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The Italian connectors: how to learn them

Italians are quite wordy and love stringing together long sentences.

To put them together they use connectors (or conjugations)

A connector in Italian is a small word that joins information together within a sentence.

I am sure you have already eavesdropped on many of them without being too sure about their function.

Do allora, perché, poiché, anzi, quindi, siccome say something to you? The more Italian connectors you know, the better. Learning to use Italian connector words will be a quick fix to your Italian fluency.

Use them to join shorter sentences together and so enhance the flow of your speech.

The Italian word for connectors is connettivi

The Italian word for conjunction is congiunzione

SMART TIP

What’s the best way to learn and to use the connector words or conjunctions in Italian?

I am not a fan of drills, and so I wouldn’t recommend looking for endless and boring exercises on the internet.

The best way to go is to browse this list of Italian connectors and select those conjunctions that you think will come in handy when speaking Italian.

After making your own shortlist, you have two options:

Option n.1: use an online dictionary (WordReference is excellent) and write down on your notes a few examples using your connectors. The scope of this exercise is to memorize the pattern.
Option n.2: write down your sentences, including the new connectors, and use your tutor or coach to correct them.

Connettivi di causa

the connectors of “cause” show the cause of something.

The conjugations of cause used in the middle of a sentence:

Per – for
Ecco perché
Perché – because
A causa di – because of

✔️Non voglio viaggiare, perché ho paura dell’aereo

✔️ Rimango a casa, a causa del cattivo tempo

The Italian conjugations of cause used at the beginning of a sentence.

Dato che / Visto che – as or since (informal)
Siccome – as or since (informal)
Dal momento che – as or since (informal)
A causa di – because of
Grazie a – thank to
Poiché – as or since (informal)

✔️A causa del cattivo tempo, le scuole sono state chiuse

✔️Siccome pioveva, non ho potuto usare la mia bicicletta

✔️ Dal momento che hai deciso di presentarsi alle lezioni, sei stato sospeso dal corso

Connettivi di conseguenza

They show the result or consequence of a previously mentioned action.

Quindi – so (informal)
Di conseguenza – therefore (mainly used in written form)
Consequentemente – consequently
Perciò – so
Per questo motivo – for this reason
Da ciò si deduce che – thus (formal)
Ecco perché – that’s why

✔️ Non mi pagavano adeguatamente, perciò/di conseguenzaho lasciato il lavoro

✔️ L’ha lasciata, da ciò si deduce che non l’amava abbastanza

Connettivi ipotetici

These connectors describe a condition.

Se – if
Nel caso in cui – in the even of
Nell’eventualità in cui – in the event of
Poniamo il caso che – assuming that
Ammettendo che – assuming that
Partendo dal presupposto che – assuming that
Ipoteticamente – hypothetically
Mettiamo che – assuming that (informal)
Qualora – if (rather formal)

✔️Se avessi più tempo libero, viaggerei di più

✔️ Poniamo il caso che non superi l’esame, rifarai il corso?

✔️ Qualora cambiassi lavoro, dovrai trasferiti

Connettivi conclusivi

These connectors introduce the conclusion to something previously mentioned.

Insomma – in short, all in all
Allora – so
In conclusione – finally
Infine – in short

✔️Insomma, è stata una bella giornata

✔️Infine, siamo andati al cinema

Connettori di scopo

These connectors are used to indicate a purpose or an explanation

In modo da – in order that
Affinché – in order that
Allora – so that
Pertanto – so that
Così – so that

✔️ prendo lezioni di italiano in modo da trovare un lavoro in Italia

✔️ prendo lezioni di italiano affinché possa trovare un lavoro in Italia

Connettivi prescrittivi

These connectors establish a hierarchy of a sequence of events.

Prima di – before
Prima di tutto – first of all
In primo luogo – in the first place
Anzitutto – first things first
Poi – then
Dopo – later, after
In secondo luogo, in terzo luogo, etc... – Secondly, in the third place
Infine – finally
In sintesi – in short
In sostanza – in short
In conclusione – in conclusion

✔️Innanzitutto devo preparare i miei figli, poi li devo portare a scuola, e infine vado in ufficio.

Clarification on the use of prima and dopo in Italian

PRIMA

Prima di means before and is followed by an infinite verb.

Primo or prima (without the preposition di) means first

Prima as an adverb, means also in the first place or early or earlier

✔️Prima di fare colazione, faccio yoga

✔️ Il primo giorno della settimana è lunedì

✔️ Oggi sono uscita di casa un po’ prima

DOPO

Dopo is used in two different ways:

Dopo + compound infinitive

✔️ dopo aver mangiato, sono uscito (more formal)

Dopo che + indicative mood

✔️ dopo che mangio, faccio sempre una siesta (more informal)

Connettivi di spiegazione

These connectors help to clarify or explain something it was stated in the previous sentences

Cioè – that is to say
Ad esempio – for example
In altre parole – in other wards
Per farla breve – to make a long story short
In sintesi – in short

✔️Marco sì inventato una storia improbabile per non presentarsi all’appuntamento, in altre parole, non ne aveva voglia.

