Well done to those of you who had a go at last week’s quiz. If you missed it and would like to have a go before reading the solutions you can find it here. In the quiz we asked you to translate a number of sentences into Italian using the appropriate tense of the given verbs. Here are the sentences with the correct answers:

Past

1. use the verb andare: yesterday I went to Parma.
ieri sono andato/andata a Parma (N.B. the choice of andato or andata depends on whether the speaker is male or female)

2. use the verb vedere: the other day I saw Luciano.
l’altro giorno ho visto Luciano, or ho visto Luciano l’altro giorno

3. use the verb fare (fare una visita): the day before yesterday I went to see the doctor.
l’atro ieri ho fatto una visita dal dottore (N.B. l’altro ieri, literally: the other yesterday = the day before yesterday. You can also say ieri l’altro)

4. use the reflexive verb sentirsi: last week I didn’t feel well
la settimana scorsa non mi sono sentito/sentita bene (N.B. if you didn’t feel well for the whole week you may want to say: non mi sentivo bene)

5. use the verb essere: last month I was in London for a week
il mese scorso sono stato/stata a Londra per una settimana

6. use the verb mangiare: yesterday evening we ate risotto
ieri sera abbiamo mangiato il risotto

Present

1. use the verb andare: I’m going to bed now
adesso vado a letto

2. use the verb avere: I’m not hungry at the moment
in questo momento non ho fame

3. use the verbs avere (avere sonno) and potere: I’m not tired, I can’t get to sleep
non ho sonno, non posso addormentarmi

4. use the verb fare: It’s very cold today
oggi fa molto freddo

5. use the verb dovere: we have to pay the phone bill today
oggi dobbiamo pagare la bolletta del telefono

6. use the verb avere (avere bisogno): I need a cup of coffee right now!
ho bisogno di un caffè adesso or adesso ho bisogno di un caffè

Future

1. use the verb pulire: I’m going to clean the house tomorrow
domani pulisco la casa

2. use the verb andare: we’re going to Ponticello at the end of this week
andiamo/andremo a Ponticello alla fine della settimana

3. use the verb vedere: see you on Tuesday
ci vediamo martedì

4. use the verb sentire: we’ll get in touch towards the end of this month
ci sentiamo verso la fine del mese

5. use the verb fare (fare un salto): I’ll pop round and see Francesco next week
quest’altra settimana faccio/farò un salto da Francesco

6. use the verb prendere: I’m going to take the train to Borgotaro on Friday morning
venerdì mattina prendo/prenderò il treno per Borgotaro

Finally

A very famous Italian film from the 60’s is based on the theme of Past, Present, and Future. Can you name the film, the director and the two main actors?
Ieri, Oggi, Domani directed by Vittorio De Sica, starring Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren.