Vocabulary

How To Apologize in Italian

We’ve all been there. Sometimes it’s a simple gaffe (anyone read my other post, Parole Pericolose? If not – check it out for some serious mixups), and sometimes it’s a bigger error that involves actually offending your new Italian friend. If it hasn’t happened yet, over the course of your language learning journey, unfortunately, it…

How to Talk About Everyday Chores in Italian

Click play on the player at the bottom to listen to this podcast or find it on Apple Podcasts.At The Iceberg Project, we’re big believers in incorporating Italian into everyday tasks as a way to further your learning and vocabulary. So, we got to thinking, what is something everyone does every day, but maybe has…

Basic Italian Vocabulary: Animals

One of the first words children learn is that of animals. Be it their household pet or a beloved toy, babies and toddlers quickly learn the names of their furry friends. Learning Italian as an adult shouldn’t be much different – it’s just as useful to learn Italian animal words as it is for children….

Phrases for Enjoying Your Time at the Beach

The sun is shining, and you’ve just arrived at your seaside resort hotel in Taormina. Before you even reach your room, you’re already thinking about what the ocean breeze is going to feel like once you roll out your towel and lay underneath the big umbrellas lining the shore. Even if you’re just going to…

How to Supercharge Your Vocabulary Flashcards for the Digital Age

I have a confession to make: I hate language learning flashcards. Well, I used to, anyway. Before you reach for your pitchforks, hear me out: The traditional vocabulary flashcard suffers from two key problems. Flashcards are, in my opinion: — Cumbersome – Flashcards take up space, and lots of it. If you’re using index cards,…

How to Write a Love Letter in Italian

Ohhhh amore! What’s better than being in love? Whether you’re dating an Italian, married to your high school sweetheart, or still on the prowl, everyone knows that love rules the world. Italians in particular are depicted all the time as being some of the most romantic people in the world, and whether it’s true or…

Dialogue: Differences Between American & Italian Culture, Pt. II

At The Iceberg Project, we believe the only way you can truly learn a language is by using it in real life. (We also believe that Italian is the best foreign language to learn.) To help you get that real-life experience, we put together this dialogue for you. It’s about two friends — one Italian…

Chi sono i “falsi amici”??

No matter whether it’s your first foreign language or your fifth, the rules of the Italian language can be really confusing. Plus, there isn’t a whole lot of material out there in Italian that offers comprehension practice targeted at English speakers. That’s why I ask my team to create original content in Italian constantly, like…

Phrases to Buy Jewelry in Italy

Have you ever been to Florence? If so, you’ve likely noticed that gorgeous old bridge, Ponte Vecchio, full of glistening gold and jewels. You may have even wanted to buy something or just step inside one of the historic shops to look around. You may also have been intimidated not knowing the words to use…

How to Talk About Where You Live

Click play on the player at the bottom to listen to this podcast or listen to it on Stitcher or Apple Podcasts. “Where are you from? – Di dove sei?” It has to be one of the top ten most frequently asked questions when you meet somebody while abroad in Italy. And while you could…

Italian Vocabulary for the Environmentalist

Given all that’s happened recently with natural disasters and politically, the environment — or the destruction of it — is a hotter topic than ever. (Pun NOT intended.) If you want to discuss this with your language partner, a friend, or family member, how can you express your concerns in Italian? What are the specific,…

How to Talk About the Seasons in Italian

Cambio di stagione, or change of seasons, is an important event that happens two times a year for Italians. Why two times a year and not four? Because this cambio I’m referring to is the one related to wardrobe. As summer ends and fall begins, Italians open their wardrobes (armadi) and take out their winter…