When “magari” means “if only”

IS IT ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO USE MAGARI INSTEAD OF FORSE?

SOME OTHER WAYS TO SAY FORSE IN ITALIAN

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What do you know about Sicilian?

Is Sicilian a language or a dialect?

What is an Italian dialect? What is a language?

Is Sicilian Language different from Italian?

Arabic influence

Spanish influence

French influence

Greek influence

Is Sicilian a live language?

Where is Sicilian spoken?

Are Sicilians bilingual?

Do I need to know Sicilian to travel to Sicily? Or do I need to speak the local dialects when traveling or living in Italy?

HELPFUL RESOURCES TO LEARN SICILIAN ON YOUR OWN

MAKE ITALIAN LEARNING A HABIT

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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “SAPERE” AND “CONOSCERE”?

WHEN TO USE “CONOSCERE”

WHEN TO USE “SAPERE”

SAPERE AS A MODAL VERB

OTHER MEANINGS OF SAPERE

SAPERE DI…

MI SA CHE…

Useful links to practice this topic

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Use your Italian!

15 well-known Italian sayings and how to use them

1. Le bugie hanno le gambe corte

2. Piove sempre sul bagnato

3. Occhio non vede, cuore non duole

4. Ogni lasciata è persa

5. Chi nasce tondo non può morir quadrato

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

7. E’ inutile piangere sul latte versato

8. Paese che vai usanze che trovi

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

10. Mal comune mezzo gaudio

11. Chi ha tempo non aspetti tempo

12. La notte porta consiglio

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

14. Meglio soli che male accompagnati

15. L’erba del vicino è sempre più verde

MAKE ITALIAN LEARNING A HABIT

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9 smart ways to learn Italian vocabulary efficiently and fast

1. I DON’T LEARN WORDS

2. LESS IS MORE IS MY MOTTO

3. I LEARN SELECTIVELY AND MEANINGFULLY

4. I TELL MYSELF USE IT OR LOSE IT

5. I LOOK FOR REAL WORLD INPUTS

Where do you look for real-world inputs in Italian?

6. I MAKE REPETITION A PRIORITY

7. I USE INSTAGRAM

8. I USE HANDWRITING

9. BE AWARE OF YOUR LEARNING STYLE

CONCLUSION

MAKE ITALIAN LEARNING A HABIT

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6 GREAT ITALIAN SHORT STORIES FOR BEGINNERS

MAKE ITALIAN LEARNING A HABIT

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