Italians have a reputation for being emotional and sentimental, and this is entirely right. No need to say, we like to express positive and (negative) emotions with friends and family, and we do it often.
Have you ever wondered what the most common ways to say in “well done” or” was happy about..” or “cool‘” are?
Keep reading this article to find it out!
RIMANERE + ADJECTIVE
By using the present perfect of rimanere followed by an adjective you will mean you were happy/excited/ satisfied with something
Sono rimasto soddisfatto della lezione di ieri
Lucia è rimasta molto contenta del regalo che hai ricevuto
L’insegnante rimane contento del mio livello di italiano durante ogni lezione
Don’t forget, most adjectives expressing feelings are followed by the preposition di and the verb infinitive
Essere /rimanere felice di + infinito
Essere /rimanere contento di+ infinito
Essere /rimanere soddisfatto di + infinito
Essere /rimanere scioccato di + infinito
Essere /rimanere sorpreso di + infinito
Avere paura di + infinito
POSITIVE EXCLAMATIONS
Exclamations are the most everyday ways to express positive emotions.
Many joyous Italian exclamations result from the combination of che with adjectives.
Che bello! – How beautiful!
Che buono! – How good!
Che dolce! – How sweet!
Che piacere! – How nice!
Che bel film! – What an excellent movie!
Che bella donna! – What a beautiful woman!
Che giornata fantastica! –What a fantastic day!
There are also many other exclamations used in day to day Italian that take the shape of simple adjectives.
Bravissimo! – Well done!
Ottimo! – Excellent!
Bello! – Beautiful!
Figo! – Cool! (very informal)
Eccezionale! – Outstanding!
Another way to express satisfaction or happiness in Italian is using the expression fare piacere a qualcuno (literally: making pleasure for someone)
Mi fa molto piacere che tu sia arrivato
Mi fa piacere che tu abba superato l’esame
Remember that the subjunctive must follow the expression “mi fa piacere the.”
Fare piacere is an impersonal expression; so it has to be conjugated in the same way you would conjugate the verb piacere:
Mi fa piacere – mi ha fatto piacere
Tti fa piacere – ti ha fatto piacere
Gli fa piacere – gli ha fatto piacere
Ci fa piacere – ci ha fatto piacere
Vi fa piacere – vi ha fatto piacere
Gli fa piacere – gli ha fatto piacere
SHOWING APPROVAL IN ITALIAN
Expressing positive emotions can take the shape of showing approval. The most common ways to show support or approval in Italian are:
Va bene! – All right!
D’accordo! – Agreed!
Giusto! – Correct!
Certo! – Of course!
Esatto! – Precisely!
SHOWING RELIEF IN ITALIAN
Last but not least, let’s see how to express relief in Italian:
Meno male! – Thank goodness!
Per fortuna! – Luckily!
Grazie a Dio! – Thank God!
Meno male is Italy’s most common verbal sigh of relief. This phrase is used when you want to explain that you have prevented a possible situation, like in the following examples:
Meno male che ho preso l’autobus delle 11, sennò avrei perso l’aereo.
Meno male che Lucia è arrivata in orario per l’appuntamento con il capo.
Both Grazie a Dio and per fortuna are used with the same meaning. However, meno male is the expression you are most likely to hear in your Italian conversations.
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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.
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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.
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
Magari 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
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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…
Unnimeans “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.
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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.
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.
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.
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 complicatedwords 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.
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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
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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 coltivatoin modo sostenibile.
Questo movimento è presente in 150 paesi e ha anche un’università, che si chiama “Università delle Scienze Gastronomiche”, a Bra, in Piemonte. Questa Università ha lo scopo di formare professionisti con competenze nell’agricoltura sostenibile e biodiversità.
Il movimento Slow Food ha ispirato un altro movimento culturale, che si chiama Cittaslow.
Una rete di città che si impegnano a migliorare la qualità della vità dei loro cittadini. I comuni che fanno parte della rete Cittaslow promuovono una filosofia di vita più lenta, legata alla natura e alle tradizioni culturali e gastronomiche del territorio.
Tra le città che fanno parte di questa rete, ci sono anche le bellissime città turistiche di Orvieto e Positano.
Vocabulary expansion
Learn new vocabulary in chunks (recurring combinations of words, chunks of sentences). Add it to your flashcards or wordlists. To transform your passive vocabulary into an active one, make sure to use it when speaking or writing in Italian.
➣Battersi per/contro: to fight for/against (figurative) – reflexive verb
Ex: battersi per la libertà, battersi contro le ingiustizie
➣Cibo spazzatura: junk food
➣Incentivare: to boost
Ex: per incentivare l’economia, incentivare i servizi
➣ Ed: and → e eufonica.
The “e eufonica”, that is to say, the “ed” means just and. The extra “d” is added to the “e” in front of nouns starting with a “e”.
Ex: Martina ed Erica sono mie amiche.
➣Sostenere: to support
Ex:sostenere un’iniziativa, un movimento
➣Coltivare: to grow (food). The typical mistake many English speakers make is to use the verb “crescere” with food too. Crescere means “to grow” too, but it is not used for food.
