2 Parola del Giorno Words (2) (Checked & Verified) Flashcards
Scorbutico (aggettivo)
→ cantankerous
Today’s Parola del giorno is the adjective “scorbutico”, which means “cantankerous”.
a. Tutti gli infermieri evitano un certo paziente difficile perché è molto scorbutico.
→ All the nurses are avoiding a certain difficult patient because he is very cantankerous.
Lussuria (nome femminile)
→ lust
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “la lussuria”, which means “lust”.
a. La lussuria è uno dei sette vizi capitali: non a caso, nel quinto canto dell’Inferno, Dante incontra i due lussuriosi per eccellenza, Paolo e Francesca, la cui storia d’amore è una delle più famose nella letteratura italiana.
→ Lust is one of the seven deadly sins: not by chance, in the fifth Canto of the Inferno, Dante meets two lechers par excellence, Paolo and Francesca, whose love affair is one of the most famous in Italian literature.
Parere (nome maschile)
→ opinion, view, judgement
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il parere”, which means “opinion”, “view”, or “judgement”.
It can also mean advice.
a. Prima di esprimere il mio parere sulla crisi economica che si sta abbattendo sull’Europa, preferisco informarmi bene leggendo articoli e libri sull’argomento. Non voglio dire cose sbagliate o confuse!
→ Before expressing my opinion on the recession that is hitting Europe, I prefer to get informed by reading articles and books on the subject. I do not want to say anything wrong or confusing.
Spalcanare (verbo transitivo)
→ to fling or to throw open
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “spalcanare”, which means “to fling or to throw open”.
a. Quando d’inverno spalancavo le finestre di casa, mia nonna mi rimproverava dicendomi: “Chiudi le finestre, è freddo! Dove vivi, al Colosseo?”
→ When I used to fling open the windows in the winter, my grandmother would scold me, saying: “Close the windows, it’s cold out! Where do you live, in the Colosseum?”
Gocciare (verbo intransitivo)
→ to drip
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb, “gocciare”, which means “to drip”.
This verb is a synonym for “gocciolare” and is said to be less common than “gocciolare”, but, in the last two weeks, I have heard it used about three times around Rome.
I figured it was worth sharing! See the verb used below in its context:
a. Il lavandino del bagno perde da due giorni: goccia sul pavimento e devo sempre pulire per terra. Domani chiamo l’idraulico
→ The sink in the bathroom has been leaking for two days: it is dripping on the floor, and I always have to wipe up the ground. Tomorrow I will call the plumber.
Being lazy… - Italian Expressions (1)
Today’s Parola del Giorno focuses on the theme of laziness and wasting time!
Here are some helpful words and expressions to express it:
1 Il pantofolaio/la pantofolaia
→ couch potato, lazy bones
2 Cazzeggiare
→ to lay about, to mess around, to waste time
3 Il fannullone
→ loafer, good-for-nothing
Being lazy… - Italian Expressions (2)
Today’s Parola del giorno focuses on the theme of laziness and wasting time!
Here are some helpful words and expressions to express it:
4 Il pelandrone
→ idler, loafer
5 Bighellonare
→ to loaf around, to waste time
6 Ciondolare
→ to hang around, to loaf
In molti (espressione)
→ many of something, a lot of something,
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression, “in molti”, which means “many of something”, “a lot of something.”
Note that when the expression is followed by an Infinitive, the preposition “a” should be used.
This expression is also used in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd (many of us/a lot of us, many of you/a lot of you, many of them/a lot of them) person plural of a verb, usually with “essere” but also others.
This expression can be a little confusing to use.
Study these examples below:
a. Eravamo in molti stasera al discopub! Sembrava quasi che i miei amici avvessero affitato il locale solo per noi!
→ There were a lot of us tonight at the dance club! It almost seemed that all of my friends had rented the pub only for ourselves.
b. Siete in molti a dover sostenere l’esame questa sessione?
→ Are there many of you that have to take the exam this session?
c. Questo centro commerciale è pieno di gente. In molti vengono qui per cambiare aria e distrarsi. Forse in troppi!
→ This mall is full of people. Many of them are coming here for a change of scenery and to take their minds off things. Perhaps too many of them!
Tregua (nome femminile)
→ a truce; a respite or relief
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun, “la tregua”, which can mean “a truce”, as in a truce between two warring countries.
It can also mean “a respite” or “relief”, such as the kind of relief one feels after a long heat wave!
a. Finalmente una tregua dopo giorni e giorni di afa incredibile! Adesso vorrei sistemare il giardino e fare una bella passeggiata senza sudare.
→ Finally relief after days and days of incredibly hot weather! Now I would like to clean up the yard and take a pleasant stroll without sweating.
Palla smorzata (or la smorzata) (espressione)
→ a drop shot
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun phrase “la palla smorzata” (or la smorzata), which means “ a drop shot”.
In tennis, a drop shot is when the ball just sails over the net, forcing one’s opponent (who is presumably at the baseline) to make a mad dash to hit the ball back over.
Drop shots are best when they bounce low and just sail over the net, creating the greatest possible distance between player and ball while making them run like the dickens to return it!
a. Se in difficoltà, un/una tennista può usare una palla smorzata soprattutto quando l’altra persona è oltre dietro la linea di fondo.
→ If in trouble, a tennis player can use a drop shot, especially when the other person is behind the baseline.
Dirla lunga (su + qualcuno/qualcosa) (espressione)
→ to say a lot about someone/something
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression “dirla lunga (su + qualcuno/qualcosa)”, which means “to say a lot about someone/something”.
a. Hai visto cosa ha fatto Marco ieri alla festa? Il suo comportamento la dice lunga sul suo carattere! Non penso di invitarlo ad un’altra festa!
