1 Parola del Giorno Words (1) (Checked Verified) Flashcards
Reclamo (nome maschile)
→ a complaint
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il reclamo”, which means “a complaint”.
a. Gli utenti che desiderano sporgere un reclamo possono farlo inviando un fax al seguente numero: 06 / 5555555.¹
→ Users who wish to lodge a complaint can do so by sending a fax to the following number: 06 / 5555555.
Schiumarola (nome femminile)
→ a skimmer
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun, “la schiumarola”, which means “a skimmer”.
A skimmer is a cooking utensil that is used to skim foam from a pot but is often used to lower items into a pan as you are about to boil or fry them.
a. Quando cucino le patatine fritte, uso sempre la schiumarola¹ per raccoglierle, di modo che l’olio in eccesso fuoriesca facilmente dai fori.
→ When I cook french fries, I always use the skimmer to collect them so that the excess oil escapes easily through the holes.
Capro espiatòrio
→ a scapegoat
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun, “il capro espiatòrio”, which means “scapegoat”.
What is a scapegoat?
A scapegoat is a person who often takes the blame for mistakes or faults, other for reasons of expediency.
a. Tante persone credono che Chelsea Manning sia un capro espiatorio dietro il quale si nasconda un problema più grande.
→ So many people believe that Chelsea Manning is a scapegoat behind which hides a much larger problem.
Vanèsio (aggettivo)
→ vain, conceited
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the adjective, “vanèsio”,¹ which means “vain” or “conceited”.
a. Romolo è un tipo piuttosto vanesio e vacuo. Pensa sempre a comprare vestiti alla moda che lo facciano apparire meglio e giudica gli altri usando solo criteri estetici. Vive immerso nell’apparenza.
→ Romolo is a rather vain and vacuous guy. He always thinks about buying fashionable clothes that make him look better and judges others using only aesthetic criteria. He is absorbed in his appearance.
1 The “è” indicates where the stress on the word is located.
Typically, the stress of Italian words falls on the penultimate syllable. However, there are a number of words that do not follow this pattern, like “vanèsio”.
Dare il cinque (espressione)
→ to give [someone] five
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression, “dare il cinque”, which means “to give [someone] five”.
a. Marco, dammi il cinque! Hai fatto un gol straordinario!
→ Marco, give me five! You scored an extraordinary goal!
Come ti permetti (permettersi) (espressione)
→ How dare you!
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “permettersi”, which has a variety of meanings.
For today’s post, this verb means “to dare”, as in “How dare you!”.
In Italian, this can be rendered with the expression “Come ti permetti”.
a. Hai preso tu i cinquanta euro dal mio salvadanaio?
Ho risparmiato molto per arrivare a quella cifra, come ti permetti?
→ You took fifty euro from my piggy bank? I saved a lot to get to that amount, how dare you?
Il cocco / la cocca del professore (o della professoressa)
→ teacher’s pet
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il cocco del professore”, which means “teacher’s pet”.
You can also say “la cocca del professore” as well, for female students.
If your “professore” is not a man, you can also use “profesoressa”.
So what is a teacher’s pet?
You know the type of student: the one who sits in front of the class, is always called on and enjoys being called on and enjoys helping the teacher out in class.
a. Tutti i colleghi di Marcello lo odiano perché in aula si siede sempre davanti al professore, interviene durante le lezioni e ha sempre una risposta pronta.
Secondo noi è il cocco del professore Argento.
→ All of Marcello’s classmates hate him because in class he always sits in front of teacher, participates during the lesson and always has a response ready.
In our opinion he is Professor Argento’s teacher’s pet.
Appioppare un nomignolo (a qualcuno)
→ to give s.o. a nickname
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “appioppare un nomignolo (a qualcuno)”, which means “to give a nickname (to someone)” or “to dub (someone)”.
a. A scuola, i compagni di mio fratello gli hanno appioppato il nomignolo di Mozart perché lui ama stare davanti al pianoforte quando gli altri ragazzi giocano a calcio.
→ At school, my brother’s classmates dubbed him “Mozart” because he loves to be at the piano when the other kids are playing soccer.
Solare (aggettivo)
→ sunny; radiant, cheerful
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the adjective “solare”, which can have different meanings depending on how it is used.
In one context, it can mean “sunny”, like when talking about the sun.
It can also be used to describe radiant/cheerful individuals.
See the adjective used below reflecting the second context:
a. Caterina è davvero una persona solare: quando c’è lei sono tutti di buonumore e l’atmosfera a lavoro è molto più rilassata.
→ Caterina is a really cheerful person: when she is here, everyone is in a good mood, and the atmosphere at work is much more relaxed.
Tenere in mente (espressione)
→ to keep in mind
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression “tenere in mente”, which means “to keep in mind”.
Note that “tenere” is irregular in the Present Tense in Italian: tengo, tieni, tiene… tengono.
The Past Participle is “tenuto”.
a. Quando farai l’esame di scuola guida, tieni a mente che non puoi fare molti errori o non passerai il test. Meglio che ti prepari come si deve!
→ When you take your driving school test, keep in mind that you can’t make a lot of errors or you won’t pass the test. It is best you prepare yourself properly!
Un pizzico di grammatica (‘A pinch of grammar’)
Remember that some “-ere” verbs have their stress in the stem of the Infinitive while others have it in the root of the Infinitive.
The phonetic stress is indicated in italics (unfortunately, this platform doesn’t allow for underlining).
The root of the Infinitive is “-ere” in this case.
The stem is the rest of the Infinitive.
“Leggere”, “credere”, and “chiudere” have their stress in the stem.
