ITALIAN

Rachel: Hai bisogno di qualcosa dal supermercato?

Carlotta: No, no, dai, non ti preoccupare.

Rachel: Macché! Tanto, oggi vado al supermercato comunque.

Have you ever heard an expression like the one above that starts with “tanto?” You might already know that “tanto” means “a lot” but obviously in this case, that translation doesn’t make much sense. I hear all the time that this sentence structure is confusing! So what does “tanto” mean when used this way? It’s simple, so let me demystify it for you.

In this example, “tanto” is used a bit like, “really,” “anyways,” or “as” in English. So for example, in the previous dialogue, the conversation might have looked something like this:

ENGLISH

Rachel: Do you need something from the supermarket?

Carlotta: No, no, come on, don’t worry about it.

Rachel: Nonsense! Really, I was going to the supermarket today regardless.

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Other Examples of “Tanto”

1.) Non abbiamo fretta, tanto andiamo in macchina ci metteremo al massimo 5 minuti.

2.) Tanto anche se piangi non otterrai niente!

3.) Non ti preoccupare se si è rotto, tanto era un oggetto vecchissimo.

4.) Non importa quanto ti ha fatto arrabbiare, tanto appena ti chiama corri ai suoi piedi!

5.) Provaci tu, ma tanto non funziona.

6.) Ho provato a dirglielo in tutti i modi ma è inutile, tanto non vuole ascoltarmi!

7.) Perchè piangi? Tanto ormai il guaio è fatto!

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Using “tanto” like this is a very common expression, but at times it's difficult to translate for English speakers since the definition isn’t precise. However, thinking about it in terms of “anyways”, “as” or “really” in English can help you make sense of everyday conversations in Italy.

Another Way to Use Tanto

When the nouns of a sentence are the same, you use il comparativo di ugualianza, or the comparative of equality.

To do this, you can use a few different forms:

— (così)…come – This is used for adjectives and adverbs; così is in parenthesis because you don’t always have to add it.

— (tanto)…quanto – This is used for nouns or adverbs; tanto is in parenthesis because you don’t always have to add it.

Esempi

— La torta al cioccolato è (tanto) buona come la torta alla vaniglia. – The chocolate cake is as good as the vanilla cake.

— I ragazzi giocano (tanto) a calcio quanto a basket. – The kids play just as much soccer as they do basketball.

Special thanks to The Creative Impostor Studios for producing this show, to Patreon supporters for helping fund the show, and to the lovely Timarie Harrison for putting all of the pieces together. It takes a village.

DID YOU KNOW…?

We have a program called the Pronouns Challenge that helps you get better at using… you guessed it… pronouns in Italian. And beato/a te, you get 20% off just by being a listener of the podcast. To claim that discount, click here and enter the code ‘LISTENER’ at checkout.

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// SENTIRE

WordReference lists it as meaning:

— To taste

— To feel

— To hear

— To smell

And you might be confused because you know that “ascoltare” can mean “to hear / to listen,” too.

Verbs in Italian can have so many different meanings, so the entire goal of this article is to help you identify which ones you have to know in order to have fluid + enjoyable conversations in Italian.

Ways to Use the Verb “Sentire”

Here are examples and explanations for each of the definitions.

To taste

— Hai sentito? Io lo adoro!! – Did you taste it? I adore it!!

(The above line is a snippet from a dialogue at an olive oil tasting. Check it out here.)

— Fammi sentire quel cocktail. – Let me taste that cocktail.

What’s the difference between “sentire” and “assaggiare – to sample / to taste” in this sense? There’s no difference! They’re perfect synonyms. YAY for simplicity.

To feel

— Hai sentito quel terremoto ieri mattina? – Did you feel the earthquake yesterday morning?

— Sento la mancanza dell’Italia.* – I miss Italy.

— Sento caldo. – I feel hot.

— Faceva così freddo che non sentivo più la faccia. – It was so cold that I couldn’t feel my face anymore.

— Senti la morbidezza di questa maglia. – Feel how soft this shirt is.

If you’re wondering how to say the “I feel…” like “I feel sick,” then you want to use “sentirsi,” which is a reflexive verb. You can learn more about reflexive verbs here.

*An easier way to say this would be “Mi manca l’Italia,” using the verb “mancare,” but I wrote it that way just to show that it’s possible.

To hear

— Hai sentito quel rumore? – Did you hear that noise?

— Ho sentito dire  che Bologna è una città fantastica. – I heard that Bologna is a fantastic city.

