The Future Tense in Italian (and why is it different from English)
The Future Tense in Italian (and why is it different from English?) The most important thing to remember when learning the future in Italian is that it is used less in Italian than in English. In fact, Italian has a tendency (which comes from Latin) to use the present simple to talk about the near […]
Verbs with the prepositions DI and A
Verbs with the prepositions DI and A Certain verbs in Italian can sometimes be found in conjunction with the prepositions di or a. For example, iniziare a fare qualcosa or finire di fare qualcosa (in English, to start doing something or to finish doing something) Because these Italian prepositions do not appear in the English […]
How to use BENE, BRAVO, BELLO and BUONO!
How to use BENE, BRAVO, BELLO and BUONO In a Nutshell… Bene is an adverb and is used only with verbs – Paolo parla inglese bene (Paolo speaks English well) Bravo is used just with people – Paolo è bravo! (Paolo is skilled and talented) Buono refers to the interior qualities of things or people – Paolo è buono (Paolo is good at heart) Bello refers to […]
What verbs use the subjunctive in Italian?
The Italian Present Subjunctive: when and how to use it 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. What is the subjunctive in Italian? The subjunctive is an Italian […]
Lì and là? Qui and qua? Is there any difference between them?
What is the difference between lì and là or qui or qua? If you have ever felt confused about whether to use lì or là or qui or qua when speaking in Italian, this post is for you. Let’s get straight to the point… Your question may be whether there is really any significant […]
The Italian comparatives: using CHE or DI
The Italian comparatives: using “CHE” or “DI” The Italian comparative expresses how to say MORE THAN, LESS THAN, THE SAME AS. We call this comparativo di maggioranza: La casa di Maria è più grande di quella di Lucia – Maria’s house is bigger than Lucia’s We call this “comparativo di minoranza”: La casa di Lucia è meno grande di […]
Perché / Perciò / Siccome: The Difference Explained
Perché / Perciò / Siccome: The Difference Explained 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 and […]
The Italian Polite Form: formal vs informal “you”
The polite form in Italian: formal vs. informal “you” Italian is one of those languages that changes subject pronouns (and verb conjugations) depending on whether a conversation happens in a formal or informal setting. So, in Italian, we must speak or write politely if the situation requires it. The rule of thumb is: If you’re […]