Italian Word of the Day: Re (king)

The very last king to rule Italy was Umberto II of the House of Savoy. Immediately following the 1946 referendum to abolish the monarchy and the transformation of Italy into a republic, he was exiled to Cascais on the Portuguese Riviera, having reigned for a mere 34 days. Umberto II’s departure marked the end of …

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Italian Word of the Day: Pennichella (nap)

cover image with the word “pennichella” and a boy napping on a bench in the background

If you’re just wiping the last crumbs from your mouth following a wholesome Italian meal, you may feel the need for what the Italians call a pennichella! Pennichella is a feminine noun and takes the following articles: la pennichellathe napuna pennichellaa nap le pennichellethe napsdelle pennichelle(some) naps Pennichella is one of the most common words …

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Italian Word of the Day: Luce (light)

The most widely known translation for the word luce is light in the sense of the natural agent that makes things visible to the eye. Luce is a feminine noun and takes the following articles: la lucethe lightuna lucea light le lucithe lights delle luci(some) lights Just as in English, it can be used to …

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Italian Word of the Day: Antipasto (appetizer)

Italian meals are made up of several courses, the first being the antipasto, or appetizer / starter in English. Antipasti is a mix of light food brought before the primo (first main course) whose main purpose is to stimulate your appetite. It is composed of two words: anti and pasto with the latter meaning meal. …

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Italian Word for “Family” – Famiglia

Like many other nations, the family plays a central role in Italian culture. The further south you go, the more sacred the concept of family becomes. Famiglia is the translation of family in Italian. It is a feminine noun that takes the following definite and indefinite articles: la famiglia una famiglia le famigliedelle famiglie The …

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How to Say “Crazy” in Italian – Pazzo

A few months ago, I was coerced into watching the film Free Solo at the cinema and despite being on the edge of my seat the entire time, I have to say I’m glad I plucked up the courage to go! This gripping documentary tells the tale of Alex Honnold and his groundbreaking free solo …

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