ILGUR

Lesson 196: Understanding il gerundio in Italian

2009-11-09T21:30:00.002-05:00

Il gerundio (semplice/simple or composto/compound) in Italian has more limited uses than its English counterpart. This is a good topic to study because it underlines the need for students to be (perhaps) more acutely aware of the fact that it's not always possible to translate the two grammars cleanly.

In English, a gerund is a present participle (-ing word, like swimming, running, talking) that is used as a noun, either on its own or in a noun phrase -- for example:

Talking is her favorite thing to do - she never stops.

In the sentence above, talking, is a present participle that is being used as a noun. This is the gerund in English. They can also be phrases -- take the same example above slightly re-worded:

Talking smack is her favorite thing to do while watching the football game.

Talking now has a direct object, smack and is a noun phrase that is used as the subject of the sentence above.

In Italian, the gerund form of the verb is never used in this way -- it has a more limited scope and function. In Italian, the gerund form ends in either -ando or -endo, for example: parlando, correndo. It is most commonly used with the verb, stare, to form the present progressive (or the past progressive, when used in the imperfect). The gerundio can also be used with andare and venire.

The gerund can be used on its own to express an action that is happening concurrently to another one, much in the same way that the imperfect does. For example:

Andando al supermercato, ho visto Luca.
= Mentre andavo al supermercato, ho visto Luca.

(While) Going to the store, I saw Luca.
While I was going to the store, I saw Luca.

This kind of construction is typically used when the subject of the gerundio and the main clause are the same (io, in the example above). Be careful not to combine conjunctions (like mentre) with the gerundio -- this is agrammatical because the gerundio when used in this way implies mentre, and also the gerundio when used on its own is not a proper verb. NB: However, the gerundio can be used with a variety of tenses, such as the present, future, present perfect, etc.

This same construction can also be used to express the English, by + present participle, for example:

By working many hours, Giorgio became the boss of his department.
Lavorando molte ore, Giorgio è diventato il capo del suo dipartimento.

Take note that the gerundio cannot be used when the main clause is passive.

The gerundio (semplice or composto) can be used in subordinate clauses to express different states and conditions, for example:

a condition (if)

Comprando una nuova macchina, posso vendere la vecchia.
Buying a new car, now I can sell the old one.
If I buy a new car, I can sell the old one.
modal, expressing how someone/something is

Essendo bravo a scrivere, Marco ha deciso di fare il giornalista.
Being capable in writing, Marco decided to be a journalist.
a cause (since)

Parlando il tedesco, ho deciso di andare a lavorare in Germania

Speaking German, I decided to go to work in Germany.
Since I speak German, I decided to go to work in Germany.
a contrast (even if) with pure

Pur trovando le chiavi, non potrei arrivare in orario a lavoro.
Even finding my keys, I couldn't arrive on time to work.
Even if I find my keys, I couldn't arrive on time to work.
time (while)

Andando al teatro, ho visto i miei amici migliori.
(While) going to the theater, I saw my best friends.
manner (by)

Studiando sempre, e bene, si è laureata presto.
By always studying well, she graduated early.

The gerundio also has a past form that is composed of the gerundio of avere or essere along with a past participle -- you use avere or essere depending upon the past participle:

essendo andato | having gone

Essendo andata al supermercato ieri, Marta ha dimenticato di comprare del latte.
Having gone to the supermarket yesterday, Marta forgot to buy some milk.
avendo giocato | having played

Avendo giocato al tennis con Michele, Giovanni è tornato a casa e ha fatto la doccia.
Having played tennis with Michele, Giovanni returned home and took a shower.

The compound gerundio refers to an action that has taken place before the action of the main clause, instead of being contemporaneous to the action of the main clause with the gerundio semplice.

Remember: when using the essere form of the compound gerund, make sure that the past participle used with essere agrees with the subject that it refers to. If the subordinate clause which contains the compound gerundio contains a direct object pronoun, the past participle agrees with the pronoun instead of the subject of the main clause.

Also, the compound forms of the gerund are typically used only in writing and are not common in spoken Italian.

This post was challenging to write and research, so if you notice an error or are confused,

please leave a comment so that I can clear up the post and make it flow better.