— Prontooooo?! Mi senti? – Helllloooo?! Can you hear me?

— È una buona idea sentire l’avvocato. – It’s a good idea to consult / listen to a lawyer.

What’s the difference between “sentire” and “ascoltare – to listen / to hear” in this sense?

When you’re saying something like “Senti, volevo dirti una cosa – Listen, I wanted to tell you something,” you can use “ascoltare” instead. However, “sentire” is more commonly used these days.

Also, “ascoltare” is used more often to talk about giving attention to something, like “ascoltare la musica – to listen to music” or “ascoltare ad un discorso – to listen to a conversation / argument.”

Common phrases

— Ci sentiamo presto. – We’ll hear from each other soon.

— Senti (informal) / senta (formal)… – Listen…

To smell

— Senti quest’ odore? È la pizza più buona della città. – Do you smell this  (scent)? It’s the best pizza in the city.

— Dopo che ho sentito quel profumo, l’ho comprato immediatamente. Si Sente l’odore del miele! – After I smelled that perfume, I bought it right away. It smells like honey!

// TROVARE

While the verb “trovare” is often taught as “to find,” don’t let that one-shade definition fool you. Just like in English, the verbs in Italian do more than one job. (Aren’t we so lucky?)

I’ve talked before about how many nuances verbs like “perdere – to lose,” “mancare – to miss,” and “fare – to do / to make” have. Now I want to tackle “trovare,” because I think it adds a more conversational tone when you can use it just like Italians do.

So, here are 3 ways to use “trovare” in Italian.

How to Use “Trovare” in Italian

1) Come hai trovato Bologna? – What’d you think of Bologna?

And if I were being asked that question, I would answer: L’ho trovata bellissima! – I thought it was beautiful.

CPF: “Trovato” ends in an -a, instead of an -o, because all cities are considered feminine in Italian. Take that, patriarchy.

Other examples:

— Come trovi il corso d’italiano? – What do you think of your Italian course?

— Lo trovo molto molto moltooooo difficile… però mi piace. – I’m finding it really really reallyyyyy difficult… but I like it.

— Trovo che Maria sia una persona davvero educata. – I think Maria is really a good-mannered person.

Include usbjunctive mood article

2) Fatti trovare pronto. – Make sure you’re ready (to go).

Here I’m using the phrase “farsi trovare,” which can be defined here as a more demanding version of “to be.”

Other examples:

— Fatti trovare là alle sette. – Be there at 7.

— Giulia e la sua amica si faranno trovare pronte per le sette. – Giulia and her friend will be ready at 7 pm.

— Puoi darmi dei consigli per farmi trovare più facilmente sui social network? – Can you give me some advice to make people search more easily for my page on social networks?

— Ti farò trovare una cenetta deliziosa al tuo rientro! – I’m going to prepare for you a delicious dinner by the time you’ll be home.

3) Vado a trovare mio nonno. – I’m going to visit my grandfather.

In this situation, “trovare” is meant as “to visit.” Unlike in English, Italians wouldn’t use the verb “visitare – to visit” to talk about people. They only use it when talking about places, like “Ho visitato il duomo a Firenze! – I visited the Duomo in Florence!”

Special thanks to The Creative Impostor Studios for producing this show, to Patreon supporters for helping fund the show, and to the lovely Timarie Harrison for putting all of the pieces together. It takes a village.

LINKS I MENTIONED:

• The Present Subjunctive Mood in Italian (or the tense that even Italians are confused about)

• Baby: Netflix

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In Italian, a pronominal verb is basically a verb mixed with pronouns.

Pronominal verbs look similar to verbs you already know, making it a little bit easier to take a guess at their meaning.

We’re all familiar with the Italian verb ‘andare,’ meaning ‘to go’.

The pronominal verb that looks similar to andare is andarsene.

You can guess by how it looks that andarsene probably has something to do with going somewhere.

Andarsene means ‘to go away somewhere’.

Pronominal verbs often end in –sene.

The ‘se’ is actually the pronoun ‘si,’ but it changes to ‘se’ because it is preceding another pronoun.

The pronoun it is preceding in this case is ‘ne,’ which is called a pronominal particle. The ‘ne’ often refers to something or somewhere. In the case of andarsene, it relates to somewhere.

Here are some other pronominal verbs that end in –sene:

– pentirsene – to regret something

– fregarsene – to not care (only used colloquially) about something

 

Besides –sene, pronominal verbs can have other endings too.

They can end in –sela, -sele, -cisi and –ci, just to name a few.

The common thread is that they are all combinations of verbs and pronouns.

