Staccare and scattare, two somewhat look-alike words, appear in the same episode of Commissario Manara, and scattare also appears in a music video. The meanings of both words are not always immediately clear.
We use the word scattare when taking pictures:
Ti scatterò una foto
I'll take a snapshot of you
Caption 8, Tiziano Ferro - Ti scattero' una foto
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But scattare can mean to “click,” “to release a spring,” or “to spring into action.” It can also mean “to click” figuratively, as in the following example from one of this week’s videos.
Lo ringrazi tantissimo per i fiori e gli dici:
You thank him profusely for the flowers and you tell him,
"non è scattato quello che doveva scattare."
"What should have clicked didn't click."
Captions 7-8, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP8 - Morte di un buttero - Part 8
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Scattare has to do with setting something in motion at a certain moment.
C'è stata una storia che ha fatto scattare la carriera.
There's been a story that made this one's career take off.
Captions 16-17, Tiziano Terzani - Cartabianca
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Staccare on the other hand generally means “to detach” as we can see by the prefix s attached to the word attaccare. The prefix s often negates a word, or changes its meaning to the opposite, or to something a bit different. In some cases it can be comparable to the prefix "de," “dis,” “in,” or “im.”
Staccare la spina is “to pull out the plug.” This expression transfers to other situations like someone’s phone being off, or having the electricity go off. The adjective or past participle staccato can also mean “disconnected” or “separate.”
In this week’s episode of Commissario Manara, Lara tries to call Massimo, but his phone is off:
Informazione gratuita: il clien'... [cliente] -Staccato.
Free message: the client... -He's turned off.
Caption 22, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP8 - Morte di un buttero - Part 8
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Here are a few common examples to give you an idea of how the prefix s works.
Corretto (correct)/scorretto (incorrect, or improper)
Cotto (cooked)/scotto (overcooked)
Finito (finished)/sfinito (dead tired)
Fame (hunger)/sfamare (to remove hunger, or to feed)
Parlare (to speak)/sparlare (to speak badly of someone)
Congelare (to freeze)/scongelare (to defrost)
Intonato (in tune)/stonato (out of tune)
Ricordare (to remember or remind)/scordare (to forget)
See also Marika’s video about prefixes.
Marika spiega: La formazione dei contrari
In English we use the verbs “to be” and “to get” to mean so many things. "To be" is usually translated into Italian with essere, while "to get" is translated with prendere (to take), diventare (to become), or ricevere (to receive) to name a few. In certain contexts, however, the translation of "to be" or "to get" is the verb rimanere, which usually translates as "to remain" or "to stay," as in the following example.
Come vedi, appaio a rallentatore.
As you can see, I appear in slow motion.
Ma il mio tono di voce rimane lo stesso.
But the tone of my voice remains the same.
Captions 30-31, Yabla-Intro - Irene
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In the example below, we have the past participle of the verb colpire (to hit, to strike, to impress) functioning like an adjective. In this case, English uses the passive form, “to be impressed,” but in Italian the act of being impressed or struck needs a more active verb. In English, to obtain a more active feeling, we might use “to get” or “to become.” Italian uses rimanere, and in this fable, it's in the passato remoto (remote past tense).
Il re rimase colpito.
The king was impressed.
Caption 27, Ti racconto una fiaba - Il gatto con gli stivali
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To get a better feeling of the verb rimanere, we could construe the translation like this:
The king was left dumbfounded.
In the following example, two co-workers are discussing how to get a raise.
Nel frattempo
In the meantime
gli porti tutti i risultati che lui voleva per il mese successivo,
you show him all the results he wanted to see for the next month,
così lui rimane impressionato, e magari...
that way he'll be impressed, and maybe...
Captions 47-49, Marika spiega - Pettegolezzi in ufficio con Anna
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It’s good to remember that the verb rimanere often goes hand in hand with impressionato (impressed) or even more often, with its synonym colpito.
In the following example, we again have the passive. The English uses the verb “to get,” but in Italian we need rimanere.
Siccome ai quei tempi nel fare l'elettricista
Since in those days in working as an electrician
ci si moriva, si rimaneva fulminati e io amo molto la vita.
you could die from it, you could get electrocuted, and I love life a lot.
Captions 13-14, That's Italy - Episode 1 - Part 4
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It’s important to understand and recognize this use of rimanere, but actually using it comes with time and practice.
Here are a few more past participles as adjectives that often go hand in hand with rimanere in Italian:
rimanere stupito (to be astonished)
rimanere stecchito (to be flabbergasted)
rimanere scioccato (to be shocked)
rimanere sorpreso (to be surprised)
rimanere senza (to be without, to have none left)
rimanere male (to have or to get one's feelings hurt)
This week Dixi is attempting to ride a bicycle.
Non c'è due senza tre.
There can't be two without three [good/bad things come in threes].
-Riproviamo?
-Shall we try again?
Caption 28, Dixieland - In bicicletta
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Three is often seen as a magic number, and the above expression is the way Italians express this. It can mean that if two bad things happen, one more will happen to make three, and the same can hold true for good things. Still another way the phrase can be interpreted is “third time’s a charm,” so it’s important not to stop after two. In fact, on the third try, Dixi does manage to stay on his little bicycle.
A related expression with numbers comes to mind that has to do with making that extra little effort at the end of something you’ve worked so hard on. It has to do with going that extra mile. It means going all the way and then some:
Abbiamo fatto trenta, facciamo trentuno.
We’ve done thirty; let’s do thirty-one.
Meanwhile, Dixi is not perfectly in control of his bike:
Attenzione! Pista!
Careful! Track [coming through]!
Caption 10, Dixieland - In bicicletta
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Pista means track, racetrack, runway, skating rink, dance floor, path or trail. If you hear someone yelling pista, it basically means they “have” the track, so you should get out of the way and in a hurry. It’s not considered impolite, but more about safety.
A proposito di sicurezza (speaking of safety), there are more and more bike paths cropping up in Italy.
E vicino al lungomare ci sta una pista ciclabile.
And next to the promenade there is a bike path.
Caption 44, Antonio - racconta Praia a Mare
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In their work, Lara and Luca use pista to indicate the track they’re on in the investigation, or the lead they’re following.
E che pista seguiamo?
And which track are we following?
Caption 25, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP8 - Morte di un buttero
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When you’ve undertaken something, you’re off and running, like in a race.
Sono in pista!
I’m off!
Just as in English where we don’t always distinguish between "belly" and "stomach" in speech, Italian also has an informal way of talking about the abdomen (addome or ventre) and the digestive apparatus.
There’s lo stomaco (the stomach) and l’intestino (the intestines) but Italian commonly uses the word pancia (belly, tummy) for both. An easy cognate for pancia is “paunch,” which should help to remember it!
This episode about Dixi is generously sprinkled with the the diminutive of pancia, pancino, so let’s take a closer look.