Lesson 195: Two "sides" of the conjunction, perché

2009-11-03T15:30:00.007-05:00

Perché is a conjunction that can have two functions in Italian grammar:

un valore causale: this corresponds to the English, because, and is followed by the indicative

Voglio dormire perché sono stanco.
I want to sleep because I am tired

Un valore causale indicates a cause or a reason, as in the example above -- I want to sleep for the very reason that I am tired.

un valore finale: this corresponds to the English, so that, and is followed by the subjunctive

Vado a casa perché possa domire.
I'm going home so that I can sleep.

Un valore finale expresses an aim, goal or a purpose -- I am going home with the express goal of sleeping.

In writing, affinché is often used to replace perché in order to avoid any ambiguity between the valore causale and the valore finale. There are several other common conjunctions (congiunzioni) that require the subjunctive - you can learn more about them here.

Lesson 194: Understanding verbs -- visitare v. andare/venire a trovare + qualcuno

2009-11-02T05:00:00.001-05:00

One of the most common "mistakes" that speakers of Italian make is confusing the usage of visitare and the verb expression, andare/venire a trovare qualcuno.

Visitare means to visit but in specific circumstances and contexts. Be careful when using it to describe visiting people, because it gives the impression of a visit to or by your doctor and generally means to examine or to see -- if you say that you're going to visit Maria, and you use visitare, while you'll probably be understood, it gives the impression that Maria is your doctor and is giving you a check-up -- see the examples below:

Oggi mio nonno ha preso un appuntamento dal medico. Vuole essere visitato dato che non sta molto bene.

Today my grandfather made an appointment at the doctor's. He wants to be examined since he is not feeling well.

But, you can use visitare to mean to visit when you talk about going to cities, towns, museums, attractions, etc:

Quando sei andato a Roma, hai visitato molti musei interessanti?
When you went to Rome, did you visit many interesting museums?

When visiting cities and towns, omit the preposition, a, with the verb, visitare:

Sono andato a Londra e ad Amsterdam. Hai mai visitato Londra? È bellissima!
I went to London and Amsterdam? Did you ever visit London? It's very beautiful!

When talking about visiting people, use andare/venire a trovare qualcuno, which literally means"to go/to come to find someone". However, the usage between the two differs:

When you're speaking to the person to whom you are visiting (or plan to visit or have visited, etc.), you use venire a trovare
When you're talking about visiting someone, and you are not addressing that someone directly, use andare a trovare

Note the placement of the object pronoun -- it generally attaches to the infinitive, trovare. Let's look at some examples:

Marta: Ho parlato con Luigi! È molto ansioso!
Marta: I spoke with Luigi. He's very anxious!

Roberto: La madre di Luigi va a trovarlo presto?
Robert: Luigi's mom is visiting him soon?

Marta: Che fai questa estate?
Marta: What are you doing this summer?

Roberto: Vado a trovare Luigi. Passa un'estate a Barcelona, e mi ha invitato a passare l'estate con lui.
Roberto: I'm going to visit Luigi. He's spending a summer in Barcelona, and he invited me to spend the summer with him.
Marta: Dov'è andato Marco?
Marta: Where did Marco go?

Roberto: Marco è andato a trovare Luisa. Ha deciso di andare perché non è mai stato a Palermo.
Marco visited Luisa. He decided to go because he has never been to Palermo.
Marta: Non ci vediamo più.
Marta: We do not see each other any more.

Roberto: Vieni a trovarmi! Mi manchi!
Visit me! I miss you!

Lesson 193: Using the possessive, altrui

2009-10-26T05:00:00.001-04:00

You might have encountered this little possessive adjective, altrui, and wondered what it means and how it is used. Altrui means of others (di altri), other people's..., or someone else's and is an invariable possessive (which means that it doesn't change form because of gender or number) that refers to an undefined and unknown number of possessors.

It always refers only to people, and it typically follows the noun it modifies:

Mia madre mi dice sempre che devo evitare i problemi altrui.
My mother always tells me that I have to avoid the problems of others.
Non mi piace fumare alla casa altrui.
I don't like to smoke at other people's houses.
Madre: Dani, non toccare la roba altrui!
Danilo: M'spiace, mamma!

Mother: Dani, don't touch other people's things.
Danilo: Sorry, mom!

