ILGUR: Italian Language, Grammar and Usage Resource

Gone Fishin'!

2009-06-08T10:53:00.002-04:00

I haven't really gone fishing!

I'm going to away from until the first week of July - heading to Italy for some R&R!

I will respond to any emails and queries when I return.

You can follow the progress of my trip on my travel blog, My Roman Holiday:

http://www.myromanholiday.com

Lesson 183: The pronoun, chi / Il pronome, chi

2009-06-04T10:00:00.005-04:00

The pronoun, chi, has several functions in Italian grammar. It typically corresponds to the English who or to whom but it can have other meanings.

Let's look at how it is used when it functions as an interrogative pronoun (pronome interrogativo):

Chi is commonly found in questions, and, as such, it is an interrogative pronoun. It can function as the subject or as an indirect object or object of the preposition (complement indiretto):

Chi vuole andare al cinema?
Who wants to go to the movies?

Chi ha comprato quella macchina blu?
Who bought that blue car?

Con chi vedi il film?
With whom are you seeing the film?

Da chi vai domani sera?
To whose house are you going tomorrow?

Readers always ask - how do you know if it is the subject or the indirect object/object of the preposition. First, when chi functions as an indirect object/object of the preposition, it will have a preposition before it (di, da, con, etc.). Second, the form of the verb can also be something other than the third person singular (see the last two examples above). Otherwise, when chi is the subject, the verb is always in the third person singular (see the first two examples above).
Chi di + tonic pronoun noi, voi or loro can have the meaning Which of in questions:

Chi di noi...? | Which of us...
Chi di voi...?| Which of you...
Chi di loro...? | Which of them...

Chi di noi va alla festa di Daniela?
Which of us is going to Daniela's party?

It's possible that you could have phrases such as Chi di me (Which of me...) if you're being existential or philosophical (you might hear it in songs or see it in poetry), but it's generally used in the plural (noi, voi, loro).
Di chi can mean whose when forming questions:

Di chi è questo?
Whose is this?

Di chi sono questi?
Whose are these?

Di chi sono queste chiavi?
Whose keys are these?
Chi is heard often over the telephone, as in the following expressions:

Chi parla?
Who's calling?

Con chi sto parlando?
With whom am I speaking?

Now let's look at how it is used when it functions as an relative pronoun (pronome relativo):

Chi can also be used as a relative pronoun (pronome relativo) as either the subject or an indirect object/object of the preposition (complemento indiretto). It has the following meanings:

the person who, the one who
the man/woman who/whom
the people/those who/whom
someone who/somebody who
anyone who (in negative phrases)
Chi can also be preceded by prepositions in the following combinations:

a chi

Lascerò la mia eredità a chi si comporterà meglio nei miei riguardi.
I will leave my inheritance to those who behave better towards me.

con chi

I miei figli giocano con chi c'è al parco.
My children play with who is there at the park.

da chi

Il governo prende da chi può pagare.
The government takes from whoever is able to pay.

di chi

Quel giornalaccio parla di chi vive scadalosamente.
That rag talks about whoever lives scandalously.

in chi

Ho fiducia in chi dice la verità.
I trust those who tell the truth.

per chi

Ho votato per chi è sembrato il più onesto.
I voted for whoever seemed the most honest.

su chi

Gennaro è sfortunattissimo alle corse. Punta sempre su chi perde.
Gennaro is unlucky at the track. He bets always on those who lose.

tra/fra chi

Sceglierò a chi dare i miei regali solamente tra chi mi porterà in vacanza con lui
I will choose who to give my gifts only among those who will bring me on vacation with them.
Remember that a relative pronoun joins a relative clause to the main clause. Chi does not require an antecedent (unlike che and cui) as it functions as both the relative pronoun and antecedent at the same time.

Another important aspect of chi is the fact that since it lacks an antecedent it usually describes an unknown person. In English, we might say something like I have to find someone who can write in French. We don't know who exactly we will find.

Here are some examples in Italian:

Devo trovare chi sa scrivere in francese.
I have to find someone who knows how to write in French.

Non posso ricordarmi chi è arrivato con Emilio.
I can't remember who arrived with Emilio.

Chi spende sempre non risparmia mai.
Those who always spend never save.

Chi dice cazzate sembrerà stupido.
He (or she) who talks nonsense will seem stupid.
Those who talk nonsense will seem stupid.

Non mi piace chi mente.
I don't like those who lie.
Chi can mean: whoever, anyone

Assuma chi vuole. Lei è il capo.
Hire anyone/whoever you want. You are the boss.
Chi di + noi/voi/loro can also be used as a relative pronoun to mean Those of us/you/them who :

Chi di voi vuole sapere di più della situazione politica può consultare al mio sito web.
Those of you who want to know more about the political situation can visit my web site.
Chi(...chi) can also mean: some people...others

Chi can also be used correlatively, that is two pronouns that refer to two distinct groups of the same thing, as in English we might say "some" or "some people" and "others":

C'è chi viaggia, chi sta a casa.
Some people travel, others stay home.

When studying relative pronouns, it's important to understand how they differ so that you can use them correctly. If you're unsure of when to use cui or when to use chi, one important distinction is that cui requires an antecedent. You might become confused because both and cui and chi can be preceded by preposition. Take a look at the example below:

Dottore Giambattista, da cui sono andato ieri, ha studiato a Milano con mio padre.
Doctor Giambattista, who I went to yesterday, studied in Milan with my father.

You cannot use chi in this example for one very important reason - da cui refers back to Dottore Giambattista. We know who we are speaking about, Dr. Giambbatista (the antecedent).

Let's look at the example below:

Annalisa: Vai da un medico specifico?
Annalisa: Are you going to a particular doctor?

Marco: Vado da chi riesce a curare la mia malattia.
Marco: I am going to whomever is able to cure my illness.

We use da chi instead of cui because there's no antecedent - we don't know which doctor Marco will see because Marco hasn't said (perhaps even he doesn't know or even care).

Lesson 182: Use of anche / L'uso di anche

2009-06-01T08:58:00.011-04:00

A user recently asked me to delve into the complexities of the conjunction, anche. There are some aspects of Italian that, once understood and even used, will set you off from the pack, so to speak, and give your Italian a more native flair. The use of anche is one of them -- see below for some rules and guidelines involving this trouble word:

Generally, anche does not start a sentence in Italian, especially when it modifies a personal form of the verb - use instead inoltre or oppure. Or, alternatively, you can place anche later in the sentence:

Vai anche al cinema.
Inoltre vai al cinema.
Oppure vai al cinema.
You too are going to the cinema.
Anche precedes impersonal forms of the verb (such as infinitives, gerunds and participles) and as such could be the start of a sentence (see the first example with the infinitive as the subject of the sentence):

Anche leggere nel buio non è sano.
Also reading in the dark is not healthy.

Marco sta anche correndo per mettersi in forma.
Marco is also running to get into shape.

Giovanni è un tipo molto studioso. Riesce a studiare anche mangiando
Giovanni is a very studious type. He is able to study also eating.
As stated in rule #1, anche is generally not to begin a sentence. However, this rule does not apply when anche modifies the subject. If the subject is a pronoun (io, tu, noi, etc. -- nota bene: with io, anche contracts: anch'io) then the subject pronoun must be used in the phrase (as you know, subject pronouns are typically omitted):

Anche tu vieni da me?
You also are coming to my house?
This sentence means: You, too, along with the others are coming to my house?

Note the difference between the phrase above and this one:

Vieni anche da me?
You are also coming to my house?
This sentence means: You are also coming to my house along with doing other things (such as shopping, making a cake, babysitting, etc.)
Anche can be used in to add reinforcement, especially when there is a link between things things or between two distinct actions:

Hai letto Il giorno della civetta ed anche La scomparsa di Marjorana?
Did you read 'The Day of the Owl' and also 'The disappearance of Marjoana'?

