3 Parola del Giorno Words (3) (Checked & Completed) Flashcards
L’ÙFO (nome maschile)
(un oggetto volante non identificato or an unidentified flying object)
→ UFO; unidentified flying object
Today’s Parola del giorno is the masculine invariable noun “l’ÙFO”, which means “UFO” or “unidentified flying object”.
In English, this word is an initialism - we say each of the letter: You-Eff-Oh.
In Italian, L’UFO is an acronym so it is pronounced as a word.
Sometimes you will also hear on the news or in military reports the initialism written or spoken as “unidentified flying object.”
In Italian, the individual letters are not mentioned. No one would ever say “U-effe-o.”
When spelled out, the noun is no longer invaraible: “un oggetto volante non identificato” or “an unidentified flying object”.
Non poterne più + infinito (espressione)
→ to be exhausted from doing something; to be unable to stand doing something any longer
Today’s Parola del giorno is the expression “non poterne più + infinito”, which means “to be exhausted from doing something” or “to be unable to stand doing something any longer”.
Don’t forget that the “ne” is obligatory! This use of “ne” is pleonastic (“ne” pleonastico) - what this means is that the “ne” is there more for style and convention than for meaning. It is largely superfluous but still necessary.
Here’s an example from earlier in the week from the expression “essere/stare alla frutta”, which used this expression:
a. Sergio non ne può più di cantare. Quando apre bocca sembra non riuscire ad emettere alcun suono. È proprio alla frutta ormai!
→ Sergio cannot sing anymore. When he opens his mouth, it seems he cannot let out a sound. Now he has really reached his limit!
Essere/stare alla frutta (espressione)
→ to have have had enough; to have reached the end of something; to have reached one’s limit
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the idiomatic expression, “essere/stare alla frutta”, which means “to have reached the end of something” or “to have reached one’s limit”.
Literally, it means “to be at the end of the meal”.
Traditionally, the serving of fruit signified the end of an Italian meal and was often served as a way of promoting digestion as well as offering a simple, yet tasty, final course.
The expression is used to describe someone who is totally exhausted and cannot continue. It can be used in a variety of contexts.
a. Sergio non ne può più di cantare. Quando apre bocca sembra non riuscire ad emettere alcun suono. È proprio alla frutta ormai!
→ Sergio cannot sing anymore. When he opens his mouth, it seems he cannot let out a sound. Now he has really reached his limit!
Strappalàcrime (aggettivo)
→ a tear-jerker
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the invariable adjective¹, “strappalàcrime”, which means “tear-jerker”².
This adjective usually refers to books, stories, or movies, but it is often used ironically to describe other things (it was used to describe a letter of resignation written by Sandro Bondi, Minister of Culture in one of the former Berlusconi governments).
Note that in Italian how the adjective modifies a noun, but in English we drop the noun and just use “tear-jerker”.
a. Un film strappalacrime per me è ET di Steven Spielberg! Ho scoppiato a piangere quando ET è finalmente tornato a casa!
→ A tear-jerker for me is Steve Spielberg’s ET! I burst into tears when ET finally went home!
1 Remember that invariable adjectives are the same for either gender and for both singular and plural nouns.
2 Note the placement of the accent on the last ‘a’ in the word!
Lasciarci le penne (espressione)
→ to lose one’s life; to die
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression, “lasciarci le penne”, which means “to lose one’s life” or “to die”.
Italian has a number of verbs to express dying, however, it is important to note that this expression is meant to be used in a humorous way, like in the example below.
You shouldn’t use this expression when talking about something serious.
a. I miei amici vanno a fare lo skydiving e mi hanno invitato. Stanno fuori? Non voglio lasciarci le penne: preferisco rimanere sulla terra!
→ My friends are going skydiving and invited me. Are they crazy? I don’t want to lose my life: I prefer to stay on the ground.
Svogliato (aggettivo)
→ listless; indolent, lazy
Today’s Parola del giorno is the adjective “svogliato”.
It can mean “listless” as well as “indolent” or “lazy”.
It comes from the noun “la voglia”, which means “desire” or “willingness”.
Remember that the opposite meaning for many Italian nouns, verbs, and adjectives can involve placing an “s-“ before the word.
Can you think of some other words whose meaning changes when you place an s- before the word?
Schiacciare un pisolino (espressione verbale)
(= fare un pisolino)
→ to take a snooze; to have/take a nap
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression, “schiacciare un pisolino”, which means “to take a snooze” or “to have/take a nap”.
a. La domenica, dopo pranzo, mi fumo una sigaretta e schiaccio un pisolino. Non c’è niente di più bello di riposare un’oretta dopo il pranzo della domenica… anche se non fa molto bene alla digestione!
→ On Sundays, after lunch, I smoke a cigarette and have a nap. There is nothing more beautiful than resting an hour after Sunday lunch…even if it is not very good for the digestion!
Vi piace schiacciare un pisolino?
→ Do you like to take a nap?
Fare tirocinio (espressione verbale)
→ to do an internship/apprenticeship
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression, “fare tirocinio”¹, which means “to do an internship/apprenticeship”.
Apprenticeships and internships are common in Italy, especially at university.
You can see the expression used in its context below (note the missing definite article):
a. C’è tanta competizione nel mio campo che forse dovrei fare tirocinio prima di entrare nel mondo di lavoro.
→ There is so much competition in my field that perhaps I should do an internship before entering the job market.