Connettivi di opposizione

They are used to express an idea that is different or opposite to the one that was mentioned before.

Ma – but
Ma purtroppo – but unfortunately
Invece – instead
Al contrario – on the the contrary
Malgrado ciò – nevertheless
Tuttavia – however
Dall’altro lato – on the other side

✔️Mi piacerebbe invitare tutti alla mia festa, dall’altro lato non ho molto spazio a casa

Connettivi di tempo

The connectors of time say when an action took place. They say if the action happens now, in the past or in the future.

In the past

Qualche giorno fa – some days ago
Qualche tempo fa – a while ago
In passato – in the past
In precedenza – previously
Anteriormente – previously (formal)
Una volta – once
In quel momento – in that time
Allora – back then

Now

Contemporaneamente – simultaneously
Allo stesso tempo – at the same time
Nel frattempo – in the meantime
Intanto che – in the meantime
In questo istante – right now
In questo momento – right now

In the future

Alla fine – in the end
Successivamente – subsequently
In seguito – later
Dopo molto tempo – a long time later
Dopo diversi anni – many years later

Connettivi di concessione

These types of connectors show a contrast between two sentences.

Benché – even though
Sebbene – even though
Malgrado – even though
Nonostante – in spite of, although
Anche se – even if
A condizione che – on condition that
A patto che – providing that

All of above conjugations use the subjunctive, except for anche se. In fact, anche se is a more informal version of benché, malgrado, sebbene, nostantante. The letter use the subjunctive and belongs to the formal Italian.

✔️Anche se è sempre gentile con me, non posso fargli questo favore

✔️ Sebbene sia sempre gentile con me, non posso fargli questo favore

Connettivi limitativi

these connectors indicate a limitation to something.

Tranne – except (informal)
Eccetto – except (formal)

✔️Mangio tutto, tranne i peperoni

Connettivi correlativi

these connectors correlate two sentences

Sia ..sia – both and and
Né…né – neither.. nor

✔️Mi piace sia cucinare i dolci che i primi piatti

✔️Non mi piacciono né il teatro né il cinema

List Italian conjugations using the subjunctive

Nonostante – even though
Malgrado – even though
Sebbene – even though
Benché – even though
Nel caso in cui – in the event that
Qualora – if (formal)
Nell’eventualità in cui – in the event that
In modo che – in the event that
A condizione che – provided that
A patto che – provided that
Purché – provided that (formal)
Senza che – without
A meno che – unless
Prima che – before

✔️Gli dico la verità, prima che gliela dica qualcun’altro

✔️Ti presto la macchina, a condizione che tu non guidi veloce

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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.

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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.

CIO‘

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

CIO’ and CIO’

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.

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5 ways to say how in Italian

1. COME

The most frequent translation of how in Italian, is come.

Come is used as an interrogative words in many common Italian questions, such

Come stai? – how are you?

Come ti chiami? – what is your name?

Come ti senti? – how do you feel?

Come va? – how are you?

Come si dice …in Italiano? – how do you say … in Italian?

Com’è andato il fine settimana? – How did your weekend go?

Come hai passato il Natale? – How did you spend Christmas?

You may already know that, COME also means WHAT in English.

In fact, come is used with all forms of essere in order to find out what people or things are like.

Com’è il tempo? – What’s the weather like?
Com’è il centro di Milano? – What’s the city center like?
Com’è il nuovo capo? – What’s the new boss like?

Come is followed by the third person singular of the verb to be “è”when the thing or person we want to find out is one, singular.

If we want to find out about people or more things are like, we use the third person plural of the verb to b “sono.”

Come sono le lasagne? – How are the lasagne?
Come sono gli amici di Maurizio?= How are Maurizio’s friends?

In the same way, come is used with the verb andare to find out the outcome of something. In this way, the verb is often conjugated in the past tense, as we are usually asking about a past event.

Com’è andato l’esame? – How did your exam go?
Com’è andato l’appuntamento? – How did your appointment go?
Come sono andate le vacanze? – How did your vacations go?

COME as an exclamation.

When you want to compliment someone or to express satisfaction you can say:

How beautiful you are! – Come sei bella!
How lucky I am! – Come sono fortunato!

The “how” in exclamations becomes “COME” in Italian

2.QUANTO COSTA? (How much is it?)

If you want to ask how much is something in Italian you can opt for two possible questions:

Quanto costa?

Quanto viena? (slightly more colloquial)

3.QUANTI/E (How many?)

How to say how many in Italian?

How many is a question word which translates into QUANTI or QUANTE

Quanti is followed by a masculine plural noun.

Quanti figli hai?

Quante is followed by a feminine plural noun.

Quante camere ha la tua casa?

4.QUANTO TEMPO? (How long?)

If you want to ask someone how long has she been doing something, you should put together this structure.