Others, like “tenere”, “cadere”, and “vedere”, have it in the Infinitive’s ending.
With “-ere” verbs, check an online or physical dictionary to find where the stress falls!
Crepacuore (nome maschile)
→ heartbreak, a broken heart
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il crepacuore”, which means “heartbreak” or “broken heart”.
a. Quando mia nonna è morta l’anno scorso, mio nonno è stato molto depresso e il suo medico aveva paura che morisse di crepacuore.
→ When my grandmother died last year, my grandfather was very depressed, and his doctor was afraid he might die of a broken heart.
Incrociare il cammino (espressione)
→ to cross paths
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression “incrociare il cammino”, which means “to cross paths”.
“Un cammino” is “a path”.
a. Sono proprio contento di averti conosciuto, anche se per pochi mesi. Spero di incrociare di nuovo il tuo cammino in futuro, rimaniamo in contatto!
→ I am really happy to have met you, even if for a few months. I hope our paths cross in the future, let’s stay in touch
L’amaca (nome maschile)
→ hammock
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “l’amaca”, which means “hammock” (watch the accent - it is on the second (or middle ‘a’) ‘a’ not the first).
a. Ieri abbiamo montato un’amaca in giardino: che bello rilassarsi e dondolarsi d’estate quando il sole tramonta e non fa troppo caldo!
→ Yesterday we installed a hammock in the garden: how beautiful is it relaxing and rocking oneself during the summer when the sun sets and it is not too hot!
Rastrello (nome maschile)
→ a rake
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il rastrello”, which means “rake”.
A rake is a garden tool used to pull leaves, grass, small stones, or something on the ground that one wants to collect together.
When I used to teach English as a second language in Italy, students would often express frustration with the way that English ‘recycles’ words to have different meanings, like the word “rake”.
However, don’t confuse “il rastrello” with “il libertino”, which means “rake” or “philanderer”.
“Rake” is a noun (adjective = rakish) to describe men, who, according to the dictionary “[behave] without moral principles or a sense of responsibility, especially in sexual matters.”
a. Da giovani, io e mia sorella dovevamo aiutare nostro padre a raccogliere le foglie, io con il rastrello e mia sorella con la busta.
→ When we were kids, my sister and I used to have to help our dad collect the leaves, me with the rake and my sister with the bag.
Phrasal preposition (locuzioni prepositive)
Phrasal preposition (locuzioni prepositive)
Grammatica Centrale
Today, we share some word lists from our Piccola Guida on prepositions (you can find this list on p. 27 of the guide).
In Italian, there are three types of prepositions:
a. Articulated (articolata for which you can also have preposizioni analitica - tra i mezzi - and preposizioni sintetica - della casa)
b. Improper (improprie, which refers to adjective, adverbs, and nouns that function as prepositions)
c. Phrasal (locuzioni prepositive, which is the subject of today’s post…
Vestirsi a cipolla (espressione)
→ to dress in layers
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “vestirsi a cipolla”, which means “to dress in layers”.
This expression should be fairly obvious since onions are made up of layers.
One dresses in layers in order to keep warm in cold weather, and these layers can be removed as the temperature and weather changes!
Note the use of the reflexive verb “vestirsi”!
a. “Marco, Gianni, Aurelia! Non uscite così! Fa freddo e vostra madre insiste che vi vestiate a cipolla. Adesso piove ma più tardi potrebbe uscire il sole. Meglio essere preparati.”
→ “Marco, Gianni, Aurelia! Don’t go out that way! It’s cold out, and your mother insists you dress in layers. Now it is raining, but the sun might come out later. It’s better to be prepared!”
Pipistrello (nome maschile)
→ a bat
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il pipistrello”, which means “a bat”.
I don’t know about you, but having a bat in the house is the worst!
This noun comes from the Latin “vespertilio”;
the prefix “vesper–“ comes from the Latin meaning “sera” or “evening”.
Given that bats are acting at night, this comes as no surprise!
a. Marco ha paura dei pipistrelli da quando era un ragazzino. Dopo aver visto il film di Dracula, pensava che tutti i pipistrelli volessero bere il suo sangue!
→ Marco has been afraid of bats since he was a boy. After seeing the film “Dracula,” he thought all bats wants to drink his blood!
Il golpe / il colpo di stato (nome maschile, espressione)
→ a coup (d’etat)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il golpe”, which means “a coup (d’etat)”.
“Il golpe” is borrowed from Spanish, and you will often see the coup expressed with “il colpo di stato”.
a. Dopo il golpe in Turchia, molti funzionari pubblici di Ankara non possono più lasciare il proprio paese.
→ After the Turkish coup, many of Ankara’s public officials could no longer leave their homeland.
Vedersela brutta (verbo pronominale, pronominal verb)
→ to have a close shave,
to escape narrowly
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the Pronominal Verb “vedersela brutta”, which means “to have a close shave” or “to escape narrowly”.
Note the pronouns tacked on the end of the verb!
This is un verbo pronominale, and the pronouns change the nature and meaning of the original verb “vedere”.
Verbs such as “andarsene” and “farcela” also fall into this “family” of verbs.
a. Mario e Giacomo ci hanno raccontato dell’incidente di lunedì scorso quando una macchina all’improvviso ha tagliato loro la strada. Entrambi si sono rotti una gamba e se la sono proprio vista brutta: pensa che la macchina è stata completamente distrutta!
→ Mario and Giacomo told us about the car accident last Monday when a car suddenly cut them off. They both broke their legs, and they just narrowly escaped: imagine that the car was totally wrecked!
