Archive for 'Italian Language'
Il Verbo Andare – Part 2 Posted by Geoff on Mar 16, 2012
In part 1. we looked at the most common conjugations of the verb andare (to go). Let’s take a look now at some of the many different ways in which we use this verb: – andarsene (to go away) a slightly more emphatic form of andare via: adesso me ne vado, ciao (I’m off…
Asparagi Posted by Serena on Mar 14, 2012
Oggi è una bellissima giornata di primavera: il cielo è di un azzurro intenso, il sole comincia a riscaldare la terra e gli animi, le margheritine di campo fanno timidamente capolino assieme alle violette e alle primule fra l’erba ancora bruciata dal freddo inverno. Today is a beautiful spring day: the sky is a deep…
Il Linguaggio del Giardinaggio Posted by Serena on Mar 2, 2012
In my last gardening blog La mia battaglia col giardino I had intended to give you a bit more gardening vocabulary … but full of enthusiasm, after what seemed like an interminable prigionia invernale (winter captivity), I got a bit carried away, and ran out of space! Dunque, in compensation, this is going to be…
Nevicata Posted by Serena on Feb 13, 2012
Snow is dominating our lives here in Italy at the moment. This winter started off unusually mild, but now it’s hitting us with everything it’s got. A sprinkling of snow has even fallen on the small island of Pantelleria, just 70 km from the North African coast! The snow does, however, have its aesthetic aspect…
La Voce Posted by Serena on Jan 11, 2012
Let’s take a look at some of the vocabulary which describes ways in which we use la nostra voce (our voice): sussurrare / bisbigliare (to whisper): Laura ha sussurrato qualcosa alla sua compagna di classe (Laura whispered something to her classmate), or non capisco quello che stai bisbigliando (I don’t understand what you’re whispering) mormorare…
La Lingua in Italia Posted by Serena on Jan 6, 2012
One of the main aims of my blogs is to help you to understand the Italian language. It’s important to remember, however, that due to complex social and historical reasons Italian isn’t necessarily the first language of all Italians. There are, for example, linguistic minorities in Italy whose first language is German (in Trentino Alto…
Il Nostro Giorno di Natale Posted by Serena on Dec 27, 2011
Written by Geoff We’ve always written blogs around Christmas time that tell you something about Christmas traditions here in Italy. However, it’s important to remember that not everyone follows these traditions … including us! Our Christmas tradition? … going for a walk in a beautiful place. Our Christmas meal? … panini al formaggio! Here’s how…