Italian Word of the Day: Burro (butter)

What do Italians call that deliciously creamy substance we love to spread on toast in the morning? The answer is burro (butter)! burro butter Burro, derived from the Old French burre, traces its origins to the Latin butyrum and the Greek bṹtyron, a combination of bûs (cow) and tyrós (cheese) according to the Devoto-Oli Italian …

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Italian Word of the Day: Lavandino (sink / washbowl)

The word for a sink in Italian is lavandino. A word of northern origin, it is a derivative of the word lavanda meaning ‘wash‘ or ‘washing‘. lavandino It is a masculine noun, so it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: Oh no, il lavandino è intasato! Abbiamo uno sturalavandini? Oh no, the sink is …

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Italian Word of the Day: Cercare (to search for / to try)

Today, we’ll delve into an Italian verb that embodies dual meanings: “to search for” and “to try.” It comes from the late Latin term cĭrcare, meaning “to go around,” which in turn stems from the word circa, which translates to “around.” cercare to search for / to try But before we unravel its two primary …

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Italian Word of the Day: Fico / Figo (cool / trendy)

Italian word 'figo'

Have you ever wondered how to say cool or trendy in the Italian language? Well, the adjective you’re looking for is fico, or figo as it is pronounced in the north. This slang term has become a popular expression to convey something stylish, attractive, or simply impressive. fico – figo cool / trendy Because it …

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Italian Word of the Day: Divertente (fun / amusing / entertaining)

If you’re acquainted with the English words diverting and diversion, recalling the Italian word for ‘fun‘ or ‘entertaining‘ shouldn’t be too challenging – it’s divertente. It is the present participle of the verb divertire, meaning ‘to amuse‘ or ‘to entertain‘ but also ‘to have fun‘ in its reflexive form divertirsi (literally “to amuse oneself“). Divertire, …

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Italian Word of the Day: Carino (nice / pretty)

italian word carino

In Italian, a positive way to describe a person or an action is by using the adjective carino. Carino is the diminutive form of caro, which translates to dear. It can be used in its masculine form, carino, feminine form, carina, or in their respective plural forms, carini and carine. When referring to a deed …

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