Stefano è andato al teatre ed anche uscito ieri sera.
Stefano went to the theathre and also went out yesterday evening.
Anche can be used on its own to affirm a response to a question that was already asked without repeating Sì:

Marco: Cerchi il mio libro? | Are you looking for my book?
Anna: Sì.
Marco: E la mia rivista? | And my magazine?
Anna: Anche. | Yes, that too or And your magazine.
The placement of anche can change the meaning of a sentence, and this is especially true in compound tenses. As a general rule, anche precedes the element which it modifies.

When using anche, make sure that you place it where you want it to make the most sense. Let's look at these examples:
- Ho anche letto il giornale.
  This sentence means: Along with doing other things (washing the car, walking the dog, shopping) I also found time to read the paper.
  
  In this example, anche modifies the verb, that is past participle, letto.
- Ho letto anche il giornale.
  This sentence means: Along with reading other things (such as a new book I bought at the bookstore, my child's report card, an email) I also read the paper.
  
  In this example, anche modifies the noun, il giornale.

Lesson 181: Useful Italian Idioms / Modi di dire

2009-05-12T05:00:00.006-04:00

Here are some useful Italian expressions, modi di dire, to add to your vocabulary - they are verb phrases that can be used to mean something else:

dare nell'occhio to attract attention

Quella donna dà molto nell'occhio con la sua camicia stretta!
That woman is attracting a lot of attention with that tight shirt.
tagliare la corda to slip away, to sneak off

Mentre il professore era distratto, ne approfittai per tagliare la corda e andai a fumare.
While the teacher was distracted, I profited from it in order to slip away and went to smoke.
gettare la spugna to throw in the towel (i.e. to give up)

Che fai, Maria?? Perché insisti a voler salvare il tuo matrimonio? Faresti meglio a gettare la spugna ed a divorziare dal tuo marito infedele e bugiardo!
What are you doing, Maria?? Why do you insist on wanting to save your marriage? You would do better to throw in the towel and divorce your unfaithful and lying husband.
fare un buco nell'acqua to fail

Dopo aver studiato per una settimana, ho fatto un buco nell'acqua e mi tocca rifare l'esame l'anno prossimo.
After having studied for a week, I failed and it's my turn to retake the exam next year.
perdere la faccia to lose face (see also: salvare la faccia: to save face)

Il giornale ha rivelato che il politico ha commesso tante indiscrezioni. Sembra che abbia perso la faccia dopo troppi scandali.
The newspaper revealed that the politician committed so many indiscretions. It seems that he lost face after too many scandals.
essere nato con la camicia to be born with a silver spoon in one's mouth

Giovanni non lavora mai, ma non è una sorpresa. Quando si è nati con la camicia, non non ce n'è bisogno.
Giovanni never works, but it is not a surprise. When one is born with a silver spoon in their mouth, there's no need.
mangiare la foglia to smell a rat; to see through something (such as a trick, swindle)

Uno sconosciuto mi ha telefonato e ha detto che ho vinto la lotteria. Ho mangiato la foglia!
A stranger phoned me and told me that I won the lottery. I smelled a rat!
avere la testa fra le nuvole to have one's head in the clouds

La professoressa vuole aiutare Marco che non è mai attento e ha sempre la testra fra le nuvole.
The teacher wants to help Marco, but he never pays attentions and always has his head in the clouds.

could also say: essere distratto
raccontare (dire) per filo e per segno to narrate in detail

Giuseppe ama raccontare i suoi aneddoti d'infanzia per filo e per segno.
Giuseppe loves to tell his childhood anecdotes in detail.
piantare in asso to leave in the lurch

Il mio amico mi ha piantato in asso. Adesso devo viaggiare da solo in Germania, e non parlo tedesco.
My friend left me in the lurch. Now I have to travel by myself to Germany, and I don't speak German.
salvare capra e cavoli to have it both ways

Giovanni vuole continuare a vedere Maria e anche vuole rimanere sposato a Marcella. Come può salvare capra e cavoli?
Giovanni wants to continue to see Maria and he also wants to remain married to Marcella. How can he have it both ways?

For more modi di dire, check out this page from Wikipedia Italia.

Lesson 180: The figurative sense / Il senso figurato

2009-05-08T05:00:00.003-04:00

A concept that is often left out of or simply glossed over in many Italian language books (at least, those written for English speakers) is il senso figurato, or the figurative sense of a word. This is where a word can have both a literal meaning (il senso letterale) and a figurative one, as seen in this English example below:

Marco drinks like a fish.
The fish is swimming upstream.

In the first example, Marco isn't really a fish, but he is compared to one in order to make a point about Marco's drinking habits. The second example shows the literal use of the word, fish, that is, an animal that swims/inhabits streams, oceans, etc.

This works pretty much the same in Italian, with many words having literal and figurative meanings, and it is important when reading or speaking to be able to recognize the differences. A good Italian dictionary will highlight the figurative usage of a word if its exists.

Below are some other examples of other words used in this way in Italian:

il granchio crab

Il piatto di granchio era buonissimo!
The plate of crab was very good!

Mi dispiace, ma non è corretto. Purtroppo hai preso un granchio.
I'm sorry, but it is not correct. Unfortunately, you blundered.

prendere un granchio to blunder, to mess up (as in: to make a mistake)
seminare to sow

Ogni anno seminiamo il campo a frumento.
Every year we sow the wheat field.

Mia madre ha gridato, "Non seminare zizzania con tua sorella!"
My mother shouted, "Don't stir things up with your sister!"

You'll often hear the expression, Non seminare zizzania*, which means "to sow discord" but more colloquially it means "Don't make/cause trouble" or "Don't stir things up" - you might hear mothers say this to their young children.

*darnel (la zizzania) is also known as "fake wheat" - it is a weed that resembles wheat and if eaten too much in larger quantities can cause hallucinations and even death.
la frittata omelet

Quella fritta non era difficile da preparare. Riesco a insegnarti se vuoi?
That omelet is not difficult to make. I can teach you if you want?

Non rivoltare la frittata! Marco mi ha detto la verità!
Don't twist the argument! Marco told me the truth!

The expression, rivoltare la frittata, means "to twist an argument"; literally it means "to flip an omelet".
il terremoto earthquake

Il terremoto nell'Aquila ha causato molti danni.
The earthquake in Aquila caused a lot of damage.

Non mi piace quando il figlio di Nada viene da me. È un terremoto, e passo il resto del giorno sistemare la casa.
I don't like when Nada's son comes to my house. He is a terror, and I spend the rest of the day cleaning the house.

Literally, an earthquake is when the earth shakes/rumbles causing a lot of damage as the result of tectonic stresses in the earth's crust. Figuratively, it can mean "whirlwind" or "hellion" to describe a child who can't sit still and makes a mess!
la marea tide

L'alta marea arriva alle due del pomeriggio.
The high tide arrives at 2pm.

Mamma mia! C'è una marea di lavoro che devo fare prima di poter scappare.
Mamma mia! There is a flood of work that I have to do before being able to leave.

La marea can mean "tide", such as the one encountered at the ocean. It can also be used to indicate a "flood" of something, such as a sudden onslaught of work or a large number of tasks.
pungente sharp

Quel coltello è molto pungente. Stai attento!
That knife is very sharp. Watch out!

Maria dice sempre cose cattive di noi. I suoi commenti sono sempre pungenti!
Maria always says bad things about us. Her comments are always biting.

The adjective, pungente, which mean "sharp" when describing objects like knives, a broken piece of glass, etc. But it can also mean "biting" or "cutting" when describing someone's words or actions.
la perla pearl

Ti piacciono le perle? Sono da Cina.
Do you like the pearls? They are from China.

Mio marito ed io abbiamo passato una bella vacanza nelle montagne - la nostra cabina era una propria perla!
My husband and I spent a beautiful vacation in the mountains - our cabin was a true pearl!

La perla can mean "pearl", like the jewel that comes from oysters. It can also be used to describe something or someone of unique beauty or quality.
la forchetta fork

Ho lasciato cadere la forchetta per terra.
I dropped the fork on the ground.