→ Did you see what Marco did at the party yesterday? His behavior says a lot about his character. I do not think I will invite him to another party!
[If used with a compound tense (Passato Prossimo, for example), the Past Participle would always take the feminine singular form: “detta”.
If today’s example were used in the Passato Prossimo:
Il suo comportamento l’ha detta lunga sul suo carattere!]
Fare uno starnuto (espressione)
→ to sneeze
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression “fare uno starnuto”, which means “to sneeze”.
The expression literally means “to make a sneeze”.
a. Quando Martina fa uno starnuto, sembra che suoni un’orchestra di trombe! Il rumore dello starnuto è così forte che mi spaventa sempre e mi infastidisce.
→ When Martina sneezes, it seems like trumpets in an orchestra are playing! The sound of the sneeze is so strong that it always scares me and annoys me.
Volercene (per fare) (espressione)
→ to take some doing (to do something)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the pronominal verb, “volercene (per fare)”, which means “to take some doing (to do something)”.
Remember that this verb is only used in the third person singular.
a. Ce ne vuole di pazienza per far studiare mio figlio!
È molto pigro e non dimostra molto entusiasmo verso gli studi.
→ It take some patience to get my son to study!
He is very lazy, and he doesn’t show much enthusiasm to his studies.
Rimanere neutrale (espressione)
→ to remain/to stay neutral
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression, “rimanére neutràle”, which means “to remain/to stay neutral”.
This is the kind of stance you take when you do not want to take sides in an argument.
It can also be used in a political context, too.
a. Quando Aurora e Samuele hanno litigato non me la sono sentita di prendere una posizione. Ho preferito rimanere neutrale visto che sono molto legato ad entrambi.
→ When Aurora and Samuele argued, I did not feel like taking a side. I preferred to stay neutral, since I am very attached to both of them.
Abituarsi all’idea (espressione)
→ to get used to the idea
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression “abituarsi all’idea”, which means “to get used to the idea”.
a. Oramai Ciro si è abituato all’idea di dover cambiare casa.
Detesta traslocare ma è giunta l’ora di guardarsi altrove dato che ha avuto lo sfratto dal padrone di casa.
→ Ciro is now used to the idea that he has to move. He hates moving but the time has come to look elsewhere since he got the eviction from the landlord.
Farsi una (bella) scorpacciata (di qualcosa) (espressione)
→ to pig out (on something)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “farsi una (bella) scorpacciata (di qualcosa)”, which means “to pig out (on something)”.
a. Oggi io e Rosa eravamo soli a casa e ci siamo fatti una scorpacciata di patatine fritte e arancini!
Ora spero solo di non aver mal di pancia tutta la notte!!
→ Today, Rosa and I were alone at home, and we pigged out on french fries and arancini!
Now I only hope I do not have a stomach ache all night long.
Il drin(drin) (nome maschile)
→ dingaling, ringing
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun (and also interjection drindrin), “il drin(drin)”, which means “dingaling” or “ringing”.
It is the sound that an old phone from the 1960s might make.
It is also often used to describe the ringing one might hear from a bicycle bell.
a. Il drin del vecchio telefono mi ha svegliato alle due di mattina! Che suono fastidioso! Adesso non riesco ad addormentarmi.
→ The ringing of the old telephone woke me up at 2:00 AM! What a bothersome sound! Now I cannot get back to sleep!
Infrasettimanale (aggettivo)
→ midweek
Today’s Parola del giorno is the adjective “infrasettimanale”, which means “midweek”.
a. Volevo andare a vedere Madonna in concerto, ma non riesco ad andare. I concerti infrasettimanali non sono convenienti quando devo lavorare il giorno dopo.
→ I wanted to go to see Madonna in concert, but I am not able to go. Midweek concerts are not convenient when I have to work the next day.
Fare da cicerone (a + qualcuno) (espressione)
→ to show someone the sights, to show someone around
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression “fare da cicerone (a + qualcuno)”, which means “to show someone the sights” or “to show someone around”.
If you have friends in Italy, they might say to you that they will show you around and use the word “cicerone” to describe themselves.
a. Quando ho deciso di andare a Napoli, il mio amico ha detto che si è proposito di farmi da cicerone.
→ When I decided to go to Naples, my friend said that he planned to show me around.
Poltroncina (nome femminile)
→ a seat
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun, “la poltroncina”, which means “a seat” - like the kind that you see in a movie theatre!
a. È davvero dura andare al cinema d’estate. Soprattutto in quei cinema che hanno le poltroncine di velluto. Con quel caldo è praticamente impossibile sedervisi!
→ It is really hard to go to the cinema in the summer. Most of all in those movie theatres that have velvet seats. With that heat it is practically impossible to sit down.
Piastra di Petri (nome femminile)
→ Petri dish
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “la piastra di Petri”, which means “Petri dish”.
a. Gli scienziati usano le piastre di Petri per la crescita di colture cellulari.
→ Scientists use Petri dishes for growing cell cultures.
Spintonare (verbo transitivo)
→ to push, to shove
Today’s Parola del giorno is the transitive verb “spintonare”, which means “to push” or “to shove”.
The past participle is “spintonato”.
“Avere” is used in compound tenses.
a. “Non spintonate!” ha gridato la professoressa mentre gli studenti provavano a lasciare l’aula.
→ “Don’t shove!” shouted the teacher while the student were trying to leave the classroom.
Scusarsi (1) (verbo riflessivo)
→ to apologise, to say sorry
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “scusarsi”, which means “to apologise” or “to say sorry”.
The past participle is “scusato”.
As a reflexive verb, “essere” is used in compound tenses.
Remember that past participles agree in gender and number with the subject when “essere” is helping verb.