Question: DA + QUANTO TEMPO + VERB IN PRESENT TENSE

Answer: VERB IN PRESENT TENSE + OBJECT + DA + PERIOD OF TIME

Question: da quanto tempo studi l’italiano?

Answer: studio italiano da 3 anni

The usual pitfall for English speakers is to use the past perfect also in Italian.

For example, da quanto tempo hai studiato italiano? Which is WRONG!

5.QUANTO? QUANTA? (How much?)

How to say how much in Italian?

How much is a question word which translates into QUANTO or QUANTA

Quanto is followed by a masculine singular noun.

Quanto vino vuoi?

Quanta is followed by a feminine singular noun.

Quanta acqua vuoi?

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What are the verbs that take the subjunctive in Italian?

WHAT VERBS AND EXPRESSIONS TAKE THE SUBJUNCTIVE IN ITALIAN?

When learning Italian, you’ll surely come across a few challenging topics. Among these, one of the most notorious one is the Italian subjunctive mode. But, although, it might seem not so easy to grasp, it’s easier than you think.

WHAT IS THE SUBJUNCTIVE IN ITALIAN?

The Subjunctive is a mood (a verb form) often used in Italian to express opinions, feelings or wishes. The Subjunctive is rarely used independently and is usually preceded by a main clause connected by the word che. For instance, Penso che (main clause) – l’Italia sia un Paese bellissimo (dependent clause.)

HOW TO USE THE SUBJUNCTIVE IN ITALIAN?

It’s easier than you think: The rule of thumb is that the use of the Italian Subjunctive is determined by what comes before. There are some verbs that take the indicative and some verbs that take the subjunctive in Italian.

To master the “Art of the Subjunctive” you need to remember which verbs take the subjunctive in Italian..

WHY TO USE THE SUBJUNCTIVE IN ITALIAN?

Learning how to use the Italian subjunctive correctly means that you will be able to communicate your feelings, opinions and wishes in Italian in the finest way.

But it’s way easier in practise than in theory…

The most common verbs taking the subjunctive in Italian are:

Pensare che – to think that

Credere che – to believe that

Immaginare che – to imagine that

Avere l’impressione che – to have the impression that

Supporre che – to suppose that

Dubitare che – to doubt that

Non sapere che – to not know that

Non essere sicuro che – to not be sure that

Non essere certo che – to not be certain that

Avere paura che – to be afraid that

Temere che – to be afraid that

Volere che – to want that

Desiderare che – to wish that

Preferire che – to prefer that

Sperare che – to hope that

in context

Penso che nevichi fuori – I think it snows outside
Voglio che arrivi l’estate – I want the summer to come
Temo che sia andato via – I am afraid that he left

Expressions of feelings, such as

Essere felice che – to be happy that

Essere dispiaciuto che – to be sorry that

in context

sono felice che abbia vinto il premio – I am happy she won prize

Impersonal verbs.

Impersonal verbs are those without a determinate subject.

basta che… – it is enough (that) . . .

bisogna che… – it is necessary (that)

vale la pena che… – it is worth (that)

si dice che… – it’s said (that)

dicono che… – they say(that)

sembra che… – it seems (that)

in context

si dice l’Italia sia il più bel Paese al mondo – they say Italian is the most beautiful country in the world

After certain Impersonal expressions

An impersonal expression is a sentence made by the verb “to be” and an adjective or adverb, such as:

è bene che… – it is good (that)

è difficile che…– it is hard (that)

è facile che… – it is easy (that)

è giusto che… – it is right (that)

è importante che… – it is important (that)

è male che… – it is bad (that)

è meglio che… – it is better(that)

è necessario che… – it is necessary (that)

è peccato che…– it is a pity (that)

è possibile che… – it is possible (that)

è raro che… – it is rare (that)

è urgente che… – it is urgent (that)

in context

è raro che un bambino studi il cinese – it’s rare for a kid to study Chinese
è possibile che Anna sia in ritardo – it’s possibile that Anna is late

When impersonal expressions point out certainty, the indicative is used in- stead of the subjunctive. The following expressions require the indicative, for example.

è certo che… – it is certain (that)

è evidente che… – it is evident (that)

è ovvio che che… – it is obvious (that)

in context

è ovvio che che mente – it’s obvious that he lies

All the above verbs and expressions require the subjunctive only when the subjects of the two phrases are different:

Penso che lei abbia un figlio

Sono felice che abbia superato l’esame

If subjects are the same, we use the construction DI + INFINITIVE

Penso di avere un bambino
Lei è felice di aver superato l’esame

THE SUBJUNCTIVE OF IRREGULAR VERB

I have been asked often in my online Italian classes, what is that SIA there? Or, what is that ABBIA there? What about VADA or FACCIA?

