If you are curious to know what someone does for a living, the most natural phrase you can use in Italian is: Cosa fai nella vita? What do you do for a living? The literal translation of this phrase is “What do you do in life?” but it is implied that you are referring to …
The vast majority of the people who subscribe to our newsletter and Facebook group are Americans of Italian descent. Some were born to immigrant parents, whereas others may have had to look back a few generations to discover their Italian roots. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, we are sure that today’s phrase …
If someone provides you with an explanation but you struggle to understand the meaning behind their words, it is only natural to ask the question: What do you mean? One way to express this in Italian is with the phrase Che cosa vuoi dire? which, word-for-word, can be translated as What do you want to …
In order to say “I am fine” or “I am well” in Italian, the most common phrase you will hear people use is Sto bene. Sto bene. I’m fine / well. Whereas in English, we use the verb “to be” to express this sentiment, Italians use the verb stare which, in addition to “to be”, …
Life is fleeting, which is why we must make the most of every second of every day. We need to take risks, learn as much as we can, and keep pushing towards our goals, even when the going gets tough. In Italian, there is no better phrase to encompass this positive approach to life than: …
If you wish something were true, you would like it to be true, even though you know that it is impossible or unlikely. To express this sentiment in Italian, you can use the following phrase: Magari fosse vero! I wish it were true! Magari is an extremely versatile word but it isn’t the easiest to …