Today, we’re rolling head first into the fascinating world of one of the most acrobatic words in the Italian language: capriola. Calling to mind childhood summers spent somersaulting on the grass and daring circus acts that leave us in awe, the word itself seems to tumble off our tongues! Capriola is a feminine noun whose …
One of the first sights of primavera (spring) is the odd bocciolo (bud) growing on bushes and trees. Bocciolo is a masculine noun whose plural form is boccioli. You can see which direct and indirect articles it takes below: Sotto casa mia c’è un albero pieno di boccioli. In front of my house there is …
Today’s Italian word is soqquadro (masculine, plural: soqquadri), which can translate in a number of ways in English including upside-down, disarray, mess, shambles, cluttered and topsy-turvy, just to name a few! It comes from the expression sotto quadro (lit. under square), which was used by builders to refer to off-kilter or crooked structural elements that …
Ever since my uncle gifted it to him two years ago, my son has been obsessed with his stuffed raccoon. Wherever my son goes, Raccoon must follow. There are now signs of stuffing coming out of a hole under his armpit, and his fur isn’t nearly as silky as when he first arrived, but my …
In Italian, the word abito is used to denote any specific kind of garment worn over underwear, be that a gown, dress, suit or outfit. It derives from the Latin habitus, meaning demeanour or appearance. Because it is a masculine word beginning with a, it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: Mi piacciono molto …
Aiuto, which means help or aid, is arguably one of the most useful Italian words you can learn. After all, you never know when you might find yourself in need of assistance in a foreign country! The noun aiuto is masculine, and used with the following articles: Aiuto comes from the Latin adiutus which in …