Ex: coltivare pomodori, coltivare le fragole, coltivare
➣In modo sostenibile: adverb
Generally, short adjectives transform into adverbs by adding the suffix -ly. For example, lento (slow) turns into lentamente (slowly) However, for longer adjectives, there is a better way to make an adverb: by adding in modo before the adjective.
Ex: in modo sostenibile (sostenibilmente), in modo piacevole (piacevolmente)
➣Impegnarsi: to work hard
Ex: gli studenti si impegnano molto per ottenere buoni risultati
Synonim: lavorare sodo
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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 talksabout 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
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.
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6 Great Textbooks to expand your Italian Vocabulary
Have you ever wondered why building an extensive vocabulary is so important and which are the best vocabulary textbooks to improve your Italian vocabulary? Words are one of the most important tools to facilitate and empower communication. Since vocabulary is so important, it is wise to extend the size of your vocabulary whenever you can.
A good vocabulary is also a good indicator of your comprehension ability when reading the new material or listening to Italian. I made the following list based on my experience as an Instructor of Italian as a foreign language, all of the books are quality material that I like to use during my courses and that also serve as self-studying materials.
TEXTBOOKS TO EXPAND YOUR ITALIAN VOCABULARY
Attiva il lessico A1/B2 An easy-to-use book to learn vocabulary in context. The book is made of 20 short units and each one comes with a different topic (traveling, cooking, ordering, etc). The new words are introduced through short texts or dialogues. In addition, you can find a lot of matching or filling the gaps exercises which will help you to memorize the vocabulary presented in the unit. A section is dedicated to idioms collocations (combinations of words).
Attiva il lessico B1/B2. A very useful textbook to expand and improve your Italian vocabulary if you already have a good grasp of the bases of the language. The structure is the same as the one described above. The topics for the (upper)intermediate level range from art, music and health to talking about one’s personality.
Una parola tira l’altra 1 A1/A2. A must-have book to help beginners keep the conversation flowing. The book is made up of 18 chapters and is a great resource to learn everyday Italian conversation topics (talking about the weather, space, describing people and so forth). The book is rich in images and will help you learn new vocabulary and sentences in the most intuitive way.
Una parola tira l’altra 2 A2/B1. This is the most advanced version of the book described above, the structure is the same but the level of the vocabulary taught is higher. Each unit comes with some authentic material such as newspaper articles or book extracts and is completed with a set of exercises for which you can find the keys at the end of the book.
Italiano per modo di dire. A2-C1. This is a book that I love because itteaches Italian collocations (common word combinations and idioms), in other words, a more colloquial Italian. It can serve as a self-teaching book also. The book is divided into 14 chapters, each chapter has a theme and so you learn, for example, animal idioms and expressions or body idioms and expressions. This book is a must if you want to make your Italian more fluent and natural-sounding.
Hai voluto la bicicletta….B2/C1. This is a book about Italian verb expressions, idioms and everything you need to reach a native level of Italian. The book is divided into six sections, each of which focused on different aspects of the language. The new expressions are presented in context (with dialogues or sample sentences) followed by plenty of activities to help you memorize the new patterns.
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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 deduceche 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 dimeans 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 seè sempre gentile con me, non posso fargli questo favore
✔️ Sebbenesia 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
Useful resources to practice the differences between the IMPERFETTO and PASSATO PROSSIMO
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Of the Romance languages , Italian is the closest language to Latin.
And so, it should not be surprising, that many Latin words or even entire Latin phrases have become so naturalized in Italian that we use them in full, without a second thought.
No need to mention, by learning (and using) them your Italian will sound more natural and fancier.
9 super useful filler words in Italian and how to use them
Once I heard an American saying that we Italian can speak by making long sentences without saying a word.
It was a joke, with a touch of irony. Italians do use a lot of filler words when they speak informally.
What is a filler word?
A filler word is a word that you can place in the sentence to buy time when the words you are looking for do not come in your way or you are hesitating for one thing or another.
Generally, we can say that they help the speakers to express what they want easier!
Why is it important to use filler words in Italian?
If you have been learning Italian for a long time or just for a few months, mastering Italian filler words is a great idea for at least three reasons:
They make your Italian sound more natural in conversation.
They will give you an idea of what is the context of the conversation. Fillers words prevail in conversational and informal scenarios.
They can help you fill the time when the thought you want to express in Italian is not coming out easily.
Most common Italian fillers
In this article, we will have a look at the most frequent Italian fillers.
BEH/BE/BE’
beh = well
At the start of a sentence (or as a reply to a question) shows that you are thinking about what you are going to say
Beh..fammi pensare – Well, let me think
beh = meh
As an answer to a question, to show disagreement to someone else opinion.
Ti è piaciuto il film? Beh..era un po’ sciocco – Did you like the movie? Meh..it was kind of silly
beh = so?!
In questions,beh is used to encourage or urge someone to answer
Andiamo al cinema stasera? – Are we going to the movies tonight?
(no answer) – …
Beh?!? – So?!