Mario è una forchetta e mangia e prepara solo i migliori piatti.
Mario is a gourmet and eats and prepares only the best dishes.

We all know of the fork (la forchetta) that we eat with. But when we describe a person as una forchetta it means that they enjoy eating or they're a gourmet.
il verme worm

Quando piove ci sono sempre tanti vermi.
When it rains, there are always so many worms.

Giovanni è proprio un verme -- ha fatto tante cose che non sono etiche.
Giovanni is really a worm -- he has done so many things that are not ethical.

Essere un verme is an expression that means "to be a worm" in the sense of being vile and contemptible.
la cozza mussel

Il mio piatto preferito è gli spaghetti con le cozze.
My favorite dish is spaghetti with mussels.

Non fare le cozze! Muoviti - il film comincia fra un'ora!
Don't be lazy! Move it -- the film starts in an hour!

Le cozze (mussels) are a shellfish that you can eat. They don't move much in the ocean and are just simply "there", and thus came about the expression, fare le cozze, which means "to be lazy" or "to be indifferent".

Lesson 55: Passive / Il Passivo

2009-05-07T15:35:00.001-04:00

The passive voice (la forma passiva) is a construction in which the direct object becomes the subject and the subject becomes the agent. The passive voice is used with transitive verbs (that is, verbs that take a direct object) - verbs such as venire, sembrare, arrivare, dormire, etc. cannot be used passively (as they do not take direct objects).

Let's compare the two following sentences:

Active voice: John hit the ball.
Passive voice: The ball is hit by John.

In the active sentence, John is the subject. The ball is the direct object - the receiver of the action (hitting). In the passive sentence, the subject is the ball and John is now the agent.

The Italian passive voice is form exactly the same way as in English. The passive can be formed with essere or venire. The only caveat with venire is that it cannot be used passively in compound tenses.

It is formed in the following manner:

subject + essere/venire¹ + past participle (+ da² + person/agent)
- Present/Presente:
  
  The car is bought by Jane.
  La macchina è comprata da Giovanna.
  La macchina viene comprata da Giovanna.
- Passato Prossimo:
  
  The car has been bought by Jane.
  La macchina è stata comprata da Giovanna.
  Only essere can be used passively with the passato prossimo!
- Passato Remoto:
  
  The car was bought by Jane.
  La macchina venne comprata da Giovanna.
  La macchina fu comprata da Giovanna.
- Imperfect/Imperfetto:
  
  The car was bought by Jane.
  The car was being bought by Jane.
  La macchina era comprata da Giovanna.
  La macchina veniva comprata da Giovanna.
  
  Remember, that the imperfect also has the meaning, "used to":
  
  The cheese used to be eaten by the mice until we bought a cat.
  Il formaggio era mangiato dai topi finchè abbiamo comprato un gatto.
- Trapassato Prossimo:
  
  The car had been bought by Giovanna.
  La macchina era stata comprata da Giovanna.
- Future/Futuro:
  
  The car will be bought by Jane.
  La macchina sarà comprata da Giovanna.
  La macchina verrà comprata da Giovanna.
- Conditional/Condizionale:
  
  The car would be bought by Jane.
  La macchina sarebbe comprata da Giovanna.
  La macchina verebbe comprata da Giovanna.
The passive can also be formed with andare + past participle, but this implies an obligation or necessity, and is synonymous with dovere essere + past participle (has to be, must be):

The bills must be paid.
I conti devono essere pagati.
I conti vanno pagati.

NB: In compound tenses, past participles (that of essere and the second verb) must agree with the subject.

¹Venire can be used passively only with these tenses:

presente indicativo
presente congiuntivo
passato remoto
imperfetto
congiuntivo imperfetto
futuro semplice
condizionale

Essere must be used for all compound tenses in the past.

²If the person or agent performing the action is expressed after the verb, then da precedes it.

³Make sure that the past participle agrees with your subject (not the agent).

last updated: 07 May 2009

Giveaway: Dizionario d'uso dei phrasal verbs

2009-04-25T05:00:00.001-04:00

Phrasal verbs are the bane of any English language learners existence. They are aggravatingly difficult, especially for those who are not native speakers. A change of preposition or adverb can totally change the meaning of the verb and can often lead to embarrassing situations. This is where Fernando Picchi's Dizionario d'uso dei phrasal verbs comes into play.

For example, take the verb, to have and some phrasal verb examples: to have it on and to have it off.

The first phrasal verb means to wear:

Do you have your gloves on? It's cold outside.

Whereas to have it off has a completely different meaning:

Did you hear that Mark is having it off with his boss's wife? I hope he doesn't get caught.

Do you see the huge difference between the meaning of these verbs? If you want to avoid making these mistakes in English or find synonyms for these complex verbs in Italian, then this is definitely a resource to have at your desk. There is a glossary in the back of the book that lists all 3150 verbs that are profiled in the book along with examples on how the verb is used as well as conjugations of verbs in English. There is also a great list of prepositions and adverbs and the many verbs that combine with them to form the phrasal verbs.

If you want to win a copy of this book, enter into a drawing. For details, follow the instructions below:

To enter the giveaway, send an email to giveaway@ilgur.com with the words “Enter Me” in the subject line (if you click on the email link, it should populate the subject line automatically). I’ll choose the winner on May 22, 2009.

Below are the conditions for entering -- please read them before submitting your email address. Submission of your entry means that you agree to the terms and conditions:

Allow the posting of your first name and first initial of your last name (if your name is Jane Doe and live in Austin, TX, I would write "Jane D. from Austin, TX") and city on our web site should you win the contest. This helps to give the contest credibility. If you can't agree to this, please do not enter the contest. Email addresses and other private information submitted will not be retained and all private information will be deleted at the end of the contest. I will not sell or store your email address.
You agree that I am not responsible for any damage the book may suffer in transit. The book is brand new. I'll pack it up the best I can, but I can't be responsible for damage done in transit by the post office or other carriers. Replacement copies will not be supplied. (EXCEPTION: If the package fails to arrive or is lost/stolen, I will re-send a copy; package must be declared lost by the carrier)
You promise to email me once you have received the book so that I know that you have received it. Item will ship with tracking information to allow tracking during shipment. I just want to make sure that you received the book and that all is well. After that, you never have to correspond with me again. :)
Please make sure that your spam blockers/email filters allow the email address, giveaway@ilgur.com, to arrive in your inbox. Not responsible for emails that are not received, blocked or misdirected. Winner will have 10 calendar days to claim their prize -- no exceptions. If the prize is not claimed, the winner will be removed, and the raffle will be re-drawn.
Regarding customs fees and taxes: If you live outside the US, you may be subject to customs fees imposed by your government by receiving this book. You will be responsible for these fees. There should not be any taxes involved in accepting any of these prizes (they are relatively inexpensive) but should any arise, the winner is responsible for any tax obligations.

If you are unable to meet any of the conditions above, please do not enter the contest.

Lesson 179: Che, Che Cosa, and Cosa -- They all mean 'what'?

2009-04-13T05:00:00.007-04:00

Che, Che cosa, and Cosa are all interrogatives that mean, what, and while sometimes they are interchangeable, this is not always the case.

Let's look at some guidelines:

Che is both an interrogative pronoun and an interrogative adjective, while Che cosa and Cosa are only interrogative pronouns:

Che macchina vuoi comprare?
What car do you want to buy?

Che cosa macchina vuoi comprare? = WRONG
Cosa macchina vuoi comprare? = WRONG
Che is used in many idiomatic expressions where cosa and che cosa do not apply -- notice that in the examples below Che functions as an adjective:

Che tempo fa? How's the weather
Che ora è? What time is it?
Che ore sono? What time is it?
Cosa and che cosa are used in some expressions below:

Che cosa non va? What's wrong?
Cosa non va? What's wrong?

