October—known as ottobre in Italian—has always been one of my favourite months. Perhaps it’s because autunno (autumn) is in full swing, with colourful leaves falling from the trees and a crisp breeze in the air that invites you to cozy up in your warmest maglione (sweater) and pantofole (slippers). ottobre October Ottobre is the tenth …
Recently my son has taken a keen interest in tongue-twisters, especially those that his dear old mum has trouble saying. A tongue-twister in Italian is known as a scioglilingua, which is the combination of the verb sciogliere (to melt) and the noun lingua (tongue). scioglilingua tongue-twister Scioglilingua is an invariable noun, so it’s form doesn’t …
Last week, we took our son to a county fair, where a variety of farm animals were on display. The goats—known as capre in Italian—were the most eager of them all. They were so enthusiastic to eat from my son’s hand that they accidentally nipped his fingers. Needless to say, he has been keeping his …
Since becoming a genitore (parent), my life has been turned on its head. Tempo libero has become a distant dream, and every day is a whirlwind of activities and responsibilities. Yet, despite the challenges, the joy and fulfilment I find in watching my little boy grow and thrive make every moment worthwhile. genitore parent Genitore …
When I first met my husband, he had a distinctive moustache and goatee, but since we had our son, he’s chosen to go clean-shaven. Honestly, I can’t say which look I prefer! In Italian, the word for moustache (or mustache) is the plural form of baffo, which is baffi. Baffo on its own refers to …
There are two possible interpretations for the adjective spiritoso (feminine: spiritosa, plural: spiritosi / spiritose) in Italian. spiritoso On one hand, it characterises a witty, clever, or funny person, or something, such as a joke (battuta) or response (risposta), that is witty or entertaining. Daniele fa sempre battute spiritose. Daniele always makes witty jokes. On …