Tutto sommato (espressione)
→ all things considered;
all in all
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “tutto sommato”, which means “all things considered” or “all in all”.
a. Non dovresti trattare così male Sara; tutto sommato, quando ti è servito il suo aiuto, lei è sempre stata disponibile con te.
→ You must not treat Sara so badly; all things considered, when you needed her help, she has always been helpful to you.
Ripristinare (verbo transitivo)
→ to restore, to refresh
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “ripristinare”, which means “to restore” or “to refresh” when talking about computers and electronic devices.
You will also see this verb used when a train or metro line stops working and, after an hour or two or more, the service is restored.
a. Ieri un virus mi ha mandato in tilt il computer. Stamattina ho dovuto portarlo dal tecnico, il quale fortunatamente me lo ha ripristinato in meno di un’ora.
→ Yesterday, a virus broke my computer. This morning I had to bring it to the technician who luckily restored it for me in less than an hour.
Andare a genio (espressione)
→ to like; to appeal to
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “andare a genio”, which means “to like” or “to appeal to”.
It has an indirect construction - meaning, the thing that is being liked is the subject of the sentence while the person/people doing the liking are the indirect object (expressed with a + noun/proper noun or indirect object pronoun).
a. Ieri abbiamo conosciuto il nuovo ragazzo di Paola: a nessuno del gruppo è andato a genio, secondo noi è un ragazzo molto arrogante.
→ Yesterday, we met Paola’s new boyfriend: no one in the group liked him, we think he is a very arrogant guy.
Blaterare (di) (verbo intransitivo, aus. avere)
→ to blab, to blather (about something)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “blaterare (di)”, which means “to blab” or “to blather (about something)”.
Even though the verb is intransitive, it takes “avere” in compoud tenses.
The past participle is “blaterato”.
Note the placement of the stress in the present tense: blatero, blateri, blatera, etc.
a. Finiscila di blaterare! Se vuoi dire qualcosa, dilla in modo chiaro, cosicché possiamo capirti.
→ Stop blabbing! If you want to say something, say it clearly so we can understand you.
Lo sfollagente (nome maschile)
→ a baton
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “lo sfollagente”, which means “baton”.
The word literally means “people disperser” (from the verb “sfollare”, which means “to disperse”, and the noun “la gente”, which means people).
It is sometimes used by police to break up riots and fights.
In many countries, such as the UK, the police do not carry weapons by batons.
This noun is also invariable:
“lo sfollagente”, “gli sfollagente”.
a. In Inghilterra i poliziotti non portano con sé le pistole ma hanno lo sfollagente che usano per difendersi dai criminali.
→ In England police officers do not carry weapons on their person but have the baton that they use to defend themselves from criminals.
Abbaiare (verbo transitivo)
→ to bark
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “abbaiare”, which means “to bark” or “to yap”.
The verb can also be used when someone barks orders at you (abbaiare ordini), like a drill sergeant in the military or your boss at work!
It can also mean to bay as in the expression:
Abbaiare alla luna = to bay at the moon.
a. Il cane dei vicini ha abbaiato tutta la notte, così si sono accorti dei ladri che stavano entrando in casa.
→ The neighbour’s dog barked all night, so they noticed some thieves were coming in the house.
Calesse (nome maschile)
→ a carriage, a cart
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il calesse”, which means “a carriage” or “a cart” (like those drawn by horses).
a. Nel museo del Settecento che abbiamo visitato il mese scorso, c’era una mostra sui calessi che i nobili dell’epoca utilizzavano per spostarsi in città e in campagna. Alcuni erano talmente pieni di comfort da sembrare simili alle automobili di oggi!
→ In the museum dedicated to the 18th-century we visited last month, there was an exhibition on carriages nobles of the period used to use to move about the city or head out to the countryside. Some were so full of comforts that they seemed similar to today’s automobiles!
I voli pindarici (espressione)
→ flights of fancy
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun expression “i voli pindarici”, which means “flights of fancy”.
The expression is derived from the ancient Greek author, Pindar, whose poems changed often from one argument to the next!
a. A volte è davvero difficile seguire le lezioni del mio professore di storia: fa molti voli pindarici, parla prima della Antica Grecia e un secondo dopo parla di Napoleone. Confonde noi studenti
→ Sometimes it is really difficult to follow my professor’s lessons: he takes many flights of fancy, first he will talk about Ancient Greece and a second later will talk about Napoleon. He confuses us students.
Esserci un tempo da lupi (espressione)
→ There’s terrible/foul weather out
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “esserci un tempo da lupi”.
It is used with the verb “esserci (c’è)” and translates to “There’s terrible/foul weather out”.
a. Il fine settimana scorso c’era un tempo da lupi: nevicava e tirava un vento incredibile. Ho preferito non uscire e starmene a casa al caldo!
→ Last weekend there was terrible weather out: it was snowing, and the wind was blowing hard. I preferred not to go out and stayed home in the heat!
Sbafare (verbo transitivo)
→ to gobble up; to polish something off (food)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “sbafare”, which means “to gobble up” or “to polish something off”, with reference to food!
This verb is onomatopoeic; it has its roots in the sound one makes when gobbling up food.
a. Non so come faccia Claudio! È riuscito a sbafare la cena ai suoi colleghi di lavoro con la scusa che aveva lasciato il portafoglio a casa.
→ I don’t now how Claudio does it! He can gobble up his dinner at his coworker’s place with the excuse that he had left his wallet at home.
Lo zozzone (nome maschile)
→ a slob; a foul person
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “lo zozzone”, which means “a slob” or “a foul person”.
