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Perché, Perciò, Siccome: The Difference
Perché: why / because Unlike in English, perché is used in both a question and an answer in Italian. Perché hai chiamato il taxi? Perché ero in ritardo - Why did you call a cab? Because I was late. Perché used to indicate the cause of something...
Lasciare, Partire, Uscire, Andare via – The Difference
In this article I want to shed light on the difference in the usage of four Italian verbs that my students mix up all the time! lasciare - to leave (permanently) partire - to leave for/from uscire - to leave, to go out, to hang out andare via - to leave As...
How to Use ‘Proprio’ in Italian
1. Really, just As ad adverb, proprio, meaning really. Quello studente è proprio bravo! Mi piace proprio il nuovo film di Sorrentino Sometimes proprio means 'just', especially when combined with the adverbs of time (adesso, ora ) or a numeral adjective Ho finito di...
Giocare vs. Suonare (the difference with English)
The English for the verbs 'giocare' and 'suonare', is 'to play'. The French for both, is jouer. Nevertheless, giocare and suonare in Italian come with different meanings. What's the difference? Giocare suggests the idea of being involved in a game (un gioco)...
Understanding the use of ‘Anzi’ in Italian
What does 'anzi' mean? Anzi is hard to translate in English, so its meaning can throw off non-native Italian speakers. However, this adverb is very common in spoken Italian because it works as a shortcut to rephrase something previously mentioned. Generally, we...
Smettere vs. Fermare: What’s The Difference?
Misusing or swapping the verbs smettere and fermare is one of the most frequent errors Italian learners make, and I understand why. The confusion is driven by the fact that both verbs, in English, have only one translation:to...
Più, di più, in più: The Difference
What does 'più' mean in italian? Più is a common Italian word meaning 'more'. However, sometimes it appears in combination with 'di' or 'in.' These forms are not interchangeable, are used for different focuses, and, of course, have slightly different meanings. Let's...
7 Reasons Why Moving to Sicily Is A Brilliant Idea (2024 updated)
There are several benefits to living in Sicily, whether you are a digital nomad, a remote worker, or looking for a place with a beautiful climate all year to spend your best retirement years. I am a Sicilian native, born and raised on the island, and I have traveled...
The Polite Form in Italian: Formal and Informal You
Italian, like many other languages, has different forms of address that reflect the level of formality in a given situation. The use of "tu" is informal, and it's typically used between friends, family members, or close acquaintances. On the other hand, when...
When Italian Adjectives Come Before a Noun In Italian
One of the most important differences between English and Italian is the position of the adjective. An adjective is a part of a sentence that is describing a person or a thing, like beautiful, small, big, smart, new, old, etc… In English the adjective always...