The word for small or little in Italian is piccolo (masculine). The feminine form is piccola and the plural forms are piccoli (masculine) and piccole (feminine). As in English, you can use the adjective to describe something that is small in size. Ho comprato questa piccola caffettiera oggi. Era in offerta. I bought this small …
Gazing up at the sky on a dark clear night, it is difficult not to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of stars that are visible to the naked eye. Sometimes, if you’re lucky and find yourself in a dark area far away from the city lights, you may even catch a glimpse of the …
There are several way to translate the word toilet in Italian. You can say bagno, but this noun also means bathroom or bath. There is the French “toilette” that is also used in the Italian language, or if you’re a bit posh, you can ask for the servizi igienici (sanitary services). But perhaps the most …
If you win the lottery, meet the man or woman of your dreams, or come into a great inheritance, your friends might say that you are fortunato (masculine) or fortunata (feminine), which is the Italian word for lucky. It has the same etymology as the synonym fortunate. Mi sento fortunato di poter vivere in Italia. …
If you aren’t an only child, chances are that you have either a sorella (sister) or a fratello (brother), or perhaps one of each, or maybe many of them. (My dad has nine siblings!) An older brother is called a fratello maggiore whereas a younger brother is a fratello minore. Alternatively, you can say fratellone …
When I moved to Italy to become an au pair in 2008, I decided that instead of flying from London to Turin, I’d take the train. Despite lasting nearly nine hours, the journey was fantastic thanks to the views of the French countryside and the Italian Alps, one of the most stunning mountain ranges I’ve …