It can also be used to describe the moral qualities of a person and not just their cleanliness.
This noun comes from the Roman dialect; you might also hear the word “il sozzone” in other parts of Italy.
a. Quando ero piccolo e non mi volevo lavare le mani prima di mangiare, mia nonna mi diceva che ero uno zozzone e che le mani vanno sempre lavate.
→ When I was little and didn’t want to wash my hands before eating, my grandmother used to tell me that I was a slob and that my hands should always be washed.
Mettercela tutta (espressione, verbo transitivo)
→ to try one’s hardest;
to try hard
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “mettercela tutta”, which means “to try one’s hardest” or “to try hard”.
a. Andrea e Carla ce la misero tutta: si allenarono per dieci mesi intensamente e così riuscirono ad arrivare primi alla maratona.
→ Andrea and Carla tried their hardest: they trained intensely for ten months and thus were able to finish first in the marathon.
Gilda (nome femminile)
→ a guild
Today’s Parola del Giorno this week is the noun “la gilda”, which means “a guild”.
Guilds played an important part in the economic and artistic development of Florence and many other medieval towns throughout Europe.
Just look around the city and see all the wonderful works of art and sculpture that can be found on every corner. One of my favorite churches that demonstrates the power and patronage of the guilds is Orsanmichele.
a. Un po’ in tutta Europa, nel medioevo nacquero delle associazioni di lavoratori che avevano lo scopo di difendere i lavoratori stessi: in italiano, queste associazioni si chiamano gilde.
Una gilda molto importante a Firenze era quella dell’Arte della lana.
Forse non tutti sanno che le gilde fiorentine finanziarono molte opere d’arte che oggi abbelliscono la città.
→ All over Europe during the Middle Ages, associations of workers sprung up with the purpose of defending their workers: in Italian, these associations were called guilds.
A very important guild in Florence was the wool guild. Perhaps not everyone is aware that the Florentine guilds financed many works of art that beautify the city today.
Una rondine non fa primavera (espressione)
→ One swallow does not make a summer;
one swallow does not a summer make
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression: “Una rondine non fa primavera”.
This expression means “One swallow does not make a summer” (or “one swallow does not a summer make”).
It literally means one swallow does not make Spring.
It means that a single instance of something does not necessarily indicate a trend.
In other words, just because one good thing has happened, it doesn’t mean that other good things will necessarily follow.
a. Anche se hai fatto bene l’ultimo test, sappi che una rondine non fa primavera.
Per superare questo corso devi ancora studiare tanto!
→ Even if you did well on the last test, know that one swallow does not make a summer.
In order to pass this course, you still have to study a lot!
La conferenza stampa (nome femminile)
→ a press conference
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “la conferenza stampa”, which means “press conference”.
Politicians and candidates running for office regularly give press conferences during the election season.
As US politicians clamour over the debt ceiling, there have been frequent press conferences to update the public on efforts to stave off the default.
As the election season ramps up in the United States, there are bound to be daily and weekly press conferences from a variety of candidates:
a. La conferenza stampa del candidato alla presidenza era piena di sostenitori e giornalisti: tutti volevano fare una domanda al candidato, che è molto amato dalla gente.
→ The presidential candidate’s press conference was full of supporters and journalists: everyone wanted to ask the candidate, who is much loved by the people, a question.
Pareo (nome maschile)
→ a beach robe; a pareo
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il pareo”, which means “a beach robe” or “a pareo”.
It is a style of dress typical of Tahiti and the Cook Islands.
You will also see it worn Italy and in Western countries as a sort of robe that one might wear to cover a bathing suit while at the beach.
If you need an image to help you, you can find un pareo for sale on Amazon.
a. La ragazza uscì dall’acqua e andò verso l’ombrellone.
Si annodò il pareo trasparente intorno ai fianchi e andò a comprarsi un gelato, perché era troppo caldo quel giorno al mare.
→ The woman got out of the water and went towards the umbrella.
She tied the thin pareo around her hips and went to buy herself an ice cream, because it was too hot that day at the beach.
To’ (interjection, interiezione)
→ “here” (when you are giving something to someone);
“look” (when you are looking at something)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the interjection “to’ “, which means “here” (when you are giving something to someone) or “look” (when you are looking at something).
It is a truncation of the imperative command “togli” from the verb “togliere”.
This is very colloquial and pretty common.
a. To’, venti euro, esci e vai a cena con i tuoi amici!
→ Here, take 20 euro, head out and go to dinner with your friends!
Caricatore (nome maschile)
→ a charger
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il caricatore”, which means “charger” (coming from the verb “caricar, which means “to charge”).
It refers to any device that can charge a battery.
a. La batteria di questi smartphone non dura niente. Devo attaccare il telefono al caricatore almeno due volte al giorno se non voglio che la batteria si scarichi completamente!
→ This smartphone’s battery does not last at all. I have plug the phone into the charger at least two times a day if I don’t want to the battery to be completely drained.
These words below are a bit more specific and useful if you are shopping for these items while you are travelling.
“Il caricatore” is a general word for “charger”.
il cavo
→ charge cable
l’alimentatore
→ adapter
Darci dentro (espressione, pronominal verb)
→ to put one’s back into;
to work really hard at something
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the Pronominal Verb “darci dentro”, which means “to put one’s back into” - in other words, to work really hard at something.
a. Anna è una tipa molto determinata. Quando deve impegnarsi, ci dà sempre dentro fino a che non raggiunge il suo obiettivo. La ammiro molto!