Pancino is an example of an altered word*, in this case, a diminutive of pancia. It is used in the masculine in the examples below, because Dixi is a male elefantino, but it can also be used just as well in the feminine: pancina.
Since his stomach is growling, Dixi treats it as another living being who happens to have a sweet tooth just like Dixi himself. In Italian a stomach doesn’t exactly growl, but rather grumbles or nags (brontolare).
Che da vuoto quel pancino brontolava un sacco.
Which, being empty, that little tummy growled a lot.
Caption 15, Dixiland - La voce del pancino
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When we’ve eaten enough we have la pancia piena (a full stomach), and if we've eaten too much we have la pancia strapiena (full to bursting):
E col pancino pieno di dolcetti,
And with the tummy full of sweets,
Dixi si lanciò nelle danze.
Dixi threw himself into dancing.
Captions 28-29, Dixiland - La voce del pancino
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When referring to the corresponding part of a pig, it’s called pancetta (bacon).
Un piatto romano, un bel bucatino all'amatriciana
A Roman dish, a nice "bucatino all'amatriciana" [thick hollow pasta]
co' [con] pomodoro, pecorino e pancetta.
with tomato sauce, sheep cheese and bacon.
Captions 3-4, Anna e Marika - Un Ristorante a Trastevere
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We might also use the diminutive pancetta affectionately rather than calling someone fat:
Ha un po’ di pancetta.
He’s got some baby fat.
Someone who has a big belly, or a very pregnant woman, on the other hand, will have un pancione.
If you ate too much you might have mal di pancia (a stomach ache, a tummy ache).
Italians use the belly to indicate how to lie down:
pancia in giù (lying face down)
pancia in sù (lying face up)
*For more about parole alterate (altered words), see the Yabla video Marika spiega - Le parole alterate and the Yabla lesson Parole Alterate - Modifying Words to Create New Ones
In this week’s video, Marika shows us around her bedroom. The most important piece of furniture is il letto matrimoniale (“marriage” bed, double bed).
Two children sharing a room might have twin beds, or bunk beds. Marika talks about these here. But traditionally, the parents sleep together in one big bed. Italians take this quite seriously, and call a double bed (more like a queen-size bed) un letto matrimoniale (a bed for a married couple). The bedroom containing such a bed will likewise be called una camera matrimoniale. The actual size of the bed is open to question, but it’s clearly meant for two people who sleep in close quarters.
In many Italian hotels, and in some homes as well, two identical single beds are placed next to each other with a mattress cover that covers both of them, and it’s made up like a double bed or letto matrimoniale. The resulting bed will be rather large, like a queen-size. This is handy if the two sleepers have different needs, and it’s also handy for turning the mattresses for airing, or for changing from the winter side (stuffed with wool) to the summer side (stuffed with cotton). Some people feel two single mattresses are more versatile. Others prefer the comfort of one big mattress.
In a hotel, una camera singola might have a smaller single bed than you might expect. It’s not like in American motels where all the beds are queen-size!
When buying sheets, mattresses, or bed frames, the term matrimoniale may be used, but since there are different-sized “double” beds, we also find the term piazza, which is the space designed for one occupant. A bed is single when it is una piazza (one place). There’s also the intermediate size una piazza e mezza or una piazza e mezzo (room for one and a half occupants), also called alla francese (French-style). You might have this kind of bed if you don’t have space for a bigger one, or if you like something a bit bigger than a single bed. It can be likened to an old-fashioned double bed in America. It can also be a typical size for a divano letto (a sofa bed). Due piazze is about as big as you’ll find in a bed.
Sofas are also measured with piazze. They’re usually three or two: Tre piazze or due piazze. Yes, this is the same word as for the piazza in the center of a town or city.
Many homes have an extra guest bed, which may also fold up, to be placed out of sight. This is typically called una brandina (a folding bed, cot). The term, along with its unaltered version branda, is used to indicate a camp bed, or the kind of rudimentary bed used in the army or for camping.
A casual way to say you’re going to bed is:
Vado in branda.
I’m sacking out/I’m hitting the hay.
More properly, we say andare a letto or andare a dormire:
Adesso tu te ne vai a letto, ci fai sopra una bella dormita.
Now you go off to bed. Have a good sleep on it.
Caption 36, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena
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Italian also uses andare a dormire to say “to go to bed”:
Vai.
Go on.
Ehi, giovano',
Hey, young man,
dai, basta con 'sta televisione.
come on, that's enough with this TV.
Vai a dormire che è tardi, ia'!
Go to bed, because it's late, right?
Captions 14-16, L'oro di Scampia - film - Part 3
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Andare a dormire can also mean “to go to sleep” in general, whether in a bed, an armchair, a sofa, or anywhere.
Alle quattro e mezza io andavo a dormire un'ora.
At four thirty I'd go to sleep for an hour.
Caption 20, L'arte della cucina - I Luoghi del Mondo
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But usually, “going to sleep” as in “falling asleep” is expressed with the verb addormentarsi (to go to sleep, to fall asleep). A is one prefix used to cause an action to take place, as in:
addensare (to cause to be dense, to thicken)
addolcire (to sweeten)
Without the reflexive, addormentare is transitive, and may be used, for example, if you’re trying to get a baby to go to sleep, or if someone is put to sleep with an anaesthetic.
Just for fun:
Quando ho sonno, vado in branda. Però, riesco a dormire solo in un letto grande, in unletto matrimoniale. Un letto ad una piazza mi è proprio troppo stretto. Anche un letto ad una piazza e mezza è troppo stretto. Non riesco proprio ad addormentarmi. Se vado a dormire troppo presto, mi sveglio all’una di notte, e allora sì, che non miriaddormento più. Quando mi capita così, il giorno dopo, devo andare a dormire una mezz’ora per recuperare un po’ di sonno. In quel caso uso una brandina che tengo nell’armadio per queste esigenze.
When I’m sleepy, I go to bed. However, I can sleep only in a big bed, in a queen-size bed. A single bed is really too narrow for me. Even a double bed is too narrow. I just can’t get to sleep. If I go to bed too early, I wake up at one in the morning, and then, for sure I don’t fall back to sleep. When that happens to me, the following day I have to go sleep for a half an hour to catch up on my sleep. In that case, I use a folding cot I store in the closet, for when I need it.
Further Practice:
Can you describe the beds and bedrooms in your house? Can you talk about your sleeping habits, and those of your family?
English uses the word ride to mean different things, so when it comes to finding the right Italian word, we can easily be at a loss. Let’s look at some of the basic Italian words associated with “ride.”
The first installment of the new episode of Commissario Manara, starting this week, gives us one important example:
Ma sei sicura che non hai bisogno di un passaggio?
But are you sure you don't need a ride?
Caption 8, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP8 - Morte di un buttero
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Il passaggio comes from the verb passare (to move from one place or state to another).
If you ride in a car, or on a two-wheeler, but are not the “driver,” you are il passeggero (the passenger).
