Italian Phrase: Non parlo italiano. (I don’t speak Italian.)

If you are travelling around Italy, but speak very little to no Italian, a phrase you will probably have to use at some point is «Non parlo italiano» which means “I don’t speak Italian“. Non parlo italiano. I don’t speak Italian. Non is an adverb whose purpose is to express negation. It is one of …

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Italian Word of the Day: Giugno (June)

June, or giugno in Italian, is the month that marks the beginning of the middle of the year and the beginning of l’estate (summer). Thanks to the longer days and warm temperatures, it is a wonderful time to visit Italy if you enjoy spending time on the beach, swimming, and hiking in the mountains. Giugno …

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Italian Word of the Day: Lavoro (work / job)

A word that consistently makes it onto the list of the top 100 most common words in Italian is lavoro. It derives from the verb lavorare (to work), which in turn comes from the Latin ‘laborare’ (to toil). Because it is a masculine noun, lavoro takes the following definite and indefinite articles: il lavoroun lavoro …

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Italian Word of the Day: Sciarpa (scarf / sash)

Although we’re leaving the depths of winter behind us, some items of clothing remain indispensable, especially when cold winds are still blowing strong. One of these items is the sciarpa (scarf)! Sciarpa derives from the French écharpe, which in turn comes from the Franconian skerpa, a kind of shoulder belt with loops or pockets for …

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Italian Word of the Day: Forchetta (fork)

The word for fork in Italian is forchetta. It is the diminutive form of the word forca (pitchfork), which comes from the Latin furca. Here are the definite and indefinite articles that must be used with this feminine noun: la forchettathe fork una forchettaa fork le forchettethe forks delle forchette(some) forks A few different kinds …

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Italian Word of the Day: Freddo (cold)

One of the very first Italian adjectives you should learn as a beginner is freddo, which means cold. ‘Freddo’ as an adjective As with all adjectives, the ending changes in accordance with the gender and/or number of the subject in question. Much like the English word cold, you can use freddo to describe anything characterised …

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