Review of LingoPie for Italian: Bingewatch your way to fluency!

Being a visual language learner, I’m constantly seeking out new apps that can make the language learning process as effortless and enjoyable as possible. To achieve this, I integrate various forms of entertainment into my daily routine. Ask anyone, and they’ll tell you that I consistently have Radio Italia playing in the background while I …

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Italian Word of the Day: Spietato (ruthless / cutthroat / fierce)

The Italian adjective spietato can be translated into English in various ways, ranging from cruel and ruthless to fierce and cutthroat. spietato ruthless / cutthroat It derives from the noun pietà (pity), to which the prefix s- has been added. This prefix adds a sense of negation or absence, transforming the word to convey the …

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Italian Word of the Day: Grattacapo (problem / headache / worry)

While it’s perfectly acceptable to use the word problema in Italian to talk about your issues, incorporating the term grattacapo will add a touch of fluency to your speech! grattacapo problem / headache / worry Grattacapo is composed of two words: the verb grattare (to scratch) and the noun capo (head). In other words, it …

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Italian Word of the Day: Meno male (thank goodness)

In Italian, there’s no better exclamation to convey your relief than meno male. In English, it can be translated as thank goodness, or more casually, it’s like letting out a big sigh of relief – phew! meno male Meno means less whereas male means bad, so the expression literally means “less bad.” Domani non dovrebbe …

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Italian Word of the Day: Anno bisestile (leap year)

Italian for "leap year"

The Italian word for leap year is anno bisestile, which should be easy to remember if you are already familiar with the term bissextile year, a synonym for leap year. anno bisestile leap year The word bisestile is derived from the Latin term “bissextilis (annus)” or “bissextilis (annus),” meaning ‘the year of the bissextus,’ which …

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