What Does “Ce l’ho” Mean in Italian?
Wondering why Italians say “ce l’ho” instead of just “l’ho”? Or why it’s “ce l’hai” and not simply “l’hai”? Bella domanda—this post will explain exactly why. Ce l’ho / Non ce l’ho → I have...
Imperfetto: Examples and Uses of the Italian Imperfect Tense
The Imperfect Tense (Imperfetto) – Made Easy The imperfetto is a past tense in Italian. You’ll mostly use it to: 1. Talk about things that used to happen regularly in the past (our past lives, so to speak!). We use the imperfetto for habits or...
Master Italian Particles: How to Use ‘CI’ and ‘NE’ Correctly (with Examples)
What are CI and NE in Italian? CI and NE are essential Italian particles (particelle pronominali) that native speakers use frequently to make their speech more concise and natural. CI generally means: there/here (indicating location) about it/on it...
È stato vs. era: Which one to choose?
Passato Prossimo vs. Imperfetto of Essere in Italian If you’re learning Italian as an English speaker, you might wonder when to use “è stato/a” (or “sono stato”) versus “era” or “ero.” They all translate to “it was” or “I...
How to Say “I Should Do (Something)” in Italian
How to Say “Should” in Italian In Italian, the word “should” is expressed using the present conditional of the verb dovere (to have to, must). This is how you convey advice, recommendations, or mild obligations — just like in...About
Ciao! I'm Serena, and I'm the creator of Smart Italian Learning. I am the head teacher of a small language school. We offer online, in-person and video courses for Italian learners, with a focus on adult English native speakers. Our courses are based on our passion for teaching and our experience as long-term adult language learners. You can meet us online, or in person in Rome.