When I was working as an au pair for an Italian family in Turin, the three children I looked after would begin every meal with a cheerful chorus of Buon appetito! (Bon appetit! / Enjoy your meal!), an expression many Italians say before eating. The proper response to this expression is grazie, altrettanto (thanks, likewise) …
The word for breakfast in Italian is colazione (feminine, plural: colazioni). Traditionally, the first meal eaten just after waking up was referred to as la prima colazione (the first breakfast), whereas the midday meal was called la seconda colazione (the second breakfast). The latter has since been replaced by the word pranzo (lunch) but the …
The word squisito in Italian has two possible translations, depending on the subject in question. When talking specifically about food, drink or any other sustenance, squisito best translates as delicious. In fact, it is a more accurate translation than the similar-sounding delizioso, an adjective whose primary translations are adorable or charming. To discover all the …
The Italian word frutta, like the word fruit in English, is a singular collective noun that refers to the category fruit in general, or a collection of fruit on display in a basket. It may also specifically denote the fruit course Italians tend to consume at the end of lunch. Frutta is almost always used …
Today we’re going to be looking at the most common and colloquial term for food in Italian: cibo (masculine, plural: cibi). Derived from the Latin cibus meaning food, it refers to any nutritious substance that living organisms eat or drink. In Italy, life revolves around the preparation and enjoyment of good food (cibo buono / …
The word salsa (feminine, plural: salse) in Italian is pretty easy to remember: just imagine yourself dancing to Salsa music while shaking a bottle of sauce! 😉 It can trace its origin back to the Latin word salsus which means salty. Below are some of the most popular sauces you’ll find in Italy: Sai mica …