Italian Word of the Day: Mogio (despondent / dispirited / dejected)

Some words perfectly capture the essence of the concept they describe, and the Italian adjective mogio is a great example. It can be translated as despondent, dispirited, or dejected, among other terms. mogio despondent / dispirited / dejected Mogio most likely derives from the Venetian mògio (wet) which, in turn, comes from the Latin mollior, …

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Italian Word of the Day: Capra (goat)

Last week, we took our son to a county fair, where a variety of farm animals were on display. The goats—known as capre in Italian—were the most eager of them all. They were so enthusiastic to eat from my son’s hand that they accidentally nipped his fingers. Needless to say, he has been keeping his …

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Italian Word of the Day: Genitore (parent)

Since becoming a genitore (parent), my life has been turned on its head. Tempo libero has become a distant dream, and every day is a whirlwind of activities and responsibilities. Yet, despite the challenges, the joy and fulfilment I find in watching my little boy grow and thrive make every moment worthwhile. genitore parent Genitore …

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Italian Word of the Day: Baffo (whisker / moustache)

When I first met my husband, he had a distinctive moustache and goatee, but since we had our son, he’s chosen to go clean-shaven. Honestly, I can’t say which look I prefer! In Italian, the word for moustache (or mustache) is the plural form of baffo, which is baffi. Baffo on its own refers to …

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Italian Word of the Day: Allibito (stunned / shocked)

If you are shocked or stunned by something to the extent that all colour drains from your face, a great word you can use to describe this feeling in Italian is allibito. allibito shocked / stunned Allibito is an adjective whose ending changes in accordance with the gender and number of the subject. If the …

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Italian Word of the Day: Spiritoso (witty / funny / smart-alecky)

There are two possible interpretations for the adjective spiritoso (feminine: spiritosa, plural: spiritosi / spiritose) in Italian. spiritoso On one hand, it characterises a witty, clever, or funny person, or something, such as a joke (battuta) or response (risposta), that is witty or entertaining. Daniele fa sempre battute spiritose. Daniele always makes witty jokes. On …

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