KarenSheffield's activity

Questions Asked

I have tried several times to upload photos. I fill in all the fields, upload all the photos but then when I press 'post' nothing happens.

Thu, 10/28/2010 - 14:13

We have just come back from Italy where we were supposed to sign the final contract for our property in Grottole, Basilicata.

Mon, 09/27/2010 - 14:46

We went to Spain last week to put our Spanish house on the market as we are buying a house in Basilicata- and have already found a buyer, in fact a Norwegian couple.

Thu, 07/15/2010 - 14:11

There is a company called Tricali that sells renovated village properties in Irsina, Basilicata, as part of a sustainable renewal project in conjunction with the local council. We are going to see some of the properties next month.

Thu, 05/06/2010 - 12:53

Comments posted

Wed, 09/29/2010 - 13:10

Thank you, Al, that's really helpful. I had no idea what a dehumidifier actually was or how it worked until you told me!. Thanks also for the advice on by-passing the internal bucket- obviously one that you can attach a hose to would be better for us as the house would be shut up for several weeks at a time.

Wed, 09/29/2010 - 13:06

Grazie Steve! I might have known the Italians would have an eight-syllable word for it!

Mon, 09/27/2010 - 15:11

Can anyone recommend any particular brand of dehumidifier? And how large/powerful should it be for a 55 sq metre flat with a very high ceiling? I can't even find an entry for 'dehumidifier' in the dictionary- what is it in Italian?  Any replies will be much appreciated!

Mon, 09/27/2010 - 14:39

I think you would have to ask a native Italian speaker to answer this. Valentina, over to you!

Mon, 09/27/2010 - 13:07

We have used Rational FX to transfer currency from UK to Italy and they are very efficient. But as capoboi suggests, you might be better off with a US based broker.

Mon, 09/27/2010 - 13:02

I think it would have to be 'mentre pensavo', not 'mentre pensando'. As pianopiano says, 'pendsando' already suggests an ongoing action.

Mon, 09/27/2010 - 12:57

1. The examples you give are not strictly speaking gerunds. The English gerund is a verbal noun, i.e. a noun formed from a verb: "Walking is good exercise", "growing your own vegetables is very satisfying".  2. The gerundio presente using 'stare' is known as the present continuous, the form using ...ing,  in English: "Sto preparando la cena" = "I am getting dinner ready" 3. The other use, as you say, is to indicate an activity that is/was going on when something else happens/happened: "[quando stava] corriendo nella strada, se e fratturato la gamba" = "[when he was] running in the street, he broke his leg". This is also 4. It is also used adverbially, i.e. to modify a verb, as in your example of "gesticulando" : "parli sempre gesticulando" = you always gesticulate when you speak. N.B. Valentina, you don't say "I may have missed to explain something" in English, you say, "I may have omitted to explain something", or more usually, "I may have missed something out [in my explanation]". Thank you for raising this complicated question, it has stimulated a lot of debate altready!

Mon, 09/20/2010 - 11:17

I looked at your website, and your dog Barney looks incredibly like our dog- also called Barney, also a black-labrador/border collie cross, and also a resue dog! He was fined wandering the streets of Sheffield by the dog warden, only 18 months old and well-fed but nervous of loud noises. We have had him for a year and a half, and he is a lovely dog, rather naughty sometimes but very intelligent and friendly. So nice to hear about people who are doing their best to help some of the sadly neglected dogs around them. Keep up the good work! Karen

Fri, 09/17/2010 - 15:08

We are buying a fully renovated property from a developer. Will we automatically get a certificate guaranteeing the plumbing and electrical work from the developer, or do we have to ask for one from the contractors? And what is the DIA that Ram referred to? Thanks in advance for any replies.

Tue, 08/17/2010 - 07:23

Hi Caroline, We have the same idea, and are buying a small property in Grottole, near Irsina. We go out in September to sign the contract, and then (hopefully) it will be renovated, and we should be able to take possession around next Easter. Where is your property? Perhaps we will be neighbours! All the best, Karen