Italian, confusing? Surely not! 🤔

The convolutions of Italian grammar can be overwhelming, but it’s often the subtleties that can be persistently confusing.
Such as my two pet hates, two little groups of words that still occasionally trip me up after all these years. And I guarantee that they’ll trip you up as well, especially when you come to use them in the plural.
Andiamo a vedere qual è il problema (Let’s see what the problem is):

Group 1. mente – menta – mento = mind – mint – chin
Fortunately, these words are not often used in the plural

the mind = la mente, plural le menti
hai qualcosa in mente per stasera? = do you have something in mind for this evening?
mi è venuta in mente un’idea geniale! = an ingenious idea has come to (my) mind! (I’ve had an ingenious idea!)

the mint = la menta, plural le mente
la tisana di menta è molto rilassante = mint tea is very relaxing
a me mi piace la menta, specialmente la menta piperita = I like mint, especially peppermint

the chin = il mento, plural i menti
mentre mi facevo la barba mi sono tagliato il mento = I cut my chin whilst I was shaving
Paola ha il mento appuntito = Paola has a pointed chin

Group 2. vite – vite – vita – vita = vine – screw – waist – life
These words are particularly confusing because they are frequently used in the plural

Quando siamo arrivati in Italia il nostro terreno era tutto abbandonato, e le viti erano quasi selvatiche. Comunque, siamo riusciti a ricavarne due ceste d’uva. When we arrived in Italy our land was completely abandoned, and the vines were almost wild. However, we managed to get two baskets of grapes from them.

the vine = la vite, plural le viti
questa settimana devo potare le viti = I have to prune the vines this week
ho piantato una vite canadese in giardino = I’ve planted a Canadian vine in the garden

the screw = la vite, plural le viti
mi servono delle viti più lunghe per attaccare la mensola al muro = I need some longer screws to attach the shelf to the wall
quanto è lunga questa vite? = how long is this screw?

the waist = la vita, plural le vite
questi pantaloni mi sono troppo stretti in vita = these trousers are too tight around the waist
ho legato la corda alla sua vita = I tied the rope around his waist

the life = la vita, plural le vite
non ho mai visto una cosa così bella in vita mia! = I’ve never seen such a beautiful thing in my life!
dicono che i gatti hanno nove vite = they say that cats have nine lives

Is English this confusing for Italians? Serena will share her thoughts on the subject in our next article.