With this useful verb, take note of how prepositions follow it are used:
1 Scusarsi CON qualcuno
→ to apologise to someone
a. Mi sono scusato con Paolo perché non mi sono comportato bene alla sua festa.
→ I apologised to Paolo beacuse I was rude at the party.
Scusarsi (2) (verbo riflessivo)
→ to apologise, to say sorry
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “scusarsi”, which means “to apologise” or “to say sorry”.
The past participle is “scusato”.
As a reflexive verb, “essere” is used in compound tenses.
Remember that past participles agree in gender and number with the subject when “essere” is helping verb.
With this useful verb, take note of how prepositions follow it are used:
2 Scusarsi di, scusarsi PER
→ to apologise for something
a. Mi sono scusato con la professoressa DEI miei compiti orribili.
o
Mi sono scusato con la professoressa PER i miei compiti orribili.
→ I apologised to the teacher for my horrible homework.
Scusarsi (2) (verbo riflessivo)
→ to apologise, to say sorry
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “scusarsi”, which means “to apologise” or “to say sorry”.
The past participle is “scusato”.
As a reflexive verb, “essere” is used in compound tenses.
Remember that past participles agree in gender and number with the subject when “essere” is helping verb.
With this useful verb, take note of how prepositions follow it are used:
3 Scusarsi di aver fatto, scusarsi per aver fatto
→ to apologise for doing something
a. Mamma, mi scuso DI non aver sistemato la mia stanza da letto.
o
Mamma, mi scuso PER non aver sistemato la mia stanza da letto.
→ Mom, I apologise for not tidying up my bedroom.
Stroncare sul nascere [qualcosa] (espressione)
→ to nip [something] in the bud
Today’s Parole del giorno is the expression “stroncare sul nascere [qualcosa]”, which means “to nip [something] in the bud”.
“To nip something in the bud” means to stop something as soon as it starts, typically something unwanted or problematic.
a. Dopo tutte le denunce dai cittadini in zona, la polizia ha subito stroncato sul nascere la criminalità che sviluppava.
→ After all the complaints from citizen’s in the neighbourhood, the police immediately nipped the crime in the bud that was developing.
Può darsi (espressione)
→ Maybe; Perhaps
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression, “Può darsi”, which means “maybe” or “perhaps”.
a. Marco: Scusami, voglio accompagnare i bambini a scuola. Ti trovo quando ritorno a casa?
Cara: Può darsi.
→ Marco: Excuse me, I want to accompany the children to school. Will I find you when I return home?
→ Cara: Maybe.
Passante (nome maschile, femminile)
→ bystander, passerby; passing shot (in the context of tennis)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il/la passante”, which can mean “bystander” or “passerby”.
The English plural for “passerby” is “passersby”.
It can also mean “passing shot” in the context of tennis.
a. Marco è un giornalista e lavora per La Repubblica. Qualche volta va in giro, intervista i passanti e spesso registra i loro commenti per i suoi articoli.
→ Marco is a journalist and works for La Repubblica. Sometimes he goes around, interviews passersby, and often records their comments for his articles.
Fare la gavetta (espressione)
→ to pay one’s dues; to cut one’s teeth
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression, “fare la gavetta”, which means “to pay one’s dues” or “to cut one’s teeth”.
This expression is used to describe how a person must slog it out at the bottom of the ladder first before progressing to bigger and better things.
Literally, the “gavetta” is the mess tin that soldiers would eat their mess rations from.
My guess is making this tin was one of the lowest forms of work that was likely doled out to the newest arrivals who had the least amount of training or were not suitable for more prestigious combat roles.
a. Per molti giovani laureati, il primo passo nel mondo del lavoro consiste nel fare la gavetta: si comincia dal basso per imparare il lavoro e fare conoscenze utili per il futuro.
→ For many young graduates, the first step in the working world is paying one’s dues: it starts from the bottom by learning the job and acquiring useful knowledge for the future.
Gattino (nome maschile)
→ kitten
Today’s Parola del giorno is the noun “il gattino”, which means “kitten”.
I’m sure many of you know the word for kitten, but I wanted to share a picture of a little kitten I adopted by chance recently. While staying with family, we discovered her living under my car. When we’d go to find her, she seemed to mysteriously disappear.
Being so small, we weren’t sure how she could get away from us so quickly.
We discovered she was living under the hood next to some of the engine components. We couldn’t get our hand inside to get her out, so she had to come out of her own accord.
We bought a humane trap, put some food in it, and less than an hour after setting it up, she came out of the car to eat…and the trap was sprung. We moved her into the house, gave her a bath, and she had her first visit (la visita¹) at the veterinarian’s (dal/dalla) veterinario/a) yesterday.
She’s doing well, she’s very playful, and she purrs (fare le fusa) a lot.
We thought the cat was male (maschio), but the veterinarian said it is a female (femmina).²
We named her Eggbert(ine) (it’s a long story).
1 Italian uses the noun “la visita” to describe visits or appointments with doctors/medical professionals.
To say you are visiting someone, use “andare/venire a trovare qualcuno”.
2 “Maschio” and “femmina” refer to the sex of animals.
“Maschile” and “femminile” means masculine and feminine, respectively, when talking about grammar.
If you are talking about general qualities typical of men or women, use “masculino”, which means “masculine”, or “femminile”, which means “feminine”.
Apostrofare (verbo transitivo)
→ to reproach, to rebuke someone
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “apostrofare”, which means “to reproach” or “to rebuke someone”.
The past participle is “apostrofato”.
“Avere” is used in compound tenses.
When conjugated in the Present Tense, the stress is on the first “o”: apostrofo, apostrofi, apostrofa…apostrofano.
a. Ieri alla conferenza stampa il ministro Brunetta ha apostrofato i dipendenti pubblici come “fannulloni”.