For those who are curious, it’s not readily evident why there is an “e” and not an “a” in this word. It comes from the French passager (passenger, passing/temporary) and in Neapolitan the spelling is passaggiere! But (going out on a limb), perhaps the adjective form passeggero (passing, temporary) might possibly have some connection with a passeggero (passenger) being a “temporary” occupant of the vehicle.
Attenzione! Don’t get confused between passaggio (a passage or ride) and andare a passeggio (to go for a stroll) with its verb form passeggiare (to stroll, walk) and noun form passeggiata (a stroll, a walk).
The subject of the new episode of Commissario Manara is il buttero, a sort of Tuscan cowboy, primarily associated with the Maremma part of Tuscany. What do these cowboys do? See this link for details about the butteri, but one thing is for sure. They ride horses.
We usually say andare a cavallo (to go horseback riding) to talk about riding a horse, but to be more specific, we use the verb cavalcare. The rider is il cavaliere. If you stay tuned for the next installment of Manara, you’ll be ready for this word!
We can also ride a bike: andare in bici, andare in bicicletta
If we go to the parco giochi (the amusement park), we may want to go on the rides. These rides are commonly grouped together with the merry-go-round, la giostra, and called le giostre (the rides, the attractions).
What about when we say, “let’s go for a ride”? In this case Italian uses the omnipresent giro. In English we usually put the means first, as an adjective: a train ride, a boat ride, a bike ride.
Ho bisogno di un bel giro in moto e di una birra.
I need a nice motorcycle ride and a beer.
Caption 12, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu
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Note that the most common verb to use when going for a ride is fare (to make, to do).
Ho proprio voglia di fare un bel giro!
I really feel like going for a nice ride!
Caption 28, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP7 - Sogni di Vetro
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In a nutshell:
Riding:
cavalcare (to ride a horse)
andare a cavallo (to go horseback riding)
andare in bici (to ride a bike)
fare il passeggero (to ride as a passenger)
un passaggio (a ride/lift as a passenger)
fare un giro (to go for a ride)
le giostre (the rides at an amusement park)
Walking and in general:
andare a passeggio (to go for a walk)
fare una passeggiata (to go for a walk or ride)
passeggiare (to stroll)
passare (to move from one place to another)
Just for fun:
Ieri ho fatto un giro in bici, ma poi ho forato, e quindi ho dovuto chiedere un passaggio ad un camionista. Non avevo mai fatto il passeggero in un mezzo così grande. Mi piace andare in bici, perché posso girare dove mi pare, usando le mie gambe. Mi piace pure andare a cavallo, ma non sono un cavaliere particolarmente bravo. Non cavalco bene come un buttero, ma, da più giovane, facevo delle bellissime passeggiate a cavallo in giro per la campagna toscana. Non era una passione passeggera, ma siccome sono caduto più volte cavalcando, ultimamente preferisco cavalcare i cavalli della giostra alle giostre o al parco giochi, oppure fare qualche passeggiata a piedi nel bosco, specialmente quando devo portare il cane a passeggio.
Yesterday I went for a bike ride, but I got a flat tire, and so I had to ask a truck driver for a ride. I had never been a passenger in such a large vehicle. I love going cycling, because I can go wherever I want, using my legs. I also like going horseback riding, but I’m not a particularly skilled rider. I don’t ride as well as a Maremmano cowboy, but when I was younger I went on some beautiful rides on horseback around the Tuscan countryside. It wasn’t a passing fancy, but since I fell several times while riding, lately I prefer to ride the horses on the merry-go-round at the carousel or amusement park, or else go for a walk in the woods, especially when I have to take the dog for a walk.
There are a few different Italian words used to refer to things happening.
Capitare (to happen casually):
Capita.
It happens.
Capitare, like “to happen,” is the only verb of the four mentioned in this lesson that can be conjugated in all the persons.
Capito spesso da queste parti.
I happen on this place often.
Nonetheless, even capitare is most frequently used in the third person (both singular and plural).
This week’s episode about Marchesi has a good example of the past participle of capitare. It takes the auxiliary essere rather than avere, and is often used with an indirect object pronoun (not reflexive), as in the following example.
Più tardi mi è capitato di lavorare con lui.
Later on I had a chance to work with him.
Caption 14, L'arte della cucina - L'Epoca delle Piccole Rivoluzioni
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With capitare, the happening is generally by chance, or casual in some way.
Succedere (to happen, to occur). When something is really taking place, like an accident, or a discussion, we usually use succedere. This is the most common way to say “to happen.”
Che succede?
What's happening?
-Hanno ritrovato il furgone del pesce di Mussa.
-They found Mussa's fish van.
Captions 47-48, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP5 - Il Raggio Verde
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Like capitare, succedere is often used with an indirect object.
Ma se mi succede qualcosa e mi mettono in galera?
But if something happens to me and they put me in jail?
Caption 30, La Ladra - EP. 1 - Le cose cambiano
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Accadere (to happen, to occur) is still another way to say “to happen.” It’s a bit more formal, and might be easier to translate with “to occur,” especially since “occur” is also only used in the third person, has a double “c” near the beginning, and ends with an “r” sound. Another easy translation to remember might be “to befall,” since accadere contains the verb cadere (to fall).
Ma ormai non accadrà.
But by now it's not going to happen.
No, non succederà.
No, it's not going to happen.
Captions 16-17, Tiromancino - L'essenziale
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Technically, accadere can be used with an indirect object but it’s not very common. Here is an example:
è ispirata a un fatto realmente accaduto a me.
it was inspired by a real event that happened to me.
Caption 3, Volare - La grande storia di Domenico Modugno Ep. 1
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Avvenire (to come about, to occur, to take place) is used in the third person only, and is somewhat formal. The easiest way to remember it is with the phrase “to come about,” since avvenire contains venire (to come). We cannot use avvenire with an indirect object.
La raccolta avviene fra novembre e dicembre.
The harvest takes place between November and December.
Caption 8, L'olio extravergine di oliva - Il frantoio
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In a nutshell:
succedere: most common, is used in the third person only (except for when it means “to succeed someone,” as in royalty). Auxiliary verb: essere. May be used with an indirect object (something happens to somebody).
capitare: may be conjugated in all persons followed by a preposition or adverb. Translations for this form: to end up, to turn up.
It also functions like succedere, in the third person. Auxiliary verb: essere. May be used with an indirect object (something happens to somebody).
accadere: is conjugated in the third person only. Auxiliary verb: essere. May be used with an indirect object (something happens to somebody), but is not all that common. Easy translation: to befall. Often used like “to occur.”
avvenire: is conjugated in the third person only. Auxiliary verb: essere. May not be used with an indirect object. Easy translation: to come about. Often used like “to occur.”
These are very basic “rules,” but keep your eyes and ears open to really get the feel for these verbs. And don’t worry. You can get by in most situations with succedere!