Lesson 192: The possessive adjective, proprio

2009-10-21T05:00:00.005-04:00

Proprio is one of those words in Italian that is often misused, even by Italians. Proprio is an adverb that often means "really" (È proprio interessante!) but it can also be used as a possessive if it meets the following critera:

When the possession is that of an indefinite pronoun or the subject is impersonal (si), proprio is obligatory to express possession:
- Tutti vogliono possedere le proprie case.
  
  Everyone wants to own their own home.
- Durante una vacanza si rilassa meglio con la propria stanza invece di condividere.
In order to avoid ambiguity when the possessors are of the same person (third person singular or plural: suo and loro) and only if the subject of the sentence and the possessor are the same -- the use of proprio signals to the reader or speaker that the possessor and subject are one and the same:
- Marcello deve andare a Napoli per aiutare Annalisa con un progetto. Marcello non userà la propria macchina -- non vuole partire.
  
  Marcello has to go to Naples to help Annalisa with a project. Marcello will not use his (own) car -- it doesn't want to start.
  
  In the example above, if sua were to be used, it would signal that the car is Annalisa's. By using propria, the reader is immediately keyed into the fact that the possessor and subject are the same (and the car is, indeed, Marcello's).
To express own, as in: my own, his own, your own, etc. as a means of reinforcing the standard possessivo:
- Ora che ho i soldi, voglio la mia propria bici! Non mi piace dividere con mia sorella.
  
  Now that I have money, I want my own bike. I don't like sharing with my sister.

Lesson 191: Understanding verbs: pensare a and pensare di

2009-10-14T05:00:00.003-04:00

The verb, pensare, means to think; however the meaning of the verb alters somewhat depending upon which preposition that you use. See below for an explanation on the usage between pensare di and pensare a:

pensare di means to think, in the sense of having an opinion or a belief about something:

Luisa: Marco, cosa pensi della guerra americana in Afghanistan?
Luisa: Marco, what do you think about the American war in Afghanistan?

Marco: Davvero, Luisa, non mi piace. Qualche volta penso che non ne valga la pena.
Marco: Really, Luisa, I don't like it. Sometimes I think that it is not worth it.

In the example above, Luisa is asking for Marco's opinion on the war in Afghanistan.

You might also see and hear the question Che ne pensi? or Cosa ne pensi? -- remember, though, to use the ne, there generally should be something in which the ne can refer back to. See the example below:

Olivia: Marco, hai letto sui giornali che Lodo Alfano era bocciato?
Olivia: Marco, did you read in the papers that Lodo Alfano was overturned?

Marco: Sì, certo. Cosa ne pensi?
Marco: Yes, of course. What do you think about it?
(ne = del fatto che Lodo Alfano era bocciato)
pensare a means to think about a particular someone or something:

Maria pensa sempre a Marco. Crediamo che sia innamorata di lui!
Maria is always thinking about Marco. We believe that she is in love with him!

Vittorio: Samuele, sembri distratto? Tutto apposto?
Vittorio: Samuel, you seem distracted? Everything ok?

Samuele: Ah, scusa. Pensavo alla guerra in Afghanistan ed agli italiani che sono morti di recente.
Samuele: Ah, pardon. I was thinking about the war in Afghanistan and the Italians that died recently.

Lesson 190: Understanding the trapassato prossimo

2009-10-12T05:00:00.002-04:00

A reader emailed me recently asking me to explain the differences between the passato prossimo and the trapassato prossimo. Past tenses confuse a lot of learners so let's look at where each tense stands temporally in the examples below.

In this first example:

I miei nonni sono partiti quando ho telefonato.

My grandparents left when I phoned.

In the example above, your grandparents left at the same time that you phoned -- two past events that happened at the same time at some point in the past. But when we substitute the trapassato prossimo for the passato prossimo in the first clause, the meaning changes:

I miei nonni erano partiti quando ho telefonato.

My grandparent had left when I phoned

In the second example, your grandparents are already gone when you phone, having left at some point in the past before you called them on the phone.

Remember that the trapassato prossimo refers to a past event that happened before another past event. The more recent event in the past is expressed with the passato prossimo, passato remoto or the imperfetto.