È stata davvero un’uscita poco felice!
→ Yesterday at the press conference Minister Brunetta rebuked public employees as “slouches”.
It was really an ill-chosen remark!
Bacheca (nome femminile)
→ bulletin board
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “la bacheca”, which means “bulletin board”.
When Facebook first debuted, the place where people shared photos and updates was a called a wall, a virtual bulletin board where users posted updates to their status along with pictures and later videos.
a. Odio la bacheca di Marco perché usa Facebook solo per giocare: Farmville, Cafe World, Cityville.
La sua pagina non è molto interessante e non mi piace vedere questi aggiornamenti fra gli stati.
→ I hate Marco’s wall because he uses Facebook only for playing games: Farmville, Cafe World, Cityville.
His page is not very interesting, and I don’t like to see these updates among the statuses.
Of course, Facebook has changed a lot over the last decade!
Gettone (nome maschile)
→ a token
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun, “il gettone”, which can mean “a token”.
A token often resembles a coin and is purchased to use in games (at the arcade (la sala giochi) or funfairs/amusement parks (i luna park), public transport, etc.
a. Alla sala giochi ho cambiato 4 euro in gettoni e ora possiamo fare otto partite a biliardino! Le vincerò tutte!!
→ At the arcade I changed 4 euro for tokens, and now we can play eight games of pinball! I will win them all!
Sentire ragioni (espressione)
→ to listen to reason
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression “sentire ragioni”, which means “to listen to reason”.
a. Simona non vuole sentire ragioni. Ha deciso di andare in vacanza in Sardegna e non vuole ascoltare le proposte degli altri. Non so però se gli altri l’accontenteranno.
→ Simona doesn’t want to listen to reason. She decided to go on vacation in Sardinia and doesn’t want to listen to anyone else’s proposals. But I don’t know if the others will be pleased.
Essere/stare al verde (espressione)
→ to be hard up (for money), to be penniless.
Today’s Parola del giorno is the verb expression “essere/stare al verde”, which means “to be hard up (for money)” or “to be penniless”.
“Essere” and “stare” both take “essere” in compound tenses.
“Stato” is the past participle for both.
a. Non ho potuto fare alcun regalo a Giovanni perché ultimamente sto al verde.
→ I wasn’t able to give Giovanni any gift because lately I’m hard up for money.
A detta di (espressione preposizionale)
→ according to
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the prepositional phrase “a detta di”, which means “according to”.
a. A detta di Giorgio il suo insegnante d’inglese non è così preparato come sembra.
→ According to Giorgio, his English teacher is not as prepared as he seems.
You can also use the possessive adjectives with “a detta”, as well:
a. A detta sua il suo insegnate d’inglese non non è così preparato come sembra.
→ According to him,¹ his English teacher is not as prepared as he seems.
1 Whether it is “him” or “her” depends on the context and the person in question.
In this case, we are referring to Giorgio from the first example.
Ingombro (di) (aggettivo)
→ cluttered (with), piled (with)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the adjective, “ingombro (di)”, which means “cluttered (with)” or “piled (with)”.
a. Madonna! Questa strada è orribile! È ingombra di buche e mi preoccupo che la macchina si possa danneggiare.
→ Good heavens! This street is horrible! It is cluttered with pot holes, and I am worried that the car could become damaged.
Cucinare da Dio (espressione)
→ to be a great cook
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression, “cucinare da Dio”, which means “to be a great cook”.
You can also use the expression “da Dio” as a modifier with other verbs to say that you or someone else does something in an exceptional or “divine” manner.
a. Mamma Luisa cucina da Dio – ogni piatto che prepara mi lascia soddisfatto.
→ Mamma Luisa is a great cook - every plate that she prepares leaves me satisfied.
Screanzato (aggettivo)
→ rude or ill-mannered
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the adjective “screanzato”, which means “rude” or “ill-mannered”.
“Screanzato” is derived from the Italian noun “la creanza”, which means “good manners” or “politeness”.
a. C’è un ragazzo screanzato che si ubriaca e prende sempre a male parole le persone nel parcheggio del centro commerciale, prima o poi troverà qualcuno che si arrabbia seriamente!
→ There’s a rude kid who gets drunk and always insults people in the parking lot of the mall, and sooner or later he will come across someone who will get seriously angry!
Strillare (verbo transitivo)
→ to scream, to screech, to yell.
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb, “strillare”, which means “to scream”, “to screech” or to “yell”.
The verb takes “avere” in compound tenses; the past participle is “strillato”.
Like many Italian words (but not all), “strillare” comes from the Latin word “stridulare”.
a. Ogni week end i vicini organizzano una festa e non fanno altro che strillare fino a tarda notte.
Non ne posso più! Vorrei poter dormire in santa pace.
→ Every weekend the neighbours organise a party, and they don’t do anything other than yell until late into the night.
I’ve had it! I would like to be able to sleep in peace and quiet.
Entrare in vigore (espressione)
→ to come into force; to come into effect
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression “entrare in vigore”, which means “to come into force” or “to come into effect”.
It is usually used to describe a new law or proclamation that has come into force.
a. Ieri è entrata in vigore una legge che vieta a chi ha meno di 14 anni di entrare nei locali dopo una certa ora.
Penso che sia una buona legge, ci voleva proprio.
→ Yesterday a law came into effect that prohibits those under 14 years old from entering clubs after a certain hour.
I think this is a good law that was really needed.
In gamba (espressione)
→ smart
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression, “in gamba”, which can mean “smart”.
a. Mario è davvero un tipo in gamba!