Il dietro front (espressione)
→ a U-turn; an about face
a. Fare dietro front
→ to make a U-turn; to do an about face
Today’s Parola del giorno is the masculine invariable noun “il dietro front”, which can mean “a U-turn” or “an about face” (you sometimes see it also as one word “il dietrofront”).
In military contexts, it can be used as an interjection (Dietro front! = About face), when soldiers marching must turn around to face a commanding officer.
To make a U-turn or to do an about face, use the verb fare: “fare dietro front”.
You may encounter this expression when a person or group abruptly changes course on something.
The expression made the headlines when a political party in Italy abandoned plans to push through amendments on legislation related to Italy’s Green Pass and other COVID-19 legislation.
Avere le mani bucate (espressione verbale)
→ to spend money like water
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression, “avere le mani bucate”, which means “to spend money like water”.
The expression’s literal translation is “to have hands with holes in them”.
a. Marco ha proprio le mani bucate! Cena ogni sera in ristoranti di classe e poi arriva al sabato senza un soldo in tasca!
→ Marco really spends money like water. He has dinner out every evening in classy restaurant and then he’s broke when Saturday comes around!
Spavaldo (aggettivo)
→ bold or arrogant
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the adjective, “spavaldo”, which means “bold” or “arrogant”.
a. Giorgio è molto spavaldo, non ha mai paura di sbagliare e punta in alto. Ha una mentalità vincente e ambiziosa.
→ Giorgio is very bold, is never afraid of making a mistake and aims high. He has a winning and ambitious outlook.
Satollo (aggettivo)
→ full; stuffed; satiated
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the adjective, “satollo”, which means “full” or “stuffed” – as in, unable to eat another bite (in other words, satiated).
a. Sono satollo! Non riuscirei ad ingoiare un altro singolo boccone di cibo, nemmeno sotto tortura!
→ I am full! I couldn’t eat another single bite of food, even under torture!
Darsela a gambe (espressione, verbo pronomiale)
→ to cut and run; to take to one’s heels
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the pronominal verb “darsela a gambe”, which means “to cut and run” or “to take to one’s heels”.
This is something one might do to get away from someone/something dangerous or an uncomfortable and impossible situation.
a. I malintenzionati che hanno provato a rubare la borsetta a mia nonna non avevano fatto i conti con il mio Rottweiler. Quando il cane ha inziato a inseguirli, se la sono data a gambe così velocemente che sembrava stessero volando!
→ The prowlers who tried to steal my grandmother’s purse didn’t take my Rottweiler into account. When the dog started to follow them, they took to their heels so quickly it seemed they were flying!
Moschettiere (nome maschile)
→ a musketeer
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il moschettiere”, which means “a musketeer”.
Like English, the noun can be used to refer to a group of people who are inseparable and usually up to some form of shenanigans!
a. Marco, Mario e Marcello sono sempre insieme: quando io e i miei amici li vediamo in giro, li chiamiamo “I tre moschiettieri!” – sono proprio inseparabili!
→ Marco, Mario, and Marcello are always together: when my friends and I see them around, we call them “The Three Musketeers!” – they are just inseparable!
Trincerarsi (verbo pronominale)
→ to hide
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the pronominal verb, “trincerarsi”, which means “to hide”.
The past participle is “trincerato”.
“Essere” is used in compound tenses.
Note the placement of the accent when conjugated:
trincèro, trincèri, ecc.
a. Ogni volta che la sua squadra perde l’allenatore si trincera dietro scuse banali: dal clima sfavorevole ai torti arbitrali.
→ Every time his team loses he hides behind banal excuses: from the unfavorable weather to refereeing faults.
Pungente (aggettivo)
Pungente (aggettivo)
→ bitter; prickly; stinging
Today’s Parola del giorno¹ is the adjective, “pungente”, which can mean the following depending on the context:
1 bitter
2 prickly
3 stinging
You can see the adjective used in its various contexts, both figurative and literal, below:
a. Stai lontano dai cactus! I suoi aghi pungenti provocano molto dolore!
→ Stay away from the cactus! It is prickly needles cause a lot of pain!
b. Eravamo sopra alla montagna e un freddo pungente ci penetrava nelle ossa.
→ We were in the mountains and a bitter cold was penetrating our bones.
c. La satira pungente di Daniele Luttazzi è malvista dai politici sia di destra che di sinistra.
→ The stinging satire of Daniele Luttazzi is disliked by politicians of the right more than the left.
A oltranza
→ to the last
a. Lo sciopero a oltranza
→ an all-out strike
b. Combattere a oltranza
→ to fight to the death
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the phrase, “a oltranza”, which literally means “to the last”.
It is often combined with the noun, “lo sciopero”, to mean “an all-out strike” or with the verb, “combattere (a oltranza)”, meaning “to mean to fight to the death”.
a. I ferrovieri minacciano sciopero a oltranza se non verranno accolte le loro richieste di adeguamento contrattuale.
→ Railworkers are threatening an all-0ut strike if their requests for a contractual increase are not accommodated.
Intrallazzare (verbo transitivo)
→ to wheel and deal; to scheme
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the intransitive verb, “intrallazzare”, which means “to wheel and deal” or “to scheme”.
The past participle is “intrallazzato”.
“Avere” is used in compound tenses.
a. Nei libri di Leonardo Sciascia si legge spesso di personaggi che intrallazzano, rubano o corrompono.
→ In the books of Leonardo Sciascia, one often reads about characters that scheme, steal and bribe.