Here are a few other pronominal verbs before we get into how to conjugating them.

– volerci – to take (as in time, effort, etc.)

– cavarsela – to manage, to get by

– avercela – be angry or upset by someone

-- entrarci - to have to do with

 

Where do all the pieces go?

Visit http://icebergproject.co/italian for full show notes for this episode and additional resources.

Special thanks to The Creative Impostor Studios for producing this show. Special ad music by 4barrelcarb on freesound.org.

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DID YOU KNOW…?

When you become a supporter of the podcast for a remaining 2-month commitment, you’ll get exclusive audio recordings and transcripts from a native Italian speaker, just like the snippet with Beatrice included at the end of this episode!

To become a supporter of the podcast and get Patreon-exclusive bonuses, click here.

Not Your Typical Tourist Retreat: Language Immersion in Tuscany

To learn more about our 2019 retreat to Tuscany, visit: http://icebergproject.com/italian/

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What do you say when you freeze and forget how to speak Italian? Don't worry -- it happens! Here are some useful phrases to try.

For more resources visit: http://iceberg.co/italian

Special thanks to The Creative Impostor Studios for producing this show, to Patreon supporters for helping fund the show, and to the lovely Timarie Harrison for putting all of the pieces together. It takes a village.

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Much like in the US, you can buy cheese at the deli counter. Near the deli there is usually some already pre-packaged and pre-weighed cheeses for you to browse as well.

Personally, I like my cheese fresh cut, so I recommend going to the deli versus buying it pre-packaged.

Alternatively you can get cheese from a caseificio, which is a shop that specializes in dairy products. These shops are usually close to the farm where the sheep / cows are bred.

— Vorrei… – I would like…

Parmigiano Reggiano 24 mesi (DOP): This is the good stuff. You can grate it or eat it; it’s good on or with just about every primo or secondo.

— Poi? – Anything else?

Hint: Rachel prefers 24 months to 12 months aged… the 24 months aging time makes it not too hard, and not too soft, but you can find both younger and older. Carlotta says that the 36 months is the best but to be prepared for a veeeery high cost!

— Basta. – That’s enough.

Pecorino (Romano, Toscano, Sardo) DOP: Pecorino is a sheep’s milk cheese. I prefer the Sardo version slightly more (to me it tastes more earthy), but they are all delicious. You can find fresh pecorino, aged, or super aged pecorino cheeses. Obviously the more it’s aged the “stinkier” it gets, meaning it has a bolder and less milky flavor.

— Fetta – Slice

— Fettina – Thin slice

Ricotta: Want to know my secret to buying a good ricotta? Goat’s milk ricotta over cow’s milk ricotta, all day every day. The goat’s milk ricotta is sweeter and so delicious. I love an afternoon snack of ricotta on toast drizzled with oil and salt. Mmmm.

— Un etto – 1/10th of a kilo, aka 100 grams. 1kg =2.2 lb so 1/10 of 2.2 is just barely under ¼ lb

— Due / tre etti – Plural of etto, for more than 100 grams

— Grammi – Grams, you can also order in grams instead of saying etti

-- Buongiorno! Oggi vorrei tre etti di pecorino. – Good morning! Today I would like 300 grams of pecorino.

Burrata: Burrata is essentially mozzarella, but a softer, milkier, buttery version. It’s great to be eaten when you want even more mozzarella flavor and texture.

-- Bene allora, ma che tipo di pecorino? Abbiamo pecorino sardo o toscano. – OK, that’s’ fine but what type of pecorino? We have pecorino from Sardinia and Tuscany.

Stracchino: This is a type of cow’s milk cheese that is delicious and gooey and so good as an appetizer with prosciutto crudo. It’s a fresh cheese, no rind, and sometimes known as “crescenza.”

-- Ohhh quello Sardo di certo! – Oooo, the Sardinian one of course!

Stracciatella: I would be a bad Pugliese girl if I didn’t mention this cheese! A cow’s milk cheese, similar again to mozzarella, it is produced by stretching and pulling. Delicious with an antipasto or some fresh tomatoes and olives!

-- Un mezzo kilo per favore. — Half a kilo, please!

Ricotta salata: Salted ricotta is AMAZING. Not everyone has tried it, and it’s definitely not a cheese you eat by the slice (too salty to eat alone) but grated on top of pasta in place of parm, or served in small cubes baked into a pasta dish, it’s truly fantastic.

OK, quanto ne vuoi? – How much do you want?