One of our Yabla subscribers has asked about the word pure. It does get translated differently in different contexts, so it can be a bit confusing. This one short word has a few different but related connotations. On the simple end of the scale it’s an adverb—another way of saying anche (also, too, as well).
In the following example, both anch’io and io pure mean pretty much the same thing. There’s no particular emotion attached to the word. It’s matter-of-fact.
Anch'io. -Anch'io. -Io pure.
So do I. -So do I. -Me too.
Caption 65, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 - EP2 - Il mistero di Cetinka Part 9
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In the example below, however, the meaning of pure is technically the same (meaning “also,” “too,” “as well”) but there’s some sort of emotion involved, as if one were saying, “not only is she pretty, but she’s smart too!” (as if that weren't to be expected...):
Bellina e pure brava questa Rubino.
Pretty, and also smart, this Rubino.
Caption 1, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto Part 8
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In the example below, pure is still an adverb, but this time gets translated as “even.” Let’s remember that anche can also mean “even” in certain situations. Some Italians will tell you that pure quite simply means anche. In fact, one could even swap pure with anche, and it would mean much the same thing.
È incredibile, fai pure finta di non ricordare.
It's incredible, you even pretend not to remember.
Caption 13, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto Part 5
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Below is another example where the sense of pure is “even.” We could use “as well” or “too,” but it would be a bit of a stretch. In fact pure is a way to raise your eyebrows without actually doing so. It adds an emotional element.
Eh, questo, fa resuscitare pure i morti!
Yes, this, will revive even the dead!
Caption 59, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 -EP2 - Il mistero di Cetinka Part 8
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The following example is one in which pure requires more than a one-word translation. It’s used in contexts where we would use “go ahead” in English.
Senti, se ti va di metterti nei guai fallo pure,
Listen, if you want to get yourself in trouble, go ahead.
Caption 5, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva Part 9
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Fallo pure! can be translated as “go right ahead!” [literally: “do it nevertheless”].
Pure as “go ahead” is also used a lot in offices and such places, where someone will either ask you to have a seat, or to go in. It can also be interpreted as “it’s OK if you…” since when you say “go ahead,” you’re giving permission. Here are some formal and informal examples:
Formal:
Si sieda pure.
Go ahead and have a seat.Informal:
Siediti pure.
Go ahead and sit down.Formal:
Si accomodi pure.
Go ahead and make yourself comfortable. [Have a seat.]Informal:
Accomodati pure.
Go ahead and make yourself at home. [Also, as a sarcastic retort: "Be my guest!"]Formal:
Vada pure avanti.
Go ahead and lead. [After you.]Informal:
Vai pure avanti.
Go right ahead.
Go ahead and take the lead.
It’s all right if you go in front of me.
We often hear a more literary form of pure: pur, which basically means the same thing, although it’s considered a conjunction. It’s used to mean “though,” “although,” “yet,” and tends to occur before a gerundio (gerund) form of a verb, as in the following example.
Pur essendo partito in una situazione di un ristorante
Though getting its start as a restaurant situated
di fronte all'ortofrutta [fruttivendolo]...
across from the vegetable market...
Captions 1-2, L'arte della cucina - La Prima Identitá - Part 6
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It’s also frequent to find eppure (and yet, yet, still, but, nevertheless, all the same), which has the same root. In this case it’s a stand-alone conjunction and will likely be followed by a comma.
Eppure, il rischio vulcanico non ha mai allontanato i suoi abitanti.
And yet the volcanic risk has never sent its inhabitants away.
Caption 23, Linea Blu - Sicilia Part 9
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In the same vein, we have neppure, which like neanche means “not even.”
E per di più non è neppure la stessa persona
And what's more, it's not even the same person
Caption 1, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu Part 13
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Tying it all together in context, just for fun:
Dialogo fra 2 maratonisti:
Francesca: Pur essendo anziano, vai forte!
Massimo: Sì, ma vai pure avanti, ti raggiungo dopo la corsa. Mi sono allenato come un pazzo, eppure, sto facendo fatica.
Francesca: Pure io sto facendo fatica. Fermati pure due minuti per riprendere fiato!
Massimo: Se tu ti vuoi fermare, fallo pure. Io non ci penso neanche! Neppure per sogno!
Francesca: Io pure non voglio fermarmi. A dopo!
Al traguardo...
Francesca: Ma... Sei arrivato prima tu! Eppure, eri stanchissimo.
Massimo: È vero, mi hai pure superato ad un certo punto, t’ho visto. Ma poi... puressendo stanco morto, ce l’ho fatta!
Dialogue between two marathon runners:
Francesca: Even though you’re old, you’re fast!
Massimo: Yes, but go ahead and go, I’ll catch up to you after the race. I trained like crazy, but nevertheless, I’m having a tough time.
Francesca: I’m having a tough time as well. Go ahead and stop two minutes to catch your breath!
Massimo: If you want to stop, go right ahead. I won’t even think of it! [No way!] I wouldn’t even dream of it!
Francesca: I don’t want to stop, either. See you later!At the finish line...
Francesca: But... You finished before me! And yet, you were very tired.
Massimo: It’s true. You even passed me at a certain point, I saw you. But then... even though I was dead tired, I made it!
The Italian word for “to want” is volere. See Daniela’s lesson about volere and other modal verbs.
Ma insomma, adesso, tu che cosa vuoi veramente?
Well, all things considered, now, you, what do you really want?
Caption 27, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena
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But it’s not always as easy as just conjugating the verb, like in the above example. English speakers actively want things, or want to do things, but Italians, more often than not, use the noun form voglia (desire) with avere (to have) as the action. We often translate aver voglia as “to have the desire,” or “to feel like”.
Se non ho più voglia mi fermo.
If I don't feel like it anymore, I stop.
Caption 8, Gianni si racconta - L'olivo e i rovi
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When we want to be polite, we use the conditional of volere, just like the English “I would like” rather than “I want.”
Vorrei parlare con il commissario.
I’d like to speak with the commissioner.
But when we’re done with being polite, and want to be more insistent, we forget about the conditional and go with the indicative. Imagine someone raising their voice a bit.
Voglio parlare col commissario. -Il commissario è di servizio.
I want to talk to the Commissioner. -The Commissioner is busy.
-Voglio parlare con il commissario!
-I want to speak to the Commissioner!
Captions 43-44, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP7 - Sogni di Vetro
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We can also use the conditional with the noun form voglia, but the conditional is applied to the active verb, in this case, avere (to have). This is not a polite form like in the example with vorrei above. It’s true conditional. In the following example, I know very well no one is going to let me sleep for twelve hours, but it sure would be nice! Translating it with “love” instead of “like” gets the idea across.
Avrei voglia di dormire dodici ore.
I’d love to sleep for twelve hours.
Another common way volere is used in Italian is as the equivalent of “to take” or “to need” in English. Note that in this case ci means “for it,” not “us,” as you might be led to believe!
