Heather Broster
Those of you who have been following Daily Italian Words from the very beginning will know that I’m a native English speaker raising my son in my non-native language: Italian. It’s hard to believe, but he turned six a few months ago – yep, he’s almost as old as this website! He is now fully …
Do you have a quick-tempered person in your life? Or perhaps you are the irascible one? In either case, it’s worth learning the Italian adjective irascibile, which describes a person’s tendency to be easily angered. irascibile quick-tempered / irascible The adjective irascible in English certainly hasn’t fallen out of use, but it is definitely used …
There are many things we hope to avoid in life – feeling stressati (stressed), being ammalati (unwell), and experiencing infelicità (unhappiness) – but one situation that can lead to all of these is finding oneself al verde, completely broke and without a penny. essere al verde to be broke The literal translation is “to be …
Recent heatwaves in Italy and elsewhere across the world have made one household item absolutely indispensable – il ventilatore, or fan in English. ventilatore fan / ventilator Ventilatore is a masculine noun made of up two parts: the verb ventilare (to air out / ventilate) and the suffix -tore, indicating a person or thing that …
Essere in vena is a very common Italian expression used when you feel inspired to experience or tackle something, or when you feel in the mood to do something. If you are in vena, you are in the best possible frame of mind and body to take on a specific task. essere in vena to …
What do you do when something annoys or discourages you to the point of feeling completely drained? You probably let your arms fall to your sides like dead weight, right? That’s exactly the image behind the Italian expression far cadere le braccia – literally “to make your arms drop,” used when something is so frustrating …