Heather Broster
If you live in a region with unpredictable weather patterns, you likely understand the importance of layering your clothing. In Italian, this practice of donning multiple layers is aptly described as vestirsi a cipolla. vestirsi a cipolla to dress in layers The phrase vestirsi a cipolla literally means “to dress like an onion.” This expression …
The monkey, known as scimmia in Italian, is one of the closest relatives to gli essere umani (human beings). In fact, we share over 90% of our DNA with our primate cousins! scimmia monkey The word is derived from the Latin simia, which in turn comes from simus, derived from the Greek simós meaning ‘”snub-nosed.” …
Some Italian words lend themselves to exploration, and putiferio is one such gem. It’s the perfect term for describing a commotion, uproar, or rumpus in Italian. putiferio commotion / uproar / rumpus This word, according to the Devoto-Oli dictionary, is a deformation of the word vituperio, meaning bitter or abusive language. It is derived from …
Imagine you find yourself adrift on a choppy sea in the middle of nowhere, with no means to call for help. It’s from this vivid image that we get the Italian idiom essere in alto mare, which literally translates to “to be on the high seas” in English. essere in alto mare to be in …
Many beginners know that the word for husband is marito in Italian, but a less commonly known word is sposo, which is the Italian for groom or bridegroom. sposo groom / bridegroom The feminine equivalent is sposa which, unsurprisingly, means bride. In its plural form, sposi, this word can mean two different things depending on …
You might already know the verb annoiarsi (to be bored), but you’re less likely to have come across the noun noia (boredom / bore). I was inspired to write about this word because it’s the title of Italy’s Eurovision submission by Angelina Mango! noia boredom / bore The word originates from Provençal enoja, derived from …