Italian Word of the Day: Nipote (grandchild / nephew / niece)

Whereas in English, we have separate words for grandson, granddaughter, grandchild, nephew and niece, in Italian, there is just one word that covers them all: nipote (plural: nipoti). nipote grandchild / nephew / niece In order to figure out which relative is being referred to, it helps to pay attention to the gender of the …

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Italian Word of the Day: Inverno (winter)

Winter – or inverno in Italian – is the coldest season of the year due to the Earth‘s axis being oriented away from the sun. It occurs between autumn (autunno) and spring (primavera) each year. inverno winter Inverno is a masculine noun whose plural form is inverni. It takes the following definite and indefinite articles: …

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How to Pronounce “Bruschetta” in Italian

The name both Italians and English speakers give to the delicious toasted Italian bread covered in olive oil, garlic or tomatoes is bruschetta (feminine, plural: bruschette). Learn how to pronounce “bruschetta” with our video You may be wondering why today’s ‘word of the day’ is an Italian word that also exists in the English language. …

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Italian Word of the Day: Verdura (vegetables)

The word verdura in Italian is interesting because it is normally used as a singular collective noun, referring to the category vegetables as a whole, or more specifically, the parts of a vegetable plant that can be used in human nutrition. verdura vegetable / vegetables For example, if you say La verdura fa molto bene …

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Italian Word of the Day: Pioggia (rain)

Although Italy has a variety of microclimates, the rainy season generally occurs between March and May and again between September and November, with October and November being the rainiest months of the year. In the Piemonte region where I used to live, violent thunderstorms are also common during the peak summer months. The word for …

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Italian Word of the Day: Strada (road, street)

Strada is an incredibly flexible word in Italian. Not only does it mean road or street in the literal sense, but it also has a couple of figurative meanings, as we’ll discover below. strada road / street Strada is a feminine noun and takes the following definite and indefinite articles: Io abito in strada San …

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