Permesso looks and sounds a lot like the English permission, and yes, they’re related. But this word has a couple more layers to explore. permesso permission / excuse me / may I…? Grammatically speaking, permesso is the past participle of the verb permettere, which means to allow, to authorise, or, when used reflexively as permettersi, …
It can sum up a point, show hesitation, express annoyance, or even say “not really” without saying it. Insomma, do you know how to use insomma in Italian? If you’ve been learning Italian or simply love the language and culture, chances are you’ve stumbled across this curious adverb. We use it everywhere, but it doesn’t …
Casino is a word we use a lot in everyday Italian. But unlike in English, it has (almost) nothing to do with slot machines and James Bond. It comes from casa (house) combined with the diminutive suffix -ino, so it literally means “little house.” Sounds simple, right? Not really. This Italian word has a surprising …
Today we are going to focus on a verb that, in many ways, forms the backbone of the Italian language along with other important verbs like fare (to do/make), avere (to have) and essere (to be). That verb is dare (to give), and you can hear how it’s pronounced below: dare to give Dare may …
A tormentone is an expression, catchphrase, buzzword, meme, or piece of music that is repeated ad nauseam via the mass media or word of mouth, gaining rapid popularity and widespread diffusion as a result. tormentone catchphrase / hit song Tormentone is a masculine noun, and the plural form is tormentoni. il tormentone un tormentone i tormentoni …
Today’s word is zerbino which, as exotic as it sounds, actually refers to the humblest of household objects: the doormat. It comes from the Arabic zirbiy which translates as either rug or cushion. zerbino doormat Zerbino is a masculine noun whose plural form is zerbini. Any masculine noun that starts with the letter z in …