Allora, per le bruschette ci vuole: il pane.
So, for the "bruschettas" we need: bread.
Caption 7, Anna e Marika - La mozzarella di bufala - La produzione e i tagli
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In a previous lesson we used metterci to talk about how long something takes. We can use volere in a similar way. While with metterci, we can be personal:
Io ci metto cinque minuti.
It takes me five minutes.
With volere, it’s impersonal and refers to anyone.
Ci vuole tanto tempo per attraversare Milano in macchina.
It takes a lot of time to get across Milan by car.
This kind of sentence also works in the conditional:
Ci vorrebbero tre ore per attraversare Milano in macchina!
It would take three hours to get across Milan by car!
Sometimes problems add up and finally you might say, “That’s all we need” or “that’s all we needed.” That’s when it’s time for non ci voleva (that's not what was needed).
Un tubo in bagno che perde,
A leaky pipe in the bathroom,
proprio non ci voleva.
that's really not what was needed [the last thing I needed].
Caption 31, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu
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And just for fun:
Il turno di notte ancora! Non ci voleva. I have to go to work, ma non ci ho voglia! Avrei voglia di andare in città a fare quello che voglio. Se vuoi, puoi venire con me. C’è un bel film che vorrei vedere, peccato che ci vuole troppo tempo per arrivarci in tempo. Ci vorrebbe un ora buona!
The night shift again! That’s the last thing I needed. I have to go to work but I don’t feel like it. I’d love to go to the city and do what I want. If you want, you can come with me. There’s a great film that I would like to see; too bad it takes too long to get there in time. It would take a good hour!
In English we use the term "dozens and dozens" to indicate a rather large amount. Dozzina (dozen) certainly exists in Italian, but more often than not, Italian sticks to the metric system. Dieci is precisely ten. Una decina is around ten. Venti is twenty precisely, but poche decine is a few times "about ten" (poche is the plural for poco, therefore meaning "a few," as in a few dozen), so it could mean a quantity anywhere between about eighteen to thirty or even more.
Molte famiglie hanno degli ulivi di loro proprietà.
Many families have olive trees of their own.
Una decina, poche decine, fino a degli uliveti grandi.
Ten odd, twenty odd, up to large olive groves.
Captions 2-3, L'olio extravergine di oliva - Il frantoio
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Marika explains about approximate numbers in Italian:
Se io dico che per strada ho visto una cinquantina di alberi,
If I say that on the road I saw fifty-odd trees,
non vuol dire che io ho visto cinquanta alberi,
it doesn't mean that I saw fifty trees,
quindi esattamente cinquanta,
and therefore exactly fifty,
ma che ho visto all'incirca cinquanta.
but that I saw around fifty.
Captions 35-37, Marika spiega - Numeri moltiplicativi, distributivi
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There's a unit of weight that's no longer officially used, but which is actually extremely common in Italy, especially when referring to agricultural products. Un quintale (a quintal) is simply the equivalent of one hundred kilos. Alessio talks about the weight of olives compared to the weight of the resulting oil.
Un quintale sono cento chili e la resa...
A quintal is one hundred kilos, and the yield...
Caption 44, L'olio extravergine di oliva - Il frantoio
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Although un quintale is considerably less than a ton, it's commonly used to indicate something very heavy, just as when we say, "This thing weighs a ton!" Questo pesa un quintale!
When you don't have un metro (a tape measure, a yardstick) handy, you use alternative measuring devices. Italians often use their arms and legs to give approximate measurements. A man's stride will be around a meter. Le dita (fingers) are used to indicate how much water to put in a pot, how much wine to pour in a glass, or the thickness of a piece of meat or something similar, as in the following example.
Comunque, alta due belle dita,
In any case, two fingers (an inch) thick,
e fatta cucinare nel burro.
and cooked in butter.
Captions 13-14, L'arte della cucina - L'Epoca delle Piccole Rivoluzioni
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There are lots of ways to talk about weights and measures. As you progress with Italian, you'll undoubtedly incorporate some of these odd ways of measuring into your everyday conversation.
Saying something doesn’t matter is a little like saying it’s not important. This can be helpful when examining one way to say “it doesn’t matter” in Italian. The adjective “important“ has an Italian cognate, importante—easy enough—but importare (to matter, to be important) is the original verb. In fact, the third person singular of the intransitive verb importare is used in the negative when something doesn’t matter: non importa! It’s a great little phrase, because there’s an impersonal subject (hidden in the third person singular conjugation of the verb) just like in English: it doesn’t matter. It just works, and is easy to say (give or take the “r” which some English speakers have trouble with). Add a little shrug of your shoulders, and you’ll fit right in!
Che non importa ciò che dice la gente.
And it doesn't matter what people say.
Caption 12, Tiziano Ferro - Il regalo più grande
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Importare can also be used reflexively (but here it gets more complex and much more personal) as in non m’importa (I don’t care, it’s not important to me), non t’importa niente di me (you don’t care about me at all, I’m not important to you), or non m’importa niente (I don’t care at all). For some great examples, do a search of importa in Yabla videos.
There’s also the question, “What does it matter?” Che importa?
Che importa se questo è il momento in cui tutto
What does it matter if this is the moment in which everything
comincia e finisce?
begins and ends?
Captions 12-13, Neffa - Passione - Part 1
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Another easy way to say something doesn’t matter is fa niente, or non fa niente (remember that Italian thrives on double negatives!). In this case the verb fare (to make, to do) is used. We need to stretch our imaginations a bit to find a viable word-by-word translation. Something like: it doesn’t make a difference, no big deal!
Va bene, non fa niente.
All right, it doesn't matter.
Focalizziamoci sulla lezione di oggi.
Let's focus on today's lesson.
Captions 4-5, Marika spiega - La forma impersonale
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Learning Italian does matter!
In a previous episode of the series on food, Gianni Mura talked about trends in restaurant dining. He talked about what quickly caught on as a popular way of getting a little taste of everything. Instead of a primo (first course), secondo (main dish), contorno (side dish), and dolce (dessert), a restaurant would offer a tris di assaggi (three "tastes," or miniature servings) of primi piatti (first courses). This became, and still is, a great way for tourists, or anyone else, to find out what they like. Depending on what's offered, and on the kind of restaurant, the three servings may arrive all on the same plate at the same time, or on separate plates, one after the other.
At the end of concerts, audiences ask for an encore. In Italian, this is called a bis. It comes from the Latin for "twice." It has come to mean "again" or "more" in a concert setting, where people want to hear a piece played a second time, or something extra once the programmed performance is over. If you're dining with friends at home, and would like another helping, you can use bis:
Posso fare il bis?
Can I have a second helping?
In rare cases you can ask for a bis in a restaurant, but usually in a restaurant setting, bis will indicate two small servings of two different dishes, rather than one normal one. Likewise, a tris (coming from the Latin for "three times") denotes three small servings of a dish rather than one normal serving.