When the deli worker is done, he will usually say, “poi?” (or “altro?” or “vuole dell’altro?”) meaning, “anything else?”

I continue this way, asking about or ordering just one or two items at a time, until I am done and I give a hearty, “basta, grazie” or “that’s enough, thanks”.

OTHERS

• Una vera eccellenza del nostro territorio! Consigliatissimo per le mozzarelle !
• Ricette - http://www.caseificiomaremmaintuscia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=16&Itemid=250

CPF >> Wondering what DOP means? Denominazione di Origine Protetta or Protected Designation of Origin, which means it was produced according to super strict standards. This label is definitely something you want to look for when buying a cheese like parmigiano.

For more resources visit: http://iceberg.co/italian

Special thanks to The Creative Impostor Studios for producing this show, to Patreon supporters for helping fund the show, and to the lovely Timarie Harrison for putting all of the pieces together. It takes a village.

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I don’t know why, but I love the word “altrimenti”. It might be the way it rolls off the tongue or the elegant way it connects phrases together, but I’m off on a language-nerd tangent now.

The point is that today we are learning how to use the word “altrimenti” in Italian.

(Seriously, say it loud now. Shivers. Kind of like “la schiuma del cappuccino”.)

“Altrimenti” can be defined as:

• Otherwise
• Or else
• If not

Here are some examples to give you an idea of how you can use it:

Non lavorare troppo, altrimenti ti esaurisci/viene un esaurimento. - Don’t work too hard, otherwise you’ll burn out.

Se pensi altrimenti, dimmi. - If you think otherwise, tell me.

A: Perché hai imparato l’Italiano al liceo? - Why did you learn Italian in high school?

B: Perché altrimenti avrei dovuto imparare lo spagnolo e già riuscivo a parlarlo. - Because otherwise I would have had to learn Spanish and I already spoke it.

Devo imparare il mandarino, altrimenti non riuscirò a comunicare con la mia famiglia quando starò a Taiwan. - I have to learn Mandarin, otherwise I won’t be able to communicate with my family when I’m in Taiwan.

Lo so che non è una buona idea, ma non posso fare altrimenti. - I know that it’s not a good idea, but I can’t do otherwise/have no other choice.

Non posso fare altrimenti! - I cannot do otherwise!

Sinomino:

• Sennò/Se no - If not; This is used more often in spoken Italian and can only be substituted with “altrimenti” to mean “if not” or “or else”.
• Altrimenti detto - Also known as
• Fare altrimenti - To do otherwise

 

For more resources visit: http://iceberg.co/italian 

Special thanks to The Creative Impostor Studios for producing this show, to Patreon supporters for helping fund the show, and to the lovely Timarie Harrison for putting all of the pieces together. It takes a village.

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In episode 208 of the 30 Minute Italian Podcast, Rachel and I talk about what Christmas holiday is coming up in Florence and the reality of being a foreigner - an American - in Italy.

We answer questions like - What’s it like to...

• Pay bills in Italy?
• Be far away from friends in Italy?
• Make Italian friends?
• Buy a house in Italy?

Vocabulary Mentioned:

• L'Immacolata Concezione - Immaculate Conception
• Il vin brûlé - Mulled wine
• Mercatini di Natale - Christmas markets

Links Mentioned:

• 20 Ways to Make Your Holiday Season More Italian
• What It’s Like to Move Houses in Italy
• Managing Expectations in Italy
• Not Your Typical Tourist Retreat - June 2019

For more resources visit: http://iceberg.co/italian

Special thanks to The Creative Impostor Studios for producing this show, to Patreon supporters for helping fund the show, and to the lovely Timarie Harrison for putting all of the pieces together. It takes a village.

---

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If you like the podcast, I would appreciate it a TON if you left a review. You can hit a star rating in your Podcasts app on your iPhone or go to the iTunes store and click Leave a Review on the show page.

1 ) Mamma mia, questa (schiacciata) è puro piacere!!! - My goodness, this (schiacciata) is pure pleasure!!!

2) Giulia: Sentirai che bontà… - You’ll see how good it is!

You: Olio nuovo? Non l’ho mai sentito dire… – New oil? I’ve never tried it/heard of it.

3) Adoro il sapore dell’olio appena spremuto, mi ricorda l’infanz ia! – I love the freshly pressed oil taste, it reminds me of childhood!

4)  Mmm…è buono. – Mmm…it’s good.

5) La tua cucina è davvero buona. – Your cooking is really good.

6) Cucini davvero bene. – You cook really good.

7) È buonissimo.

EH bwuon-EES-see-moh

It’s so good!