Che cosa c'è? What's the matter?
Cosa c’è? What's the matter?

in this expression, Che is permitted, although tends to be more informal for use among friends and family: Che c’è? What's the matter?
Che, Che Cosa, and Cosa can be usually used interchangeably when they are all being used as pronouns and not in any of the expressions referenced above:

Che vuoi fare oggi?
Che cosa vuoi fare oggi?
Cosa vuoi fare oggi?

What do you want to do today?
Italian, like English, also uses Che, Che cosa, and Cosa in the sense of Che dici or Che hai detto (as in English when we might say "What?" when we've misheard something) when something that has been said seems unbelievable, was not heard or not understood properly.

However, this use is informal (and somewhat rude, even in English). The more appropriate way of saying What? in this context is to ask Prego? (Pardon?) or to ask the speaker politely to please repeat themselves.

Lesson 178: Choosing the right translation -- Which alarm?

2009-04-10T05:00:00.002-04:00

When I first started learning Italian, I always got the words for alarm confused. Below are some helpful tips for keeping the various words and expressions straight. Learning to use them properly will make you sound more like a native speaker:

l'allarme (m.): This word can mean alert, warning or the more literal siren - such as what you might hear from a fire truck or an ambulance. Can also mean alarm when referring to one's burglar alarm. You will often hear this word in news reports and new stories when alarming news is brought to the attention of viewers.
dare l'allarme: to give/to raise the alarm; to warn; you'll often see the expression lanciare l'allarme

E le associazioni dei coltivatori lanciano già l'allarme siccità.
And the association of farmers are already sounding the drought warning.
sounare l'allarme: to sound the alarm
l'allarme rosso: red alert
il falso allarme: false alarm
mettere in allarme: to alarm

Le notizie mi hanno messo in allarme.
The news alarmed me.
la sveglia: This is the Italian word for alarm clock.
puntare la sveglia (per): to set the alarm (for + certain time)

Hai puntato la sveglia per le 7?
Did you set the alarm for 7?
suonare: to go off (when referring to your alarm clock)

La sveglia ha suonato alle 5 di mattina.
The alarm clock went off at 5 AM.

*image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons -- image has been released to the public domain

Lesson 177: Choosing the right translation -- Which shot?

2009-04-08T05:00:00.002-04:00

In celebration of the tetanus vaccination I received this weekend, I wanted to know how to say the word 'shot' in Italian. Of course, the word 'shot' in English can have several connotations, so I thought a lesson on highlighting the differences might be in order:

l'iniezione (f.): this refers to an injection, or a 'shot', that one would receive at the doctor's office or hospital

Il cane del vicino mi ha morso, e poi sono andato dal medico per un'iniezione.
The neighbor's dog bit me, and then I went to the doctor for a shot.
il colpo: refers to a shot from a gun

Ho sentito due colpi e poi silenzio.
I heard two shots and then silence.
il colpo: can also refer to a shot in sports, too

'Bel colpo!' ha gridato l'allenatore.
'Great shot!' the trainer shouted.
la congettura: referring to a guess or a conjecture

La sua congettura era sbagliata. Il maggiordomo era innocente.
Her shot was wrong. The butler was innocent.
la foto: referring to a photo

Le foto di mio fratello sono nella rivista, National Geographic.
My brother's shots are in the magazine, National Geographic.
il sorso: refers to a shot of liquor

un sorso di vodka
un sorso di whiskey
la probabilità: refers to a shot that one might experience in a game of chance

È una probabilità su due che il mio cavallo vince!
It's a 2 to 1 shot that my horse wins.
la ripresa: a cinematic shot, a kind of shot relating to the movies and cinema

Le riprese di Roma erano bellissime e hanno descritto in maniera appropriata i caratteri dei personaggi.
The shots of Rome were beautiful and described appropriately the nature of the characters..

Lesson 176: Understanding Verbs -- prendere

2009-04-07T05:00:00.004-04:00

The verb, prendere, is a regular verb in the present tense but has an irregular past participle (preso), taking avere in compound tenses. Prendere is also irregular in the passato remoto:

The verb has the following meanings in English, of which I highlighted the most important ones that you're likely to encounter (see the post on the differences between prendere and portare):

to take, in the sense of picking something up, taking something

Hai preso il mio portafoglio? Non posso trovarlo!
Did you take my wallet? I can't find it!
to catch, something moving or in motion

Ho preso al volo il vaso prima che abbia colpito il pavimento.
I caught the vase in mid-air before it hit the floor.
to take, a form of transportation

Abbiamo preso il treno a Milano.
We took the train to Milan.
to take, a particular street

No, no! Ti ho detto...devi prendere la prima strada a sinistra, non a destra!
No, no! I told you, you have to take the first street on the left, not the right!
to take, one's medicine or drugs

Mamma deve prendere la sua medicina ogni sera prima di andare a letto.
Mom has to take her medicine every evening before going to bed.

Giovanni ha smesso di lavora da quando ha cominciato a prendere droghe.
Giovanni has stopped working since he started to take drugs.
to get, in the sense of purchasing something

Mio padre prende sempre L'Espresso perché adora gli articoli.
My father always gets L'Espresso because he adores the articles.
to get, to catch, in the medical sense, such as catching a cold, virus, illness
to have, to eat, usually in a bar, restaurant or caffe

Quando il cameriere arriva, digli che prenderò un'insalata.
When the waiter arrives, tell him that I'll have a salad.

Prendiamo un caffè con Luigi! Non l'ho visto per un settimana.
Let's have coffee with Luigi. I haven't seen him for a week.

Here are some useful expressions with prendere -- if you know of one that I've missed and think it is worth adding, leave a comment or email it to me:

farsi prendere to get caught
prendere una decisione to make a decision
prendere posto to take one's seat
prendere alla lettera to take literally
prendere in giro to tease/make fun of, to make a fool out of, to take for a "ride"

Abbiamo preso in giro Emilio dopo che ha pianto al cinema.
We teased Emilio after he cried at the movies.
prendere in affitto to rent
prendere una telefonata to take a phone call
prendere da + qualcuno to take after someone

Maddai, prendi da tuo padre! Sei sempre maleducato con gli sconosciuti!
Jesus, you take after your father! You are always so rude with strangers.
prendere a fare to start doing
prendere in prestito to borrow
prendere tempo to stall (for time)
farsi prendere da to get involved in
prendere qualcuno per qualcun altro to mistake someone for somebody else

Ho preso uno sconosciuto per il mio amico, Roberto.
I mistook a stranger for my friend, Roberto.
prendere il polso to take one's pulse

L'infermiera mi ha preso il polso.
The nurse took my pulse.

Lesson 176: Choosing the right translation -- Which window?

2009-04-06T05:00:00.003-04:00

The English word, window, is highly versatile. In Italian, one must be careful because there are different words depending upon the kind of window you're talking out. See the uses below:

la finestra is used to describe a window in a building or a home or in reference to computers

la busta a finestra window envelope
la finestra della stanza da letto bedroom window
il davanzale window sill
il telaio di finestra window frame
la tendina, la tenda window shade

Note these two important words when talking about the glass of a window:

Il vetro glass of a window
fracassare il vetro di finestra to smash a window
literally: to smash the glass of a window
il finestrino is a window that you would find in a car, truck, train.

Some related words:
i vetri elettrici power windows
l'oblò is the window that you would find in an appliance, such as your stove, microwave, etc.
la vetrina is used to describe a shop or store window, which often house displays.
lo sportello is a window at a bank, office, train station, metro station or another place where behind the window someone stands to take your money to pay for a service or a ticket

Lesson 175: Understanding verbs -- mettere

2009-04-03T05:00:00.005-04:00

The transitive verb, mettere, is a useful verb to know in Italian. It has several uses and is common in many noteworthy expressions. Mettere is regular in the present tense:

Mettere also has a past participle that is irregular (messo). It is also irregular in the passato remoto:

Below are some uses for the verb, mettere. There may be other meanings (colloquial or otherwise), so you might also check a good dictionary:

to put
as in, to put something in a specific place

Ho messo le chiavi sul tavolo.
I put the keys on the table.
to wear
in the sense of putting something on

Metti i guanti, per favore! Fa freddo oggi!
Wear your gloves, please! It's cold today!
to combine
as in, to put something inside another, to combine two things

Quando prepari la torta, devi mettere il latto nell'impasto.
When you make the cake, you have to put the milk in the mixture.
to require, to need (when referring to time or effort)
with the particle, ci

Ci metto un'ora per finire i miei compiti.
I need an hour in order to finish my homework.
It takes me an hour to finish my homework.
I need an hour to finish my homework.
to instill
usually an emotion or a feeling, like fear, courage, peace, calm, etc.

