Language Tips

Language
by Alesha Allen | Sun, 10/06/2013 - 06:00
If something is stressing you out in Italy, you could say you don’t care or, more colloquially, you don’t give a damn. In Italian this would be: Non mi…
Language
by ITALY | Thu, 05/30/2013 - 10:02
What to ask when you get to a rented holiday house in Italian.As more and more people prefer renting a house or apartment for their holidays in Italy, we…
Language
by ITALY | Wed, 03/16/2011 - 10:27
Today, Italy celebrates its 150th birthday. La “Bella Signora” turns 150 and after having informed our readers about the official celebrations and the origins…
Language
by Pat Eggleton | Tue, 12/28/2010 - 12:28
If you are askedLe dà fastidio?the person is not asking you if you are fastidious! The word fastidio means “irritation”or “bother” so the expression means “…
Language
by ITALY | Thu, 12/23/2010 - 06:08
English speakers tend to overdo “Please” and “Thank you”, just as we famously say “Sorry” too much but we don’t think that you can ever be too polite in Italy…
Language
by Pat Eggleton | Tue, 12/21/2010 - 06:35
A novella is not a novel in Italian. It is a short story.A romanzo is not a romance, but a novel.So what do you call a book whose theme is a love story?…
Language
by Pat Eggleton | Thu, 12/16/2010 - 10:09
Looking for Italy-themed Christmas Cards? Check out these great Christmas cards ITALY Magazine prepared! We are sure that some of you will want to send…
Language
by Pat Eggleton | Wed, 12/15/2010 - 05:21
Much confusion is caused to English speakers by the way in which Italians express centuries from 1000 a.d. to 2000 a.d., so let’s try to clear it up: When…
Language
by Pat Eggleton | Tue, 11/30/2010 - 12:49
Here are two words which sometimes cause confusion:Diretto means “direct” and a treno diretto is a through train. A volo diretto is a direct flight.Diritto…
Language
by Pat Eggleton | Tue, 11/23/2010 - 06:17
Così means “in this way” or “like this”.So the opera title “Così fan tutte” means “All [women] act like this”.If you are buying things in a shop and the…