→ Anna is a very motivated woman. When she commits herself, she always puts her back into it until she reaches her goal. I admire her a lot!
Forare (verbo transitivo)
→ to have a flat tire;
to have a puncture
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the transitive verb, “forare”, which means “to have a flat tire” or “to have a puncture”.
The past participle is “forato”. “Avere” is used in compound tenses.
a. Mentre andava in macchina a Firenze, Rebecca, la cui macchina è proprio un rottame, ha forato tre volte.
Presa dalla disperazione ha chiamato il meccanico che è giunto sul posto dopo ben due ore!
→ While driving to Florence, Rebecca, whose car is just a wreck, had a puncture three times.
Overcome with desperation, she called the mechanic who arrived on the scene after well over two hours!
Frequentare (verbo transitivo)
→ to date, to go out with;
to frequent or to go to (like a bar or restaurant)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the transitive verb “frequentare”, which can mean “to date” or “to go out with”.
It can also mean “to frequent” or “to go to”, like a bar or restaurant.
a. Marta e Mario si frequentano(1) da due mesi.
I genitori di Marta sperano che si sposino presto!
→ Marta and Mario have been dating for two months. Marta’s parents hope that they marry soon!
[1 Note the use of the reciprocal pronoun “si”, which is used to convey an action that two or more people do with/to each other.
This construction is common in Italian.]
Essere proprio fuori (di testa) (espressione)
→ to be crazy;
to be out of one’s mind
Today’s Parola del giorno is the expression, “essere proprio fuori (di testa)”, which means “to be crazy” or “to be out of one’s mind”.
This is more idiomatic way of calling someone “nuts” without literally meaning it.
It is often shortened (leaving out the “di testa” part), as in the context below:
a. Al mio amico piace essere lo streaker!
Gli ho detto: “Ascanio, sei proprio fuori!”
→ My friend likes to streak. I told him: “Ascanio, you are crazy!”
In grassetto (adjectival expression, espressione aggettivale)
→ in bold; in boldface
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the adjectival expression, “in grassetto”, which means “in bold” or “in boldface”.
You will often see this expression to describe text which has been emphasised by making it darker.
a. I titoli dei paragrafi della tesi vanno messi sempre in grassetto.
→ The titles of the thesis’ paragraphs should always be in bold.
Fare una cazzata (espressione)
→ to f*ck up
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression, “fare una cazzata”, which means “to f*ck up”.
You will hear this word a lot when someone is saying something foolish or inane, as seen below:
a. Oggi ho fatto una gran cazzata! Mi sono dimenticato le chiavi dentro casa e ho aspettato fuori la porta per più di due ore!
→ Today I f*cked up majorly! I forgot my keys inside the house and waited outside the door for more than two hours.
Tirare la cinghia (espressione)
→ to scrimp and save;
to tighten one’s belt
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression, “tirare la cìnghia”, which means “to scrimp and save” or “to tighten one’s belt”.
a. Devo comprare un sacco di regali per Natale ma quest’anno dovrò un po’ tirare la cinghia per poter rientrare nelle spese.
→ I have to buy a ton of presents for Christmas, but this year I will have to scrimp and save so I can recover my expenses.
Poltrona (nome femminile)
→ armchair; easy chair
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun, “la poltrona”, which can mean “armchair” or “easy chair”.
It can also be used to refer to a seat of power, such as those occupied by politicians.
In Italy, it is not uncommon for politicians to be described as wanting to keep their seats of power in government at the expense of voters.
a. Oggi sono stato all’Ikea e ho comprato una nuova poltrona di pelle nera: è molto confortevole.
→ Today, I was at Ikea and bought a new black leather armchair: it is very comfortable.
Lamentarsi (verbo riflessivo)
→ to complain
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb, “lamentarsi”, which means “to complain”.
Here are some usage notes on the verb:
1 Use the preposition “di” (or “per”) when you want to complain about something or someone.
2 Use the preposition “con” when you want to complain to someone.
a. La mia amica si lamenta tutto il giorno del suo ragazzo e dice che non lo sopporta più.
Si sfoga con me tutti i giorni però le ho detto che dovrebbe lamentarsi con lui, non con me.
→ My friend complains about her boyfriend all day, and she says she cannot stand him anymore. She pours her heart out to me every day, but I told her she should complain to him, not to me.
Più in là (espressione/locuzione avverbiale)
→ later on
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the adverbial expression, “più in là”, which means “later on”.
a. Marco, non posso aiutarti adesso! Forse più in là, quando non sono occupato, potrò farlo.
→ Marco, I can’t help you now! Perhaps later on, when I am not busy, I will be able to do it.
Pernottare (verbo intransitivo)
→ to spend the night
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the intransitive verb, “pernottare”, which means “to spend the night”.
The past participle is “pernottato”;
“avere” is used in compound tenses.
a. Mia moglie non vuole pernottare in questo albergo! Crede che sia un posto orribile e sporco, ma che cosa possiamo mai trovare adesso a mezzanotte!?! Che palle!
→ My wife doesn’t want to spend the night in this hotel! She thinks it’s a horrible and dirty place, but what can we ever find now at midnight!?! What a drag!
Urca! (exclamation, interjection; esclamazione, interiezzione)
→ Wow!; Gosh!
Besides reading, another way to learn new words and expressions is through conversation.
Today’s Parola del giorno is the interjection “Urca”, which means “Wow” or “Gosh”.
As many of you know, I went to a conference the other day in Nashville, Tennessee in the United States.
The conference took place at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Conference Center, an immense complex of gardens, waterfalls, waterparks and other attractions.
