Italian Word of the Day: Schiera (ranks / group)
Daily Italian Words
by Heather Broster
19h ago
Today we’re going to be looking at the Italian word schiera, which can be traced all the way back to the Franconian skara. It entered the language via the ancient French eschiere and the Provençal esquiera. schiera /schiè·ra/ – [ˈskjɛra] Schiera is a feminine noun whose plural form is schiere. It takes the following definite and indefinite articles: la schiera le schiere una schiera delle schiere The original meaning of the word, used in reference to soldiers in the army, is ranks, formation or troops. For example, una schiera di soldati would translate as a line or row of soldier ..read more
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Italian Word of the Day: Macchia (stain / spot / blot)
Daily Italian Words
by Heather Broster
3d ago
The Italian word macchia is used to describe any stain, spot, or blot caused by ink, paint, dirt, or liquid, whether created intentionally or not. It directly derives from the Latin macŭla. macchia /màc·chia/ – [ˈmakkja] Because it is a feminine noun, it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: la macchia = the stain le macchie = the stains una macchia = a stain delle macchie = (some) stains Perché questa macchia non va via? Why won’t this stain come out? Here are a few common verbs you will see used with macchia: levare / togliere / rimuovere una macchia = to remove a sta ..read more
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Italian Idiom: Toccata e fuga (very brief / short)
Daily Italian Words
by Heather Broster
5d ago
Last weekend, we had some Italian friends over who, due to various reasons, could only stay from Friday to Monday, with two of those days dedicated to travel. In total, they had just two full days to spend with us and explore our little corner of Wales. In Italian, there’s a common idiomatic expression to describe this kind of brief visit or holiday: toccata e fuga. Toccata is derived from the verb toccare (to touch), while fuga (escape) comes from the Latin “fuga” of the same meaning, which in turn derives from the Latin verbs “fugere” (to flee) or “fugare” (to chase). In essence, if you go ..read more
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14 Funny Italian Animal-Related Idioms Explained
Daily Italian Words
by Valentina Nicastro
5d ago
So, you’re hanging out with your Italian buddies, and suddenly they drop a bombshell by putting a flea in your ear! And just when you thought things couldn’t get any crazier, they start talking about making someone see green rats! Welcome to the wild world of Italian animal idioms! From verbs to adjectives, slang words to  swear words, and even hand gestures, there’s never a dull moment in Italian language. But it’s idioms that are the real cherry on top, brightening up the speech with their quirky charm. And when it comes to animal-related idioms, Italian has some truly interesting expr ..read more
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Italian Word of the Day: Pozzanghera (puddle)
Daily Italian Words
by Heather Broster
1w ago
The Italian word pozzanghera describes a muddy or dirty puddle or pool of water on the ground. pozzanghera /poz·zàn·ghe·ra/ -[potˈtsangera] It is a feminine noun, so it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: la pozzanghera = the puddle le pozzanghere = the puddles una pozzanghera = a puddle delle pozzanghere = (some) puddles It is derived from the noun pozza (puddle / pool), with a double diminutive suffix, and can be traced back to the late medieval Latin puzacara. Whereas pozza can refer generically to any pool of liquid (including water, milk, juice and so on), pozzangh ..read more
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Italian Word of the Day: Tonfo (thud / clunk / plop)
Daily Italian Words
by Heather Broster
1w ago
When something large and heavy falls on the ground or into the water, it’s likely to produce a thudding sound, a phenomenon that in Italian can be described using the noun tonfo. tonfo /tón·fo/ – [ˈtonfo] It is derived from the Lombardic *tumpf meaning the sound of a fall, and has an onomatopoeic origin. Tonfo is a masculine noun, so it takes the following definite and indefinte articles: il tonfo = the thud i tonfi = the thuds un tonfo = a thud dei tonfi = (some thuds) The diminutive forms of tonfo are tonfetto / tonfettino (little thump), or less commonly, tonfino. Fare un tonfo is how ..read more
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Italian Idiom: Tanto di cappello! (Hats off!)
Daily Italian Words
by Heather Broster
1w ago
The origin of the phrase tanto di cappello, which equates to the English idiomatic expression hats off, can be traced back to the old custom of removing one’s hat as a sign of respect or courtesy. tanto di cappello hats off Cappello means hat, and tanto, in this case, is being used emphatically to mean a lot of. In other words, it literally means “a lot of hat.” Ti sei laureato con il massimo dei voti: tanto di cappello! You graduated with top marks: hats off! Fare tanto di cappello a qualcuno is the longer version of the idiom, meaning “to take one’s hat off to someone.” Another expres ..read more
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9 Different Ways to Say “Enjoy” in Italian
Daily Italian Words
by Fabio Guarino
1w ago
Italians are well-known for savouring life and making the most of their days. This is likely why the term “enjoy” in Italian has numerous variations, each tailored to different moments or situations when someone wants to relish an experience. Let’s delve into the most common ways to express “enjoy” in Italian, exploring each term’s specific use. Buona giornata Buona giornata, though closely resembling buongiorno (good morning), differs significantly. Italians use buona giornata when meeting someone in the morning or no later than noon to wish them a pleasant day. In English, you can express ..read more
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Italian Word of the Day: Sfacciato (insolent / brash / brazen)
Daily Italian Words
by Heather Broster
1w ago
If an individual displays rude and arrogant behaviour, demonstrating a total lack of respect, you could characterise them as sfacciato in Italian, which translates to insolent, brash, brazen or impudent in English. sfacciato /sfac·cià·to/ – [sfatˈtʃato] The term sfacciato originates from the root faccia (face), employed figuratively to convey notions of honor or respect. The s- prefix, in this context, imparts the opposite, often negative, meaning to the word (i.e. no face = no respect). When sfacciato ends in -o, it describes a masculine, singular noun. You can change the ending to -a to m ..read more
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Italian Word of the Day: Così (like that / like that / so / in this manner)
Daily Italian Words
by Heather Broster
2w ago
Così is one of those amazingly versatile words in the Italian language with various meanings based on the context it’s used in. It serves not only as an adverb but also as a conjunction and an adjective, making it quite challenging to summarise in a single article. Nonetheless, let’s give it a shot! Before we begin, it is important to note that così is written with an accented ì, meaning that emphasis is placed on the final syllable rather than the first. You can listen to the correct pronunciation below. così /co·sì/ – [koˈsi] Così: The Adverb Così is commonly used as an adverb, covering t ..read more
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