When describing something that has exceeded its normal dimensions, Italians often use the adjective gonfio (feminine: gonfia, plural: gonfi / gonfie). gonfio First and foremost, you can use it to describe something filled with air, in which case we’d generally use the adjective inflated in English. For example, an inflated balloon would be un palloncino …
Today we’re going to be looking at the Italian word secco, whose principal translation is dry in English. It comes from the Latin siccus of the same meaning. Because secco is an adjective, the ending changes in accordance with the gender and/or plurality of the subject: Broadly speaking, secco can refer to anything that lacks …
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 …