With the trapassato prossimo you'll often see specific points in the past referenced (ieri, all'una, due giorni fa, etci.), as this helps to differentiate between the more recent past (such as the passato prossimo or the imperfetto) and the less recent event represented by the trapassato prossimo. The trapassato prossimo can be used:

in dependent clauses -- often certain adverbs and conjunctions will signal the use of the trapassato prossimo, such as siccome (since), già (already), quando (when), dopo che (after), etc., which indicate that some action has taken place or explicitly through the context:

Mia moglie mi ha telefonato stamattina dopo che avevo lasciato un messaggio per lei ieri notte.

My wife phoned me this morning after I had left a message for her last night.

Avevo già buttato il giornale quando me l'hai chiesto.

I had already thrown out the newspaper when you asked me for it.
in independent clauses -- when used in this manner, it must be inferred that the action which took place happened in the past before another action, through the use of a specific point in time or through the context:

Ieri sono andato in palestra ma volevo andare con Marco. Purtroppo era andato di mattina.

Yesterday I went to the gym but wanted to go with Marco. Unfortunately, he had gone in the morning.

Danilo: Marco, perchè non hai comprato una nuova macchina invece di riparare quella vecchia?
Marco: Ah, sì, hai ragione. Non ci avevo pensato.

Danilo: Marco, why didn't you buy a new car instead of repairing that old one?
Marco: Ah, yes, you're right. I hadn't thought of it.

Don't forget that past participle agrees with its subject in gender and number when the auxiliary is essere.

Lesson 26: Reciprocal constructions / Costruzioni reciproche

2009-08-26T17:30:00.004-04:00

Reciprocal constructions express "each other" or "one another". Often they are confused with reflexive verbs, but it is important to remember that reciprocal constructions require two or more people, and, as such, are only applied to verbs in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd person plural (noi, voi, loro):

Ci is used with noi.
Vi is used with voi.
Si is used with loro.

Remember that in compound tenses, reciprocal verbs require essere (just like reflexive verbs) -- as such, the past participles must agree in gender and in number with the subject.

Let's look at some examples below:

Non ci parliamo.
We are not talking to each other.

Vi fate i regali per Natale?
Are you exchanging gifts for Christmas (with each other)?

Si guardano con disgusto.
They are looking at each with disgust.

Ci siamo incontrati al centro commerciale.
We ran into each other at the mall.

Vi siete aiutati ieri sera?
Did you help each other yesterday evening?

Si sono lasciati due settimane fa.
They broke up two weeks ago.

Any verb can have this construction, but below is a common list of verbs that can express actions reciprocally:

abbracciarsi to hug, to embrace each other
aiutarsi to help each other
baciarsi to kiss each other
capirsi to understand each other
farsi regali to exchange gifts (with each other)
guardarsi to look at each other
incontrarsi to run into each other
innamorarsi to fall in love with each other
lasciarsi to leave each other; to break up (a relationship)
parlarsi to talk to each other
salutarsi to greet each other
scriversi to write to each other
telefonarsi to phone each other
vedersi to see each other

Lesson 189: Understanding verbs -- assumere

2009-08-18T05:00:00.003-04:00

Italian has a lot of those words that seem like they might mean the same thing in English but in reality, are not. They are called false friends, and one of these friends is the transitive verb, assumere, which means:

to hire, to employ
to take something on, such as a responsibility, a task, etc.
to assume, as in to assume the shape of something

The past participle of assumere is assunto. Avere is used in compound tenses. Assumere is irregular in the passato remoto. Go to Italian-Verbs.com to see the verb conjugated in all its tenses and moods.

Let's look at some examples of the verb's usage:

Il capo mi ha avvisato che devo assumere dieci nuovi assistenti per questo nuovo progetto.

The boss advised me that I have to hire 10 new employees for this new project.
Perchè Marcello ha assunto responsabilità di organizzare la nostra vacanza? È meglio se lo aiutiamo?

Why did Marcello assume the responsibility for organizing our vacation? Isn't it better if we help?
L'uomo misterioso ha assunto la forma di un cane per nascondersi dalla polizia.

The myterious man assumed the form of a dog in order to hide from the police.

To assume in the sense of to suppose, when one might say "He assumes that we are going to Europe," requires different verbs: supporre or presumere.

Let's look at some examples:

Presumo che non ci vediamo più?

I assume that we are not going to see each other anymore?
Hai supposto che avessi rubato i soldi perché ho avuto un passato difficile?

You assumed that I had stolen the money because I had a difficult past?

Presumere and supporre both have irregular past participles: presunto and supposto, respectively. Avere is used for both verbs in compound tenses.

