Heather Broster
Baleno (masculine) is one way of saying flash or flare in Italian. It derives from the verb balenare which means to flash (in a literal sense) or to pop into one’s head (in a figurative sense). By extension, it can be used to refer specifically to a flash of lightning, though the synonyms lampo, fulmine …
The word for will, as in the mental power by which one controls one’s thoughts, actions and decisions, is volontà in Italian. It shares the same origin as the English word volition. In addition to being a feminine noun, it is also invariable, meaning that the plural is spelled the same way. Buona volontà (goodwill) …
The word for a child’s lullaby or cradle song in Italian is ninnananna (feminine, plural: ninnananne), also spelled as two separate words: ninna nanna. The word is a combination of ninna and nanna, both of which are synonyms for il dormire (sleep). They are generally only appropriate for use with children unless meant in a …
The word mozzafiato in Italian translates as breathtaking in English. It is a combination of the verb mozzare (to cut off) and the noun fiato (breath), two words that also make up the expression mozzare il fiato (to take one’s breath away). In both languages, these words refer to anything that arouses so much amazement …
This week’s phrase is bound to come in handy if you see or hear about something that defies belief. Non ci posso credere! I can’t believe it! It is made up of the following components: Note that it is possible to move ci from its position between non and posso to the end of credere …
The word for bee in Italian is ape (feminine, plural: api). It comes from the Latin apis of the same meaning. Honeybees (api domestiche or api comuni) live in beehives (alveari) or colonies (colonie) which may consist of as few as 20,000 or more than 100,000 bees. The roles in the hive are as follows: …