GUARDA / SENTI
In English look / listen
They are generally used at the start of a sentence to draw the attention of the person you are speaking to, to what you are going to say, or to show hesitation.
Guarda! Ecco come si fa… – Look, this is how you should do it
Vai in vacanza? Guarda…non so, sono a corto di soldi quest’anno- Are you going on vacations? Look… I don’t know, I am short on money this year
INSOMMA
Insomma is one of those Italian conversational words one very often listens here and there.
It does not have a single definition, and its meaning varies depending on the sentence.
insomma = In short, all in all
In its primary meaning stands for “in short or to cut a long story short“. Thus, you can use it when you want to sum up what you have previously stated.
Insomma, è stato proprio un bel viaggio! – All in all, it was a fantastic tri
Insomma = Well
Insomma is also used to start a new topic with the English meaning of so or well
Insomma, cosa facciamo oggi? – Well, what are we going to do today?
Insomma = So so
You can use insomma when replying to a question and you want to say so-so
Ti piace questo dessert? Insomma…mi aspettavo meglio – Do you like this dessert? Well (so so)…I was expecting it was a better one.
Insomma = Enough!
Insomma serves also as an exclamation to express exasperation
Insomma, sono stufa, falla finita! – Enough! I am sick of it!
MAH
As an answer to a question,mah expresses perplexing doubts or incertitude.
Com’ è andato l’esame? Mah… – How was your exam? Well, I don’t know…
Also, at the start of a statement or in answers, it shows disappointment or disagreement.
Cosa pensi della politica italiana? Mah… – What do you think of Italian politics? No comment…
Using “mah” alone, for instance, in exclamations, shows a sense of resignation to a fact
Mah! La vita! – it’s life…
CIOÈ
In English, namely/ that is to say
Not to be confused with ciò and c’è. Make sure all the tree vowels are well pronounced.
Cioè is a filler word coming in handy when you want to rephrase or better explain something you have previously said.
L’attuale papa, cioè Francesco I, incontrerà il primo ministro tedesco oggi –The pope, that is to say, Francesco I, will meet the prime minister today
Cioè is also used to correct what you have just said or to add more information.
Mi piace veramente Maria…cioè solo come amica – I like Maria very much, I mean, just like a friend
It can be used in the shape of a question to ask further explanation about something which is not clear
Vado a Panarea in estate – I go to Panarea next summer
Cioè, dove? – Panarea where?
Un’ isola sicilianna nel mare Medieterraneo – A Sicilian island in the Mediterranean sea
DAI
Dai is a widespread word in colloquial in Italian. It has not a single definition. It has several idiomatic meanings; let’s see some of them.
dai =c’mon
Dai is used as an exclamation to urge someone to do or say something
MI dici la verità?! Dai!! – Tell me the truth! Come on!
At the start of a sentence, as a way to lift someone spirits.
Dai… vedrai che tutto andrà bene – You will see… everything will be all right.
dai = Let’s (do something)
When dai is used in front of a verb, it is meant to emphasize the form “Let’s do something.”
Dai! Usciamo! – Let’s go out (indeed we go)
ma dai! = really?!
In the idiomatic expression ma dai! To show astonishment or surprise to your interlocutor
Farà il giro del mondo in macchina. Ma dai!! – she’ll travel around the world by car. Really?!
We can say the meaning of “dai” is also very connected to the voice’s intonation as one is pronouncing it. If you are urging someone to tell you something, you should stress the word and pronounce it slightly louder than usual. If you are cheering up someone…the intonation shall be softer.
ALLORA
Allora is by far the most frequent filler word in Italian.
As insomma, allora doesn’t have a single definition.
However, I would say that in the vast majority of times, allora, is used to introduce a topic, to launch an idea or to start a question or a sentence. In this case, it has an introductory meaning.
Allora, qual è il tuo programma per il fine settimana? – So, what are your plans for the weekend?
Allora, cominciamo la lezione...- Well, let’s start the class
Allora also has another common meaning when it refers to the past: “at the time.” In this case, allora could be easily replaced by “in quel momento” or, in English, in those days/times/years
Allora vivevo in Francia – At that time I used to live in France
Allora also means “then”, with the meaning of “in that case”
Vuoi vivere sano? – Allora mangia sano! – Do you want a healthy life? Then, eat healthily!
COMUNQUE
In standard Italian comunque mean “however or nevertheless.”
Nevertheless, often in conversations “comunque” is used as a filler word with the meaning of “anyway or “in any case” or “anyhow”. It can come in handy to launch a new idea or to suddenly change a topic.
Comunque, ho visto quel film che mi hai consigliato – Anyway, I watched that movie that you recommended m
E’ complicato, ma ci proverò comunque – It’s hard, but I’ll do it anyway
MHMM
Mhmm or mmm is a social interaction used to express perplexity or hesitation.
Vuoi la torta al cioccolato o al limone? Mhmm… al limone – Do you want the chocolate cake or the lemon one? Uhm… I’ll have the lemon one.
Mhmm also show appreciation to something you are going to eat or you have just eaten
Com’era il pesce? Mhmm – How was the fish? Mhmm
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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)