• ‘buono’ is an adjective (aggettivo) which says something about a noun;
• ‘bene’ is an adverb (avverbio) which says something about a verb. Both ‘avverbio’ and ‘adverb’ come from the Latin ‘adverbium’ which literally means ‘in relation to the verb’.

Regina Coeli?

La torta - The cake -->  È buonissima!

Il sushi - The sushi --> È buonissimo!

I frutti di mare - The seafood --> Sono buonissimi!

Le lasagne - The lasagna --> Sono buonissime!

-- Ho mangiato bene.

-- Si mangia davvero bene.

8) È squisito.

EH sqwee-ZEE-toh

It’s exquisite!

9) È assolutamente da provare.

Il risotto è assolutamente da provare

Quel piatto…

10) Tutto perfetto / tutto ottimo

Ottimo per una cena romantica

Ottimo per una cena fra amici

 

TWO BONUS PHRASES -

Parla come mangi. - Speak like you at. Keep it simple.

Bevilo tutto - L’acqua fa male e il vino fa cantare*

https://www.lacucinaitaliana.it/

Antico vinaio - via de neri

*Hear the song on YouTube

 

 

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GRAZIE TO ALL PATREON SUPPORTERS INCLUDING...

Frank Dina

Hollie

Jarrad Hollins

Jean Rowe

Jennifer Eldridge

 

Additional resources at...

http://icebergproject.co/italian 

 

Like the podcast? Leave a review in Apple Podcasts!

If you like the podcast, I would appreciate it a TON if you left a review. You can hit a star rating in your Podcasts app on your iPhone or go to the iTunes store and click Leave a Review on the show page.

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I don’t know about you, but recently I have been feeling pretty filled to the brim with tasks to do, and that reminded me of all of the things I say in Italian to tell others that I have a lot on my plate.

I’m sure many of you are in the same boat, and so I thought I would share my favorite expressions with you.

1) Ho una miriade di cose da fare. - I have a lot of things to do.

2) Ho una marea di lavoro da svolgere. - I have a tide (a load) of work to carry out.

3) Ho un sacco di cose da fare. - I have a sack of things to do./I have a lot on my plate.

4) Sono impegnato/a - impegnatissimo/a. - I’m really busy.

5) Sono sommerso/a dal lavoro! - I’m overwhelmed by work!

6) Sono in ritardo! - I’m late!

7) Scusi, possiamo parlare dopo? Sono di fretta. - Sorry, can we chat later? I’m in a rush.

8) Vado di fretta. - I’m in a rush.

9) Il tempo è volato! Scusi, devo scappare o farò tardi! - The time flew by! Sorry, I gotta’ run or I’ll be late!

If you’re saying this to a friend, use “scusami - sorry” instead of the formal “scusi.”

10) Sto per perdere (il treno)! - I’m about to miss the train!

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GRAZIE TO ALL PATREON SUPPORTERS INCLUDING...

Elise Kausen

Fiona Geilinger

Ellen Lyons

Fran

Elizabeth Blood

Additional resources at...

http://icebergproject.co/italian 

Like the podcast? Leave a review in Apple Podcasts!

If you like the podcast, I would appreciate it a TON if you left a review. You can hit a star rating in your Podcasts app on your iPhone or go to the iTunes store and click Leave a Review on the show page.

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If I had to choose a few words that I’m asked about all the time in Italian, ones like “proprio” and “magari” would surely be up there, but the one I hear about being difficult constantly is “mica”.

In fact, it’s such a difficult word that I was still fuzzy on how to use it as I wrote this lesson. I had to get lots of help from our lovely in-house native Italian editor, Carlotta.

Despite that, we’ve done our best to drill “mica” -- a word that’s used informally in everyday spoken conversation -- down to its simplest usages.

Buono studio!

Definitions:

• Not at all/not one bit
• Surely
• Not even
• Not in the least
• By any chance

Overall, know that it's used in order to strengthen the negative meaning of a sentence.

POPULAR EXPRESSION #1: Mica Male

“Mica male” can best be translated as “not bad”, as in:

• Questo gelato non è mica male! - This gelato is not bad at all! (in the sense of, “this gelato is quite good”.)
• Mica male quella ragazza! - Look at that girl, not bad, right?
• Mica male questo libro. - This book isn't bad at all.

POPULAR EXPRESSION #2: Mica tanto

“Mica tanto” can best be used to mean “not really” or “not much”.

A: Ti è piaciuto il film “Superman vs. Batman”? - Did you like the movie “Superman vs. Batman”?

