Italian Word of the Day: Gioia (joy)

Italian word 'gioia'

It’s Christmas Day, and what better word to capture the essence of this festive occasion than joy, or gioia in Italian! gioia joy Gioia is a feminine noun that takes the following definite and indefinite articles: Gioia, similar to the English word joy, can denote both a state of being and the source of one’s …

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Italian Word of the Day: Magone (the blues / down in the dumps)

If you are feeling depressed, upset or anxious about something, so much so that it causes a feeling of tightness in the stomach, a great word you can use to describe the feeling in Italian is magone. Magone is a masculine noun that derives from the Lombardic mago, which in turn comes from the Proto-Germanic …

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Italian Word of the Day: Emozionato (excited / moved / nervous)

Emozionato is one of those adjectives in Italian whose translation varies depending on the context in which it is used. However, in every case, it denotes a state of emotional upheaval, be it positive or negative. Used in a positive sense, it can translate as either excited or moved. For example: Luigi è molto emozionato …

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Italian Word of the Day: Affezionato (fond / affectionate)

An Italian adjective that means fond or attached is affezionato, which is the past participle of the verb affezionare (to grow fond). The feminine form is affezionata, whereas the respective plurals are affezionati (masculine) and affezionate (feminine). Learn with our video Whereas in English, we would say fond of (something) or attached to (something), Italians …

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Italian Word of the Day: Volontà (will)

The word for will, as in the mental power by which one controls one’s thoughts, actions and decisions, is volontà in Italian. It shares the same origin as the English word volition. In addition to being a feminine noun, it is also invariable, meaning that the plural is spelled the same way. Buona volontà (goodwill) …

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Italian Word of the Day: Allegria (cheerfulness)

Today’s word of the day is bound to raise your spirits if you’re feeling glum! Allegria (feminine, plural: allegrie) is how you would say cheerfulness, joy or merriment in Italian. If you have trouble remembering this word, it might help to associate it with the musical term allegro, the name given to a lively musical …

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