Heather Broster
The word for bear in Italian is orso and it derives from the Latin word ursus. It is a masculine noun that takes the following definite and indefinite articles: Today only eight species of bear are still in existence: Bears – like humans – tend to be omnivorous (onnivoro) with the only exceptions being the …
If you call someone an idiot in English, the implication is that the person in question lacks basic intelligence or common sense. In Italian, one of the closest translations, besides the precise equivalent idiota, is the word scemo which functions as both an adjective and a noun. Possible translations for scemo (as a noun)idiotfooldopedummy Possible …
Vergogna (feminine, plural: vergogne) is a very useful Italian noun that translates as shame, disgrace or embarrassment in English depending on the context. Below are a few common verbs you’ll see is the company of vergogna: Non provi neanche un po’ di vergogna per quello che hai fatto? Don’t you feel even a little bit …
There is a great Italian word for someone who eats with his mouth open, talks back to his parents, and disturbs other people by making too much noise, and that is maleducato. Maleducato translates into English as rude, impolite or ill-mannered and may refer to a person’s speech or behaviour. A volte quel ragazzo è …
Tourism is one of Italy’s most profitable industrial sectors, with an estimated 47.7 million turisti (tourists, singular turista) visiting the country every year. That makes it the fifth most visited country in the world! An interesting fact about the word turista is that unlike many Italian words, it derives not from Latin but rather from …
When you meet someone for the first time in Italy, it’s extremely important to know how to introduce yourself. The classic textbook phrase everyone learns on their first day of Italian lessons is Ciao, mi chiamo… which means Hello, my name is… but literally translates as Hello, I call myself… Ciao, mi chiamo Matteo. Hello, …