Quel film ha messo paura ai ragazzi!
That film gave the kids a scare!
to suppose, to assume (requires subjunctive!)

Mettiamo che il film esca domani.
Let's assume that the film comes out tomorrow.

Below are some useful expressions with mettere (if you know of others, please leave a comment on the blog, and I'll add them to the post!):

mettere in giro to circulate, to put into circulation
mettere in musica to set to music
mettere la sveglia to set the alarm (clock)
mettere la musica to put on music
mettere in vendita to put up for sale

Ho messo la mia macchina in vendita perché voglio comprarne una nuova.
I put my car up for sale because I want to buy a new one.
mettere giù to hang up (the phone)
mettere i piatti in tavola to set the table; to put the plates on the table
mettere insieme to put together

March Issue of Il Bollettino Published

2009-04-02T10:20:00.002-04:00

The newest issue of Il Bollettino is available:

http://ilbollettino.engagedthinking.com/2009/03/volume-4-issue-3-march-2009

Lesson 174: Hypothetical sentence / Il periodo ipotetico

2009-03-30T08:44:00.000-04:00

A tricky aspect of Italian grammar is the use of hypothetical phrases. In Italian, a hypothetical phrase is one that is introduced by the conjunction, se, and these clauses are often referred to as se-clauses.

Before studying this lesson, you might want to brush up on the following:

indicative tenses or imperatives (presente, passato prossimo, imperfetto, passato remoto, traspassato prossimo, trapassato remoto, futuro anteriore)
present conditional
present subjunctive
past conditional
imperfect and plupurfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto e trapassato)

Se introduces the condition (If...) and is usually set off by a comma (,). The phrase that follows the se clause is referred to as the consequence:

If it rains tomorrow, I am not going shopping.

Generally, the condition (se clause) comes first, but not always, and there's no hard or fast rule regarding this. The type of condition that you are using will determine the tenses that are used. In Italian, there are three types of hypothetical conditions:

certain (it will most likely with almost total certain happen)
possible (there's some doubt or a condition or situation that might prevent it)
unreal (the chances are almost impossible or too fanciful that it is not possible)

It's important to note that while there's no real right or wrong when using hypothetical phrases, it is important to choose carefully your tenses since using one tense over another can change the meaning, so it is important to understand the type of hypothetical construction you wish to communicate.

Ipotesi certa or certain hypothetical constructions use the following construction:

se + indicative tense, indicative tense or an imperative

Se il film comincia a mezzogiorno, andrò con te.
If the movie starts at noon, I will go with you.
Ipotesi possibile o irreale or possible or unreal hypothetical constructions use the following construction:
- If the condition is the present:
  
  se + imperfect subjunctive, present conditional
  
  Possible:
  Se migliorasse l'economia, riuscerei a trovare un nuovo lavoro.
  If the economy improves, I would be able to find a new job.
  
  Unreal:
  Se il mondo fosse piatto, cadremmo.
  If the world was flat, we would fall off.
- If the condition is the past:
  
  se + trapassato subjunctive, past conditional
  
  Possible:
  Se il tuo fratello fosse andato a casa subito, non saresti arrivato tardi.
  If your brother had gone home immediately, you would have not been late.
  
  Unreal:
  Se Cristofo Colombo avesse avuto l'uso della navigazione GPS, avrebbe scoperto l'India invece dell'America.
  If Christopher Columbus had the use of GPS navigation, he would have found India instead of America.

Un supplemento: Daylight saving time / l'ora legale

2009-03-28T10:00:00.000-04:00

Because this weekend was the end of daylight saving time in Italy (it ends November 1 in America thanks to changes in the law), I felt that a supplement was needed. Daylight saving time (read more about it in English from WebExhibits) is called l'ora legale in Italian. When daylight saving time ends in October, l'ora solare returns.

Daylight saving time restarts on March 29, 2009 in Italy.

Vocabolario

l'ora legale daylight saving time
l'ora solare solar time (when daylight saving time ends and our clocks move back)
l'orologio, gli orologi clock, clocks

l'orologio portatile watch
l'orologio portatile da polso wrist watch
l'orologio portatile da tasca pocket watch
*also, l'orologio can also mean watch

la lancetta, le lancette hand, hands (on a clock)
avanti = ahead, forward; can also mean 'fast':

Il mio orologio è avanti di dieci minuti.
My watch is 10 minutes fast.
indietro back; can also mean 'slow':

Il mio orologio è indietro di cinque minuti.
My watch is 5 minutes slow.
portare l'orologio avanti di un'ora to turn the clock forward an hour
spostare (in) avanti le lancette dell'orologio/degli orologi to turn the clock forward an hour
portare l'orologio indietro di un'ora to turn the clock back an hour
spostare indietro le lancette dell'orologio/degli orologi to turn the clock back an hour

Lesson 173: Functions of the pronoun, che

2009-03-23T09:16:00.002-04:00

The pronoun, che, has many uses in Italian. When learning Italian, it’s important to understand that this pronoun has many different functions. Knowing when and how it is used in a sentence will help you to speak and write better in Italian.

Below are the various uses for, che:

relative pronoun (remember, as a relative pronoun, che is used as a the direct object or the subject of the dependent clause):
- Hai trovato i guanti che volevo comprare?
- Did you find the gloves that I wanted to buy?
interrogative pronoun
- Che fai domani?
- What are you doing tomorrow?
interrogative adjective
- Che macchina hai adesso?
- What car do you have now?
indefinite pronoun (as a synonym for qualcosa di)
- Giovanni ha un che di strano con le ragazze – ogni volta che parla con loro diventa rosso in viso e gli si agitano le mani.
- Giavanni has some shyness with the girls — every time that he talks with them he turns red in the face and fidgets with his hands.
esclamative adjective
- Che bastardo!
- What a bastard!
conjunction when used with comparisons
- Tua sorella è più avventurosa che tranquilla.
- Your sister is more adventurous than calm.
conjunction when it introduces a consequence
- Marcello è così noioso che nessuno vuole chiaccherare con lui.
- Marcello is so boring that no one wants to chat with him.
conjunction when it introduces a subjective or objective clause (such as what one might encounter with the subjunctive)
- Credo che il mio capo sia cattivo.
- I believe that my boss is mean.
- È importante che tu finisca i compiti.
- It is important that you finish your homework.
conjunction when it introduces a purpose (you must do something for a reason or to achieve a certain result)
- Va’ in macchina che non devi camminare fino al supermercato
- Take the car so that you do not have to walk all the way to the supermarket.
conjuction when it introduces an exhortation (with the verb being in the subjunctive), which is a command, an invite, or a permission but with a subtler, more elegant and more mannered tone (you’ll see this more in written Italian — in spoken Italian it might seem somewhat snobbish):
- Un cliente dell’avvocato arriva all’ufficio. La segretaria gli dice che il suo cliente apsetta. L’avvocate dice all’segretaria: “Che entri” (This construction is most often used in the third person singular and plural)
- The lawyer’s client arrives at the office. The secretary tells him that his client is waiting. The lawyer says to the secretary: “Let him enter”
conjunction when it expresses a cause (as a synonym for perché):
- Devi lavorare domani che è lunedì.
- You have to work tomorrow because it is Monday.
- Accendi la luce che non posso leggere.
- Turn on the light because I cannot read.
conjunction when it indicates time (as a synonym for quando):
- Vado a letto che il sole tramonta.
- I go to bed when the sun sets.
- Il cane abbaia che il postino recapita la mail.
- The dog barks when the postman delivers the mail.

