Italian Word of the Day: Timido (shy)

A very easy adjective for English speakers to remember in Italian is timido, meaning shy, bashful or timid. Both timido and the English timid derive from the Latin word timidus. As with many adjectives in Italian, the ending tells you whether the subject is masculine or feminine / singular or plural. timido = masculine, singular …

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Italian Word of the Day: Silenzioso (quiet)

One look at the Italian word silenzioso and you can easily guess that it means quiet or silent in English. Because it is an adjective, the ending changes depending on the subject’s gender and number. Mi piace lavorare in questa stanza perché è molto silenziosa. I like working in this room because it is very …

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Italian Word of the Day: Vecchio (old)

Do you suffer from creaky knees or find yourself struggling not to fall asleep on the couch at two in the afternoon? If so, you may be becoming vecchio, which is the word for old in Italian! Because vecchio is an adjective, the ending changes according to the gender and number of the subject it …

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Italian Word of the Day: Buio (dark)

When talking about the dark as it relates to nighttime or the absence of light, Italians use the adjective buio. The ending of buio changes depending on the gender and number of the subject it modifies. For example: Just as in English, buio can be used in a figurative sense to describe a troublesome or …

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How to Say “Orange” in Italian – Arancione

Arancione (plural: arancioni) is the word for the colour orange in Italian. It derives from the word arancia which is what Italians call the fruit of the same name. Questa arancia è più verde che arancione. Non sarà ancora matura. This orange is more green than orange. It probably isn’t ripe. The word arancio translates …

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Italian Word of the Day: Marrone (brown)

Colours are one of the first things all learners of a second language try to memorise. Today we’re taking a look at the colour brown which translates as marrone (plural: marroni) in Italian. Il nostro cane è marrone scuro come il cioccolato. Our dog is dark brown like chocolate. The diminutive form of marrone is …

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