The Difference Between “Tra” and “Fra” in Italian

One of the most frequent “comparison” questions we receive on this website concerns the difference between the words tra and fra in Italian. Tra and Fra – What do they mean? Tra and fra are both Italian prepositions that translate in numerous ways in English including between, among, in, within, away, through and into. Yes, …

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Common Male Names in Italian (with English Equivalents)

Did you know that the vast majority of the most common male names in Italian have an English equivalent? Yes, it’s true! This is because they derive from the same handful of sources, such as the Bible, ancient languages like Hebrew and Ancient Greek, and important figures in religious texts and history. In this article, …

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Italian Word of the Day: Caramella (piece of candy)

Both the English caramel and the Italian caramella derive from the Spanish caramelo, which in turn can be traced back to the Latin calamellus, the diminutive of calamus (sugarcane). Caramel and caramella can be considered false friends, however, in that the Italian word refers to any piece of candy or sweet made of sugar, whereas …

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