Now that you know what tris means, here's a tris of tidbits about Italian.
In some cases Italian uses il passato prossimo (constructed like the English present perfect) to express an idea that in English would use the present tense. Here's an example. Luca is telling the doctor that Lara will promise to take care of him. She hesitates but then agrees. She uses the past participle of promettere (to promise) rather than the present tense, as we would in English.
Dottore, che... che devo fare?
Doctor, what... what should I do?
-Senta, se lo dimetto,
-Listen! If I release him,
mi promette di non lasciarlo solo neanche un attimo?
do you promise not to leave him alone, not even for an instant?
Promette, promette... -Eh... sì! Promesso.
She promises, she promises... -Uh... yes! I promise.
Captions 47-49, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP7 - Sogni di Vetro
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Capire (to understand) is another word that often gets used in its passato prossimo tense to mean what we think of as being in the present.
Ho capito, ma adesso, qua in mezzo alla campagna...
I get it, but now, here in the middle of the countryside...
con le mucche, che facciamo?
with the cows, what are we going to do?
Captions 10-11, Francesca - alla guida
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As a question tag, the person and auxiliary verb are often left out:
Tiziana, calmati.
Tiziana, calm down.
Ho già fatto richiesta per farti scarcerare,
I've already put in a request for you to be released,
però mi devi dare una mano.
but you have to give me a hand.
Mi devi aiutare, capito?
You have to help me, do you understand?
Captions 21-22, Il Commissario Manara - S2EP9 - L'amica ritrovata
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Ho capito (I understand [literally "I've understood"]) is what you commonly say to let someone know you're listening, much like "I see," "I get it," or even "uh huh."
E poi eravamo in giro tutte le notti,
And then, we were out and about all night
perché a quei tempi gli artisti andavano ad alcool e quindi...
because in those times, artists were fueled by alcohol, and so...
Captions 3-4, L'arte della cucina - La Prima Identitá
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In giro is a very general way to say "out" or "around," when you ask or say where someone is, or where someone has gone. There are many ways to use this expression, so check it out here.
In an online video lesson, Marika talks some more about object pronouns, this time with the participio passato (past participle). One important thing that can be difficult to grasp is that when the pronoun is used, the object (in the form of a pronoun) comes first. Let's look at this example.
Hai guardato il film? Sì, l'ho guardato.
Did you watch the movie? Yes, I watched it.
Captions 15-16, Marika spiega - I pronomi diretti con participio passato
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We also need to remember that the "h" in ho is silent. L'ho sounds like "lo," but the apostrophe is there to tell us that it's really lo (it) ho (I have). We have "l" + silent "o" + silent "h" + "o."
One extra tidbit concerning the passato prossimo: While constructed like the present perfect, it often translates with the English simple past tense, just as in the above example.
That's it for the tris!
A Yabla subscriber has asked to know more about the popular short word anzi (rather, on the contrary, in fact, indeed). In fact, it's hard to pin down a one-word meaning for anzi that works all of the time. Aside from its various uses and connotations as a single conjunction, anzi is also part of important compound words such as anziché (rather than), innanzitutto (first and foremost, first of all) among others, and has some archaic definitions and grammatical categories we can safely overlook for now.
The important thing is to be able to understand and use anzi when appropriate. So let’s look at some of the ways anzi fits into sentences.
One handy way to use anzi is when you say something, and you correct yourself right away. In English you’d say “or rather,” or “I mean.” In our first example, Andromeda corrects herself on the fly. Regalare (to give as a gift) wasn’t quite the word she was looking for. Then she found it: affidare (to entrust).
Abbiamo dovuto regalare, anzi,
We had to give away, or rather,
affidare Dorian alla nonna dei miei figli.
entrust Dorian to the grandmother of my children.
Caption 19, Andromeda - e i gatti 2
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In the next example, anzi contradicts a negative statement with something positive. In this situation, it’s not even necessary to finish the sentence after anzi; we already know, because of its presence, that we’re contradicting whatever negativity came before.
Non è per niente male vivere in Italia, anzi!
It's not at all bad living in Italy, on the contrary!
Caption 54, Francesca - sulla spiaggia
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If Francesca were to complete her sentence, she’d say something like:
Non è per niente male vivere in Italia, anzi, è fantastico!
It's not at all bad living in Italy, on the contrary, it’s great!
Anzi, said with a certain inflection, raise of an eyebrow, or nod of a head, lets you avoid having to search for the right word!
In this next example, Lara’s aunt is telling her that what she believes about Luca is actually the opposite of how things really stand. So once again, anzi is used to contradict.
Penserà che sono una stupida.
He'll think I'm an idiot.
-Ma no, no, ma quando mai!
-But no, no, out of the question!
Anzi, dice sempre che sei speciale!
On the contrary, he's always saying that you're special!
Captions 8-10, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi
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In the following example, as he dreams of his vacation in Sicily, Manara first mentions two brioches, then thinks better of it and changes the quantity to four. He didn't make a mistake, and he's not exactly contradicting himself, but he is reconsidering. This is a classic example of how people use anzi.
Mi mangio due granite caffè con panna
I'll eat my two coffee Italian ices with whipped cream
e due brioche, anzi, quattro.
and two brioches, no, four.
Caption 30, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena
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Even in this classic case, there isn’t just one way to translate anzi. Other expressions can do the job:
Come to think of it, I’ll have four.
I’ll have two. No, make that four.
Actually, I’ll have four.
Then again, I’ll have four.
Better yet, I’ll have four.
Hopefully you’ve gotten the gist of some of the ways anzi works, and how useful it can be. So far, anzi has helped to change one’s mind, or someone else’s. We’ll soon be back with still more ways to use anzi. We’ll discuss how anzi can reinforce an adjective or idea, and how it can introduce a new idea related to what’s come before. And then we'll put them all together just for fun!
There are two basic words for "wild" in Italian, and they're sometimes interchangeable and sometimes not. They're also rather similar in that the root is the same: selva (woods, forest).
One of the adjectives for "wild" is selvatico (wild, uncultivated, growing spontaneously, feral).
Sto cercando di renderla un po' meno selvatica
I'm trying to make it a little less wild,
e un pochettino più civile.
and a tiny bit more civilized.
Caption 27, Gianni si racconta - L'olivo e i rovi
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When there are two varieties of a plant such as finocchio (fennel), the wild one gets qualified with an adjective: finocchio selvatico.
Il Monte Pellegrino ospita centinaia di specie diverse di piante.
Monte Pellegrino hosts hundreds of different plant species.
Dal cipresso al pino, ci sono numerose pinete,
From cypress to pine, there are a number of pinewoods,
agli alberi di fico d'india, ai gelsomini, al finocchio selvatico,
to prickly pear, to jasmines, to wild fennel,
che da una sensazione di freschezza all'ambiente.
which gives a sense of freshness to the place.