Riesce sempre a trovare le giuste soluzioni per ogni problema che ha!
→ Mario is a really smart guy. He is always able to find the right solutions for every problem that he has!
Non avere vincoli (espressione)
→ to have no obligations, (more colloquially) to not be chained/tied down
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression “non avere vincoli”, which means “to have no obligations” or, more colloquially, “to not be chained/tied down”.
You’ll hear it a lot in the negative when people say that they do not like having obligations (non mi piace avere vincoli).
These obligations can be personal or professional.
You may often hear this expression regarding subscriptions and offers, which this article discusses.
a. Dopo cinque tristi anni passati insieme a Lucio, adesso sono molto felice della mia nuova vita da single.
Che bello uscire senza dare spiegazioni e fare come voglio! Non ho vincoli, faccio come voglio io!
→ After five sad years spent together with Lucio, I am now very happy with my new single life.
How wonderful is it that I can go out without explaining myself and doing as I please! I am not chained down, and I do what I want!
Il mostro sacro (espressione)
→ a legend, a mythical person
Today’s Parola del giorno is the noun expression “il mostro sacro”, which means “legend” or “mythical person”.
It is usually used to described someone who has accomplished monumental things in their career or lifetime.
I stumbled upon this expression while reading Il Messaggero and saw the expression used in announcing the passing of the French cinema icon Jean-Louis Trintignant.
You can also see it used to describe the tennis player Novak Djokovic, which discusses the upcoming grass court season in tennis.
Golfo (nome maschile)
→ a gulf, a bay
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il golfo”, which means “gulf” or “bay”.
One of the most striking things about Napoli is the beautiful gulf of Naples.
When I was in Naples, I stayed at a small bed and breakfast that looked right out onto the bay.
I suggest staying as close to the water as you can so that you can wake up to that amazing view!
a. Se ti trovi a Napoli, vai a Castel Sant’Elmo: da lì puoi godere della bellezza mozzafiato del Golfo di Napoli. È stupendo!
→ If you find yourself in Naples, go to the Castel Sant’Elmo: from there you can enjoy the breathtakingly beautiful Bay of Naples. It is splendid!
Il supplì (nome maschile)
→ a fried rice croquette that can have a variety of ingredients and is a typical Roman street food
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il supplì”.
A “supplì” is a fried rice croquette that can have a variety of ingredients and is a typical Roman street food.
You can find these delicious treats all over Rome, and they are a great snack for a quick lunch while you are visiting the eternal city!
Note that this noun is invariable (i supplì).
a. Il piatto romano preferito dei miei cugini canadesi sono i supplì. Impazziscono per quelle polpette fritte e ripiene di riso al pomodoro e mozzarella filante!
→ Supplì are my Canadian cousins’ favorite Roman dish.
They go crazy for those fried balls filled with rice, tomato and stringy mozzarella!
Fare la colletta (espressione)
→ to take up a collection (as if often done in churches and by charities in order to help those in need)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “fare la colletta, which means “to take up a collection”, as if often done in churches and by charities in order to help those in need.
The word comes from the Latin “collecta”, which means “collection”.
a. L’altra sera i parrocchiani hanno fatto la colletta per un barbone che non mangiava da diversi giorni.
→ The other evening the congregation took up a collection for a homeless man who had not been eating for several days.
Sopportare (qualcuno) (espressione)
→ to stand (someone), to tolerate/to put up with [someone]
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “sopportare (qualcuno)”, which means to stand (someone), as in to tolerate/to put up with [someone].
You can also use this verb to talk about things, too, such as the heat.
Don’t confuse this verb with “supportare”, which means “to support” or “to back”.
What a difference a single letter can make!
a. Non siamo sicuri di volere andare alla festa di fine anno perché ci saranno anche quei colleghi antipatici che non sopportiamo.
→ We are not sure that we want to go to the end of the year party because there will also be some unpleasant colleagues that we can’t stand.
(Non) fare per + qualcuno (espressione)
→ to (not) be for someone.
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression “(non) fare per + qualcuno”, which means “to (not) be for someone”.
When someone is or is not for something, what we are really saying is that someone is not suited for a particular thing.
For example, if you get stressed out easily when flying (like me), you might say “Long flights to far-away destinations are not for me.”
a. La mia ragazza parla sempre di andare a vivere in campagna fra gli animali e la natura una volta sposati, ma vivere fuori città proprio non fa per me .
→ My girlfriend always talk about going to live in the country among the animals and nature once married, but living outside the city really is not for me .
Fare venire le traveggole (espressione)
→ to make oneself see things
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “fare venire le traveggole”, which means “to make oneself see things”.
“Le traveggole” is only used in verb expressions and almost never on its own.
It comes from the verb “travedere”, which means “to deceive oneself by seeing something that is not there”.
“Le traveggole”, then, would be those things we think we see but are not really there.
The expression “avere le traveggole” means “to be seeing things”.
a. Ieri notte mia nonna si è svegliata e ha gridato all’improvviso come se qualcuno la stesse accoltellando!
Ha svegliato tutta la casa e, quando le abbiamo chiesto perché gridasse, ha risposto che pensava di aver visto un fantasma.
“Quel film dell’orrore ti ha fatto venire le traveggole ! I fantasmi non esistono!” l’ha sgridata mio padre. “Torna a letto, mamma!”
→ Yesterday night my grandmother woke up and suddenly screamed as if someone were stabbing her!
She woke up the entire house, and, when we asked her why she was yelling, she said she thought she had seen a ghost.
“That horror movie made you see things! Ghosts don’t exist!” my father yelled at her. “Return to bed, mom!”
Pagella (nome femminile)
→ a report card
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “la pagella”, which means “report card”.
A report card lists your final grades for each of your classes.