Lesson 188: Understanding verbs -- sopportare and supportare

2009-08-12T05:00:00.002-04:00

Here are two useful verbs in Italian that can sometimes confuse learners because of the similarities of their spelling. Because the verbs have different meanings, it's important to understand how they are used and their meaning in English in order to avoid confusion:

sopportare (pp: sopportato) to support in the sense of
- to tolerate
- to bear
- to stand
- to put up with somone or something
Can also mean to support when talking about supporting weight or traffic (such as describing roads and bridges, architectural structures, etc.):

Il tetto non riesce a sopportare il peso della struttura.
The roof is not able to support the weight of the structure.
supportare (supportato) to support in the sense of
- to support
- to back

Let's look at some examples:

Non riesco a sopportare tuo fratello. È una persona cattiva!
I can't stand your brother. He is a wicked person!
Luisa sopporta la visione del programma solamente perché a te piace molto
Luisa tolerates watching the program only because you like it a lot.
Supporto e la tua decisione di tornare all'università.
I support you and your decision to return to college.
La società non supporta più questo programma.
The company doesn't support this program anymore.

NB: Avere is used in compound tenses for both verbs.

Lesson 187: Expressing "since" in Italian

2009-08-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

Since is one of those English words that can get a bit confusing when trying to find its equivalent in Italian because it's one of those words that is not simply a direct translation.

Recently, a reader asked me to explain the uses of visto che and dato che. I figured that since I was going to write about that, that I would address the whole issue.

In English, since can be a preposition, adverb or a conjunction.

Let's look at how this all works in Italian:

Since as a preposition

As a preposition, since is translated with the preposition, da -- this is usually with time expressions:

Suono il flauto da 13 anni.
I have been playing the flute for thirteen years.

Faccio il professore dal 2003.
I have been a teacher since 2003.

Notice the use of the present tense + da -- you can read more about that here.
Since as a conjunction

As a conjunction, since is expressed in two ways:
1. from the time when da quando, dal tempo in cui
  
  This usage is similar to since as a preposition except that this is used as a conjunction and refers to a very specific start to an action - remember in this construction as a conjunction, it must join two clauses. For example:
  
  Suono il flauto da quando avevo 13 anni.
  I have been playing the flute since I was thirteen.
2. because, given that visto che, dato che, poiché
  
  Non andiamo al cinema visto che sei stanco.
  We are not going to the cinema seeing that (since) you are tired.
  
  Dato che non sei abituato al caldo, forse è meglio non uscire questo pomeriggio.
  Given that you are not used to the heat, perhaps it is better not go out this afternoon.
  
  Poiché nevicava, ho deciso di stare a casa. Le strade sono pericolose!
  Since it was snowing, I decided to stay home. The streets are dangerous.
  
  NB: Visto che and dato che can be used synonymously.
Since as an adverb

Since can also be used adverbially. In English, since means subsequently and usually refers to some previous point in the past. It can also refer to a definite point in the past that relates to the present or can be synonymous with "ago".

When since means subsequently, use da allora:

Non l'ho vista da allora.
I have not seen to her since.

Da allora ci siamo visti ogni estate.
We've seen each other every summer since.
Take note of these English expressions using since and their approximate Italian equivalents:

not long since da poco, da poco tempo
ever since da allora
long since da molto, da molto tempo, da un pezzo
many years since molti anni fa

Lesson 186: Understanding Verbs -- divorziare (da)

2009-07-31T10:26:00.001-04:00

The verb, divorziare (da), means:

to divorce

When divorcing someone (such as your husband/wife), you must use the preposition, da, before the person that you are divorcing:

Ho divorziato da mia moglie.
I divorced my wife.

The reason for this construction is that divorziare is an intransitive verb -- that means that direct objects never follow the verb. This verb can also be used generally, too:

I miei genitori stanno divorziando.
My parents are divorcing.

Abbiamo divorziato dopo un anno perché mia moglie mi ha tradito.
We divorced after a year because my wife was unfaithful to me.

Lesson 185: Understanding verbs -- riflettere

2009-07-28T05:00:00.002-04:00

I want to open this post by saying how important it is to use your Italian as often as you can - whether it's by chatting with your friends online or talking to them using programs like Skype - because it's one of the best ways to learn new things and to iron out any errors that may tend to creep into your Italian.

