Italian Word of the Day: Lucciola (firefly)

The Italian word for a firefly, glow-worm or lightning bug is lucciola (feminine, plural: lucciole). It comes from the Latin lucjola, which is the diminutive form of lux lucis meaning light. All species of lucciole, both at the larva and adult stage, are characterised by the ability to produce luce (light) from the abdomen due …

Read more

Italian Word of the Day: Lacrima (tear)

Have you ever wondered what the word is in Italian for the liquid our eyes produce when we cry? The answer is lacrima, which should be fairly easy to remember if you are already familiar with the English term lachrymal, an adjective that means “related to weeping or tears.” lacrima tear The plural of lacrima …

Read more

Italian Word of the Day: Erba (grass)

When I’m feeling overwhelmed, one of the best remedies is simply finding a quiet spot outdoors and lying down on the grass—even if only for a few minutes. There’s something calming about reconnecting with nature. In Italian, the word for grass is erba. erba grass Erba is a feminine noun that takes the following definite …

Read more

Italian Word of the Day: Volano (shuttlecock / badminton)

I never thought I’d become passionate about a new sport later on in life, but that’s exactly what’s happened to me since I joined our local badminton club. What began as a single weekly game has transformed into 3-4 sessions each week, each lasting 2-3 hours. While I am far from the most skilled player …

Read more

Italian Word of the Day: Pompiere (fireman / firefighter)

Yesterday, my son was over the moon when a real-life firefighter came to our house to check the fire alarms. And today, he’s off to the fire station with his class to see the fire engines up close! Could life get any more exciting for a young boy? In Italian, the word for firefighter is …

Read more

Italian Word of the Day: Dizionario (dictionary)

It doesn’t matter whether you’re learning a brand new language or looking to enhance your grasp of your native one, having a dictionary at hand is always useful for looking up new words and expanding your vocabolario (vocabulary). In Italian, this invaluable resource is called a dizionario, a word that sounds quite similar to its …

Read more