Captions 25-28, Adriano - Monte Pellegrino
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Sometimes wild fennel is called finocchietto (becoming an altered noun, by means of the diminuitive suffix -etto) because the plant has a smaller bulb, and is of "minor" importance. Other times, though redundant, the wild kind of fennel is called finocchietto selvatico. This pianta spontanea (spontaneous, or wild plant) is an ingredient in many central and southern Italian preparations, from salame to minestre (soups), to castagne lesse (boiled chestnuts). It blooms in late summer, and if you wonder what part people use, well, they might tell you, "whatever part is on hand when you want to make your dish." The seeds are tasty right off the plant, but they can also be dried and boiled to make a refreshing and aromatic hot tea that aids digestion. It's one of those plants that's worked itself into a great many recipes, both humble and otherwise, because, in addition to being aromatico (aromatic) and gustoso (tasty), it grows just about everywhere, and is free for the picking! The bulb (the white part) of cultivated fennel is eaten raw in salads, in pinzimonio, or cooked in a variety of ways.
The other word for "wild" is the adjective selvaggio, especially referring to unrestrained people or savage animals, or places that have no law, or terrains that are particularly difficult to navigate.
Selvaggio can also be used as a noun, as in the following example.
Rapiti dal fascino dell'eterno selvaggio,
Captivated by the appeal of the eternal wild,
narrando delle culture con cui venivano a contatto.
telling of cultures with whom they came into contact.
Captions 4-5, Linea Blu - Le Eolie
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When referring to meat from hunted animals, for example cinghiale (wild boar), we use the term selvaggina (game), also called cacciagione (hunted meat).
Tavole imbandite senza posate, com'era uso,
Tables decked without silverware, as was the custom,
e con i cibi dei ricchi e dei nobili.
and with the food of the rich and the noble.
Paste reali fatte di pasta di mandorle,
Royal pastries made with almond paste,
anatre all'arancia,
ducks with orange sauce,
maialini farciti con spezie e molta selvaggina.
suckling pigs stuffed with spices and lots of wild game.
Captions 13-18, Linea Blu - Sicilia
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When you think about wild beasts, or when the words "savage" and "primitive" come to mind, then use selvaggio. When you think of spontaneous and wild plants, you'll want selvatico.
When someone asks you perché? (why?), you can recycle the same word in your response because perché also means “because”! Yes, two in one! Let’s look at the following example, where Daniela is asking her students to justify using one article over another. Make sure to look at the context and listen to the inflection!
L'articolo è uno. Uno scontrino, perché?
The article is "uno." "Uno scontrino" (a receipt). Why?
Perché la parola inizia per s più consonante.
Because the word starts with "s" plus a consonant.
Captions 54-56, Corso di italiano con Daniela - l'articolo indeterminativo
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So perché actually has two grammatical forms. One is as an adverb meaning “for what reason.” It’s used in forming a question:
Perché avete fatto il nido sulla lampada?
Why did you build a nest on the lamp?
Caption 11, PIMPA S3 EP 16 Nuvole a primavera
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The other grammatical form of perché is a “causal conjunction” meaning “because.” It’s used to introduce the cause when it follows the effect (which might be simply implied as in our first example above). If we use a full sentence to respond to the above question, it might go something like this:
Abbiamo fatto il nido perché a primavera devo fare le uova. (We built the nest on the lamp because in the spring, I have to lay eggs).
In the above example, “I built the nest” is the effect and “I have to lay eggs” is the cause, so perché (because) goes in the middle: effect-perché-cause.
But here’s the catch. If you want to put the cause first, such as when you’re explaining yourself without being asked, or elaborating on your reasons, then things change in Italian. In English you could technically start your full sentence answer with the cause, using “because.”
Because I have to lay eggs in the spring, we built the nest in the lamp.
However, in Italian you cannot use perché in this case. The word to go to is siccome (because, as, given that, whereas, or since), used exclusively to introduce the cause when it precedes the effect: siccome-cause-effect. Siccome and perché have similar meanings but are not interchangeable within the structure of the sentence. This may seem complicated, but once you get the hang of it, it will become natural. Here’s an example in context, where Lara is explaining her actions to Luca Manara.
Ginevra deve essere iscritta nella lista degli indagati
Ginevra must be recorded on the list of suspects
e deve essere interrogata,
and has to be interrogated,
e siccome non lo fai tu lo faccio io, tutto qui.
and because you're not doing it, I'm doing it, that's all.
Captions 17-19, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu
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In the above example, you could replace “because” with “given that,” "as," “whereas,” or “since.” But you can’t replace siccome with perché!
As your Italian becomes more fluent, you’ll find siccome to be extremely handy when you’re telling stories and explaining things. There are other similar words to call on as well, but we’ll save them for another time.
Learning suggestion:
To get a feel for perché in both of its two contrasting but related meanings, “why” and “because,” check out their occurrences in Yabla videos (and figure out which is which). Do a search with siccome to get acquainted with it, and hear it in context. Then, to really grasp the mechanism, ask yourself some questions, and answer them. Get used to using perché as both the question “why” and the answer “because.” Then, elaborate on your answers using siccome and perché according to how you structure your sentence. Don’t forget the accent on perché!
Here’s a head start:
Perché sei così nervoso?
-Perché... è una storia lunga. Siccome avevo dimenticato di caricare la sveglia ieri sera, stamattina mi sono alzata tardi. E siccome avevo un appuntamento alle nove, non avevo tempo per fare colazione. Farò colazione al bar, perché ora ho fame. Dopo mi sentirò meglio, perché avrò la pancia piena. Siccome la pancia sarà piena, mi sentirò molto meglio.
Why are you so tense?
-Because... it’s a long story. Since I had forgotten to set the alarm last night, this morning I got up late. And because I had an appointment at nine, I didn’t have time for breakfast. I’ll have breakfast at the coffee shop because now I’m hungry. Afterwards I’ll feel better, because my stomach will be full. Since my stomach will be full, I’ll feel better.
To enhance your skills, make sure you practice ad alta voce (out loud), too.
Perché? Perché sì!
The Krikka Reggae, a cosìddetto (so-called) Italian reggae group, sing about their home region, way down in the heel of the boot of Italy, called Basilicata, also known as Lucania. They sing about their paese (country) and their terra (land), and even about the terra madre (native land). Let's have a look at some of the different connotations of these nouns.
Paese can be specific, meaning nation or country:
È Ravenna la città in cui si vive meglio in Italia.
Ravenna is the city in which one lives best in Italy.
... A dirlo è l'edizione 2014
... Saying this is the two thousand fourteen issue
della classifica delle città più vivibili del paese.
of the classification of the most liveable cities in the country.
Captions 20-22, Anna e Marika - in TG Yabla Italia e Meteo
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Paese can be specifically a town:
Eh, adesso ci troviamo ad Avella, un paese in provincia di Avellino.
