Italian Word of the Day: Moquette (carpet)

The word moquette in Italian comes from the French of the same spelling. It refers to the type of wall-to-wall carpeting found in the most important living spaces of the home, as well as the material from which it is made. Moquette is an invariable feminine noun. Invariable simply means that its form does not …

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Italian Word of the Day: Porta (door)

The Italian word for door is porta. It comes from the Latin porta of the same meaning. If you have trouble remembering this word, try and associate it with the English word portal! Porta is a feminine noun whose ending changes from -a to -e in the plural. It takes the following definite and indefinite …

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Italian Word of the Day: Scopa (broom)

Scopa is the word for broom in Italian. It is a feminine noun that comes from the Latin scopae meaning twigs. The definite and indefinite articles you need to use with this word are as follows: la scopa = the broom le scope = the brooms una scopa = a broom (delle) scope = (some) …

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Italian Word of the Day: Poltrona (armchair)

Poltrona is the word for a large and comfortable seat, equipped with backrest and armrests. It derives from the archaic word poltro meaning bed. In English, the most common translation is armchair. Poltrona is a feminine noun, so it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: la poltronathe armchair una poltronaan armchair le poltronethe armchairs …

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Italian Word of the Day: Divano (couch / sofa)

cover image with the word “divano” and a a young girl sitting on the couch and listening to music in the background

Today’s word of the day is an indispensable piece of furniture found in most homes: the humble divano (couch, sofa, settee). It is a masculine noun, so it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: il divanothe couchun divanoa couch i divanithe couchesdei divani(some) couches Alice si sta rilassando sul divano, sorseggiando una tazza di …

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Italian Word of the Day: Lampada (lamp)

cover image with the word “lampada” and a bedside table lamp in the background

A word that should be very easy for English speakers to remember is lampada, which means lamp in Italian. Its origin can be traced back to the Latin lampas -ădis, which in turn comes from the Greek lampás -ádos, a derivative of lámpō meaning ‘to shine’. Lampada is a feminine noun, so it takes the …

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