Derattizzare (verbo transitivo)
→ to derat (that is, to exterminate rats); to get rid of rats
Today’s Parola del giorno is the transitive verb, “derattizzare”, which means:
to derat (that is, to exterminate rats, to get rid of rats
This interesting verb has a past participle of “derattizzato” and takes “avere” in compound tenses.
Per volta (espressione)
→ at a time
a. Una cosa alla/per volta
→ one thing at a time.
Today’s Parola del giorno is the expression “per volta”, which means “at a time”.
Il sistema solare
→ the Solar System
Today’s Parola del giorno is the noun, “il sistema solare”, which means:
the solar system¹
Our Solar System consists of planets, a sun, asteroids and other space phenomenon!
A great way to increase your vocabulary is to read about things you know about on the Italian version of Wikipedia.
You can use the English version (which sometimes are direct translations, but not always) as a way of testing yourself as you build new vocabulary.
The excerpt below is an article on the Sun (Il Sole):
a. “Il Sole (dal latino Sol) è la stella madre del sistema solare, il nostro sistema planetario, attorno alla quale orbitano gli otto pianeti principali (tra cui la Terra), i pianeti nani, i loro satelliti, innumerevoli altri corpi minori e la polvere diffusa per lo spazio (che forma il mezzo interplanetario). Il Sole, inoltre, costituisce da solo il 99,8% della massa del sistema.”
→ “The sun (from the Latin sol) is the mother star of the solar system, our planetary system, around which orbit the eight principal planets (among which the Earth), nano-planets, and their moons, numerous other smaller bodies and widespread space dust (that forms the interplanetary medium). The sun, too, constitues by itself 99.8% of the system’s mass.”
1 “Il sistema” is masculine, not feminine.
Most masculine nouns in Italian with Greek roots are typically masculine.
Other nouns that follow this pattern:
il problema, il tema, il programma, among others!
Innescare (verbo transitivo)
→ to trigger
Today’s Parola del giorno is the transitive verb, “innescare”, which means:
to trigger
The verb can be used literally in its scientific sense, such as triggering a reaction or an explosion.
Or it can be used figuratively, as in triggering someone’s anger or triggering a war, as seen in the context below about the Napoleonic Wars (in which parts of Italy were engaged):
a. “Guerre napoleoniche è il termine usato per definire l’insieme delle guerre combattute nel periodo in cui Napoleone Bonaparte governò la Francia. Furono in parte una estensione dei conflitti innescati* dalla rivoluzione francese e continuarono durante tutto il Primo impero francese….”
→ “The Napoleonic wars is the term used to definie together with the hard fought wars during the period in which Napoleon Bonaparte governed France. They were in part an extension of the conflicts triggered by the French Revolution and continnued during all of the First French Empire….”
Pitone (nome maschile)
→ a python
Today’s Parola del giorno is the noun “il pitone”, which means “a python”.
a. Anni fa un pitone birmano si è mangiato una coperta elettrica matrimoniale, completa di filo elettrico e comandi. Un gruppo di veterinari hanno dovuto operare per salvare il serpente.
→ Years ago a Burmese python ate up a queen-sized electric blanket along with the controller and cord. A team of veterinarians had to operate to save the snake.
Other useful vocabulary:
1 Birmano:
→ Burmese
2 Filo elettrico:
→ a power chord
3 Il comando:
→ a control box (of the electric blanket)
4 I comandi:
→ controls (or control boxes)
5 La coperta:
→ a blanket
6 La coperta elettrica:
→ an electric blanket
7 La coperta elettrica matrimoniale:
→ a queen-sized electric blanket
Blando (aggettivo)
→ mild, tame
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the adjective, “blando”, which means “mild” or “tame”.
Note that it does NOT mean bland.
a. La partita ha avuto un ritmo piuttosto blando. Sembrava che a nessuno dei giocatori importasse davvero di vincere.
→ The match had a rather tame pace. It seemed that none of the players really cared about winning.
Roseo (aggettivo)
→ rosy; bright, promising
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the adjective, “roseo”, which means “rosy”, when talking about the colour of something.
It can also be used in a figurative sense to mean bright or promising – such as a bright or promising future (“un futuro roseo”).
a. Mariella ha un futuro roseo: si è laureata presto, ha trovato un bel lavoro, ha un buon salario e fra poco si sposa con un bravo uomo d’affari.
→ Mariella has a rosy future: she graduated early, she found a great job, she has a good salary and soon she is getting married to a great businessman.
Il geco (nome maschile)
→ a gecko
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun, “il geco”, which means “a gecko”.
A gecko is a kind of lizard of small to average size that is usually found in warm parts of the world.
a. Gli spot pubblicitari della Geico sono molto divertenti! È così buffo quando il geco parla con quell’accento!
→ The Geico commercials are very amusing! It is so funny when the gecko speaks with that accent!
Giacca a vento (nome femminile)
→ a windbreaker
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun, “la giacca a vento”, which means “a windbreaker”.
a. Oggi vado in centro a comprare una giacca a vento per la partenza. Nel caso trovassi brutto tempo a Toronto, almeno mi ripara dal vento e dalla pioggia.
→ I am going downtown today to buy a windbreaker for my departure. In case I run into bad weather in Toronto, at least it will protect me from the wind and rain.
A mente fresca (espressione)
→ with a clear mind
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression, “a mente fresca”, which means “with a clear mind”.
a. È tutta la mattina che studio, e mi sembra di non capire più quello che leggo. Meglio che mi distraggo per un po’ e riprendo a studiare a mente fresca tra qualche ora.