Newest issue of Il Bollettino is now online!

2009-03-05T09:09:00.001-05:00

I just published the February issue of Il Bollettino -- sorry for the lateness, it's been a busy month!

You can view it here:

http://ilbollettino.engagedthinking.com

Lesson 172: Il pronome relativo, cui / The relative pronoun, cui

2009-03-03T05:00:00.003-05:00

Cui is relative pronoun. If you've ever studied Italian grammar, you'll find that almost no one ever writes anything about the usage of cui except for a few glib phrases that it is a relative pronoun with barely any examples. This didn't satisfy me, so I've been researching (since Chrismas) how this pronoun is used. It's important to learn because it's quite common in Italian literature and writing. My teacher advised that I try to use it in my writing and in conversation where I can so that its usage becomes second nature.

I hope that my research which culminated in this blog post is helpful to you. If you have questions or notice inaccuracies, please leave a comment as I want this post to be clear and concise and free of errors where possible (plus, I don't want to confuse people on the issue).

Below are some rules and examples using cui.

Cui is typically preceded by a simple preposition:

a (is optional -- typically the preposition, a, is omitted)
di
da
in
con
su
per
tra/fra (usage differs slightly when using this preposition -- see below)

Cui is a relative pronoun that replaces indirect objects (complemento indiretto). Let's look at the following examples:

Mario è l'amico (a) cui telefono spesso.
(Mario è l'amico. Telefono spesso a Mario. a Mario = a cui)
NB: With "a cui" the use of the "a" is optional and is often omitted
Mario è l'amico di cui ti ho detto alla festa.
Mario è l'amico da cui sono andato spesso.
Mario è l'amico in cui ho molta fiducia.
Mario è l'amico con cui viaggio per le vacanze.
Mario è l'amico su cui posso di solito contare.
Mario è l'amico per cui ho lavorato dieci anni.

Remember, that many verbs in Italian take indirect objects (that is, they are followed by prepositions + object). Because of this, che cannot be used as a relative pronoun because che can only be the subject or direct object . Also, cui is used when these prepositions cannot be left dangling -- prepositions in Italian can never end a sentence.

Below I've outlined some examples using cui with various prepositions, showing you how you can combine phrases. It's important to learn cui and understand its usage remembering that, in Italian, prepositions can generally never complete a sentence on their own:

Mario lavora per il primo ministro.
Ti ho parlato dell'amico, Mario.

In the example above, you have two independent clauses. A native speaker of Italian would probably combine the two sentences. So how do you go about doing this? A good way of approaching this is to find the common element in both sentences.

In the examples above, the common element is Mario. In the first sentence, he is the subject. In the second one, he is the object of the preposition (complemento indiretto). Remember, that in order to replace a complement indiretto (which Mario is in the second example), we have to use cui:

Mario, l'amico di cui ti ho parlato, lavora per il primo ministro.
Mario, the friend about whom I told you, works for the prime minister.
Il Dottor Giambattista ha studiato a Milano con mio padre.
Sono andato ieri dal Dottor Giambattista.

In the example above, the common element is Dottore Giambattista. In the first sentence he is the subject of the sentence. In the second, he is a complemento indiretto or the object of the prepositional phrase that starts with da. How do we combine them?

Dottore Giambattista, da cui sono andato ieri, ha studiato a Milano con mio padre.

You cannot use che because Dottore Giambattista is not the subject nor the direct object.
La casa è molto spaziosa.
Vivo nella casa spaziosa.

Are you seeing a pattern yet? In the two phrases above, the common element is la casa. So how can you combine the phrases? Notice that in the second phrase, nella casa spaziosa is the object of the prepositional phrase, so you can't use che. You must account for the preposition, in, to make the sentence grammatically correct:

La casa, in cui vivo, è molto spaziosa.
The house in which I live is very spacious.
Ti ricordi la spiaggia?
Siamo andati alla spiagga l'anno scorso.

In the two phrases above, the common element is la spiaggia. In the first phrase, it is the direct object. In the second it is a complement indiretto (in English it would be the object of the preposition). To combine them, we can't leave any prepositions "dangling":

Ti ricordi la spiaggia a cui siamo andati l'anno scorso?
Do you remember the beach to which we went last year?
Qual è stata la macchina?
Hai imparato a guidare con una Fiat.

This example is a little trickier. The common element is la macchina or the make of the vehicle, this case, la Fiat. In the second example, the make of the car is specified, but it is still the common element. So how can you combine the two phrases to form a more specific and intelligible question:

Qual è stata la macchina con cui hai imparato a guidare?
What was the car make with which you learned to drive?
Ci sono tanti alberghi nel mio paesino.
Uno degli alberghi (tra tanti altri alberghi) è a cinque stelle.

The common element in both examples are the numerous hotels (gli alberghi). With fra/tra you must be referring to a single entity among a group in order to use it in this way, using the English translation of among (notice in the example below how there's no verb -- it is common to omit):

Ci sono tanti alberghi nel mio paesino tra cui uno a cinque stelle.
There are so many hotels in my town among which one is five stars.
Oggi la neve ha ricoperto tutte le strade.
Non potremo partire per le strade.

Oggi la neve ha ricoperto tutte le strade per cui non potremo partire.
Today the snow covered all the roads through which we could not leave.

The common element in the sentence above is le strade. Because le strade is part of the prepositional phrase, we can't leave per by itself.

Take note that per cui can also mean perciò (therefore, so) or per questo motivo (for this reason), as in this example below (with this usage, per cui functions more as a conjuction than as a relative pronoun):

Il tuo comportamento è stato deplorevole per cui non hai il permesso di uscire.
Your behavior was deplorable therefore you do not have permission to go out.
Ho passato una vacanza indimenticable in Francia.
La Francia è il mio paese preferito.

The common element in the two sentences above is the country, La Francia. So how would this sentence look?

La Francia è il mio paese preferito in cui ho passato una vacanza indimenticabile.
France is my favorite country in which I spent an unfortgettable vacation.

Lesson 171: Understanding Verbs -- fregarsene

2009-02-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

The verb, fregarsene, is an interesting verb, and you'll often hear it used in the media and among Italians. The meaning of the verb is:

to not care
to not give a damn

You can see the verb conjugated in the present tense below -- note the reflexive pronoun and the particle, ne -- both are required when using this verb:

It's a verb that one should probably not used amongst strangers or people you don't know well, and, among Italians, is considered quite impolite so be careful how you use it. Also, note how the verb's meaning is negative even when use affirmatively in sentences.

Let's look at some examples:

Non me ne frego della politica! È un soggetto noioso.
I don't give a damn about politics. It's a boring subject.

Mario non se ne frega più di Melania. Lei ha trovato un nuovo ragazzo che può sopportorla.
Maria doesn't give a shit about Melanie anymore. She found a new boyfriend that can handle her.

If you use fregarsene in the negative, it simply reinforces one's "not caring" attitude and eliminates any possibility that you care, give a shit or give a damn about something.

In compound tenses, fregarsene is used with essere in compound tenses with the past participle agreeing with the subject of the sentence.

Below are some common expressions you might encounter using this verb:

Giveaway -- Il nuovo salvalingua

2009-02-23T05:00:00.000-05:00

A recent book that I've read that you might enjoy reading and may also benefit from is the book, Il nuovo salvalingua, written by Valeria Della Valle and Giuseppe Patota, two professors at the Universita degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza and the Universita degli Studi di Siena, respectively.

Published in 2007, this book seeks to help users avoid some of the pitfalls of the Italian language. As the subtitles says, the book is full of "easy rules for avoiding errors of the spoken and written language". It is laid out from "A" to "Z" with various entries that highlight common misconceptions of the Italian language and attempts to help its readers to avoid simple yet sometimes grave errors. The audience of the book is clearly for native speakers, but I believe that this book could and can be useful to anyone learning Italian, even non-Italians!

