Heather Broster
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 …
The word for strength in Italian is forza (feminine, plural: forze). As you can see from the two examples below, it can refer to strength in both the physical and mental sense, just as in English. Abbiamo lottato valorosamente ma la forza dell’avversario era superiore. We fought valiantly but the opponent’s strength was superior. Andrea …
Is your Italian friend about to head off on a trip? Then today’s expression will definitely come in handy! The Italian phrase for Have a good trip! is Buon viaggio! Literally translating as good journey or good trip, it greatly resembles the French expression with which we are all familiar: Bon voyage! Buon viaggio, Alice! …
We’ve all experienced it — that drowsy sensation that sneaks up on you after a large meal. One minute you’re chatting and laughing with friends and family, and the next, you’re slumped back on the couch, struggling to keep your eyes open. Italians have a special word for the fit of drowsiness that occurs after …