In many schools in Italy, report cards are published online, and parents are able to log on and see their child’s grades.
a. Teresa aveva paura per la sua amica Annalisa che ha ricevuto tre voti bassi! Quando i suoi vedranno la pagella …!
Purtroppo non è più possibile nascondere la pagella ai genitori. Adesso la segreteria del liceo mette tutte le pagelle online e i genitori si collegano ad internet per vederle.
→ Teresa was scared for her friend Annalisa who got three low grades! When her parents see her report card …!
Unfortunately, it is not possible anymore to hide the report card from your parents. Now the school’s secretary puts all of the report cards online, and parents log on to see them.
Imbrunire (verbo intransitivo)
→ to get/grow dark(er)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the weather verb “imbrunire”, which means “to get/grow dark(er)”.
This “-ire” verb is also an “-isc-“ verb.
Remember that verbs that describe the weather are used only in the third person (la terza persona )!
a. Dopo l’estate, le giornate si accorciano velocemente e ogni giorno imbrunisce sempre prima del precedente. Che tristezza!
→ After the summer is over, the days get shorter quickly, and every day always gets darker than the one before it. How sad!
Fare baldòria (espressione)
→ to paint the town red; to have a good time.
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “fare baldòria”, which means “to paint the town red” or “to have a good time”.
La baldòria - for those who like to know where Italian words originate - is from the old French word “baud” or “baudoire”, which means “joyous.”
It usually refers to lots of revelry and merrymaking!
a. Ieri notte non ho dormito molto: gli inquilini del piano di sopra hanno fatto baldoria fino alle tre.
Non lo sanno che la gente lavora durante la settimana?
→ Yesterday night I didn’t sleep much: the tenants upstairs painted the town red until three in the morning.
Don’t they know that people work during the week?
Lessare (verbo intransitivo)
→ to boil
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb, “lessare”, which means “to boil”.
You will often see this verb used in recipe instructions!
Its past participle is “lessato”.
a. Nella ricetta della pasta al forno, la pasta non deve essere lessata per tutto il tempo di cottura indicato sulla confezione, ma solo per metà del tempo.
Finirà di cuocersi nel forno.
→ In the recipe for pasta al forno, the pasta should not be boiled for the entire cooking time indicated on the package but only for half the time.
It will finish cooking in the oven.
Sbizzarrirsi (Pronominal verb)
→ to indulge oneself, to satisfy one’s whims
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the pronominal verb “sbizzarrirsi”, which means “to indulge oneself” or “to satisfy one’s whims”.
With the preposition “a + infinito”, the expression can mean to have a great time doing something.¹
“Sbizzarrirsi” is also an “-isc-“ verb.
The past participle is “sbizzarrito”.
“Essere” is used in compound tenses.
a. Via Condotti è piena di negozi d’alta moda e gioiellerie in cui è possibile sbizzarrirsi alla ricerca del capo o del gioiello più elegante e sofisticato. Ovviamente bisogna avere ingenti disponibilità economiche per potervi fare acquisti!
→ Via Condotti is full of high end shops and jewelry stores where it is possible to indulge oneself in search of the most elegant and sophisticated item or piece of jewelry.
Obviously, one needs to have huge financial means to be able to go shopping there.
1 In our example, we might also say that “tante persone si sbizzarriscono a fare shopping in Via Condotti!” (“many people have a great time shopping in Via Condotti!”).
Tale padre, tale figlio (una massima, a saying)
→ Like father, like son
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “Tale padre, tale figlio”, which means “Like father, like son”.
You can also substitute “father” for “mother”, and “son” for “daughter”, too!
a. Io adoro il calcio, proprio come mio padre.
Proprio come faceva lui, vado allo stadio tutte le domeniche e, quando posso, vado pure alle trasferte.
Tale padre, tale figlio!
→ I adore soccer, just like my father.
Just like he used to do, I go to the stadium each and every Sunday, and, when I can, I even go to the away games. Like father, like son!
Anteprima (nome femminile)
→ preview
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the feminine noun, “l’anteprima”, which means “preview”.
This refers to the kind of preview at the movies or perhaps an upcoming book.
a. Il mio amico, Davide, ha visto l’anteprima del nuovo film di James Cameron e non n’è rimasto soddisfatto!
→ My friend, David, saw the preview of the new James Cameron film, and he didn’t like it.
Brodoso (aggettivo)
→ watery, thin
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the adjective “brodoso”, which means “watery” or “thin”.
It is used to describe something that is too liquid.
a. Non mi è piaciuto il risotto di Franco: era troppo brodoso, sembrava più una minestra che un risotto!
→ I didn’t like Franco’s risotto: it was too watery, and it seemed more like a soup than a risotto!
Invadente (aggettivo)
→ interfering, nosy, intrusive
Today’s Parola del giorno is the adjective “invadente”, which can mean “interfering”, “nosy”, or “intrusive”.
a. “Se la suocera è invadente il matrimonio può essere annullato.
Era stata dichiarata la nullità del matrimonio celebrato nel 1998 tra un uomo di Ravello ed una giovane di Amalfi.
Motivo del divorzio: la madre della sposa non avrebbe dovuto interferire nella vita coniugale.”¹
→ “If the mother-in-law is intrusive, the marriage can be annulled.
In 1989, a marriage conducted in 1998 between a man from Ravello and a young woman from Amalfi was declared invalid.
The reason for the divorce? The mother of the bride should not have interfered in their married life.”
1 See this news story from 2008 about just such a case: https://www.positanonews.it/2008/11/ravello-suocera-invadente-matrimonio-annullato-caso-nazionale-il-video/94841/
Lo spaventapasseri (nome maschile)
→ a scarecrow
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the invariable noun “lo spaventapasseri”, which means “scarecrow”.
a. Povero Fabio! Ogni mattina alle 5:30 un uccello cinguetta e non lo lascia dormire!!