Uh, right now we're in Avella, a town in the province of Avellino.
Caption 3, Escursioni Campane - Castello Normanno
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Paese can be more general, as in country, region, or area:
Poi scopriamo che la Liguria è il paese del basilico, è anche speciale.
Then we discover that Liguria is the country of basil, it's special, too.
Caption 43, L'arte della cucina - Terre d'Acqua
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Terra is often more general than paese, and gives the idea of homeland or home country, rather than hometown:
Per la tua terra lotti, per la terra combatti
For your homeland, you fight, for the homeland you struggle
Caption 31, Krikka Reggae - Lukania (Lucania)
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Terra can give you a more visual image of a place than paese:
Io vengo da una terra dove l'acqua è un bene prezioso.
I come from a land where water is a precious resource.
Caption 44, Gianni si racconta - Chi sono
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Terra can indicate the planet Earth.
Pare che l'unico poliziotto sulla faccia della terra
It seems that the only policeman on the face of the earth
che lo può risolvere sono io!
who can resolve it is me!
Caption 13, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena Part - 2
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Terra can indicate ground or soil:
Forse è la terra.
Maybe it's the soil.
Questa specie di rose ha bisogno di molto nutrimento!
This kind of rose needs lots of nourishment.
Captions 7-8, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena - Part 4
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The lack of clear cut definitions of terra and paese may make more sense if we remember that Italy became one nation, divided into regions, as late as the second half of the 19th century.
Keep on the lookout for paese and terra, and remember that they have slightly different meanings depending on the context. A Yabla search of a word is always a great way to get a quick overview of how it's used.
In a Yabla video, Marika talks about parole alterate (modified words). Modifying existing words by adding suffixes or prefixes is a very Italian way of creating new words.
Marika describes the different categories of altered nouns and what suffixes and prefixes go with them, and she gives you some tips on how they work. Instead of using a modifier in the form of an adjective, the noun itself gets changed. Here are some examples.
Pane (bread) in the form of a roll, with the addition of -ino, turns into un panino (a little bread). Panino has also become the word for sandwich, commonly made with a roll.
Un piatto (a plate), when full to the brim with pasta, with the addition of the suffix -one, turns into un bel piattone di pasta (a nice big plate of pasta).
Una giornata normale (a normal day) turns into una giornataccia (a bad day), by using the pejorative suffix: -accio/-accia:
Ieri ho avuto davvero una giornataccia.
Yesterday I had a really terrible day.
Caption 45, Marika spiega - Le parole alterate
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There are also altered nouns or adjectives called vezzeggiativi, from vezzo (caress), which are used as terms of endearment. The most common suffixes are: -uccio and -otto. Adding this suffix bestows something special, tender, and possibly intimate to a word. A teddy-bear, for example, is called un orsacchiotto, from orso (bear). A term of endearment for a person you care about might be tesoruccio, from tesoro (treasure).
In this week's segment of the popular Commissioner Manara series, Lara is back from the hospital after risking her life to save a dog from a burning building. Luca is so concerned that he lets his guard down.
When Lara comes into the office, Luca looks at her and sees that she's pale. But he doesn't just use pallida (pale) to describe her, he adds a suffix of endearment. It's quite subtle, but it's clear he cares.
Però sei un po' palliduccia, ah.
However, you're a bit on the pale side, huh.
Caption 35, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena
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Speaking of suffixes and prefixes, let's have a quick look at a word used in another of this week's new videos. Massimo Montanari is talking about the art of cooking. He takes the verb padellare (to fry up something after it's already been cooked), from the noun padella (frying pan), then uses the prefix s to turn it into spadellare. It's a colloquial way of saying someone is managing the pots and pans on the stove.
La cucina, intesa non semplicemente come l'atto di spadellare, ma come...
Cooking, understood not simply as an act of working at the stove, but as...
il percorso complessivo che trasforma una ri' [sic]... una risorsa naturale.
an overall process that transforms a re'... a natural resource.
Captions 36-37, L'arte della cucina - La Prima Identitá
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Learn more about suffixes and prefixes in these Yabla videos:
Marika spiega: La formazione dei nomi - Part 1
Marika spiega: La formazione dei nomi - Part 2
Keep an eye out for the suffixes and prefixes in Yabla videos. Once you know the root word, you can expand your vocabulary in many cases, without having to learn new words, but by merely altering them!
In a previous lesson we discussed not being able to stand someone, using the verb vedere (to see):
Non lo posso vedere!
I can’t stand him!
In an episode of Il Commissario Manara, we hear another verb employed to express a similar sentiment: sopportare (to bear, to put up with, to tolerate). Lara is talking about her situation with Luca. She may be saying she can’t stand him, or that she can’t stand it (the situation).
Non lo sopporto!
I can't bear it/ I can't stand him!
Caption 34, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena
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Another way to say this would be:
E’ insopportabile!
It’s unbearable/He's unbearable!
Another verb that is useful in this context is reggere (to hold, to hold up, to bear). Reggere, too, may be used when you can’t stand or bear someone or something.
Non lo reggo!
I can’t bear him!
I can’t bear it!
You may recall reading about retto as a noun in a completely different context in another lesson, but in the following example, retto is the participle of reggere.
Rodolfo non ha retto il peso della mia malattia.
Rodolfo couldn't bear the burden of my illness.
Caption 3, Anna presenta - La Bohème di Puccini
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It can mean physically holding something, as in:
Mi reggi questa borsa un attimo?
Could you hold this bag for me a moment?
Or holding onto, as in:
L'alcol, l'alcol, non lo regge, -Mh. Eh...
The alcohol, alcohol, he can't hold his, -Hm. Yeah...
si vede che... -Che, tu lo reggi?
it turns out that... -Because, you can hold yours?
Captions 48-49, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi
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Reggere is often used when talking about how sturdy something is.
Questa scala è un po’ marcia. Reggerà?
This ladder is a bit rotten. Will it hold up?
Sopportare and reggere are useful words in all kinds of contexts. Have a look at the online dictionary of your choice to get an even better grasp of them.
Just for fun:
Questo tetto non reggerà per molto. L’ho detto a mio marito, ma lui non sopporta l’idea di dover spendere soldi. Il suo atteggiamento lo trovo insopportabile, e non lo reggo proprio quando si comporta così. Vedremo per quanto ancora reggerà il tetto, e per quanto tempo ancora io potrò sopportare mio marito! Quasi quasi, se mi reggi questa scala, andrò io a dare un'occhiata al tetto!
This roof won’t hold up for long. I told my husband this, but he can’t stand the idea of having to spend money. His attitude I find to be intolerable, and I can’t stand him when he behaves that way. We’ll see how much longer the roof will hold, and for how long I’ll be able to stand my husband! On second thought, if you hold this ladder for me, I'll go and have a look at the roof myself.
Think about things you (and people you know) can or cannot put up with, and use sopportare and reggere to talk about it!
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