→ I have been studying all morning, and I can’t seem to understand what I am reading. It is better that I distract myself for a bit and resume studying with a clear mind in a few hours.
Prefiggersi (uno scopo)
→ to set (a goal),
to set one’s sights on something,
to be determined to do something (prefiggersi di fare qualcosa)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb, “prefiggersi (uno scopo)”, which means “to set (a goal)”, “to set one’s sights on something”, or “to be determined to do something” (prefiggersi di fare qualcosa).
The past participle is “prefisso”.
“Essere” is used in compound tenses.
a. Figlia: Mamma, non so cosa fare prima: vorrei iniziare danza classica, vorrei andare in piscina e nel frattempo devo anche studiare. Sono confusa!
Madre: Figlia mia, è meglio se non ti prefiggi troppe cose e affronti le cose una alla volta così non ti confondi. Un passo alla volta!
-→ Daughter: Mom, I don’t know what to do first: I would like to start classical dance, go to the pool and in the meantime I also have to study. I am confused!
Madre: My daughter, it is better if you don’t set your sights on too many things and deal with things one at a time so you do not get confused. One thing at a time!
Grazioso (aggettivo)
→ cute, lovely
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the adjective, “grazioso”, which means “cute” or “lovely”.
It can be used to describe people, animals, and even places.
a. Mia cugina ha adottato un cagnolino dal canile, è così grazioso. Ogni volta che mi vede mi fa le feste.
→ My cousin adopted a puppy from the pound, and it is so cute. Every time it see me, it jumps all over me.
Il parente / I genitori
→ relative / parents
Today’s Parola del Giorno features the nouns “il parente” and “i genitori”, which means “relative” and “parents”, respectively.
Be careful not to confuse these two words! “Il parente” does not mean “parent”.
a. I miei genitori mi hanno chiesto di comprare dei bigliettini per la cerimonia di laurea, così ringraziamo tutti i parenti che assisteranno.
→ My parents asked me to buy some thank you cards for my graduation ceremony so I can thank all the relatives who will attend.
Sciorinare (verbo transitivo)
→ to rattle off
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb, “sciorinare”, which means “to rattle off”.
a. Quando mia madre fa la valigia, le piace sciorinare ogni cosa che mette dentro. Secondo me le parole che dice ad alta voce la aiutano a non dimenticare cose importanti per il viaggio.
→ When my mother packs, she likes the rattle off everything that she puts inside. In my opinion the words that she says aloud help her not to forget important things for the trip.
Belga (aggettivo maschile e femminile)
→ Belgian; (= del Belgio, abitante del Belgio)
The adjective “belga” can be confusing, because it functions differently from other words used to describe nationality, such as:
→ italiano, italiana / italiani, italiane (Italian)
→ americano, americana / americani, americane (American)
→ russo, russa / russi, russe (Russian)
→ spagnolo, spagnola / spagnoli, spagnole (Spanish)
→ brasiliano, brasiliana / brasiliani, brasiliane (Brazilian)
The adjective “belga” is both the masculine and feminine form.
This adjective also has an irregular masculine plural:
→ belgi (not belghi)
The forms of belga are:
→ belga (m. and f.singular)
→ belgi (m. plural)
→ belghe (f. plural)
Sguinzagliare (verbo transitivo)
→ to unleash, to let loose
(= togliere il guinzaglio; (figurato) inviare ovunque)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “sguinzagliare”, which means “to unleash” or “to let loose”.
a. La nuova legge impone ai proprietari di sguinzagliare i propri cani solo nelle apposite aree nei parchi.
→ The new law requires owners to unleash their dogs only in the special areas in the park.
Non capire un’acca (espressione)
→ to be unable to make heads or tails of something
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression, “non capire un’acca”, which means “to be unable to make heads or tails of something”.
The word, “l’acca” is the letter, H, (which is silent in Italian), having slowly lost its pronunciations from Latin and so the expression is used to say that one does not understanding something.
a. Nonostante abbia seguito con estrema attenzione il corso per imparare ad usare Microsoft Excel, non ci capisco ancora un’acca.
→ Even though I paid close attention to the course so I could learn to use Microsoft Excel, I still can’t make heads or tails of it.
Cercarsela (verbo pronominale)
→ to ask for it
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the pronominal verb cercarsela, which means “to ask for it”.
a. Perché Matteo continua a rompere la scatole a Emilio? Se la cerca proprio: Emilio non apprezza certe critiche, particolarmente sulla sua storia con Elena.
→ Why does Matteo continue to bother Emilio? He is really asking for it: Emilio does not appreciate certain criticism, especially about his relationship with Elena.
Fare (largo) uso (di + qualcosa) (espressione)
→ to make (great) use (of something)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression, “fare (largo) uso (di + qualcosa)”, which means “to make (great) use (of something)”.
You will find this expression used often in Italian cookbooks.
a. Come mai nei piatti romani si fa un così largo uso del guanciale? Io sono vegetariano… c’è qualche piatto tipico romano senza carne?
→ Why is it that Roman dishes make such great use of guanciale? I am a vegetaraian…are there any typical Roman dishes without meat?
Far sgocciolare i piatti (espressione)
→ to let the dishes (drip) dry
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “far sgocciolare i piatti¹”, which means “to let the dishes (drip) dry”. Literally, the expression means “to let the dishes drip”.
a. Quando abitavo in Italia, mi mancava non avere la lavastoviglie; ogni sera dopo cena dovevo lavare i piatti e farli sgocciolare su uno scolapiatti.
