Italian Word of the Day: Farfalla (butterfly)

One of the most well-loved creatures on the planet is the butterfly, known as farfalla in Italian. farfalla butterfly It is a feminine noun, so the definite and indefinite articles it takes are as follows: la farfallathe butterflyuna farfallaa butterfly le farfallethe butterfliesdelle farfalle(some) butterflies If this word sounds strangely familiar, this is because farfalle …

Read more

Italian Word of the Day: Ristorante (restaurant)

When we used to live in Turin, we’d never let a week go by without a trip to one of our favourite local restaurants. After all, there is nothing quite like Italian cuisine! Ristorante (plural: ristoranti) is the Italian word for restaurant and as you can see, the spelling is very similar to the English …

Read more

Italian Word of the Day: Graffiti (writing on walls)

An Italian word that has an established place in the English language is graffiti which specifically refers to writing or drawings on public walls, usually done without permission and as a form of artistic expression. In English, graffiti is almost always used as if it were a mass noun but in Italian, you will encounter …

Read more

Italian Word of the Day: Melanzana (eggplant)

In English, there are many different words for the humble eggplant: aubergine (from the French), brinjal (South African and South Asian), guinea squash (Southern American) and finally melongene, the word used in the Caribbean. This last word sounds most like the Italian word for eggplant, which is melanzana (plural: melanzane). melanzana eggplant Although the melanzana …

Read more

Italian Word of the Day: Casa (house / home)

They say that home is where the heart is, and this couldn’t be truer in Italy where family always comes first. There is one word in Italian that covers both the words “home” and “house” and that is casa. casa house / home Here are the definite and indefinite articles used with the feminine noun …

Read more

Italian Word of the Day: Grissino (breadstick)

Breadsticks, or grissini as they are known in Italy, are a staple of the Italian diet. When I used to live in Turin, my mother-in-law would always make sure to put a full jar of grissini on the table, just in case Mat and I were feeling peckish before or after supper. Needless to say, …

Read more