The resort I stayed at for my conference the other day
I shared the photograph with a friend in Italy, who replied:
“Urca! È come abitare in una serra!”
→ “Wow! It’s like living in a greenhouse!”
Montuoso (aggettivo)
→ mountainous
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the adjective, “montuoso”, which means “mountainous”.
a. Che bella la nostra vacanza in Tibet! Abbiamo visitato i bellissimi templi buddisti, che sono resi ancora più spettacolari dal paesaggio montuoso dell’Himalaya.
→ What a wonderful vacation in Tibet! We saw beautiful Buddhist temples that were made even more spectacular by the mountainous landscape of the Himalayas.
Lo scolapasta (nome maschile)
(or il colapasta)
→ a colander
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the invariable noun, “lo scolapasta” (or il colapasta), which means “colander”.
A colander is used to strain the water from the cooked pasta.
a. La madre di Mario si è lamentata perché suo figlio ha sprecato la pasta. Mario, infatti, essendo un po’ pigro, ha tentato di scolarla senza usare lo scolapasta e così la maggior parte della pasta è andata persa.
→ Mario’s mother complained because her son wasted the pasta. Sure enough Mario, being a bit lazy, tried to drain it without using the colander, and so the majority of the pasta went down the
Oggi come oggi (locuzione avverbiale)
→ nowadays; for the time being.
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the adverbial expression, “oggi come oggi”, which means “nowadays” or “for the time being”.
a. Oggi come oggi è molto difficile trovare un lavoro stabile che permetta di fare progetti per il futuro.
→ For the time being it is very difficult to find a stable job that allows for making plans for the future.
Girare un film (espressione / locuzione verbiale)
→ to shoot a film
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression, “girare un film”, which means “to shoot a film” and can be used to describe both the actions of the director and actors.
a. Nessun regista ha il permesso di girare un film nel Vaticano. Così molti sono costretti a recarsi in palazzi simili. Lo ha fatto anche Moretti in “Habemus Papam” e ha girato parte del film nel consolato francese a Roma.
→ No director has permission to shoot a film in the Vatican. So many are forced to go to similar buildings. Moretti also did it in “Habemus Papam”, and he film a part of the film in the French consolate in Rome.
The verb “girare” can also mean:
1 to turn something, such as:
a. Girare una chiava
→ to turn a key
2 to stir, such as:
b. Girare la salsa
→ to stir the sauce
3 to tour, such as:
c. Girare gli Stati Uniti
→ to tour the United States
Q
Andare a ruba (espressione)
→ to sell like hot cakes
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression, “andare a ruba”, which means “to sell like hot cakes”.
a. Quando il nuovo iPhone è uscito, è andato a ruba! Ho dovuto aspettare quasi un mese prima di ricevere il mio.
→ When the new iPhone came out, it sold like hot cakes! I had to wait almost a month before getting mine.
Macché (interiezione)
→ not in the least;
of course not
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the interjection (l’interiezione) “macché”, which means “not in the least” or “of course not”.
a. Allora, vi siete divertiti alla cena di ieri?
→ Did you have fun then at yesterday’s dinner?
Macché, è stata un disastro: b. Clara e Antonia hanno litigato e tutto il ristorante si è girato a guardarle, una figuraccia!
→ Not in the least, it was a disaster: Clara and Antonio argued, and the entire restaurant turned to watch them, what a spectacle!
Sgobbare (verbo transitivo)
→ to work hard;
to toil away
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “sgobbare”, which means “to work hard” or “to toil away”.
When referring to studying, it can mean “to cram” when referring to someone who is always hitting the books hard to prepare for an exam.
This verb is derived from the Italian noun “la gobba”, which means “hunchback” and alludes to the way that one might feel or be physically when toiling hard at a difficult job or task.
a. Questo nuovo lavoro è davvero duro: sgobbo dalla mattina alla sera per pochi soldi e in più devo anche subire le cattiverie dei colleghi. Non durerò molto.
→ This new job is really difficult: I work hard from morning to night for little money, and, more importantly, I also have to put up with my coworker’s nastiness. I will not last long.
Guazza (nome femminile)
→ heavy dew
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “la guazza”, which means “heavy dew”.
a. Questa mattina l’erba del prato era tutta coperta di guazza. Quando sono tornato a casa dopo la passeggiata, le mie scarpe erano tutte bagnate.
→ This morning the grass in the yard was all covered in dew. When I got home after my walk, my shoes were all wet.
Le fauci (nome femminile plurale)
→ jaws of an animal
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun, “le fauci”, which means “jaws of an animal”.
It is always used in the plural, and it is a feminine noun, too.
a. L’anno scorso in un safari in Kenya abbiamo visto una scena da documentario: un leone non vedeva l’ora di mangiarsi la sua preda, inseguendola con le fauci spalancate. Per fortuna la gazzella è riuscita a sfuggirgli con un balzo rapido e improvviso!
→ Last year on safari in Kenya we saw a documentary-like scene: a lion couldn’t wait to eat his prey, following it with its gaping jaws. Luckily, the gazelle was able to get away from it with a quick, sudden leap!
Far fare (qualcosa a qualcuno)
(espressione/locuzione verbale)
→ to have/to make someone do something.
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression “far fare”, which means “to have/to make someone do something”.
The use of “far fare” is one of the most useful expressions out there.
Everyone uses it, and you will see it used all over Italy in writing and in conversation.
a. Non ne posso più con i miei figli! Torno a casa e non hanno fatto niente. Come posso fargli sistemare la casa quando sono al lavoro?