→ When I used to live in Italy, I missed not having a dishwasher; every night after dinner I had to wash the dishes and let them dry on the dish rack.
A capofitto (espressione)
→ headlong
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the prepositional phrase “a capofitto”, which means “headlong”.
a. I colleghi di Martina dicono che lei è una stacanovista: si butta a capofitto in tutti i progetti di lavoro.
→ Martina’s co-workers say she is a workaholic: she throws herself head first into all her work projects.
Dalla a alla zeta (espressione)
→ from a to z
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the prepositional phrase “dalla a alla zeta”, which means “from a to z”.
a. A Natale mio zio mi ha regalato un’enciclopedìa¹ su Star Wars che spiega tutto di quei film, dalla a alla zeta.
→ For Christmas my uncle gave me an encyclopedia about Star Wars that explains everything about the films, from A to Z.
1 Note the placement of the stress on the second to last vowel!
Chattata (nome femminile)
→ (Internet) chat
Today’s Parola del giorno is the noun “la chattata”, which means “(internet) chat”.
I encountered this word while talking with a friend of mine in Italy on Facebook messenger; we hadn’t talked in a while because of our busy schedules.
I sent him a quick “hello” on Facebook, he responded, and we exchanged messages briefly. At the end of our discussion, he thanked me for “la chattata”.
The noun “la chattata” is a neologism or a new word or expression.
In Italian, these new words and expressions are called “neologismi”.
When you are chatting with a friend online, use the verb “chattare”.
When you are chatting with someone face to face, use the expression “fare due (o quattro) chiacchiere” or the verb “chiacchierare” to say you are “chatting”.
Lo smacchiatore
→ a stain remover
My favorite Italian words to pronounce are those that begin with s + consonant, like our example today, “lo smacchiatòre”.
“Uno smacchiatore” is “a stain remover” - a product you might use on clothes that you might have gotten some tomato sauce on…or perhaps some olive oil?
The word “smacchiatore” comes from the Italian word “màcchia”, which means “stain”.
The “s-“ before the word “smacchiatore” changes the meaning of many adjectives, nouns, and verb much like the use of the English prefix “un-“ or can indicate an opposite action or meaning.
Here are a few examples that came to mind:
Conosciuto
→ known
Sconosciuto
→ unknown
Gonfiare
→ to blow up (with air)
Sgonfiare
→ to deflate
La fiducia
→ trust
La sfiducia
→ mistrust, distrust
Contento
→ happy
Scontento
→ unhappy
Vestirsi
→ to get dressed
Svestirsi
→ to undress
Il / La sosia (nome femminile o maschile)
→ a look-alike, a dead wringer, a double
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the invariable noun, “il/la” sosia, which means “a look-alike”, “a dead wringer” or “a double”.
a. L’uomo che è venuto a fare il colloquio nel nostro ufficio è praticamente il tuo sosia! Ti assomiglia molto - è il tuo gemello?
→ The man who came to the interview in our office is virtually your double! He looks like you a lot - is he your twin?
Rosticerria (nome femminile)
→ rotisserie; delicatessen
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun, “la rosticcerìa”, which means “rotisserie” or “delicatessen”.
In Italy, “le rosticcerie” are shops where they serve the Italian equivalent of “fast food,” such as arancini, pizza, calzone, and other gastronomic delights (“street food”).
You’ll find them in almost every Italian city and town.
a. Di solito non ho tempo per un pranzo completo e compro qualcosa che posso mangiare al volo in rosticceria.
→ I usually don’t have time for a complete lunch, and I buy something I can eat on the fly at the rotisserie.
Incagliarsi (verbo pronomiale)
→ to reach a deadlock
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “incagliarsi”, which means “to reach a deadlock”.
See the verb used below in this example when Greece was having financial difficulties several years ago:
a. Dopo mesi di negoziazioni, i paesi europei hanno finalmente deciso di aiutare la Grecia. Quando si erano incagliati senza una soluzione, pensavo che la Grecia lasciasse l’Unione Europea.
→ After months of negotiations, the European countries finally decided to help Greece. When they had reached a deadlock without any solution, I thought Greece might leave the European Union.
Chiudersi fuori (espressione verbale)
→ to lock oneself out of something
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression, “chiudersi fuori”, which means “to lock oneself out of something”, such as locking yourself out of the house.
a. La scorsa notte ho dormito a casa dei miei vicini di casa perché per sbaglio mi sono chiuso fuori casa perché la porta si è chiusa e sono rimasto per strada.
→ Last night I slept at the neighbor’s house because I locked myself out of the house by mistake because the door closed and I was left on the street.
Venire
→ to cost
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb, “venire”, which, in the context below, means “to cost” (you probably know the verb to mean “to come”).
It can be used in the expression “Quanto viene? “to ask “How much is it?” (as in, “how much does this cost?”).
Remember that “venire” is a highly irregular verb (present tense: vengo, vieni, viene…vengono).
Let us look at the context below:
a. Angela: Che bella! Mi piace molto questa camicia.
Carla: Ma quanto viene? Questo negozio è molto caro!
Angela: Non lo so. Fammi chiedere alla commessa. Signora, quanto costa?
→ Angela: How beautiful! I like this blouse a lot.
Carla: But how much is it? This store is very expensive!
Angela: I don’t know. Let me ask the sales clerk. Ma’am, how much is it?
Caprìno / Formàggio caprino (nome maschile)
→ goat’s cheese
Today’s Parola del giorno is the noun “il caprìno”, which can mean “goat’s cheese”.
You may also see “il formàggio caprino”, as well.
