11 Italian Sayings with the word ‘Gatto’

Italian Sayings with the word Gatto

Every year on February 17th, Italy celebrates the Giornata Nazionale del Gatto—National Cat Day. So, what better occasion to explore some fun and curious expressions featuring the word gatto? After all, Italian is rich in idioms where animals symbolize human behavior, and cats, with their elegance and clever charm, have inspired quite a few of …

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Italian Word of the Day: Banda (marching band / gang / stripe)

Italian word "banda"

What do a marching band, a group of thieves, and your Wi-Fi signal have in common? The Italian word banda! Yep, this little word covers a surprising number of meanings. Depending on the context, it can refer to an ensemble of musicians, a criminal gang, or even internet bandwidth—and that’s not all. banda Banda is …

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5 Tips to Improve Your Spoken Italian

Tips to Improve your Spoken Italian

To master the art of the chiacchierata (a good old chat), it’s not enough to just study the rules or memorise phrases. You have to physically produce phrases, stumbling over words and feeling a bit clumsy at first (that’s all part of the process!). Don’t get me wrong, grammar is fascinating (who doesn’t love a …

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Word of the day: Succedere (to happen / to succeed)

Italian word "succedere"

At its core, succedere is a verb that helps us talk about things that happen. But it doesn’t stop there. succedere Before we look at how to use it, there’s one important grammar point to keep in mind: succedere always pairs with essere (to be) in compound tenses (è successo). This is important, because using …

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Italian Word of the Day: Mossa (move / movement)

Italian word "mossa"

Mossa in Italian can play three different roles: it can be a noun, an adjective, or even the past participle of a verb. What links them all is one central theme: movement, whether literal or figurative. As a noun, it’s feminine: la / una mossa (singular) and le / delle mosse (plural). mossa / mosse …

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Italian Word of the Day: Simpatico (fun / likable / nice)

Italian word "simpatico"

Simpatico is a word we use all the time in Italian. It sounds like the English word “sympathetic,” right? If only it were that simple! In Italian, simpatico describes someone who is genuinely likable and fun to be around. Think of it as a mix of friendliness, warmth, charm, and a great sense of humor, …

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