One of the most contentious and disrespectful phrases of speech in the Italian language is Stai zitto! which is the equivalent of Shut up! or Be quiet! in English. It is made up of the following components: Stai zitto, non sento niente! Shut up, I can’t hear anything! In many cases, Stai zitto! is abbreviated …
The phrase Mi dispiace in Italian translates as I’m sorry in English. It comes from the verb dispiacere which means to be sorry or to regret. Mi dispiace is mainly used when you wish to express regret or sorrow about an unfortunate situation. Imagine, for example, that your friend tells you that she didn’t pass …
If you want to pay a compliment to the lucky lady in your life, a romantic phrase that never fails is Come sei bella! or Ma come sei bella! The phrase is made up of the following components: Ma (but) + come (how) sei (are) + bella (feminine form of bello meaning ‘beautiful’)! The ma …
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) …
Imagine you are enjoying a romantic dinner, or a barefoot walk along the beach at sunset with your Italian boyfriend or girlfriend. It’s been nearly a year since you first got together, and with each passing day, your feelings for each other have grown stronger than you ever imagined. Suddenly, your other half says those …
Father’s Day (known as la Festa del Papà in Italian) is celebrated on different days around the world, just like Mother’s Day. In most countries including the United States, Canada, France and Japan, the customary day for the celebration of fatherhood takes place on the third Sunday in June but in Italy, it always falls …