B: Mica tanto! - Not really!

Mica costano poi (così) tanto/Non costano mica tanto, prendile! - They are not that expensive after all./ They are not that expensive, go and get them!

DEFINITION: Not at all/not one bit

• Non sembri mica interessato/a. - You don’t seem interested at all.
• Non è mica vero. - It’s not true at all!
• Non ha mica capito. - He didn’t understand at all.

DEFINITION: By chance/happen to

• Hai mica visto la mia borsa? - Have you by chance seen my purse?
• Hai mica una penna? - Do you happen to have a pen?
• Non sai mica dov’è? / Mica sai dov’è? - You don't happen to know where he is, do you?
• Non sei mica la sorellina di Giulia?/Mica sei la sorellina di Giulia? - You wouldn’t happen to be Giulia’s little sister?

DEFINITION: Surely

• Non glielo dico mica, stai tranquilla! - I’m surely not going to tell him, don’t worry!
• Se lui è là, io mica vado alla festa. - If he is there, I am surely not going to the party.

DEFINITION: It’s not like...

• Mica ci vuole un'ora per bere una tazza di caffè. - It's not like it takes an hour to drink a cup of coffee.
• Mica sono scemo! - It’s not like I’m stupid.

Non sono mica nato/a ieri! - It’s not like I was born yesterday!

 

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Access special features like Cher's favorite, Long-Term Learning. With Quizlet Plus, you'll also have offline access for studying Italian on the go; Night Theme, for studying late at night; enhanced audio, so you can record yourself speaking Italian; and more.

 

Additional resources at...

http://icebergproject.co/italian

 

Like the podcast? Leave a review in Apple Podcasts!

If you like the podcast, I would appreciate it a TON if you left a review. You can hit a star rating in your Podcasts app on your iPhone or go to the iTunes store and click Leave a Review on the show page.

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Rachel and I talk about what others have been talking about from the news a lot in Italy, what holiday just passed in Florence, and what it's like to be pregnant in Italy.

We answer questions like 'What's the difference in Italy and America between':

• Maternity leave?
• Preferential treatment?
• Doctor's appointments?
• Parties/planned events?
• Gifts?

Vocabulary Mentioned:

• Fare il ponte - Make a long weekend (Literally: Make a bridge)
• • Ho fatto il ponte. - I made a long weekend with the holiday.
• L'ecografia - Sonogram
• La portafortuna - A good luck charm in reference to the first nightie the baby will wear usually made of silk/cotton.

Links Mentioned:

• What Is Il Giorni dei Morti in Italia (and Why Is It Important?)
• How Rachel Made Her Dream of Living in Florence a Reality
• Tutti i meme del compleanno di Fedez al supermercato

 

Resources & more at...

http://icebergproject.co/italian

 

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We snaked our way through the streets of Florence as we made our way to il mercato di Sant'Ambrogio. I turned toward Mary, “Com’è andata la tua lezione? - How’d your lesson go?”

She responded, raising her voice slightly so I could hear her above the clamor, “È andata benissimo, Beatrice è un’insegnante fantastica. - It went well, Beatrice is a fantastic teacher.”

These natural walking conversations had become such an integral part of the immersion retreat experience that Rachel & I decided to build more structure around them so students could get more of out of them.

Now, every participant who comes on the trip receives a situation-specific workbook that gives them phrases and vocabulary to study before coming on the trip to help them prepare for these spontaneous conversations.

I thought it might be cool to give you all a sample of what’s included in this workbook, too. :) Below you’ll see vocabulary and phrases for talking about Italian lessons.

And if you’re interested in coming on one of our trips, read more details and apply for one of the six spots here.

How to Talk About Your Lessons:

Verbs

-- Dovere - To have to / must
-- Imparare - To learn
-- Insegnare - To teach
-- Sentire - To listen / to hear
-- Dire - To tell / to say
-- Dimenticare - To forget
-- Migliorare - To improve
-- Consigliare / Suggerire - To suggest / advise
-- Fare errori - To make mistakes
-- Sbagliare - To be wrong
-- Ripassare - To review

Vocabulary

-- L’imperfetto - Imperfect tense
-- Il passato prossimo - Past tense
-- Il congiuntivo - Subjunctive mood
-- Il condizionale - Conditional tense
-- Le preposizioni - Prepositions
-- I pronomi - Pronouns
-- Test di ascolto - Listening test
-- I compiti - Homework