Goat’s cheese is common in Italy, and it is one of my favourite cheeses.
a. Ti piace il caprino? Facci sapere nei commenti!
→ Do you like goat cheese? Let us know in the comments!
Che barba! (espressione)
→ What a drag!
Today’s Parola del giorno is the expression “Che barba!”, which means “What a drag!”.
a. Oggi mi tocca stare a casa tutto il giorno a studiare e non posso uscire con i miei amici. Che barba!
→ Today, I have to stay home and study all day, and I can’t go out with my friends. What a drag!
Mi cola il naso (espressione)
→ My nose is running
Today’s Parola del giorno is the verb expression “Mi cola il naso”, which means “My nose is running”.
It can also mean “I have the sniffles”, which is American slang for a cold, especially when one has a runny nose and/or congested sinuses.
It is inevitable that at the end of the year I end up with the cold (il raffreddore) or flu (l’influenza), so in honour of the virus, I thought it would be helpful to learn some expressions related to being under the weather!
This expression is versatile. If you wanted to say “His nose is running” or “Her nose is running,” you just changed the pronoun at the start of the phrase:
1 Gli cola il naso.
→ His nose is running.
2 Le cola il naso.
→ Her nose is running.
Dòse (nome femminile)
→ a dose (of medicine)
Today’s Parola del giorno is the noun “la dòse”, which can mean “dose”.
You will see this noun a lot as people around the world get their first and second dose (depending on the vaccine) for protection against COVID-19.
Evaporare (verbo intransitivo)
→ to evaporate
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb, “evaporare”, which can mean “to evaporate”.
When the weather is hot in Italy, it is not uncommon to hear people using the verb “evaporare” to say that they are boiling!
a. Oggi fa troppo caldo, sto evaporando. Sto proprio soffrendo!!
→ It is very hot today, and I’m boiling. I am really suffering!
Il colloquio telefonico
→ a telephone interview
Today’s Parola del giorno is the noun “il collòquio telefònico”, which translates as “telephone interview”.
“Un colloquio” is the kind of interview you have for a job.
An interview that is done in the news or on broadcast television is “un’intervista”.
Mi viene qualcosa (espressione)
→ I am coming down with something
Today’s Parola del giorno is the verb expression “Mi viene qualcosa”, which means “I am coming down with something”.
This expression is usually used when talking about an illness, usually a minor one like a cold or the flu.
a. Mi sento terribile…credo che mi venga qualcosa.¹ Sai dov’è il termometro perché vorrei misurare la febbre.
→ I feel terrible….I think I’m coming down with something. Do you know where the thermometer is because I would like to take my temperature.
1 Note the use of the subjunctive after “Credo che”!
Avere presente (espressione)
→ to bear in mind; to know someone/something
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “avere presente”, which means “to bear in mind” or “to know someone/something”.
Figlia: Mamma, come si chiama l’attrice protagonista di questo film che abbiamo guardando?
→ Daughter: Mom, what is the name of the lead actress in that film we watched?
Madre: Ho presente chi sia, l’ho già vista in altri film, ma non ricordo proprio come si chiama.
→ Mother: I know who she is, I saw her before in other films, but I do not really remember what her name is.
Sentirsi uno straccio (espressione)
→ to feel /to be worn out
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression, “sentirsi uno straccio”, which means “to feel /to be worn out”.
“Uno straccio” is “a cloth” or “a rag”.
a. Oggi ho studiato tutta la mattina e di pomeriggio ho dovuto coprire il turno del mio collega a lavoro. Mi sento uno straccio, e ho bisogno di dormire.
→ Today I studied all morning and in the afternoon I had to cover my colleague’s shift at work. I am worn out and need to sleep.
Nemìco (nome maschile, femminile)
→ an enemy
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun, “il nemìco”, which means “an enemy”.
Pay attention to where the stress goes — think of the word l’amìco! Same stress, different prefix!
a. Mia nonna diceva sempre: è meglio avere un nemico intero che un amico a metà.
→ My grandmother always used to say: it is better to have a whole enemy than half a friend
Modulo (nome maschile)
→ a form
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun, “il modulo”, which means “a form”.
Italy is “famous” for its many moduli da compilare (forms to fill out) - “C’è sempre qualcosa da compilare!”
a. Oggi mi sono iscritto in piscina e ho compilato il modulo di iscrizione, ho perso quasi dieci minuti perché c’erano troppi campi da compilare!
→ Today I signed up for the pool, and I filled out the enrollment form. I wasted almost ten minutes because there were too many sections to fill out!
Circo mediàtico (espressione)
→ a media circus
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression, “il circo mediàtico”, which means “a media circus”.
a. Quando Madonna è venuta a Roma l’altro ieri, ogni canale, giornale e giornalista la aspettavano all’aeroporto.
Il traffico era incredibile ed era proprio un circo mediatico!
→ When Madonna came to Rome the other day, every TV station, newspaper and jouranlist was waiting for her at the airport.
The traffic was unbelievable, and it was really a media circus!
Cartomante (nome maschile, femminile)
Il/la cartomante
→ a fortune-teller
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il/la cartomante”, which means “a fortune-teller”.
a. 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 that 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.
Stringere la cinghia (modo di dire (=idiomatic espression))
→ to tighten one’s belt
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the idiomatic expression “strìngere la cìnghia”, which means “to tighten one’s belt”.