Gli ho proposto, scherzando, di comprarsi una pistola.
Lui però ha scelto un modo più pacifico e meno sanguinolento per porre fine al problema: usare uno spaventapasseri.
→ Poor Fabio! Every morning at 5:30 a bird chirps and doesn’t let him sleep!!
I jokingly proposed to him that he should get himself a gun.
But he chose a more pacifist and less bloody way of putting an end to the problem: using a scarecrow.
Dirne quattro [a qualcuno] (espressione idiomatica)
→ to tell someone off
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the idiomatic expression “dirne quattro [a qualcuno]”, which means “to tell someone off”.
I love this expression for a number of reasons!
Most of all, there’s a lot of grammar happening in just these four words.
First, pay attention to the word “ne” (I’ll have some grammar on this little particle the week after next, too)!
Second, in the compound past tenses, “detto” is used in its plural form because of the “ne” and “quattro” (see below).
a. L’altro giorno ho visto mia zia in un negozio di scarpe e la commessa urlarle contro perché mia zia non riusciva a decidere quale scarpe comprare.
Sono entrato al negozio e ne ho dette quattro alla commessa. Non sopporto quel tipo di comportamento!
→ The other day I saw my aunt in a show store and saw the saleswoman shouting at her because my aunt wasn’t able to decide which shoes to buy.
I entered the store and told off the saleswoman. I cannot stand that kind of behaviour!
Daltonico (aggettivo)
→ blind
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the adjective “daltonico”, which means “colour blind”.
a. Mio padre è daltonico, non riesce a distinguere i colori delle calze senza chiedere a mia madre prima.
Una volta è uscito da casa con le calze di due colori diversi.
→ My father is color blind and is not able to distinguish the colors of his socks without asking my mother first.
One time he went out with two different colored socks.
Mal comune mezzo gaudio (espressione idiomatica)
→ A trouble shared is a trouble halved
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “Mal comune mezzo gaudi, which means “A trouble shared is a trouble halved”.
It is used to refer to situations that are a bit difficult but can better endured together rather than on one’s own.
a. Mio fratello era disperato perché non riusciva a montare il mobile nuovo che aveva comprato, io combattevo con il tagliaerba che non si voleva accendere. “Sai che c’è? Lasciamo tutto e andiamocene a cena! Mal comune mezzo gaudio, ci occuperemo di questi problemi domani!” mi disse.
→ My brother was desperate because he couldn’t put the new furniture together he had bought, and I was fighting with the mower that wouldn’t turn on. “You know what?
Let’s drop everything and let’s head out to dinner!
A trouble shared is a trouble halved, we’ll deal with all these problems tomorrow!” he said.
In una volta (espressione)
→ all at once, altogether
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “in una volta”, which means “all at once” or “altogether”.
a. La mia ragazza non è organizzata per niente! Stiamo per cambiare casa e vuole fare tutto in una volta invece di pianificare questo trasloco.
Le ho detto di avere pazienza: non possiamo mettere tutto dentro il camion allo stesso tempo senza un piano!
→ My girlfriend is not organized at all! We are about to move, and she wants to do everything all at once instead of planning this move.
I told her to be patient: we can’t put everything inside the truck at the same time without a plan!
Agrifoglio (nome maschile)
→ holly
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “l’agrifoglio”, which means “holly”.
Holly is a traditional Christmas decoration.
Its green, prickly leaves and red berries complement the “colours” of Christmas quite well!
Where can you find holly?
You’ll often see it in wreaths or on Christmas trees or attached to doors and bannisters!
a. Quest’anno abbiamo decorato l’albero inserendo alcuni rami di agrifoglio: sono molto belli, con quelle foglie verde intenso e quelle bacche rosse.
→ This year we decorated the tree by inserting some springs of holly: they are very beautiful with those intense green leaves and those red berries.
Un bacio sotto il vischio (espressione)
→ a kiss under the mistletoe
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “un bacio sotto il vischi, which means “a kiss under the mistletoe”.
It is a Christmas tradition in many Western cultures (if it is a tradition elsewhere, please leave a comment – I’d love to learn more about it) that when someone is under the mistletoe, they are due for a kiss.
The plant is highly poisonous and usually you only find plastic or acrylic varieties, but you can sometimes find fresh sprigs of mistletoe available online and from some florists!
a. La coppia di innamorati si fermò sotto la decorazione natalizia e si baciò sotto il vischio, per rafforzare il proprio amore.
→ The loverbirds stopped under the Christmas decoration and kissed each other under the mistletoe to strengthen their love.
Il conto alla rovescia (espressione)
→ countdown
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “il conto alla rovescia”, which means “countdown”.
a. La cosa che mi piace di più del Capodanno è il conto alla rovescia: ogni secondo che ci avvicina alla mezzanotte mi mette di buonumore e mi riempie il cuore di speranza per il nuovo anno!
→ The thing I like most about New Year’s is the countdown: every second that brings us closer to midnight puts me in a good mood, and it fills my heart with hope for the new year!
Lenticchie (nome femminile plurale)
→ lentils (sing. la lenticchia)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the plural noun “le lenticchie” (sing. la lenticchia), which means “lentils”.
Did you know that eating lentils on New Year’s Eve is meant to bring you money and riches in the new year?
This is presumably because the small little lentils look like coins!
a. In Italia, per il cenone del 31 dicembre è tradizione mangiare lenticchie: la loro forma ricorda simbolicamente delle monete. Le mangiamo come augurio che l’anno che sta per arrivare ci porti soldi e ricchezza.
