Today we are going to investigate a beginner verb that every learner should master from day one – chiamare – which means to call. chiamare to call /chia·mà·re/ – [kjaˈmare] Chiamare is a regular -ARE verb, which means that it should be conjugated in the following manner in the present tense: io chiamo = I call tu chiami = you call (informal, singular) lui chiama = he calls lei chiama = she calls Lei chiama = you call (formal, singular) noi chiamiamo = we call voi chiamate = you call (plural) loro chiamano = they call Two etymologically related terms are chiamata (call) and chiama (rol ..read more

One of my favourite Italian words actually refers to a rather banal household object that we use multiple times throughout the day: the humble rubinetto, which is known as a tap in the UK, a faucet in the US, or a spigot in technical terms. rubinetto tap / faucet /ru·bi·nét·to/ – [rubiˈnetto] The etymology of this word is quite interesting compared to other words we’ve covered on this website thus far. It derives from the French robinet, which is the diminutive form of robin, a now obsolete term for a sheep. This is because early taps were often in the shape of a sheep’s head. Being a mascu ..read more

Today we are investigating an idiomatic expression with an exact English equivalent, just to make life a little easier on you! The idiom is ammazzare il tempo, which literally means to kill time. ammazzare il tempo to kill time Ammazzare is a verb in Italian that signifies to kill or murder. While uccidere is a common synonym, the former conveys a notion of a more brutal death devoid of any mercy. Of course, in this context, ammazzare is being used figuratively, just like the English to kill. It describes the act of occupying oneself, usually while waiting for something else to happen. Co ..read more

In our day-to-day conversations, money always seems to sneak its way in, right? Whether it’s discussing about something that costs l’ira di dio (literally, a sum that could anger even God!), teasing someone for their braccino corto (short arm, signifying a penchant for thriftiness) or simply engaging in financial discussions, money is a language we all speak, whether we like it or not. That’s why knowing how to talk money in Italian can be beneficial for everything from traveling in Italy to gaining deeper insights into Italian culture.  In this article, we’ll take a look at the most com ..read more

Today we are going to be looking at a useful everyday word that can be classified as both an adjective and a noun: piatto. piatto flat / plate / dish /piàt·to/ – [ˈpjatto] ‘Piatto’ the adjective Used as an adjective, this word translates to flat or level. It is derived from the Latin *plattum, which in turn comes from the Greek platýs meaning ‘broad.’ The ending changes in accordance with the gender and plurality of the subject. For example: l’asse piatto = the flat plank > gli assi piatti = the flat planks la pietra piatta = the flat stone > le pietre piatte = the flat stones il tav ..read more

Whenever my mom and I take my son to school, he enjoys playing hide-and-seek behind the walls and buildings that line the streets, adding a bit of excitement to our daily stroll! His penchant for this game inspired me to write about the word nascondere, which translates to to hide. nascondere to hide /na·scón·de·re/ – [nasˈkondere] The word originates from the Late Latin (i)nabscondĕre, composed of the prefix in- and abscondĕre, through aphaeresis (the omission of the initial sound of a word). Nascondere is an -ERE verb which is conjugated in the present tense in the following manner: io ..read more

My son is currently obsessed with trucks of all sorts, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that one of his favourite words in Italian is guasto. It is used when something, such as a machine or vehicle, stops working as it should. guasto broken / faulty /guà·sto/ – [ˈgwasto] Guasto is the past participle of the verb guastare, meaning to break or to spoil. When guasto is used as an adjective, it can be translated in numerous ways including broken, out of order, damaged, broken down or faulty. The masculine, feminine and plural forms are as follow: guasto (masculine, singular) guasti (masculin ..read more

In the Italian language, conveying the feeling of tiredness extends beyond a simple “sono stanco / sono stanca.” Italians are known for emphasising their expressions – often accompanied by distinctive hand gestures – making it challenging for foreigners to grasp every nuance of the language. With that said, let’s delve into some of the commonly used ways to express ‘tired‘ in Italian. 1. Sono stanco morto Feminine equivalent: Sono stanca morta Stanco morto isn’t just a way to express tiredness in Italian; it serves as the ultimate statement when you’ve completely depleted your energy reserve ..read more

The soft curly hair forming the coat of a sheep, goat or camel is known as wool in English, or lana in Italian. lana wool /là·na/ – [ˈlana] Lana, which is a feminine noun, is derived from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. Below are its definite and indefinite articles: la lana = the wool le lane = the wools una lana = a wool delle lane = some wools The expression di lana (of wool) is used to describe things that are made of wool such as clothing and blankets. The adjective lanoso (wooly / woolen), in a similar manner, describes things that are either made of wool ..read more

My son, during his swimming lessons, is happy to do anything the teacher tells him to do expect dive into the water. The word for a dive or plunge is tuffo in Italian. tuffo dive / plunge / dip /tùf·fo/ – [ˈtuffo] Tuffo is derived from the verb tuffare (to plunge / immerse), which interestingly enough, comes not from Latin but from the Lombardian *tauff(j)an. Related to tuffare is the reflexive verb tuffarsi, meaning to dive (or literally “to immerse oneself”). Being a masculine noun, it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: il tuffo = the dive i tuffi = the dives un tuffo ..read more