Heather Broster
If someone thanks you for a favour you’ve done, or apologises for a mistake they’ve made, there is one easygoing response that covers all the bases: Non c’è problema! (No problem!). It literally translates as there isn’t a problem. Caspita, ho dimenticato il regalo per Anna… – Non c’è problema. Lo prendiamo al ritorno. Darn, …
If you are familiar with the English word lupine, it shouldn’t be too difficult to remember the word lupo (masculine, plural: lupi), which is the Italian for wolf. A wolf cub is known as a lupetto. This is also the term used for a cub scout in the young Scouts organisation and the mock turtleneck. …
The domestic pig – or maiale (masculine, plural: maiali) in Italian – is one of the most populous mammals (mammiferi) in the world. In fact, it is estimated that approximately one billion are alive at any time. Because they are omnivores (onnivori) just like humans, they can consume a wider range of food than most …
The Italian word for fast or quick is veloce. It derives from the Latin word velox meaning quick. When I was first learning Italian, I found this word very easy to remember because it shares the same origin as the English word velocity, not to mention the name of everyone’s favourite dinosaur in Jurassic Park, …
There are certain words in every language that have the ability to make you laugh, either because their meaning is humorous or because the way they sound is amusing. In this article, we’ve put together a list of ten funny Italian words that will succeed not only in making others chuckle but also in helping …
In both English and Italian, the word peace – or pace (feminine noun) in Italian – can refer to a personal state of tranquillity or the complete absence of hostility and violence on a larger societal scale. Vorrei che ci fosse la pace nel mondo. I wish there were peace on earth. In Italian, to …