In Italian, this expression is called “a modo di dire” or “an idiomatic expression”.
a. Ho chiesto a mia cugina a cosa sarebbe disposta a rinunciare se dovesse iniziare a stringere la cinghia se i soldi non le bastassero più. Lei mi ha risposto che rinuncerebbe a fare shopping.
→ I asked my cousin what would she be willing to give up if she had to start tightening her belt if there wasn’t enough money anymore. She responded to me that she would give up shopping.
Indovinala grillo! (Locuzione)
→ Your guess is as good as mine
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression, “Indovinala grillo”, which means “Your guess is as good as mine”.
a. Adriana: Cosa è successo alla signora del quinto piano?
→ Adriana: What happened to that woman on the fifth floor?
Caterina: È andata a vivere con i suoi figli.
→ Caterina: She went to live with her children.
Adriana: Che ne sarà della sua casa adesso?
→ Adriana: What will happen to her house now?
Caterina: Indovinala grillo!
→ Caterina: Your guess is as good as mine!
Razzo (nome maschile)
→ a rocket
The Chinese rocket hurtling uncontrolled through the atmosphere back to Earth has finally crash landed into the Indian Ocean.
The Italian word for “rocket (engine)” is “il razzo”.
Don’t confuse this with the word “la razza”, which can mean “race” as in the human race (la razza umana) or “breed” (when referring to animals, like dogs, cats, horses, etc.).
Some authorities in the south of Italy were urging residents to stay indoors Saturday night in case there were any dangers of falling debris.
Lapalissiàno (aggettivo)
→ self-evident
Today’s Parola del giorno is the adjective “lapalissiàno”, which means “self-evident”.
It is synonymous with “ovvio” and “evidente”.
Andare in macchina
→ to drive; to go by car
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “andare in macchina”, which means “to drive” or “to go by car”.
There is a difference between the verb “guidare” and “andare in macchina”.
The verb “guidare” is transitive (transitivo) and is typically used to refer to the act of driving some form of transport or riding a form of transport. It stresses the activity, and it is often followed by the mode of transportation being driven (macchina, moto, autobus, etc.).
The expression “andare in macchina” stresses movement to/from a particular place/location.
Our example contrasts the two:
a. A mia madre non piace andare in macchina da nessuna parte se deve guidare lei. Dice che c’è sempre troppo traffico per strada e poi non le piace guidare di notte perché non vede bene al buio.
→ My mother does not like driving anywhere if she has to drive. She says there is always too much traffic on the roads and then does not like to drive at night because she doesn’t see well in the dark.
La tolleranza zero (espressione)
→ zero tolerance
Today’s Parola del giorno is the noun expression, “la tolleranza zero”, which translates as “zero tolerance”.
Since COVID-19 has swept across the globe, you will see this expression “tolleranza zero” used a lot in describing the stances that authorities are taking with violators of lockdown. You can also see it in a number of other contexts, too.
Sondaggio (nome maschile)
→ a poll
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il sondaggio”, which means “a 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!
Sapere di fregatura (espressione)
→ to sound dodgy, to sound fishy
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “sapere di fregatura”, which means “to sound dodgy” or “to sound fishy”.
a. Oggi ho ricevuto una risposta dal mio curriculum. Purtroppo “l’offerta” di lavoro sa di fregatura: non sembra un’offerta reale e penso che vogliano ingannarmi.
→ Today, I received a response from my resume. Unfortunately, the “job offer” sounds fishy: it doesn’t seem like a real offer, and I think they might want to scam me.
Berlina (nome femminile)
→ a sedan, a saloon (British English) (a type of car usually for four to five people)
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun, “la berlina”, which means sedan (or saloon in British English), a type of car usually for four to five people.
The number of doors and seat configuration is dependent on the manufacturer although they typically have four doors and/or a hatchback.
a. Ragazzi, sapete che Maria ha venduto la station wagon che aveva da quindici anni e si è comprata una nuova berlina? È spaziosa, elegantissima, blu scuro, dentro ci sono tutti i comfort e non consuma nemmeno troppa benzina come la station wagon. Anche io vorrei un’auto così!
→ Guys, did you know Maria sold the station wagon she had for fifteen years and bought a new sedan? It is spacious, very elegant, dark blue, inside there are all the comforts and it doesn’t use a lot of gas like the station wagon. I would like a car like that, too!
In un baleno (espressione)
→ in a flash; in the blink of an eye.
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the prepositional phrase “in un balen”o, which means “in a flash” or “in the blink of an eye”.
“Il baleno” refers to “a flash of lightning”.
a. Tiziano era davvero affamato, tantoché ha mangiato il piatto di pasta in un baleno. “Da quanti giorni non mangi?,” gli ho chiesto stupito.
→ Tiziano was really hungry, so much so that he ate his dish of pasta in a flash. “For how many days have you note eaten,” I astonishingly asked him.
Andare a quel paese (espressione)
→ to get lost, to drop dead, to go to hell
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “andare a quel paese”, which means “to get lost”, “to drop dead” or “to go to hell”.
“Quel paese” refers to what Italians would call “l’inferno” or “hell”.
You will hear this expression a lot with irate drivers. It is quite common to hear around Italy!
I’d be surprised if you haven’t heard it! Having said all of that, please be cautious in using this expression. It is quite offensive.
a. Al compleanno di Gianni, c’è stata una lite fra Marianna e Tommaso che è velocemente diventata molto tesa. Tommaso è scappato quando Marianna ha gridato “Vai a quel paese! Mi fai schifo!” Non sappiamo il motivo della lite ma forse è perché giorni fa lui ha cacciato di casa la sorella di Marianna.
