What do “Qualsiasi” e “Chiunque” mean?
What do “Qualsiasi” e “Chiunque” mean? Qualsiasi (Any) Qualsiasi is one of those words that can often lead to confusion. In this article you will learn how to use it properly when speaking Italian. Qualsiasi is an indefinite adjective, and it is invariable: it means that it is not modifiable, in fact qualsiasi never changes […]
The Italian Gerund Explained
The Italian Gerund Form Explained There are two ways to use the gerundio in Italian. It can be used by itself or in combination with the verb “stare.” In the letter, it expresses the continuous tenses. The gerund is made by the combination of the stems of the infinite verbs and the endings –ando (for the – are verbs) and -endo (for […]
Italian pronominal verbs
9 THINGS ABOUT THE ITALIAN PRONOMINAL VERBS 1. Pronominal verbs mean “related to a pronoun” in fact, the Italian pronominal verbs are a combination of a basic verb and one or two pronouns, for instance, the verb andarsene is a combination of andare+se+ne. 2. The pronouns are joined onto the infinitive of the verb and slightly […]
My podcast: 7 minutes in slow Italian
I HAVE LAUNCHED A PODCAST SERIES FOR ITALIAN LEANERS! WHY I CREATED 7 MINUTES IN SLOW ITALIAN As a Language Coach, working with a large number of students, I have realized there is a shortage of content for listening comprehension for Italian beginners or intermediate learners. As an avid language learner, the biggest obstacle […]
5 common mistakes beginners make when speaking Italian
6 common mistakes learners make when speaking Italian While coaching my students over the years, there are some mistakes that I keep hearing all the time, despite the Italian level of my students. If it is true that “one learns, by making mistakes”, it is also true repeating all the time the same errors might […]
The use of FARE and with an INFINITIVE verb
How to use FARE + infinitive verb Faccio riparare il frigo a mio fratello or mi faccio riparare il frigo da mio fratello (I will have the fridge repaired by my brother) Your keen eye might spot the interesting usage of the verb fare and an infinitive that you have ever seen before. FARE […]
5 ways to use the Italian word PROPRIO
5 ways to use the Italian word PROPRIO 1. Proprio as an adverb (really, just) As ad adverb, proprio, meaning really Quello studente è proprio bravo! Mi piace proprio il nuovo film di Sorrentino Sometimes proprio means ‘just’, especially when combined with the adverbs of time (adesso, ora ) or a numeral adjective Ho finito […]
The Italian connectors: how to learn them
The Italian connectors: how to learn them Italians are quite wordy and love stringing together long sentences. To put them together they use connectors (or conjugations) A connector in Italian is a small word that joins information together within a sentence. I am sure you have already eavesdropped on many of them without being too […]