I learned a lot about Italian grammar from this book - some of the most useful sections are the ones on Italian punctiation, the subjunctive, word spellings and irregular plurals. I also learned the gender of qualcosa and when it is feminine and when it is used in the masculine. Do you know the differences between grosso and grande? What about the use of gratis? Did you know that the verb, spegnere, has another form in Tuscany?

These are all useful and interesting points of Italian grammar worth exploring. I found the book so interesting that I read it in its entirety in one sitting. The book is completely in Italian (remember, it's for an Italian audience), but it is written clearly and concisely, and I think that even beginner's would have no trouble following the explanations given by the authors.

In honor of this cool book, I'd like to give away a copy to one lucky reader. Follow the instructions below for entering:

TO ENTER:
Send an email to giveaway@ilgur.com with the phrase "Enter me" in the subject line - no need to say anything more than this. Please read the terms and conditions before submitting your entry.

Contest ends on March 27, 2009 at 11:59PM EST. Please submit your entry before the contest end date to be eligible for the drawing.

On March28, I'll pick one (1) winner at random. Winner will be notified by email and must respond within 10 calendar days. If you fail to respond to the email within 10 days, a new winner will be drawn. Winner must then supply their postal address. Postal address and contact details will be deleted once the winner informs me that they have received the book.

I'll send the book first class, postage paid to anywhere in the United States (including Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, Guam, etc.). Winners outside of the United States, I will send the book airmail. All packages will have tracking and insurance applied. All postage and shipping costs will be paid by me (see note below regarding customs fees).

By entering the contest, you agree to the following terms and conditions:

Allow the posting of your first name and first initial of your last name (if your name is Jane Doe and live in Austin, TX, I would write "Jane D. from Austin, TX") and city on our web site should you win the contest. This helps to give the contest credibility. If you can't agree to this, please do not enter the contest. Email addresses and other private information submitted will not be retained and all private information will be deleted at the end of the contest. I will not sell or store your email address.
You agree that I am not responsible for any damage the book may suffer in transit. The book is brand new. I'll pack it up the best I can, but I can't be responsible for damage done in transit by the post office or other carriers. Replacement copies will not be supplied. (EXCEPTION: If the package fails to arrive or is lost/stolen, I will re-send a copy; package must be declared lost by the carrier)
You promise to email me once you have received the book so that I know that you have received it. Item will ship with tracking information to allow tracking during shipment. I just want to make sure that you received the book and that all is well. After that, you never have to correspond with me again. :)
Please make sure that your spam blockers/email filters allow the email address, giveaway@ilgur.com, to arrive in your inbox. Not responsible for emails that are not received, blocked or misdirected. Winner will have 10 calendar days to claim their prize -- no exceptions. If the prize is not claimed, the winner will be removed, and the raffle will be re-drawn.
Regarding customs fees: If you live outside the US, you may be subject to customs fees imposed by your government by receiving this book. You will be responsible for these fees.

If you are unable to meet any of the conditions above, please do not enter the contest.

By entering (that is, emailing me your email address with the phrase "ENTER ME" in the subject line) the contest, you agree to the five conditions stated above.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment on this blog post.

Lesson 170: When Accents Make All The Difference

2009-02-19T05:00:00.003-05:00

In Italian, there are some words where it is indispensable to use the accent, otherwise, you'll find yourself making some silly errors. :) Below is a list of some common words with and without their accents -- I would recommend studying the list and learning the meanings between the variants in order to avoid making mistakes:

dà, third personal singular from the verb, dare

Do not confuse the imperative of dare, da', which is an apostrophe and not an accent.

Gianni dà dei soldi a tua sorella.
Gianni is giving some money to your sister.

da, the preposition

Vado dal medico stamattina.
I'm going to the doctor's this morning.
è, third personal singular of the verb, essere

Oggi è domenica.
Today is Sunday.

e, the conjunction, and

Vorrei due mele e delle fragole, per favore.
I would like two apples and some strawberries, please.
là, an adverb, meaning there

Il cane è là -- vicino all'albero.
The dog is over there -- near the tree.

la, the definite article and direct object pronoun, meaning her

La fontana di Trevi si trova a Roma.
The Trevi Fountain is located in Rome.

La compro per mia madre. (la = la pentola)
I am buying it for my mother.
lì, synonymous with là, also meaning there
li, direct object pronoun, third person plural, meaning them

Sono appena venuto di lì.
I just came from there.

Li vedo stasera al cinema.
I am seeing them tonight at the cinema.
né, negative conjunction, meaning neither/nor
ne, adverb and pronoun with various meanings and uses

La tua situazione è né positiva né negativa.
Your situation is neither positive nor negative.

Ne ho letto sul giornale. (Ne = il governo; Ho letto del governo sul giornale)
I read about it in the paper.
sé, pronoun

Non ha molta stima di sé.
She does not have much self-esteem.

se, conjunction, meaning if (used a lot in hypothetical situations)

Se vieni, andiamo! Il film comincia alle 8!
If you are coming, let's go! The film starts at 8!
sì, which means "Yes"

Sì, vado a Roma a giugno.
Yes, I'm going to Rome in June.

si, reflexive/reciprocal pronoun, also used with the formation of impersonal expressions

Mia figlia si veste ogni mattina adesso. (reflexive)
My daughter dresses herself every morning now.

Si sono visti ogni mattina alla stazione. (reciprocal)
They saw each other every morning at the station.

Si vota di solito con il proprio partito. (impersonal)
One usually votes with one's party.
tè, the drink, tea

Preferisci un tè caldo o un tè freddo?
Do you prefer a hot tea or a cold tea?

te, disjunctive pronoun, also a double object pronoun for the second person, singular

Amo te!
I love you.

Ho pagato te due settimane fa!
I paid YOU two weeks ago!

La mia vita è vuota senza di te.
My life is empty with you.

Te l'ho comprato al negozio. Ti piace?
I bought it for you at the store. Do you like it?

Can you think of any other words that might create problems, either because of accents or apostrophes? Please leave a comment!

Lesson 169: Understanding Verbs: The "Shopping Verbs"

2009-02-11T07:58:00.008-05:00

During the holidays, we all do a lot shopping, whether it’s buying gifts, or returning them, receiving them and even exchanging them when items we receive don’t fit or are not to our liking. Below is a quick guide to some useful verbs that you might encounter during holiday seasons or any other time where you need to buy gifts (and then return or exchange them later...):

Buying

The verb, comprare (to buy), is your first and obvious choice. It’s a regular verb in the present (compro, compri, compra, compriamo, comprate, comprano), has a regular past participle (comprato), and takes avere in compound tenses - it shouldn’t give you any trouble.
Giving

In Italian, you’ll often here the word regalare used. This verb means “to gift a gift”. When giving a gift to someone, an indirect object pronoun is used or, when referring to a specific person, the preposition, a, precedes:

Ho regalato tre buste di caffè speciale ai miei genitori.
I gave (as a gift) three packages of special coffee to my parents.

You can also use the expression fare un regalo a qualcuno (to give a present to someone). The expression, in regalo, means “as a present” or “as a gift”.
Receiving

A good verb for receiving is the verb, ricevere. It is regular in the present tense and has a regular past participle (ricevuto). You’ll often hear expressions from children and young adults to the effect of “Ho ricevuto un regalo orribile…” or something to that effect. You will also hear “Ho ricevuto un pc in regalo” (I received a PC as a present).
Exchanging:

If you receive a present that you want to exchange, the verbs cambiare or sostituire will be helpful:

Mia sorella vuole sostituire la camicia che ho comprato perché non le piace il colore.
My sister wants to exchange the shirt that I bought because she does not like the color.
Returning

When a gift has to be returned to the store, use the verbs, restituire (-isc- verb) or riportare to express that something must be returned. Both are regular verbs in the present tense with regular past particples:

Restituisco questo regalo perché non mi piace.
I am returning this gift because I do not like it.