They are, respectively, the irregular subjunctive conjugation of : essere, avere, andare e fare. It’s better to learn the irregular Italian subjunctive as they are very much common in the spoken language. Remember also that, the verbs that are irregular in the indicative, are also irregular in the subjunctive

Penso che sia interessante
Credo che abbia una seconda casa in Italia
Penso che vada al mare ogni giorno

THE TENSE OF THE ITALIAN SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD

The Italian subjunctive is a mood made of four tenses: the Present Subjunctive, the Past Subjunctive, the Imperfect subjunctive and Past-perfect Subjunctive. Knowing all these tenses will help you to master the Subjunctive Tense Consistency, which I will tackle in a different article.

3 IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT THE SUBJUNCTIVE

Using the subjunctive is a sign of education. There are also native Italian speakers that misuse or don’t use the subjunctive correctly. You can tell they don’t have a high level of education.
Verbs that are irregular in the present indicative are also irregular in the present subjunctive.
The use of subject pronoun (io, tu, lui, noi, voi, loro) is often required, as the first three persons of the conjugation are the same (io vada, tu vada, lui vada)

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Conoscere vs Sapere : how to use them

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

English (and other languages) use only one verb, the verb to know, to cover the meaning of knowledge in all possible forms. Italian uses two different verbs: sapere and conoscere.

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

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

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 to have a good knowledge of something or someone because if you have previosuly experienced it.

If you are still not sure whether to use sapere or conoscere, try this: conoscere is always followed by nouns. You will never see conoscere used with another verb (which instead, is likely to happen with sapere).

In the following examples you will see a correct usgage of “conoscere” in context;

Conosco la geografia italiana molto bene. – I know Italian geography (topic/subject) very well.
Conosci Lucrezia? – Do you know Lucrezia? (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.

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.

Sapere is almost always followed by the clause che.

Non lo so – I don’t know
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 it is accompanied by an infinitive verb. 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 covers also other meanings in Italian colloquial expressions.

In fact, 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 practise this topic

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Cosa? Che cosa? Quale? – How to say WHAT in Italian

How to say WHAT in Italian? What generally translates into…

Che…?

Cosa…?

Che cosa…?

Quale…? – Quali…?

The main difference in the usage relates to Che? (or Cosa?, or, Che cosa?) and Quale?.

CHE? COSA? CHE COSA?

Let’s start from staying that the Italian interrogative Che?, Cosa? or, Che cosa? are used with verbs (actions).

Che fai stasera? – What are you doing tonight?
Cosa vuoi per cena? – What do you want for dinner?
Che cosa mangi oggi? – What are eating today?

There isn’t a specific rule defining when using the interrogatives CHE?, COSA?, or, CHE COSA?.

They are interchangeable. My perception is that in Northern Italian Che? is preferred over Cosa? While in the South, people tend to use Che? or Che cosa?

QUALE

Another way to say WHAT in Italian is by using the interrogative QUALE?

How to use QUALE in Italian?

QUALE or QUALI is always used with a noun or the verb to be.

QUALE becomes QUALI if followed by a plural noun or the verb “sono”

QUALE becomes QUAL when followed by the verb è?

QUALE is used both with people and things.

We can generally say that you should use QUALI when English uses the interrogative WHICH.

Precisely, when asking for information about people or things belonging to the same category (eg. colors, cities, languages…)

For instance:

Quali città italiane hai visitato? – What/Which Italian cities have you visited?
Quali lingue conosci? – What/Which languages do you know?
Quali colori hai scelto? – What/Which colors did you choose?

Note, QUALE/i is followed either by a noun or the verb to be.

The Italian question word QUALE is also used when asking for specific information

Qual è il segreto della longevità? – What the secret of logentivity?
Qual è il motivo? – What’s the reason?

The Italian question word QUALE is also used when you are presented when two or more choices.

In this cases it translated the English Which one? or Which ones?

Quale preferisci? Il vino bianco o quello rosso? – Which one do you prefer? Red or white wine?

“WHAT?” IN COLLOQUIAL ITALIAN

In spoken Italian, the interrogatives QUALE or QUALI are often replaced by CHE:

Che città hai visitato?

ThIS form belongs strictly to spoken and colloquail Italian. The previous form is preferred if you want to communicate well and use Italian correctly.

COMMON ITALIAN QUESTIONS QUALE

Qual è il tuo indirizzo? – What’s your address?
Qual è il tuo numero di telefono? – What’s your address?
Qual è il tuo (name a thing) preferito/a? – What’s your favorite (something)?

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Trovare and trovarsi: find the differences

Whether you have just started your Italian learning journey or you are already a fluent Italian speaker. The moment you land in Italy, you will surely hear the Italian verb “trovare” in a set of different meanings and expressions.

Let’s un unravel the mystery about this singular verb.

Make sure you learn all of the examples and be ready to use in your Italian conversations with your friends, Italian teacher, or Italian speaking partner.

#1 TROVARE = TO FIND

First things first

The most common meaning of “trovare” is “to find”.

Ho appena trovato un nuovo appartamento in centro – I have just found a new flat in the city center.

