Italian Word of the Day: Zio (uncle)

The word for uncle in Italian is zio (masculine, plural: zii). It comes from the Latin word thius and, as in English, is used to describe the brother of one’s mother or father, or the husband of one’s aunt (zia). Mio zio abita in Canada da dieci anni. My uncle has lived in Canada for …

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Italian Word of the Day: Zaino (backpack)

The word for backpack, knapsack or rucksack in Italian is zaino, and its plural form is zaini. zaino backpack Here are its definite and indefinite articles. Notice how the masculine articles for masculine nouns beginning with Z, S + consonant and vowels are different to those for other masculine nouns. lo zainouno zaino gli zainidegli …

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Italian Word of the Day: Pietra (rock, stone)

The Italian word pietra (feminine, plural: pietre) can be translated as either rock or stone in English. It comes from the Greek word πέτρα (pétrē). As you can see from the two examples below, pietra is used to talk about both the compact mass formed by natural mineral substances, as well as the smaller fragments …

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Italian Word of the Day: Battuta (joke)

The word joke has three main translations in Italian. The one you choose depends on the kind of joke in question. The first is battuta, which is our word of the day! battuta joke Battuta is a feminine noun that takes the following definite and indefinite articles: It refers to any kind of comment that …

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Yummy, Tasty & Delicious in Italian: 10 Words & Phrases for Good Food

If there is one thing Italy is renowned for besides Vespas, classic art and hand gestures, it is the delicious yet extraordinarily simple cuisine. From the various pasta dishes to the much-loved pizza, there is little that won’t send your taste buds into overdrive. Being able to paint a picture of these mouth-watering dishes with …

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