The word for uncle in Italian is zio (masculine, plural: zii). It comes from the Latin word thius and, as in English, is used to describe the brother of one’s mother or father, or the husband of one’s aunt (zia). Mio zio abita in Canada da dieci anni. My uncle has lived in Canada for …
The word for backpack, knapsack or rucksack in Italian is zaino (masculine, plural: zaini). lo zainouno zaino gli zainidegli zaini It refers to any bag with shoulder straps, including those carried by hikers, soldiers, and school children. Non mi serve una valigia. Lo zaino è più che sufficiente. I don’t need a suitcase. The backpack …
The Italian word pietra (feminine, plural: pietre) can be translated as either rock or stone in English. It comes from the Greek word πέτρα (pétrē). As you can see from the two examples below, pietra is used to talk about both the compact mass formed by natural mineral substances, as well as the smaller fragments …
The word joke has three main translations in Italian. The one you choose depends on the kind of joke in question. The first, which is our word of the day, is battuta (feminine, plural: battute). It refers to any kind of comment that is intended to be witty or humorous. With the exception of battute …
Today we’re going to be talking about one of my favourite verbs in Italian, brontolare, meaning to grumble or complain in a low voice. It comes from the Greek word βροντάω (vrontáo), which means to thunder or rumble. An easy way to remember this verb is to think of brontosaurus, the well-known dinosaur whose name …
Just as there are numerous terms for the humble garbage can in English including trash can, rubbish bin, wastepaper basket and dustbin, so too are there many in Italian! One of the most diffused terms is bidone (masculine, plural: bidoni). It can be used on its own or followed by della spazzatura / dei rifiuti …