Many times “trovare” comes with different meanings. For instance, when it appears in its reflexive form: trovarsi.

What’s the difference between trovare and trovarsi?

#2 TROVARSI = WHERE ARE YOU?

Trovarsi means to find yourself, o better to find yourself in a place.

Frequently Italians use the verb trovarsi to state or (to ask for) the location of something or someone.

Dove ti trovi? is the same as asking Dove sei?

Milano si trova in Italia – Milano is in Italy

Dove ti trovi? Mi trovo vicino alla fermata dell’autobus – Where are you? I am next to the bust station

#3 TROVARSI BENE O MALE = TO FEEL AT EASE OR NOT

Trovarsi also appears in several Italian expressions describing feelings and conditions.

Trovarsi bene o trovarsi male says that we like or don’t like a condition.

Mi trovo bene nel nuovo ufficio – I like (I feel at ease) in the new office

Mi trovo male con il nuovo capo – I don’t like (I don’t feel at ease) with the new boss

Come ti trovi nel nuovo ufficio? – How do you like (how do you feel) the new office?

Mi sono trovata bene con la nuova istruttrice di pilates – I liked ( I felt at ease with) the new pilates instructor.

#4 TROVARSI = LET’S MEET

You can hear trovarsi in colloquial Italian conversations as a way to say “let’s meet”

Ci troviamo alle 6 davanti al cinema, OK? – let’s meet in front of the movie theater at 6, OK?

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What do you know about Sicilian?

If you are 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 stronger than my Sicilian).

In this article, I will

shed light on the topic “Is Sicilian a Language?”
bring to 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, 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 the awareness of Sicilian across the island and the world.

And so, is Sicilian a language or a dialect?

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

Bear in mind that, many prominent Italian academics, like Paolo Balboni, define dialects separates languages, and I do agree with them.

But how come, so 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.

What is a dialect? What is a language?

An Italian dialect is a variation of the Italian language, and thus, 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?

Is Sicilian language different from Italian?

Yes, it is. In the same way, the other romance languages like 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” to speak about the close past.

English: I did / I made

Italian: io ho fatto (passato prossimo)

Sicilian: Jo fici (passato remoto)

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

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

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

The reason for such a unique combination lays on our history. Several different civilizations conquered and settled in Sicily in our current time, leaving plenty of vestiges in the local 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?

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 (traballar).

Of course, I could go on forever

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 has been facing pressure from Italian over the last century.

No surprise, Sicilian has been “Italianized” over the last decades. The language does not enjoy the status of official language in Sicily and thus is not taught in schools.

However, being a Sicilian and polyglot at the same time, 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 the study of Sicilian 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 fluen,t who inherited and learned the language from her ancestors.

Funny fact, the Sicilian spoken abroad in the immigrant communities uses a lot of 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 colloquial 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 speak proper Italian (very few at this time) would live in rural areas and have been probably 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 are planning 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 try to pick up a few words in dialects before you trips?

How can I learn Sicilian?

As a minority language, there is not a great deal of learning material out there, as for the other Romance languages.

Don’t be put off by the scarcity of “conventional material.”

Other than the Cipolla’s textbook and few other grammars, you can learn Sicilian online by using for free Utalk or taking lessons with private tutors on Italki.

The Sicilian culture is incredibly extensive and 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.

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

Serena

www.italianpills.com/

How to express love and affection in Italian

If you don’t know it yet, the Italian Language makes a difference between loving someone and loving something or to do something. Making sure to learn this subtle difference, is the only way to avoid awkward moments with your Italian friends or lovers!

Loving someone

Let’s start with the idea of loving “someone”

How to say I love you in Italian?

When you want to say in Italian that you love someone, you simply say “ti amo”

Ti amo entails romantic love though. That means that you can use it with your wife (moglie) or husband (marito) and boyfriend (fidanazato) or girlfriend (fidanzata).

You shouldn’t use “ti amo” or the verb “amare” in non-romantic situations.

Loving something or to do something

How to say that I love something or doing something Italian?

When you want to say that you love to do something or something, you can use the verb adorare (to adore)

For instance,

Adoro passeggiare nel centro di Roma di sera – I love walking in the center of Rome at night

Saying “amo passeggiare” is acceptable, but it is not very natural. As an alternative, you can opt for the expression “mi piace moltissimo / mi piace da morire”

Mi piace da morire la pasta al pistacchio – I love pistacchio pasta

To recap, Italian tend not to use the verb amare with things or situation.

Love toward friends and family

How to say I love you to a friend of the family in Italian?

To show love or affection to a friend or a family member, Italians use the idiomatic verb volere bene (a qualcuno)

For instance,

Ti voglio bene – I love you (to a friend or family member)
Voglio molto bene a mia cugina – I love my cousin (not romantic love)
Vogliamo bene a Lucia – We love Lucia (again, not romantic love, Lucia might be our best friend, for instance)

Bear in mind that volere bene takes an indirect object pronoun.