→ In Italy for New Year’s Eve dinner it is tradition to eat lentils: their form symbolically resembles coins. We eat them to herald in the year that is about to arrive to bring us money and riches.
I buoni propositi (espressione)
→ New Year’s resolutions
Buon Anno a tutti! I hope that everyone had a pleasant and enjoyable New Year’s Eve!
Today’s Parola del Giorno completes our theme for the week and is the expression “i buoni propositi”, which means “New Year’s resolutions”.
a. Ogni anno, per Capodanno, faccio sempre gli stessi buoni propositi: mangiare in maniera più sana, andare in palestra, essere più disponibile con gli altri ma alla fine non li rispetto mai. Che fallimento!
→ Every year at New Years I always make the same resolutions: to eat healthy, to go to the gym, to be more available to others, but in the end I never honor them. What a failure!
Beccarsi l’influenza (espressione)
→ to get the flu
Ciao a tutti e Buon Anno!
Hi everyone and Happy New Year!
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “beccarsi l’influenza”, which means “to get the flu”.
a. Ti ricordi quando l’anno scorso Luigi si beccò l’influenza il 31 dicembre e dovette annullare il suo viaggio in Thailandia? Poverino!
→ Do you remember when Luigi got the flu last year on December 31st, and you had to cancel your trip to Thailand? You poor thing!
Intirizzito (aggettivo)
→ chilled, numb
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the adjective “intirizzito”, which means “chilled” or “numb”.
This is a useful adjective for people who live in the Northern Hemisphere where winter is in full swing:
a. Brrr! Che freddo! Ho le mani e i piedi completamente intirizziti!
→ Brrr! It’s cold out! My hands and feet are totally numb!
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” to refer to someone who is always hitting the books.
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 are 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 the morning to the evenings for little money, and more importantly I also have to put up with my coworker’s nastiness. I will not last long.
Subire un ritardo (espressione)
→ to be subject to a delay; to be delayed
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “subire un ritardo”, which means “to be subject to a delay” or “to be delayed”.
a. A causa della forte nevicata, il treno Milano-Roma ha subito un ritardo di un’ora. Non arriveremo mai in tempo con questo ritardo!
→ Because of the heavy snow, the Milano-Roma train has been delayed an hour. We will probably never arrive in time with this delay!
Ripristinare (verbo transitivo)
→ to restore or to refresh (when talking about computers and electronic devices)
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.
Calo (nome maschile)
→ a drop, a fall, a decrease
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il calo”, which means “a drop”, “a fall” or “a decrease”.
You will often see this noun used in newspapers and hear it on the nightly TV news shows when describing the economy (l’economia) or the stock market (la Borsa).
a. Da quando il nostro manager si è licenziato, c’è stato un calo nelle vendite della nostra compagnia.
Il capo è disperato perché non riesce a trovare nessuno che sia bravo come lui in quel lavoro.
→ Since our manager resigned, there has been a drop in our company’s sales.
The boss is desperate because he can’t find anyone who is as capable as he was in that job.
Sbrogliare (verbo transitivo)
→ to untangle, to disentangle
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “sbrogliare”, which means “to untangle” or “to disentangle”.
a. Perché devo passare dieci minuti a sbrogliare le corde dei miei auricolari!
Quando finisco di farlo, ho perso la voglia di ascoltare la mia musica.
→ Why do I have to spend ten minutes untangling the cords of my earbuds! When I finish doing it, I lost the desire to listen to my music.
Il mozzicone (o la cicca)
→ cigarette butt
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il mozzicone” (or “la cicca”), which means “cigarette butt”.
Rome recently passed a law making it illegal to toss your cigarette butts on the ground.
We will have to see what kind of enforcement this new law will receive. In the meantime, see the noun used below:
a. Sapevi che dal 2 febbraio sono in arrivo multe per chi butta a terra i mozziconi (le cicche) di sigaretta a Roma? Forse adesso vedremo una città più rispettata e pulita!
→ Did you know that from February 2 there will be fines for those who toss their cigarette butts on the ground in Rome? Perhaps now we will see a city that is more respected and cleaner!
Sondaggio (nome maschile)
→ an election poll
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il sondaggio”, which means “poll”.
Election and primary season is here in the United States, and you will see this word in Italian papers and news program as they report on the political happenings in the United States!
It is a useful word to know for Italian politics, too!
a. Chi vincerà le elezioni? Trump? La Clinton? È impossible fidarsi dei sondaggi quando arrivano a conclusioni diverse!
→ Who will win the election? Trump? Clinton? It is impossible to trust some polls when they come to different conclusions!
Cadére in tentazione (espressione)
→ to fall (in)to temptation
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “cadére in tentazione”, which means “to fall (in)to temptation”.
a. Maria è ossessiva con la sua dieta e evita a cenare fuori e pure non andrà più a prendere un caffè.
Ha paura di cadere in tentazione se vede un cornetto o sente odore di pizza o degli altri fritti!
→ Maria is obsessed with her diet and avoids eating out and even will not go anymore to get a coffee.
She is afraid of falling into temptation if she sees a croissant or smells pizza or some other fried foods!
Rivolgersi (a)
→ to address, to turn to
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “rivolgersi”, which means to address or to turn to.
a. Alla radio ieri ho ascoltato una trasmissione che parlava del virus Zika! Ho paura dato che in Italia le zanzare sono un grande problema.
Ma la dottoressa che discuteva il virus ha detto che se avessi domande è meglio che si rivolga a un medico.
→ On the radio yesterday I listened to a program that spoke about the Zika virus! I am afraid since mosquitoes are a big problem in Italy.
But the doctor who was discussing the virus said that if you have questions it is better to turn to a doctor.
