Italian Language

Language

by Pat Eggleton | Tue, 11/16/2010 - 09:48

Here is a very useful word that you can add to your Italian vocabulary:AddiritturaIt has a literal meaning of “straight” in the sense of “directly”.E andato…

Language

Good Luck in Italian

by Natalie Aldern | Tue, 11/16/2010 - 08:14

Photo: "Into the mouth of the wolf!" The famous Capitoline wolf RomeThe literal translation of “good luck” into Italian is buona fortuna. Unfortunately,…

Language

The comma with numbers

by Pat Eggleton | Tue, 11/09/2010 - 06:22

Words by Pat Eggleton In Italian we use the comma - which is a virgola, not a comma! – to indicate the decimal point. So we write 1,5 instead of 1.5 and we…

Language

Expressing condolences

by Pat Eggleton | Tue, 11/02/2010 - 07:48

Words by Pat EggletonOn the day when Italians remember their departed loved ones, here is what to say when someone dies.The expression you need to use…

Language

C'è scritto - "It says that..."

by Pat Eggleton | Tue, 10/26/2010 - 06:02

In this photo: Musei Capitolini (Roma), Palazzo NuovoWords by Pat EggletonThe next time you arrive at an Italian museum or office and find them closing up ten…

Language

Italian Language Lesson: Reflexive verbs

by Pat Eggleton | Thu, 10/21/2010 - 09:51

Words by Pat Eggleton // We are going back to basic grammar today, with a look at a group of verbs which often worry learners, the so-called reflexive…

Language

False Friends - part 5 - Are you confused?

by Pat Eggleton | Tue, 10/19/2010 - 09:33

Words by Pat Eggleton - Pictures by Pasquale SorrentinoConfusione does mean disorder or confusion but it is also used for “crowded” :C’é molta confusione –…

Language

The prefixes "sopra" and "sovra"

by Pat Eggleton | Tue, 10/12/2010 - 10:45

Words by Pat EggletonPrefixes and suffixes, as we have seen, are often a clue to meaning.Today we are looking at the prefixes sopra- and sovra- which denote a…

Useful phrases for advanced Italian students - part 3

by Pat Eggleton | Thu, 10/07/2010 - 07:15

Words by Pat Eggleton This is the third and final part of our list of “link phrases” for formal discussions or discursive essays:The problemc’è un grande…

More useful link words and phrases for advanced students - part 2

by Pat Eggleton | Thu, 10/07/2010 - 06:53

Words by Pat EggletonThis is the second part of our list of “link phrases” for formal discussions or discursive essays:Surprise / Improbabilityperché +…