Heather Broster
When learning a new language, it is always important to ask questions, even if we feel self-conscious or embarrassed! The Italian word for question is domanda, which is derived from the verb domandare (to ask / inquire / request). Domanda is a feminine noun, so it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: Three verbs …
Today we will be looking at an Italian idiom that revolves around one of Italy’s favourite sweet dishes, the pera cotta (cooked, poached or stewed pear). Although pere cotte are truly delicious, especially with a light sprinkling of zucchero (sugar), being called one isn’t exactly a compliment: it has the figurative meaning of weak or …
Following the morning (mattina) and the afternoon (pomeriggio), we experience the penultimate phase of the day, which is sera (evening). This feminine noun, whose plural form is sere, takes the following definite and indefinite articles: Sera is derived from the late Latin sēra, which is an ellipsis of sera dies (“late part of the day”). …
Anyone who knows me is aware of my fondness for whimsical words, and that’s precisely what prompted me to write about the verb squagliare today! I recently came across it in a friend’s Facebook post in which he describes the feeling of “melting” in the 97°F heat currently engulfing Italy. (I must admit, it’s at …
Humans have devised various ways to divide time, encompassing the tiniest increments of seconds and minutes to the vast expanse of years, decades, and centuries. Tucked right in the middle lies the unassuming month, known as mese in Italian, serving as the fundamental unit for dividing our calendar year. Mese is a masculine noun in …
You’re chatting with your friend about someone when suddenly and unexpectedly, that person appears around the corner. There’s a perfect Italian idiom to describe this kind of encounter: “Parli del diavolo e spuntano le corna” which translates to “Speak of the devil and the horns appear.“ This well-known idiomatic expression serves as a playful means …