Italian Word of the Day: Ragione (reason / right)

In most instances, the Italian word ragione directly corresponds to our English word reason. First and foremost, both reason and ragione denote the human ability to think, comprehend, and engage in logical reasoning. Some common expressions related to this definition of ragione include: Sono contento che tu abbia ascoltato la voce della ragione. I’m glad you …

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Italian Word of the Day: Domanda (question / request)

When learning a new language, it is always important to ask questions, even if we feel self-conscious or embarrassed! The Italian word for question is domanda, which is derived from the verb domandare (to ask / inquire / request). Domanda is a feminine noun, so it takes the following definite and indefinite articles: Three verbs …

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Italian Word of the Day: Sera (evening)

Following the morning (mattina) and the afternoon (pomeriggio), we experience the penultimate phase of the day, which is sera (evening). This feminine noun, whose plural form is sere, takes the following definite and indefinite articles: Sera is derived from the late Latin sēra, which is an ellipsis of sera dies (“late part of the day”). …

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Italian Word of the Day: Mese (month)

Humans have devised various ways to divide time, encompassing the tiniest increments of seconds and minutes to the vast expanse of years, decades, and centuries. Tucked right in the middle lies the unassuming month, known as mese in Italian, serving as the fundamental unit for dividing our calendar year. Mese is a masculine noun in …

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Italian Word of the Day: Bidet (bidet)

The moment I entered an Italian bathroom for the first time, I was taken aback by the presence of a peculiar fixture resembling a secondary sink placed next to the toilet. Despite being completely and utterly unfamiliar with it, it didn’t require much imagination to deduce its true purpose! The bidet, pronounced as bidè in …

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Italian Word of the Day: Sogno (dream)

Dreams, those ethereal and enigmatic realms of our imagination, have captivated human minds for centuries. In the Italian language, the word for dream is sogno, which comes from the Latin word of the same meaning, somnium. Sogno, being a masculine noun, takes the following definite and indefinite articles: It is closely related to the verb …

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