Svago is a very useful Italian noun that refers the act of stepping away from a job or an occupation for the sole purpose of relaxation. Although we don’t have a noun in English that corresponds perfectly to svago, a few close translations include diversion, relaxation, distraction, recreation and leisure. The verb from which it …
The Italian word for the fur or pelt of an animal is pelliccia. It derives from the late Latin pellicius (“of skin”), which in turn is a derivative of pellis (skin). pelliccia fur Pelliccia is a feminine noun, so it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: Similar to the English word, pelliccia can refer …
The Italian word spinta quite literally means push in English. It is the feminine form of spinto (pushed, compelled), which in turn comes from the verb spingere (to push). spinta push / incentive Because spinta is feminine, it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: Two of the most common verbs you will see used …
Storia is a multifaceted word in Italian that means so much more than its English cognate, story. Let’s find out more about it now! Storia is a feminine noun, so it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: Arguably the most common translation for storia is history, not story as one might expect. Storia can …
I happened to hear today’s word while listening to my favourite Italian radio station, Radio Italia, where they were discussing the unusually hot temperatures that have gripped Italy over the past week. In some places in the south, the mercury has soared past the 40°C / 104°F mark. Arroventato is an adjective that translates as red-hot …
We recently conducted a survey on our Facebook group, asking them which words their parents used with them most frequently. Unsurprisingly, the short yet powerful word “basta” ranked very close to the top of the list. Basta, when used as an interjection, has a couple of primary translations in English. The first is (that’s) enough, …