Smettere vs. Fermare: What’s The Difference?
Smettere and Fermare: 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...
Italian Tricky Words: “Anzi”
What Does Anzi Mean in Italian? Anzi is one of those tricky Italian words that doesn’t have a direct one-to-one translation in English. That’s why it often confuses non-native speakers. And yet, Italians use anzi all the time, especially in spoken language. It’s a...
Italian Pronominal Verbs: Farcela (Non ce la faccio/Ce l’ho fatta) + Exercise
What does “farcela” mean? Are you learning Italian and confused by the verb “farcela”? Don’t worry – this common expression is simpler than it looks! “Farcela” essentially means “to manage,” “to...
12 Latin words (and expressions) used in Italian
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,...
The Five Meanings of PROPRIO in Italian
What does proprio mean? The Italian word proprio is one of those little words you’ll hear all the time in everyday conversation. It’s short but versatile, and its meaning changes depending on the context. In this guide, you’ll learn the five main uses of proprio 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.