One such error reared its ugly head yesterday when chatting with my friend, Adriano. And that error was my use of the verb, riflettere -- below is a conjucation of the verb in the present tense:

Riflettere, like many Italian verbs, is both transitive and intransitive:

As a transitive verb, riflettere means "to reflect" -- remember that as a transitive verb it must have a direct object. The verb is used in this way when something reflects something - such as a mirror, which reflects light. Or perhaps the blacktop which reflects heat, etc.

The verb can also be used transitively in a figurative way - such as a work of art or work of writing which might reflect the historical period or a specific mood.

Le pozzanghere riflettono la luce del sole.
The puddles are reflecting the sunlight.

Le opere di Hemingway riflettono lo spirito del tempo del Novecento.
The works of Hemingway reflect the zeitgeist of the 20th century.
As an intransitive verb, riflettere means "to reflect" in the sense of to think, to ponder, to consider, or to weigh.

Devo riflettere bene prima di fare una decisione.
I have to think it over before making a decision.

Dopo aver molto riflettuto ha deciso di divorziare da suo marito.
After much thought she decided to divorce her husband.
When used reflexively, it can mean:
- to be reflected
  
  Che bello! Le nuvole si riflettono nell'acqua del lago!
  How beautiful! The clouds are reflected in the water of the lake.
- to have repercussions, to affect
  
  Le scelte economiche dei politici si rifletteranno su tutti i disoccupati.
  The politicians political choices will have repercussions on all the unemployed.

Another point to consider is that this verb has two past participles: riflesso, for when the verb is used transitively, and riflettuto for when the verb is used intransitively or reflexively.

Avere is used in compound tenses regardless of whether the verb is used transitively or intransitively.

Lesson 184: Understanding Verbs -- salutare

2009-07-20T08:48:00.004-04:00

The verb, salutare, can be slightly confusing for English speakers because the verb has two meanings which oppose each other:

to greet; to say hello to
to say good-bye to

The way that you discover the intended meaning is through the context in which the verb is used, and even then it might not seem clear. But there are ways to decipher the meaning. Let's look at this sentence:

Lo aveva salutato qualche minuto prima per andare a comprare il pane.
She said good-bye to him some minutes before in order to go buy bread.

This is a good example of how context of the sentence can help us to know which meaning of the verb is intended. Because she is going to buy bread, it is more logical that she is saying good-bye as she is leaving to go out to do some shopping.
Diecimila fedeli hanno salutato il Papa quando è arrivato in centro.
10,000 parishoners greeted the Pope when he arrived downtown.

Again, the context helps in determining the meaning of the verb. It tends to be more logical to greet someone upon their arrival. Little clues such as this will help you in using and understanding the verb.
Salutare is also a transitive verb and requires avere in compound tenses. Remember that the person or thing to which you are greeting/saying good-bye to is a direct object in Italian, not an indirect object.
Salutare is a regular verb in in Italian; the past participle is salutato.
Be careful not to confuse the verb, salutare, which the adjective which can mean healthy/wholesome or beneficial.
Here are some useful expressions using the verb, salutare:
- venire a salutare to visit, to drop by
  
  Sono venuto a salutarti ieri sera ma non sei stato a casa.
  I dropped by yesterday evening but you were not at home.
- salutarsi to greet each other; to say good-bye to each other; to exchange greetings
- salutarsi con una stretta di mano to shake hands
- non salutarsi più to no longer be on speaking terms
  
  Non ci salutiamo più.
  We are no longer on speaking terms.
  We do not speak to each other anymore.

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

2009-06-04T10:00:00.008-04:00

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. Chi is only used to refer to people - never to things.

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 does not require an antecedent, and as it is often considered a "double pronoun" because it is both the antecedent and the relative pronoun simultaneously.
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 listen to spoken Italian on TV, on the radio or among your Italian friends, you'll find that they don't use che for every sentence. Italian is a language that is spoken well when it is varied.

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). However, if we have an antecedent, then we must use cui:

Marco: Vado a visitare Dottor Giambattista da cui va mia madre.
Marco: I'm going to see Dottor Giambattista whom my mother goes to.

Downloads:
Click here to download a pdf version of this lesson.

last updated: October 21, 2009

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

2009-05-08T05:00:00.004-04:00

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

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