Italian Words Whose Sound Says It All

Say frizzante (sparkling, bubbly) out loud: freet-TSAHN-teh. Don’t you feel those tiny bubbles almost popping on your tongue? That’s the beauty of certain Italian words: they express their meaning through the way they sound. I’ll share a few below. Some of these will make you laugh, others will make you want to whisper them just to …

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Different Ways to Say “See you later!” in Italian

In Italian, much like in English, there is a wide range of expressions you can use to bring a conversation to a natural close. A simple and friendly Ci vediamo! (See you!) works perfectly when you’re not sure when you’ll meet again, while more specific options allow you to indicate exactly when you’ll see someone …

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10 Italian Cultural Traits Captured in Words

Certain Italian words are really difficult to translate — not because English is short on vocabulary, but because it lacks the context that gives those words their meaning. For instance, you can translate sistemarsi as “to settle down,” sure. But it fails to capture the fact that this is the ultimate Italian merit badge, unlockable …

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From Panino to Pane e Volpe: Bread vocabulary in Italian

Il pane (bread) is one of those things that’s never missing from an Italian table. Even when there are already enough carbs on the plate and it’s clearly not needed for the meal. It doesn’t matter, it’s just there: in a basket, still inside the bakery bag, or scattered across the set table, quietly waiting …

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Renting an apartment in Italy: some key vocabulary

You’ve decided to rent an apartment in Italy? That’s exciting! Just get ready to arm yourself with some new words and expressions to get through it. Because yes, there’s specific vocabulary you’ll need to familiarise yourself with. So, before you find yourself handing over a cauzione without really knowing what you agreed to, or arguing …

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