Heather Broster
Do you enjoy spending time by the seaside? Then you will love today’s word! The sea in Italian translates as mare, which should be easy to remember as it closely resembles the English word marine. It derives from the Latin mare of the same spelling. It is a masculine noun that takes the following definite …
The Italian word mistero is a noun that means mystery or something that is not easily understood or explained. We know with certainty that it derives from the Latin mysterium, which – surprise, surprise – also means mystery, and the Greek musterion. In ancient Rome, mysterium (which is a contraction of ministerium ‘ministry’) was used, …
The word idoneo in Italian is used to describe someone or something that is suitable, fit, appropriate or qualified for a given purpose. It derives from the Latin idonĕus of the same meaning. Being an adjective, the -o ending changes in accordance with the gender and/or plurality of the subject it describes. Idoneo is usually …
If you live outside of Italy – specifically in an English-speaking country such as America or the UK – you will undoubtably be familiar with Spaghetti Bolognese, that comforting pasta dish covered in flavoursome tomato sauce, delicious minced beaf, garlic, wine and herbs. Along with pizza, it is one of those classic dishes many perceive …
Ah, pie! Who doesn’t love a good old fashioned pie? Pumpkin pie, apple pie, blueberry pie … there are so many kinds, it’s hard to choose a favourite! In English, we can broadly define a “pie” as a dish consisting of a filling such as fruit, meat, or vegetables baked in a biscuit or pastry …
If you’ve been studying Italian for at least a few months, you probably already know how to say Merry Christmas in Italian. But what do Italians say on Christmas Eve? In Italian, Christmas Eve is most commonly known as la Vigilia di Natale, with vigilia referring to the eve of a festival or holy day …