Phrases

-- Cos’ hai imparato oggi? - What did you learn today?
-- Abbiamo fatto pratica con il congiuntivo. - We practiced using the subjunctive mood.
-- Hai finito i tuoi compiti? - Did you finish your homework?
-- Beatrice mi ha detto che devo esercitarmi con l’imperfetto. - Beatrice told me that I need to practice using the imperfect tense.
-- Roberta mi ha consigliato di ascoltare dei podcast in Italiano. - Roberta suggested that I listen to some podcasts in Italian.
-- Ho continuato a dimenticare come usare correttamente il passato prossimo. - I kept forgetting how to use the past tense!
-- Continuo a sbagliare / continuo a fare errori il congiuntivo. - I kept making mistakes with the subjunctive mood!
-- Abbiamo ripassato le preposizioni semplici. - We reviewed simple prepositions.
-- Devo imparare più vocaboli per descrivere il mio lavoro. - I need to learn more vocabulary around (my job).
-- Devo migliorare l’ascolto. - I need to improve my listening skills.
-- Roberta era fantastica! Mi piace tantissimo il suo metodo di insegnamento. - Roberta was fantastic! I really like the way she teaches.
-- Beatrice mi ha aiutato tantissimo. - Beatrice was really helpful.

Sample Conversation

Cher: Che cosa hai imparato oggi? - What did you learn today?

Mary: Abbiamo ripassato l’imperfetto e il passato prossimo. - We reviewed the imperfect and the past tense.

Cher: È difficilissimo! Faccio ancora degli errori… uso spesso l’imperfetto quando dovrei usare il passato prossimo. - It’s really difficult. I still make mistakes… I often use the imperfect when I should use the past tense.

Mary: Anche io!! - Me too!!

Cher: Ma ora la differenza è più chiara? - But is the difference clear now?

Mary: Sì, però penso che io abbia bisogno di più pratica. - Yeah, but I think I need more practice.

Cher: Piano, piano. Hai dei compiti? - Slowly you’ll get it. Do you have homework?

Mary: Sì, Beatrice mi ha dato un test di ascolto. Lei vuole capire meglio il mio livello. - Yes, Beatrice gave me a listening test. She wants to understand better what level I’m at.

Cher: Ahh, interessante! - Ah, interesting!

EXERCISE: FILL-IN-THE-BLANK

1) Cos’ hai ___________ oggi? - What did you learn today?

2) Abbiamo ___________ pratica con il congiuntivo. - We practiced using the subjunctive mood.

3) Hai finito i tuoi ___________? - Did you finish your homework?

4) Beatrice mi ha detto che devo ___________ con l’imperfetto. - Beatrice told me that I need to practice using the imperfect tense.

5) Roberta mi ha ___________ di ascoltare dei podcast in Italiano. - Roberta suggested that I listen to some podcasts in Italian.

6) Ho ___________ a dimenticare come usare correttamente il passato prossimo. - I kept forgetting how to use the past tense!

7) Continuo a sbagliare / continuo a fare ___________ il congiuntivo. - I kept making mistakes with the subjunctive mood!

8) Abbiamo ___________ le preposizioni semplici. - We reviewed simple prepositions.

9) Devo imparare più ___________ per descrivere il mio lavoro. - I need to learn more vocabulary around (my job).

10) ___________ migliorare l’ascolto. - I need to improve my listening skills.

11) Roberta era fantastica! Mi piace tantissimo il suo ___________ di insegnamento. - Roberta was fantastic! I really like the way she teaches.

12) Beatrice mi ha ___________ tantissimo. - Beatrice was really helpful

To download this worksheet in PDF, click here.

 

Resources & more at...

http://icebergproject.co/italian

 

Like the podcast? Leave a review in Apple Podcasts!

If you like the podcast, I would appreciate it a TON if you left a review. You can hit a star rating in your Podcasts app on your iPhone or go to the iTunes store and click Leave a Review on the show page.

 

“Where are you from? - Di dove sei?”

It has to be one of the top ten most frequently asked questions when you meet somebody while abroad in Italy.

And while you could just simply say, “Colorado” or “Gli Stati Uniti” and end the conversation, what else could you say to describe where you’re from AND get more language practice in?

Let’s pretend that someone asks me, “Com’è Coeur d’Alene? - What is Coeur d’Alene like?”