Being in love

Speaking of which, how to say in Italian that you are in love with someone?

Sono innamorato di Maria – I am in love with marria

Essere innamorato/a di – to be in love with

How do you say that you fell in love with someone?

Mi sono innamorato/a di Lucia – I fell in love with Lucia

Innamorarsi di – to fall in love

How do you call your sweetheart in Italian?

Tesoro – darling
Tesorruccio – darling
Amore – love
Amore mio – my love
Caro/a – dear

How do you say that you really love someone?

Sei la mia vita – you are my everything
Sei la mia anima gemella – you are my soulmate
Non posso vivere senza de – I can’t live without you
Sei unico – you are my only one (lit.)
Ti amo profondamente – I am deeply in love with you (lit.)
Sono follemente innamorato di te – I am crazily in love with you (lit.)
Ti amo moltissimo – I love you a lot
Ti amo tantissimo – I love you a lot
Ti amo alla follia– I am crazily in love with you (lit.)
Sono pazzo di te – I am crazy about you
Sei speciale – you are special
Sei l’amore della mia vita – you are the love of my life

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How to say the time in Italian correctly

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

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45 Italian phrases related to personality and feelings

Expressing emotions and talking about oneself is not a taboo in Italy. Italians are not afraid to open up, with friends and collogue, about themselves. That is why having a good grasp of how to express feelings and talk about one’s personality will come you in handy when in Italy.

How to express feelings in Italian

The most common way to express emotions and feelings in Italian is by using the verb essere plus an adjective, for instance:

sono felice – I am happy

However, in certain expressions, Italian use the verb avere plus a noun, for instance:

ha una bella personalità– she has a lovely personality
ha paura – she is afraid

You can modify the meaning or the intensity of the adjective (or nouns) by using the adverbs molto – abbastanza – un po’, for instance

sono un po’ nervosa oggi – I am a little nervous today

WORDS AND SENTENCES FOR FLASHCARDS

Avere un buon carattere – to be good-natured
Avere un carattere brutto – to be ill-natured
Avere un carattere forte – to have a strong personality
Avere un carattere debole – to have a weak personality
Essere alla mano – to be easy-going
Essere disponibile – to be helpful
Essere simpatico – to be nice
Essere antipatico – to be unpleasant
Essere estroverso – to be extroverted
Essere introverso – to be introverted
Essere pigro – to be lazy
Essere riservato – to be reserved
Essere impulsivo – to be to impulsive
Essere generoso – to be generous
Essere avaro – to be stingy
Essere altruista – to be altruistic
Essere piacevole – to be pleasent
Essere felice – to be happy
Essere triste – to be sad
Essere chiacchierone – to be chatty
Essere passionale – to be passionate
Essere ottimista – to be optimistic
Essere pessimista – to be pessimistic
Essere educato – to be polite
Essere maleducato – to be rude
Essere sensibile – to be sensitive
Essere divertente – to be fun
Essere pensieroso – to be thoughtful
Essere riflessivo – to be reflective
Essere nervoso – to be nervous
Essere timido – to be shy
Essere noioso – to be boring
Essere sincero – to be sincere
Essere bugiardo – to be a liar
Essere aperto – to be open-minded
Essere chiuso – to be close-minded
Essere socievole – to be sociable
Essere paziente – to be patient
Essere impaziente – to be impatient
Essere interessante – to be interesting
Essere tollerante – to be tolerant
Essere intollerante – to be intolerant
Essere stressato – to be stressed
Essere pacifico – to be peaceful
Essere preoccupato – to be worried

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How to express gratitude in Italian

Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity stated
William Faulkner

And I think so too. Gratitude goes hand in hand with good manners, something Italians are very keen on. In fact, Italians thank a lot!

It’s quite usual to hear the subsequent interaction where someone says grazie (thank you) and the other one responses grazie a te (thank you to you). Grazie is definitely one of those words you should not be worry to overuse in Italy.

If you want to sound like a native Italian speaker, you should know that Italians have plenty of ways to thank people.

As, in English, an intense and intended thank you is different from a rushed thanks, in Italian you can say “grazie” in several other ways, to show your kindness and appreciation to the person you are thankful for.

What’s the Italian for thank you?

Thank you in Italian is simply grazie, but…

How do you say thank you, when you really mean it?

If you are really happy about the service or the favour that you received you can show appreciation in Italian by using

Grazie mille or mille grazie– a thousand thank yous
Grazie tante – many thanks
Molte grazie – many thanks

If you want to put extra emphasis you can say

Grazie infinite – countless thank you
Grazie davvero – thank you indeed

How do you say thank you to someone that has gone above and beyond your expectations?

Grazie di tutto – thank you for everything
Grazie di cuore – thank you from the bottom of my heart

If you want to be more specific and set out the reason you are thanking for, you can add the preposition per + a noun

Grazie mille per il tuo aiuto – thank you for your help
Grazie davvero per la tua disponibilità – thank you indeed for your time
Grazie tante per la tua pazienza – thank you for your patience
Grazie per il regalo – thank you for for your gift
Mille grazie per gli auguri – thank you for your birthday wishes

Be aware that all of the first three gratitude phrases above are informal. To make a sentence formal you need to replace tuo/a with suo/a.