→ I can’t bear it anymore with my children! I come home, and they have done nothing. How can I make them tidy up the house when I am at work?
Tirarsela (verbo pronominale)
→ to put on airs;
to show off
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the pronominal verb “tirarsela”, which means “to put on airs” or “to show off”.
a. Non capisco perché Luisa se la tiri così tanto. È una bella ragazza ma non è una super star. Se fosse un po’ più modesta guadagnerebbe in simpatia e allora piacerebbe davvero a tutti!
→ I don’t understand why Luisa puts on airs so much. She is a beautiful woman, but she is not a super star. If she were a bit more modest, she would garner more affection and then people would really like her.
A mezzanotte in punto (espressione)
→ on/at the stroke of midnight
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “a mezzanotte in punto”, which means “on/at the stroke of midnight”.
a. Ogni 31 dicembre, mio padre dice che rimarrà sveglio fino a mezzanotte ma a mezzanotte in punto lo troviamo a dormire!
→ Every December 31st my father says he will stay away until midnight, but at the stroke of midnight we find him sleeping!
Cartomante (nome maschile, femminile)
→ a fortune-teller
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il/la cartomante”, which means “a fortune-teller”.
Il cartomante lesse le carte a Chiara e le disse che l’aspettava un futuro pieno di soddisfazioni lavorative, ma le disse anche di stare attenta perché c’era il rischio che il suo fidanzato la stesse tradendo con un’altra donna.
→ The fortune-teller read Chiara’s cards and told her che she should expect a future full of work satisfaction but also told her to pay attention because there was the risk her boyfriend might be cheating on her with another woman.
Dio li fa e poi li accoppia (espressione)
→ Birds of a feather flock together
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “Dio li fa e poi li accoppia”, which means “Birds of a feather flock together”.
The expression literally means “God makes them and then pairs them up”.
a. Sara e Vittorio sono due persone molto arroganti e non chiedono mai scusa quando sbagliano.
Per questo stanno bene insieme. Mia nonna lo diceva sempre: “Dio li fa e poi li accoppia“.
→ Sara and Vittorio are two very arrogant people, and they never apologize when they are wrong. For this reason they are good together. My grandmother used to always say it: “Birds of a feather flock together.”
Non essere testa di serie (espressione)
→ to be unseeded (literally: to not be seeded)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “non essere testa di serie”, which means “to be unseeded” (literally: to not be seeded).
For most tournaments, you will have players who are seeded, unseeded players, and unseeded players who must go through qualifying.
Note that this expression can also be used as an adjective “non testa di serie”, which means “unseeded”.
a. Tutti sono rimasti sorpresi quando quel nuovo giocatore, nonostante non fosse una testa di serie, ha sconfitto lo scorso campione del torneo. Nessuno si aspettava una performance così straordinaria da parte di un giocatore non testa di serie!
→ Everyone was surprised when that new player, even though he was unseeded, defeated the last tournament champion. No one expected such an extraordinary performance by an unseeded player!
Non poterne più (di) (espressione)
→ to be fed up (with)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “non poterne più (di)”, which means “to be fed up (with)”.
Note the use of the pronoun “ne”!
It can be used on its own (Non ne posso più = I’ve had it!) or with the preposition “di” for more explanation about what exactly is bothering you (as in our example below).
a. Non ne posso più della tua maleducazione e arroganza! Questa è casa mia e ci sono delle regole: se ti cucini, poi devi anche pulire!
→ I am fed up with your rudeness and arrogance! This is my home, and there are some rules: if you cook, then you also have to clean!
Sussidio (nome maschile)
→ a grant, an allowance, a benefit
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il sussidio”, which means “a grant”, “an allowance” or “a benefit”.
a. Con questa nuova borsa di studio ho diritto ad un sussidio di 1.500 Euro. Non male!
→ With this new scholarship I am entitled to a grant of 1,500 euro. Not bad!
Fare tardi (espressione)
→ to be/stay out late
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression “fare tardi”, which means “to be/stay out late”.
Do not confuse “fare tardi” which “essere in ritardo”, which means “to be late”.
a. Oggi ho perso l’autobus perché ieri notte ho fatto tardi e sono tornato a casa alle 3. Stamattina non mi sono svegliato in tempo e sono arrivato in ufficio con un ritardo di due ore.
Il capo era abbastanza seccato. Spero che non mi licenzi!
→ Today I missed the bus because I stayed out late last night and got home at 3:00 AM. This morning I didn’t wake up on time and got to work 2 hours late.
My boss was quite annoyed. I hope he does not fire me!
Azzannare (verbo transitivo)
→ to bite
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “azzannare”, which means “to bite”.
a. Si trovano spesso cani randagi in giro per le città italiane.
State attenti - ho letto sul giornale che azzannanole persone che gli si avvicinano troppo!
→ Stray dogs are often found around Italian cities.
Be careful - I read in the paper that they bite people that get too close to them!
Fare + un periodo + che (espressione)
→ to be a period of time since + period of time
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “fare + un periodo di tempo + che”, which means “to be a period of time since + period of time”.
This expression is often used with the adverb “oggi” (today) to describe the duration of some event that had begun since today, as in our example below:
a. Oggi fanno quindici anni che ci siamo lasciati quindi puoi immaginare la mia sorpresa quando l’ho incontrata in metro!
→ It has been 15 years today since we broke up, therefore you can imagine my surprise when I ran into her on the metro!
Dire di sì, dire di no (espressione)
→ to say yes and to say no, respectively
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression “dire di sì” and “dire di no”, which means “to say yes” and “to say no”, respectively.
a. Marco ha telefonato ad Antonio e gli ha chiesto:
“Pensi di accompagnarci al mare domani mattina?”