→ At Gianni’s birthday, there was an argument between Marianna and Tommaso that quickly became very tense. Tommaso took off when Marianna shouted “Go to hell! You make me sick!” We don’t know the reason for the argument, but it is perhaps because some days ago he dumped Marianna’s sister.
Cacciare di casa (espressione)
→ (mandar via: persona) to throw s.o. out of the house; to drive away, to chase away
1 Cacciare qn di casa/dal paese/dalla scuola
→ to throw sb out of the house/the country/school;
(nemico) to drive away;
(tristezza, malinconia, dubbio) to chase away
Civetta (nome femminile)
→ an owl
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “la civetta”, which means “an owl”.
a. Nella serie TV Twin Peaks, la civetta è un simbolo del male ma nella cultura greca la civetta era simbolo di intelligenza e della dea Atena.
→ In the series Twin Peaks, the owl is a symbol of evil, but in Greek culture the owl was a symbol of intelligence and the Goddess Athena.
An Owl by Any Other Name …..
Gufo? Civetta?
The many Italian words to describe owls.
A Facebook user recently contacted my Facebook page a few years back to ask about the difference between the word “il gufo” and “la civetta”.
This user wanted to know the difference between the two words – were they simply synonyms or did they refer to different types of owls?
The answer is the second: they refer to different kinds of owls!
The Italian word “il gufo” is the animal that is the most famous in the ‘family’ of owls; it is the one with the straight feathers on top of its head that look like two ears, and it is the most common word for owl in Italian — in other words, if you don’t know the kind of owl you mean, use il gufo.
“Il gufo reale” is equivalent to “the eagle-owl” in English.
“La civetta” is the smaller owl and is very common in Italy; it is known as the little owl in English.
There is also the word “il barbagianni” that is equivalent to “the barn owl” with its feathers and round head.
Lastly, there is also the word “l’assiolo”, which is the smallest of the owls, “the Eurasian scops owl”.
Farla franca (espressione)
→ to get away with sth.
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the pronominal verb “farla franca”, which means “to get away with it”, in other words not being discovered or avoiding the consequences of some bad deed having been done (like thieves breaking into your home and never getting caught).
a. I ladri sono entrati in casa della Signora Rossi alle 03:00 di mattina e si sono portati via tutti i gioielli della Signora. Nessuno in casa si è accorto di niente e i ladri l’hanno fatta franca con un bottino di più di quattromila Euro!
→ The thieves got into Mrs. Rossi’s house at 3:00 AM, and they stole all of the lady’s jewelry. No one at home realized anything, and the they got away with it with a more than 4,000 euro of loot!
Grammar Note:
Don’t forget that when the pronominal verb ends in “-la”, the past participle in compound tenses remains in the feminine singular even when the verb is used in the plural (as in our example).
Sbeccare (verbo transitivo)
→ to chip something
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb “sbeccare”, which means “to chip something”.
The past participle is “sbeccato”; “avere” is used in compound tenses.
a. Carlo è preoccupato perché, mentre spolverava la casa, ha sbeccato un vaso che sua nuora gli ha regalato. Il danno non è troppo visibile ma Carlo teme che sua moglie se ne accorga. Lui dice sempre che la moglie ha gli occhi di lince, si accorge di tutto!
→ Carlo is worried because, while he was dusting the house, he chipped a vase his daughter-in-law gave him. The damage is not too noticeable, but Carlo is afraid his wife will notice it. He always says his wife has the eyes of a hawk, she notices everything!
Sgabello (nome maschile)
→ a (bar) stool
Lo sgabello
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun, “lo sgabello”, which means “a (bar) stool”.
a. Quando vado a mangiare al ristorante, preferisco sedermi sugli sgabelli perché li trovo più comodi delle sedie. Mi piace sedermi su una posizione più alta, così posso vedere meglio il locale!
→ When I go eat at the restaurant, I prefer to sit on the stools, because I find them more comfortable than the chairs. I like to sit up high so I can see the place better.
Rompere le scatole (espressione)
→ to get on s.o.’s nerve, to bother s.o.
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the expression “rompere le scatole”, which means to get on someone’s nerves or to bother someone.
a. La smettete di rompere le scatole al cane, per favore? Lasciatelo dormire!
→ Can you stop bothering the dog, please? Let him sleep!
Tirocinante (nome maschile, femminile)
Il/la tirocinante
→ an intern, a trainee
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the noun “il tirocinante”, which means “an intern” or “a trainee”.
a. Oggi in azienda arriveranno tre nuovi tirocinanti: Sandra dovrà seguirli e spiegare loro i progetti su cui lavoriamo. Spera che i tirocinanti siano motivati ad imparare, visto che gli ultimi non lo erano.
→ Today at the office three new interns arrived: Sandra will have to monitor them and explain to them the projects we are working on. She hopes the interns are motivated to learn since the last ones were not.
Fare una capatina [da qualcuno] (espressione)
→ to pop in and see
Today’s Parola del Giorno is the verb expression “fare una capatina [da qualcuno]”, which means “to pop in and see [someone]”.
“Una capatina” is “a brief visit”.
a. Domani non lavoriamo e ti passiamo a trovare al bar alle 3 di pomeriggio, così quando finisci di lavorare facciamo una capatina da Mario, è da tanto tempo che ci vuole vedere!
→ We are not working tomorrow, and we’ll drop by and see you at 3:00 in the afternoon, so when you finish working, we’ll pop in and see Mario since he’s been wanting to see us for a while.