Mia nonna ha riportato il maglione. Non le piacciono i maglioni di lana.
My grandmother returned the sweater. She does not like woolen sweaters.

Lesson 168: Verbs for Daily Activities / Verbi per azioni quotidiane

2009-02-09T09:25:00.006-05:00

When trying to learn new vocabulary, a helpful way of doing so is to think of things that you do everyday - such as eating, sleeping, going to the bathroom, driving, going to work, eating lunch, etc. Find out what those verbs are so that way, when the opportunity arises, you can talk about your day and tell people what you've been up to. Many of these verbs are common verbs that you should know, but perhaps your job is a specialized one or things that you do are different from the "average joe" -- knowing how to talk about yourself and what you do will not only make you more interesting to others in Italian but will also give you an opportunity to practice your language skills.

Below is a list of verbs that describe common, daily activities that one might do -- take note that many of them are reflexive verbs in Italian:

abbottonare, abbottonarsi to button up

Fernando, abbottonati! Fa freddo fuori!
Fernando, button up! It's cold outside!

allacciarsi to buckle (clothing, your seatbelt)

Ragazzi, allacciatevi le cinture di sicurezza!
Boys, buckle your seatbelts!

alzarsi to get up, to stand up

Dopo aver sentito la sveglia, mi sono alzato e ho fatto la doccia.
After having heard the alarm, I got up and took a shower.

asciugarsi to dry oneself (remember, if you're drying off your 2 year old, you would not use this reflexively)

Ti sei asciugato dopo aver fatto la doccia? I capelli sembrano bagnati.
Did you dry yourself after taking a shower? Your hair seems wet.

Ho perso la mia riunione perché ho dovuto asciugare mio figlio testardo dopo che ha fatto il bagno stamattina.

I missed my meeting because I had to dry my stubborn son after he took a bath this morning.

bagnarsi to get wet

Mariella: "Ho dimenticato l'ombrello oggi e mi sono bagnata."
Mariella: "I forgot the umbrella today, and I got wet."

caricare la sveglia (per) to set the alarm (for + a certain time)

Ogni notte carico la sveglia per le cinque di mattina.
Every night I set the alarm for 5:00 AM.

fare il bagno to take a bath

Ai miei bambini non piace fare il bagno.
My children do not like to take a bath.

fare il bucato to do laundry

Il martedi faccio il bucato perché lavoro a casa.
Every Tuesday I do laundry because I work at home.

stendere la biancheria to hang the washing

Che bello oggi! Stenderò la biancheria perche si asciugerà più velocemente.
How beautiful today! I will hang the washing because it will dry faster.

fare la doccia to take a shower

Luigi fa la doccia dopo che andiamo in palestra.
Luigi takes a shower after we go to the gym.

farsi la barba to shave

Non mi sono fatto la barba stamattina. Non avevo il tempo!
I didn't shave this morning. I didn't have time!

radersi to shave

Mio padre non si rade più. Vuole avere una barba per l'inverno.
My dad isn't shaving anymore. He wants to have a beard for the winter.

fare gargarismito gargle

Faccio gargarismi con il collutorio ogni sera prima di andare a letto.
I gargle with mouthwash every night before going to bed.

guardarsi allo specchio to look in the mirror

Non riesco a radermi senza di guardarmi allo specchio.
I'm not able to shave without looking in the mirror.
lavarsi la faccia to wash one's face

"Lavati la faccia!" ha gridato mia madre quando mi sono preparato ad andare a nanna.
"Wash your face!" my mom shouted when I prepared myself to go to bed.

lavarsi i capelli to wash one's hair

lavarsi i denti to brush one's teeth

levarsi gli occhiali to take off one's glasses

mettersi il rossetto to put on lipstick

mettersi le lenti a contatto to put in one's contact lenses

È difficile mettermi le lenti a contatto senza di usare uno specchio.
It is difficult to put in my contact lenses without using a mirror.

mettersi gli occhiali to put on one's glasses, to wear one's glasses

pettinarsi to brush/comb one's hair

Mia sorella si pettina prima di andare a letto.
My sister combs her hair before going to bed.

pulire (i denti) con filo interdentale to floss

Il dentista mi ha detto che è molto importante pulire i denti con filo interdentale.
My dentist told me that it is very important to floss.

stancarsi to get tired

Mi stanco quando vado al cinema. La sala buia mi fa addormentare.
I get tired when I go to the movies. The dark theater makes me fall asleep.

stirare to iron

Il mio amico Antonio stira tutto - biancheria, camicie, pantaloni, calzini, ecc. È un po' ossessivo.
My friend Antonio irons everything - whites, shirts, pants, socks, etc. He's a bit obsessive.
svegliarsi to wake up

"Svegliati!" disse mia moglie. "Sono già le otto!"
"Wake up!" said my wife. "It's already 8!"

truccarsi to put on makeup

Quando mia zia si trucca, ci mette almeno un'ora!
When my aunt puts on makeup, it takes her almost an hour!
vestirsi to dress oneself (to dress another person, use vestire)

Mi vesto bene quando vado a lavoro.
I dress (myself) well when I go to work.

Mia figlia non sa scegliere gli abiti giusti di mattina. Devo vestirla ogni mattina!
My daughter doesn't know how to choose the right clothes in the morning. I have to dress her every morning.

Lesson 167: Idiomatic Expressions with the verb, avere / Espressioni idiomatiche con il verbo, avere

2009-02-05T16:50:00.002-05:00

Avere + noun is used in Italian to convey idiomatic qualities that are often expressed in English with the verb, to be. Remember that avere is highly irregular, and it is best that you memorize this verb in all of its tenses and moods. These expressions below are quite common and should be memorized (and used) as you will encounter them often in Italian:

avere caldo to be hot

Oggi la temperatura è brutta -- è impossibile non avere caldo!
Today the temperature is brutal -- it is impossible not to be hot!
avere fame to be hungry

Mia sorella ha fame perché ha dimenticato di mangiare la sua prima colazione.
My sister is hungry because she forgot to eat her breakfast.
avere freddo to be, to feel cold

L'aria condizionata è troppo forte e ho freddo. È possibile aumentare la temperatura?
The air conditioning is too strong, and I'm cold. Is it possible to increase the temperature?
avere fretta to be in a hurry

Laura e Maria hanno fretta stamattina! Il taxi era in ritardo e stanno per perdere il loro volo!

Laura and Maria are in a hurry this morning! The taxi was late and they are about to miss their flight.
avere paura to be afraid

Abbiamo paura che l'economia peggiori.
We are afraid that the economy is worsening.
avere ragione to be right

Mio fratello ha sempre ragione in matematica. Non puoi contraddirlo.
My brother is always right in math. You can't contradict him.
avere torto to be wrong

Mia madre aveva torto. Casablanca non è la capitale del Marocco.
My mother was wrong. Casablance is not the capitol of Morocco.
avere sete to be thirsty

I cammelli non hanno sete spesso. Possono conservare l'acqua per molti giorni.
The camels are not often thirsty. They can conserve water for many days.
avere sonno to be sleepy

Danilo si sveglia troppo presto in questi giorni ed ogni sera ha molto sonno.
Danilo is waking up too early in these days and every evening he is very sleepy.
avere bisogno di to need, to have need of

Hai bisogno di andare al supermercato oggi?
Do you need to go to the supermarket today?
avere voglia di to want; to feel like

Non hanno voglia di prendere un caffè. Mariella prova ad evitare la caffeina.
They don't feel like having coffee. Mariella is trying to avoid caffeine.
avere senso to make sense

Le cose che dici non hanno senso! Spiegati, per favore.
The things that you are saying are not making sense! Explain yourself, please.
avere + number + anni to be x number of years old

Quanti anni ha Marco?
Marco? Ha 33 anni, credo.

How old is Marco?
Marco? He's 33 years old, I believe.

Do you know of any other idiomatic expressions with the verb, avere? If so, please leave them as a comment, and I will add them to the list with an example.