I might say: La città è bellissima! È una destinazione turistica e molte persone famose vivono qua durante l’estate. Abbiamo una lago… che si chiama il lago Coeur d’Alene...  hahah… molto creativo / fantasioso come nome, lo so. E poi, che altro? È molto verde, una cosa fantastica perché io sono ossessionata dagli alberi. Oh e ci sono molti sentieri per fare trekking. Vivere là durante l’inverno non è facile, però a me non importa tantissimo. - it’s a beautiful city! It’s a tourist destination and lots of famous people live here during the summer. We have a lake that’s called Lake Coeur d’Alene… ahaha… a really creative name, I know. And then, what else is there? It’s really green, which is great for me because I’m obsessed with trees. Oh and there are lots of hiking trails. Living there during the winter isn’t easy but I don’t mind very much.

I would say a lot because I LOVE where I live, haha.

But, enough about me, the real question is about what YOU would say, and while I can’t give you all of the vocabulary words you might need, I’ll do my best.

Useful Phrases

È vicino (allo stato di Washington) e (Oregon). - It’s near (Washington state) and (Oregon).

È nel (nord-ovest). - It’s in the northwest.

...l’ovest - west

...il sud - south

...l’est - east

...mid-ovest - midwest

-- Devi fare un giro durante... - You should visit during...

….l’estate - summer

...la primavera - spring

...l’autunno - autumn

….l’inverno - winter

-- È molto… - It’s really...

... verde - green

… secco - dry

… noioso - boring

... piccolo - small

...particolare - peculiar / interesting

-- È un paesino. - It’s a tiny town.

-- È una città grande. - It’s a big city.

-- Non mi trasferirei  mai. - I would never move.

-- Voglio trasferirmi! - I want to move.

-- Non c’è niente da fare. - There’s nothing to do.

-- Ci sono molte cose da fare! - There are so many things to do.

-- In generale, la gente ha una mentalità ... - In general, the people have a …. mentality

...chiusa - closed

...aperta - open

-- La mia cosa preferita (nella mia città) da fare è andare in spiaggia. - My favorite thing to do in my city is go to the beach.

-- Abbiamo una gelateria BUONISSIMA. Devi per forza assaggiare il gusto al / di mirtillo. - We have a REALLY DELICIOUS ice cream shop. You have got to try the huckleberry flavor.

-- In questa stagione tutti vanno  in montagna per sciare. - In this season everyone goes to the mountains to ski.

-- Il posto migliore per ….è… - The best place to…. Is…

E.g. il posto migliore per fare trekking è il Glacier National Park. - The best place to go hiking is Glacier National Park.

-- Si mangia davvero bene a Beverly’s. - You’ll eat really well at Beverly’s.

Hopefully those phrases help keep your conversation going and give you plenty to work with so you can describe where you live. :)

Get resources & learn more at...

http://icebergproject.co/italian

 

Like the podcast? Leave a review in Apple Podcasts!

If you like the podcast, I would appreciate it a TON if you left a review. You can hit a star rating in your Podcasts app on your iPhone or go to the iTunes store and click Leave a Review on the show page.

 

14 Ways to Say Thank You

 

1) Grazie. - Thank you.

2) Ti ringrazio (informal) /La ringrazio (formal). - Thank you.

• I miei ringraziamenti - All my gratitude
• Porgo i miei più sinceri ringraziamenti.- I offer you my sincerest thanks.

3) Grazie mille / mille grazie. - Thanks a million.

4) Grazie tante. - Thanks a lot.

5) Molte grazie. - Many thanks.

6) Grazie di tutto. - Thanks for everything.

7.) Lo apprezzo tanto. - I really appreciate it.

8) Grazie di cuore. - Thanks from the heart.

9) Grazie dal più profondo del cuore. - Thanks from the depth of my heart.

10) Grazie infinite. - Infinite thanks.

11) Grazie di nuovo. - Thanks again.

12) Grazie ancora. - Thanks again.

13) Le/Ti sono grata/o. - I’m grateful to you.

14) Non ho parole per ringraziarti/ringraziarla. - I don’t have words to thank you.

 

5 Ways to Say You’re Welcome

 

1) E di che. - It was no big deal.

• Grazie per il cappuccino!
• E di che? 

2) Figurati - Don’t mention it.

• Grazie per avermi aiutato con questo compito difficile.
• Figurati.

3) Di Niente - It’s nothing.

4) Non c’è di che. - You’re welcome/Nothing.

5) Di nulla. - It’s nothing.

 

Get resources & learn more at...

http://icebergproject.co/italian

 

Like the podcast? Leave a review in Apple Podcasts!

If you like the podcast, I would appreciate it a TON if you left a review. You can hit a star rating in your Podcasts app on your iPhone or go to the iTunes store and click Leave a Review on the show page.