Fermare and smettere: what’s the difference?
The difference between FERMARE and SMETTERE Misusing or swapping the verbs fermare and smettere is one of the most frequent errors students of Italian as a second language do, and I understand why. The confusion is drove by the fact that both verbs, in English, have only one translation: stopping. Instead, Italian has two different verbs to indicate the action […]
Trovare and trovarsi: find the differences
Trovare and trovarsi: find the differences 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 […]
How to use the expression ‘Mi tocca..(fare qualcosa)’.
HOW TO USE THE EXPRESSION “MI TOCCA…” Have you ever heard or read the Italian sentence mi tocca …and felt confused about it? That’s normal! The verb toccare is used with different meanings in Italian. Toccare generally means to touch in English with the meaning of coming physically into contact with something or someone. This meaning occurs when […]
How to express positive emotions in Italian
How to express positive emotions in Italian Italians have a reputation for being emotional and sentimental, and this is entirely right. No need to say, we like to express positive and (negative) emotions with friends and family, and we do it often. Have you ever wondered what the most common ways to say in “well […]
HOW TO USE QUALSIASI / QUALUNQUE / CHIUNQUE
HOW TO USE QUALSIASI / QUALUNQUE / CHIUNQUE 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 […]
MAGARI vs. FORSE
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAGARI AND FORSE? If you ended up here, you wonder whether there is any difference between the words “magari” and “forse“. Well, there is a subtle but significant one. First of all, to understand the difference between magari and forse, we need to examine the various meanings of the Italian […]
What do you know about Sicilian?
What do you know about Sicilian? If you are a passionate Italophile, the odds are you have been faced with the complex topic of “the languages and dialects of Italy.” If you have ever traveled to Sicily or you are planning to, you might have wondered if Sicilian people will understand you or you will understand […]
15 well-known Italian sayings and how to use them
15 well-known Italian sayings and how to use them You speak Italian well enough, but you are a smart learner looking for the next challenge and want to perfect her Italian fluency and sound like a native? Start to incorporate recurring Italian sayings into your daily vocabulary! Some Italian sayings have sharp cultural or regional […]
