Italian Word of the Day: Ferro (iron)

Ferro (plural: ferri) may not seem like a very interesting word on the surface, but dig a little deeper and you’ll soon discover that it forms the basis of many terms and expressions in both Italian and English! Il ferro si usa solitamente per produrre acciaio. Iron is normally used to produce steel. For example, …

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Italian Word of the Day: Leone (lion)

There are thirty-eight big cat species in the world, but none is quite as iconic as the lion – or leone (masculine, plural: leoni) in Italian. A female lion, or lioness, is called a leonessa, whereas a lion cub can be translated as leoncino (little lion), although you will also hear cucciolo di leone. African …

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Italian Word of the Day: Isola (island)

An island – or isola (feminine, plural: isole) in Italian – can be formed in three different ways. The first is when continental plates (placche continentali) collide and push land up above the ocean’s surface. The second is when underwater volcanoes (vulcani sottomarini) continuously erupt in one area, causing land to form. The third is through …

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Italian Word of the Day: Conoscenza (knowledge)

cover image with the word “conoscenza” and books in the background

Conoscenza, or knowledge in English, is an understanding of facts, information, descriptions, and/or skills which is acquired through experience (esperienza) or education (apprendimento). Conoscenza is a feminine noun and takes the following articles: la conoscenzauna conoscenza le conoscenzedelle conoscenze Ho una buona conoscenza della lingua italiana. I have good knowledge of the Italian language. Conoscenza …

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Italian Word of the Day: Cavallo (horse)

Italian word for 'horse'

One of the most majestic and well-loved animals in the world is the horse or cavallo (masculine, plural: cavalli) in Italian. Il mio animale preferito è il cavallo. My favourite animal is the horse. A male horse is called a stallone (stallion) whereas a female horse can be called either a cavalla or giumenta (mare). …

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Italian Word of the Day: Stella (star)

Italian word for 'star'

Gazing up at the sky on a dark clear night, it is difficult not to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of stars that are visible to the naked eye. Sometimes, if you’re lucky and find yourself in a dark area far away from the city lights, you may even catch a glimpse of the …

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