by Serena | Dec 6, 2023 | Italian grammar, intermediate
If you’ve come across ci si in Italian and wondered why there are two little words where you expected one, this post is for you. It looks strange, but the rule behind it is simple. In short Ci si = impersonal si + a reflexive verb. It means “one”,...
by Serena | Dec 6, 2023 | Italian grammar, advanced, intermediate
When learning Italian, you’ll surely come across a few challenging topics. Among these, one of the most notorious is the Italian subjunctive mode. Rest assured. Although it might seem difficult to grasp, it’s easier than you think. When to Use the Subjunctive... by Serena | Dec 6, 2023 | Italian grammar, advanced
What is the Imperfect Subjunctive (Congiuntivo Imperfetto)? The imperfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto) is one of the four subjunctive tenses (present, past, imperfect and pluperfect) in Italian. It is used to express doubt, desire, emotion, opinion, or...
by Serena | Dec 6, 2023 | Italian grammar
The sentence “Dare del tu” in Italian refers to the act of transitioning from formal to informal speech. Literally translated, it means “to give the tu”. “Tu” is the singular and informal personal pronoun for “you” in...
by Serena | Sep 23, 2023 | Italian grammar, Beginner Italian, beginners
If you’ve ever taken an Italian class, I’m sure your teacher made you spend a lot of time on conjugation drills: parlo, parli, parla… ho parlato, hai parlato… parlerò, parlerai… I know it can feel frustrating. But once you understand why Italian verbs...
by Serena | Sep 20, 2023 | Italian grammar, beginners
Sono andata or ho andato? Choosing between essere and avere in the passato prossimo is one of the first real challenges for anyone learning Italian. Textbooks give you a rule that sounds simple but is hard to apply in real time. In this post I’ll show you the...
