The colour purple is known as viola in Italian. It comes from the Latin word of the same spelling. When used as an adjective, it remains invariable, or in other words, it has the same form in both the singular and the plural. For example: When used as a noun, it is always masculine (il …
The adjective cervellotico in Italian translates in numerous ways including bizarre, illogical, irrational or odd. It can describe bizarre people, as well as things that don’t correspond to the truth or aren’t founded on reason. Because it is an adjective, the ending changes according to the gender and/or plurality of the subject. For example: Masculine …
The adjective rotto in Italian can refer to anything that is damaged, out of order or in pieces including machines, clothes, household objects, and body parts to name a few. It is the past participle of the verb rompere meaning to break. Being an adjective, rotto also has corresponding feminine and plural forms with different …
If you are a person who is habitually wakeful or active at night, you might receive the nickname nottambulo which is the word for night owl in Italian. In particular, it indicates those who tend to spend the night walking or enjoying themselves in public places. It is a combination of the Latin words nox …
Amato is an adjective in Italian that means beloved or loved. It is the past participle of the verb amare (to love). Because it is an adjective, the ending must match the gender and number of the subject in question: This particular adjective can appear before or after the subject it modifies – which may …
A wonderful Italian word I love throwing into conversation at every opportunity is intramontabile (plural: intramontabili) which is an adjective meaning timeless, everlasting, enduring, immortal or evergreen. Note that the e/i ending (singular/plural) doesn’t change according to the gender of the noun. It derives from the verb tramontare meaning to set (as in the setting …