You can say thank you for something in Italian, by using a verb, too. How do you do it? You simply follow this structure: grazie per (or di)+ the past infinitive.

Grazie per (di) avermi aiutato – thank you for helping me
Grazie per( di) avermi scritto – thank you for writing to me
Grazie (per) di essere venuto – thank you for coming

How to say thank you with a verb?

There are some verbs and expressions in Italian that express gratitude, like ringraziare, essere grato di and apprezzare.

RINGRAZIARE

Ringraziare is less straightforward than grazie and slightly more formal. It used usually in the shape of

ti – La – vi ringrazio or ti -La – vi ringraziamo + PER (or DI) + a noun or past infinitive

Ti ringrazio per avermi chiamato – thank you for calling me
Vi ringrazio di essere venuti – thank you for coming
La ringrazio per il Suo interesse – thank you for your interest

ESSERE GRATO (O GRATA) DI

Another way to express gratitude in Italian is by using the expression “essere grato or grata di”

We use essere grato (to be grateful or thankfu forl) to show how we feel when someone does us a favour or help us and we are happy about that

Ti sono molto grato/a per avermi aiutato con il trasloco – Thank you for helping with the move

APPREZZARE

Apprezzare (to appreciate) is used to recognize how good and helpful was someone or something for you.

Apprezzo molto l’aiuto che Maria mi ha dato quando ero malata – I am really thankful for Maria’s help when I was sick

You might now wonder how to say you’re welcome in Italian. If so, I encourage you to read 7 ways to say welcome in Italian.

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17 Italian inspirational quotes by Italian authors

Italian quotes are an easy and interesting way to learn and retain Italian vocabulary.

Why?

Quotes are like songs, they pass on meaningful messages to us, that our minds can quickly absorb and make ours.

Your mind works in a way that better retain what can provoke an emotion.

Ideas for learning

An excellent website that serves this purpose is www.frasimania.it

On frasimania you can find plenty of Italian aforismi (aphorisms), citazioni (quotes) e proverbi (proverbs) related to various aspects of life.

Choose one or two Italian sentences that you like a hang it somewhere you see it every day. Repeat this habit regularly and use Italian as a tool to stay inspired.

Non sempre le nuvole offuscano il cielo: a volte lo illuminano
Elsa Morante

offuscare – to blur, to dim
illuminare – to light up

Ricordati che l’uomo non vive altra vita che quella che vive in questo momento, né perde altra vita che quella che perde adesso.
Marco Aurelio

Non potrai mai attraversare l’oceano se non hai il coraggio di perdere di vista la riva.
Cristoforo Colombo

attraversare: to cross
perdere di vista: to lose sight of
la riva: the seashore

Non ci si libera di una cosa evitandola, ma soltanto attraversandola
Cesare Pavese

liberarsi – to free one’s self
evitare – to avoid
soltanto – only

Essere se stessi è una virtù esclusiva dei bambini, dei matti e dei solitari.
Fabrizio De André

essere se stessi – to be one’s self
matto – insane person

La mattina, quando ti alzi, non ti chiedere che cosa devi fare, ma che cosa puoi fare per essere felice
Gianfranco Funari

Prendete la vita con leggerezza, che leggerezza non è superficialità, ma planare sulle cose dall’alto, non avere macigni sul cuoreI
Italo Calvino

prendere la vita con leggerezza – to take life not too seriously
un macigno sul cuore – a huge weight on the heart

La vita è un viaggio. Le fermate migliori sono le persone speciali
Angelo de Pascalis

le fermate – the stops

Ti insegneranno a non splendere. E tu splendi invece
Pier Paolo Pasolini

splendere – to shine

Per anni ho aspettato che la mia vita cambiasse, invece ora so che era lei ad aspettare che cambiassi io
Fabio Volo

Se non decidi della tua vita, qualcun altro deciderà per te
Leo Buscaglia

Le nuvole non possono annientare il sole
Franco Battiato

annientare – to destroy

La Vita ha quattro sensi: amare, soffrire, lottare e vincere. Chi ama soffre.
Chi soffre lotta. Chi lotta vince. Ama molto, soffri poco, lotta tanto, vinci sempre.
Oriana Fallaci

Non dir di me finché di me non sai
pensa di te poi mi dirai
Dante Alighieri

Imparerai a tue spese che nel lungo tragitto della vita incontrerai tante maschere e pochi volti
Luigi Pirandello

il tragitto della vita – the jounrey of your life
la maschera – the mask
il volto – the face

Finirai per trovarla la Via… se prima hai il coraggio di perderti.
Tiziano Terzani

finire per – to end up
trovare la via – to find your way
perdersi – to lose one’s self

Essere se stessi è una missione, la più difficile. Ti allontanerà da tante persone ma ti lascerà accanto quelle che valgono davvero.
Vincenzo Cannova

essere se stessi – to be one’s self
allontanare – to drift apart, to distance yourself
accanto – next
valere davvero – to be really worth

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How to talk about the weather in Italian

How many times have you been asked in Italian “what’s the weather like” (Che tempo fa?) and you have felt your answer was way to brief? Whether you are a beginner or intermediate Italian learner, you might want to extend the conversation to practice your Italian vocabulary.

