One of the most exciting “field trips” I took when I lived in Italy was to a nearby town to watch the riveting final installment of the “Twilight” series: Twilight, Breaking Dawn Part II. Even though I wasn’t Twilight’s number one fan (okay, I admit, I might have read all of the books in high…
How to Buy Clothes in Italy (or How to Buy a Coat to Keep You From Succumbing to Hypothermia)
I have previously discussed having to adjust to the weather in Italy, although not in great detail. I come from Las Vegas. Seasons? What are those? In Las Vegas, you wear shorts in the summer and pants in the winter. There isn’t really ever a need for layering or rain boots or big winter parkas….
What are Pronominal Verbs and How Do You Use Them in Italian?
In Italian, a pronominal verb is basically a verb mixed with pronouns. Pronominal verbs look similar to verbs you already know, making it a little bit easier to take a guess at their meaning. We’re all familiar with the Italian verb ‘andare,’ meaning ‘to go’. The pronominal verb that looks similar to andare is andarsene….
How to Talk About that Book You Loved or Hated in Italian
One of my favorite things to talk about with people is reading, and, in fact, one of the first things I learned to say in Italian was mi piace leggere, I like to read. Similar to talking about music and movies, talking about books is a great way to connect with new friends that might also…
In Tiny Alleyways: Along the Winding Roads of the Amalfi Coast
I’ve always been curious about the driving laws in Italy. According to every Italian I’ve talked to, the laws are similar to those in the United States. You get pulled over if you’re going too fast; it’s important to obey all posted warnings and signs. In my experience, however, Italians like to play a little…
Diminutive, Pejorative and Augmentative Nouns (or how Italians indicate something is really small, really big, or really ugly)
When I first started speaking Italian, my speech was peppered with a lot of “moltos.” Things were molto grande, molto piccolo, molto brutto. And while molto is a great way to express that something is really big or small or ugly, it isn’t the only way. In Italian, you can add suffixes to nouns to…
What the Heck is a Gram of Mortadella? (or How to Use the Metric System)
Besides having to learn a foreign language when I moved to Italy, I also had to adjust to using a completely foreign system of measurement. In fact, my unfamiliarity with the metric system coupled with my overwhelming fear of speaking Italian with strangers (or anyone, really) prevented me from experiencing some of the best foods in Italy….
The Present Tense Gerund in Italian (or how to talk about something that’s happening or going to happen)
Click play on the player at the bottom to listen to this podcast or find it on Apple Podcasts. “Che cosa stai facendo in questo momento?” – What are you doing (right now)? I remember asking this question to my Italian ex-ragazzo multiple times on the nights when we would both be out with our…
How to Send Texts or IMs in Italian (or how to avoid spending an hour on a message that says perché?)
One of the first activities I participated in with my USAC cohort when I got to Italy was taking a mini field trip to the post office to get my hands on a PosteMobile cell phone. At the time I thought it was pointless to have a cell phone, because I pessimistically believed that I wouldn’t…
How to Give or Understand Directions Given to You in Italian
Click play on the player at the bottom to listen to this podcast or find it on Apple Podcasts. When I lived in Italy, I lived in an apartment that was alongside one of the main roads that went into town. Every day, in order to get into town, I’d have to walk along a…
War with Mosquitoes in Firenze
It might seem like all my stories from Italy have to do with bugs. A lot of them do. There aren’t a whole lot of bugs in the dry, hot climate of my hometown, Las Vegas, besides scorpions and ants. The humidity of Italy, on the other hand, is a bug’s paradise; it’s my worst…
10 Phrases for Talking About Music in Italian
Click play on the player at the bottom to listen to this podcast or find it on Apple Podcasts. Being able to listen to and understand new music is one of the best parts about learning a new language. You’re introduced to a whole new facet of the culture when you’re able to enjoy a…