The adverb ‘ANZI’. What does it mean? How to use it?
ITALIAN COMMON WORDS: ANZI 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 can say that anzi modifies or emphasizes something that was […]
Fare bene & fare male: how to use them
FARE BENE and FARE MALE: how to use them This article will explain the meaning and use of two common Italian expressions using the verb FARE. Fare bene and fare male These two often appear in colloquial Italian with different meanings. The most common ones are to show approval or disapproval to someone – hai fatto bene […]
The Double Object Pronouns in Italian and How to Use Them
Glielo? Te lo? The Double Object Pronouns in Italian and How to Use Them In Italian, it’s very common to use a direct object pronouns and an indirect object pronouns together before a verb. This use appears in chunks like me lo, te lo, ce lo, ve lo, etc, and happens when we want to replace both the direct and indirect […]
Direct object pronouns
THE ITALIAN OBJECT PRONOUNS What’s a pronoun? Pronouns are parts of speech replacing something that has already been said and we don’t want to repeat. Because of its nature, pronouns are widely used in conversation, as they allow us to be faster and be more concise when speaking. Italian has many pronouns, just like English. […]
What does cioè mean?
What does “cioè” mean? Cioè is one of those words that Italians frequently throw-in during a conversation. In English, cioè can take different translations, depending on the context. In any case, no matter the context, cioè is used to provide or give additional information about something previously stated. These examples will help you understand how […]
What’s The Difference Between “Dovevo & Ho Dovuto?”
What’s the Difference Between “Dovevo & Ho Dovuto?” If you ended up on this page, it’s because you wonder if there is any difference between the use of ho dovuto and dovevo,ho voluto and volevo, sapevo or ho saputo. In other words, you might have realized that there’s a difference in the meaning of certain […]
Trovare and trovarsi: find the differences
Trovare and trovarsi: what’s the difference? Whether you have just started your Italian learning journey or you are already a fluent Italian speaker. The moment you land in Italy, you will surely hear the Italian verb “trovare” in an array of different meanings and expressions. Let’s un unravel the mystery about this particular verb. 1. […]
Imperfetto and Passato Prossimo: the Difference
Imperfetto and Passato Prossimo: the Difference Both the imperfetto and passato prossimo are used to describe past situations. However, one is used when the action is finished, happens once, and has a time reference: the passato prossimo. The imperfetto, instead, as the name says, it is a “non-perfect” and describes an action that lasted for […]