Heather Broster
In English, we often use the phrase “I wish…” to convey a strong desire or hope for something that is unlikely to happen or is impossible. In Italian, there isn’t a single direct translation for “I wish,” so we have to use a variety of alternative expressions that convey a similar meaning. Below you will …
Today we’re going to be looking at the Italian word secco, whose principal translation is dry in English. It comes from the Latin siccus of the same meaning. Because secco is an adjective, the ending changes in accordance with the gender and/or plurality of the subject: Broadly speaking, secco can refer to anything that lacks …
While happiness encompasses various definitions and remains profoundly subjective, one thing for sure is that it stands as the most potent emotion, one that truly makes life shine. This is precisely why, during moments of immense joy, having a repertoire of Italian phrases and sayings about happiness becomes invaluable for expressing how happy you are. …
Svago is a very useful Italian noun that refers the act of stepping away from a job or an occupation for the sole purpose of relaxation. Although we don’t have a noun in English that corresponds perfectly to svago, a few close translations include diversion, relaxation, distraction, recreation and leisure. The verb from which it …
In the sport of boxing, boxers, their trainers, or their corner attendants, would throw the sponge or towel used to wipe the boxer’s face into the ring to signal defeat and the end of the fight. This act produced the idiomatic sayings gettare la spugna (literally “to throw the sponge”) in Italian, and to throw …
The Italian word for the fur or pelt of an animal is pelliccia. It derives from the late Latin pellicius (“of skin”), which in turn is a derivative of pellis (skin). pelliccia fur Pelliccia is a feminine noun, so it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: Similar to the English word, pelliccia can refer …