Don’t forget that, talking about the weather is one of the most favorites ice-breakers for Italians, a topic to use during a small talk or something to complain about in the office! Three good reasons to try to memorize a few of the following common Italian expressions and phrases and learn how the Italians do speak about the weather.

What Italians would say…

Mi piacciono quelle serate estive quando l’aria è calda di sera e posso riscaldarmi al sole.

Che tempaccio! Soffia un vento gelido e piove a dirotto, meglio rimanere a casa!

Oggi si muore di caldo. Ieri ha piovuto senza tregua tutto il giorno. Che tempo pazzerello!

When the weather is ugly…

C’è brutto/cattivo tempo – it’s ugly
C’è un tempaccio – ugly weather
C’è un temporale – it’s stormy
C’è un vento gelido – freezing wind
C’è un tempo uggioso – the weather is dull
Che tempo pazzerello – what a freak weather
C’è maltempo – it’s ugly
Si muore di freddo – it’s crazy cold/the cold is killing us
Piove a dirotto – it’s pouring down
Nevica – it’s snowing
Grandina – it’s hailing
Il tempo si sta guastando – the weather is deteriorating
Il vento è gelido – the wind is freezing cold
La neve cade – the snow is falling
L’aria è gelida – it’s freezing
Il mare è in tempesta – the sea is stormy
È ventoso/piovoso/nuvoloso – it’s windy/rainy/cloudy
Ci sono 2 gradi – it’s 2 degrees

When the weather is nice…

C’è bel tempo – it’s nice
È soleggiato – it’s sunny
Il cielo è limpido – the sky is very clear
L’ aria è calda – the air is warm
Il sole splende – the sun shines
Prendere il sole – to sunbathe
Che bel tempo, speriamo che regga – what a nice weather, hopefully, it will hold up
Si muore di caldo – it’s crazy hot / the heat is killing us
C’è un caldo rovente – it’s scorching hot
C’è una temperatura piacevole oggi – it’s mild
Il mare è calmo – the sea is calm

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Time to practise

Che tempo fa nella tua città oggi? Descrivi il tempo della tua città nei commenti usando almeno 3 delle espressioni sopra elencate.

Serena

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vocabulary pills

Connettivi di causa

the connectors of “cause” show the cause of something.

Connettivi di conseguenza

Connettivi ipotetici

Connettivi conclusivi

Connettori di scopo

Connettivi prescrittivi

Clarification on the use of prima and dopo in Italian

Connettivi di spiegazione

Connettivi di opposizione

Connettivi di tempo

Connettivi di concessione

Connettivi limitativi

Connettivi correlativi

List Italian conjugations using the subjunctive

Useful resources to practice the Italian connectors

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CIO‘

Examples with ciò

CIO’ and CIO’

Examples with cioè

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1. COME

2.QUANTO COSTA? (How much is it?)

3.QUANTI/E (How many?)

4.QUANTO TEMPO? (How long?)

5.QUANTO? QUANTA? (How much?)

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WHAT VERBS AND EXPRESSIONS TAKE THE SUBJUNCTIVE IN ITALIAN?

WHAT IS THE SUBJUNCTIVE IN ITALIAN?

HOW TO USE THE SUBJUNCTIVE IN ITALIAN?

WHY TO USE THE SUBJUNCTIVE IN ITALIAN?

in context

Expressions of feelings, such as

in context

Impersonal verbs.

in context

After certain Impersonal expressions

in context

in context

THE SUBJUNCTIVE OF IRREGULAR VERB

THE TENSE OF THE ITALIAN SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD

3 IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT THE SUBJUNCTIVE

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CONOSCERE

SAPERE

SAPERE AS A MODAL VERB

OTHER MEANINGS OF SAPERE

sapere di

mi sa che…

Useful links to practise this topic

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CHE? COSA? CHE COSA?

QUALE

“WHAT?” IN COLLOQUIAL ITALIAN

COMMON ITALIAN QUESTIONS QUALE

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#1 TROVARE = TO FIND

#2 TROVARSI = WHERE ARE YOU?

#3 TROVARSI BENE O MALE = TO FEEL AT EASE OR NOT

#4 TROVARSI = LET’S MEET

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Is Sicilian a language or a dialect?

What is a dialect? What is a language?

Is Sicilian language different from Italian?

Arabic influence

Spanish influence

French influence

Greek influence

Is Sicilian a live language?