→ Marco called Antonio and asked him:
“Can you go with me to the beach tomorrow morning?
Antonio gli ha risposto: “Sì…sono libero!”
→ Antonio responded to him: “Yes…I’m free!”
E poi Marco ha continuato, “E Antonella?”
→ And then Marco continued, “And Antonella?”
“Dice di no…non riesce a prendere le ferie, ha troppo da fare in ufficio!”
→ “She said no…she can’t take any days off, she has too much to do at work!”
“Ma come? Aveva detto di sì due giorni fa?”
→ “But how? She had said yes two days ago?”
Fare un passaggio (espressione)
→ to throw a pass (as one might do if playing American football)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression “fare un passaggio”, which means “to throw a pass”, as one might do if playing American football.
In case you had not heard, the New England Patriots won the Superbowl! The last few words this week will close out our theme.
a. Non appena il giocatore ha visto quattro avversari che correvano verso di lui, ha fatto un passaggio al suo compagno di squadra prima del placcaggio.
→ As soon as the player saw four opponents running towards him, he threw a pass to his teammate before the tackle.
In fuga (espressione)
→ on the run
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “in fuga”, which means “on the run”, like when someone is escaping the long arm of the law!
a. Accendi la TV, stanno trasmettendo l’inseguimento di alcuni banditi in fuga sull’autostrada, lo voglio vedere!
→ Turn on the TV, they are showing the highway chase of some gunmen on the run, I want to see it!
Provare vergogna (espressione)
→ to feel ashamed
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “provare vergogna”, which means “to feel ashamed”.
a. Il padre di Beatrice mi ha detto che ha provato molta vergogna quando ha saputo che la figlia prendeva in giro i suoi compagni di scuola.
Per questo motivo, le ha vietato di uscire per sei mesi.
→ Beatrice’s father told me he felt very ashamed when he found out his daughter was teasing her classmates. Because of this he forbade her from going out for six months.
I saldi (nome maschile plurale)
→ the sales
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the plural noun “i saldi”, which means “the sales”.
In Italy, sales generally happen twice a year:
after Christmas in January and in the summer beginning the first few days of July.
a. Ti piace la mia maglietta? L’ho presa quest’estate quando c’erano i saldi: ho fatto un affare comprandola a metà prezzo!
→ Do you like my T-shirt? I got it this summer when the sales were on: I got a deal buying it at half price!
Zanzara tigre
→ a tiger mosquito
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “la zanzara tigre” (plural: le zanzare tigre), which means “a tiger mosquito”.
They are called “tiger mosquitoes” because of their unique white stripes that resembles those of tigers.
This species of mosquito was not present in Italy until the 1990s and has since spread throughout Europe.
They are faster and smaller than your typical mosquito are quite difficult to control and kill.
If you are in Italy in the summer, you are bound to run into them from time to time, especially during the day.
a. Le zanzare tigre non sono indigene dell’Italia: sono arrivate durante gli anni 90 dall’Asia e adesso sono un grande problema per tutto il Paese.
→ Tiger mosquitoes are not indigenous to Italy: they arrived during the 1990s from Asia and now are a huge problem for the entire country.
Bacchettone / bacchettona (nome maschile, femminile)
→ a prude, a prig
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il bacchettone” (la bacchettona), which means “a prude” or “a prig”.
a. Che persona noiosa il padre di Valerio! Vede sempre il male nelle cose e ci dice sempre che noi ragazzi non abbiamo valori sani e pensiamo solo a divertirci e a cose inutili. Cavolo, è proprio un bacchettone!
→ What a boring person Valerio’s father is! He always sees the worst in things and tell us that we kids have no wholesome values, and we think only of having fun and other useless things. Gosh, he is a really a prig!
Il bar (nome maschile)
→ “Un bar” is more like a café, a place where you might go to get a quick espresso, a sandwich, something for lunch, pastry to go with your coffee, etc.
Today’s Parola del giorno is the invariable noun “il bar”.
“Un bar” in Italian is not a bar like one might think in the American sense (or a pub if you are British/Australia/etc.).
“Un bar” is more like a café, a place where you might go to get a quick espresso, a sandwich, something for lunch, pastry to go with your coffee, etc.
I can’t think of any town or city in Italy that doesn’t have at least one bar.
Intascare (verbo transitivo)
→ to put sth. in one’s pocket
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “intascare”. It can mean “to put something in one’s pocket”.
It can also be used in a figurative sense, too, as in to pocket something, especially when the money’s origins are shady or when one is doing something illegal or improper.
The Past Participle is “intascato”; “avere” is used in compound tenses.
a. Dopo mesi di preparazione, l’operazione clandestina contro l’amministratore comunale corrotto si stava per concludere! Non appena l’amministratore avesse intascato la tangente datagli dall’agente segreto, sarebbe stato arrestato.
→ After months of preparation, the undercover operation against the corrupt administrator for the comune was about to wrap up! As soon as he pocketed the bribe given to him by the undercover agent, he would be arrested.
Sfibrante (aggettivo)
→ gruelling
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the adjective “sfibrante”, which means “gruelling”.
This adjective is used, for example, when describing a long or difficult wait.
a. Un mese fa ho mandato al consolato tutti i moduli e i documenti per il visto ma ancora non ho ricevuto nessuna risposta. Devo dire che questa attesa è piuttoso sfibrante!
→ A month ago I sent all the forms and documents for the visa to the consolate, but I still have not gotten any response. I have to say this wait is rather grueling!
