When traveling to Italy, we might arrive by plane. So let's go over some vocabulary you might need when you arrive and when you go back to the airport.
You might want to send a message to your host to say you have landed.
Questa, questa è una matta scatenata. Guardi, guardi questo telex: è appena atterrata a Saigon, senza autorizzazione, senza addebito su banca locale,
This gal, this gal is an unleashed madwoman. Look, look at this telex: She just landed in Saigon, without authorization, without access to funds at area banks,
Captions 18-20, L'Oriana film - Part 4
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Your text could just use one word and say, "Atterrati!"
If you say atterrati, you're including yourself and the other passengers on the flight (using the first person plural). You can also choose to say this in the singular: atterrata (if you are female) or atterrato (if you are a male). The verb is atterrare. We can detect the word terra in atterrare. La terra means "the earth," or "the land."
You might want to let someone know your flight is delayed.
Il volo è in ritardo (the flight is late/delayed).
Siamo in ritardo (we're late).
Il volo ha subito un ritardo (the flight underwent a delay).
Trovi? -Eh, e sei arrivata pure in ritardo.
You think so? -Yeah, you even came late.
Caption 18, La Ladra EP. 10 - Un ignobile ricatto - Part 8
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You might want to meet your host outside in front of "Arrivals." Gli arrivi.
Ah, il mio volo arriva un'ora dopo il tuo. Aspettami agli arrivi, eh.
Ah, my flight arrives one hour later than yours. Wait for me at "arrivals," huh.
Captions 60-61, Sei mai stata sulla Luna? film - Part 2
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If you have to take a taxi, you will see that the word is the same as in English, even though the official Italian word is tassì. O con il taxi e qui c'è la stazione dei taxi.
Or by taxi, and here there's the taxi stand.
Caption 40, In giro per l'Italia Firenze - Part 3
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You might hear tassì, but it's easily understandable.
Ho preso un tassì e sono scappata dal Pronto Soccorso.
I took a taxi and ran off from the emergency room.
Caption 1, La Ladra EP. 7 - Il piccolo ladro - Part 15
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When present, la metropolitana is a fast and convenient way to get around big cities, such as Rome, Milan, Naples, and Turin.
Poi, ho preso la metropolitana e sono scesa a Rho Fiera Milano;
Then I took the subway and got off at "Rho Fiera Milano,"
Caption 26, Marika spiega Expo 2015 - Part 2
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After your stay, you might go back to the airport.
Per arrivare all'aeroporto di Firenze c'è un bus, un autobus che parte dalla stazione degli autobus, che è laggiù.
To get to the Florence airport, there's a bus, a bus that leaves from the bus station, which is down there.
Captions 38-39, In giro per l'Italia Firenze - Part 3
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L'uscita (the gate) is where you show your carta d'imbarco boarding pass and passaporto (passport) and then board the plane. L'uscita comes from the verb uscire (to exit). L'imbarco comes from the verb imbarcare (to board). In turn, it comes from the noun la barca (the boat). Obviously, the term came into being before airplanes!
Attenzione, prego. Stiamo per imbarcare il volo Enitalia settantadue settanta diretto a Kingston. Tutti i passeggeri sono pregati di recarsi all'uscita B ventuno, uscita B ventuno.
Attention please. We're about to board Enitalia flight seventy-two seventy to Kingston. All passengers are requested to make their way to gate B twenty-one. Gate B twenty-one.
Captions 45-47, Provaci ancora prof! S2EP1 - La finestra sulla scuola - Part 7
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When you hear your volo (flight) announced, you might also hear a destinazione di ..... and then the city you are flying to. Or you might hear diretto a (in the direction of) as in the previous example.
No pare, ha acquistato un biglietto aereo. Stesso volo, stessa destinazione della moglie della vittima.
It doesn't seem, he did buy a plane ticket. Same flight, same destination as the victim's wife.
Captions 53-54, Provaci ancora prof! S2EP1 - La finestra sulla scuola - Part 10
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Words we have discussed in this lesson:
imbarcare (to board)
la carte d'imbarco (the boarding pass)
il passaporto (the passport)
l'aeroporto (the airport)
l'uscita (the gate)
il tassì / il taxi (the taxi)
la metropolitana / la metro (the underground, the subway)
gli arrivi (arrivals)
atterrare (to land)
a destinazione di (traveling to)
diretto a (in the direction of)
il volo (the flight)
in ritardo (late, delayed)
il ritardo (the delay)
il passaggero (the passenger)
More travel vocabulary in a future lesson. See part 1 here. And let us know if there are travel topics you would like to know more about. Write to us at [email protected].
When traveling, it's good to have a handle on the words we might need when getting around a new place. But depending on where we are and who we are talking with, we might hear different names for the same thing.
The word for "train" is easy. It's il treno.
Where do we catch or meet a train? Alla stazione. That's a good cognate, too. So already these two words, il treno and la stazione are essential to have in your toolkit.
One important question you might want to ask is: Dov'è la stazione (where is the train station)? Or you can keep it even simpler:
Allora, dico: "scusi, per la stazione?" Semplicissimo.
So, I say, "Excuse me, for the station?" Very simple.
Caption 18, Corso di italiano con Daniela Chiedere informazioni - Part 1
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We don't always need to speak in full sentences, and when we do try, we can easily stumble. You can even just say: La stazione?
When we're talking about the railroad in general, however, we usually say la ferrovia. The rails are made of iron, and ferro means "iron." Via is "way" or "road," so it makes sense.
Il ponte della ferrovia,
The railroad bridge,
Caption 45, Rosalba al parco della donna gatto - Part 1
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Ferrovia isn't too hard to pronounce, but when we turn it into an adjective, it's a bit trickier.
...e la ricevuta di un biglietto ferroviario di sola andata Bologna-Roma.
...and the receipt for a train ticket, one way, Bologna to Rome.
Captions 16-17, Provaci ancora prof! S2E5 Vita da cani - Part 6
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There are 3 different terms people use when they refer to a bus. The easiest one is autobus, as it contains the word "bus" we recognize.
L'autobus often refers to local transportation within a city, but it's also used generally, especially by young people.
Da qui partono gli autobus, tra l'altro, per gli aeroporti di Pisa e di Firenze...
From here, the buses leave for the Pisa and Florence airports, among other places...
Caption 47, In giro per l'Italia Firenze - Part 3
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La corriera is a term that's a bit outdated (and it was used for stagecoaches in earlier times), but if you are talking to someone of a certain age, or if you are in a remote village, corriera is a term they might use.
Mi scusi, la corriera per Milano?
Excuse me, the bus for Milan?
Caption 31, Il Commissario Manara S1EP12 - Le verità nascoste - Part 9
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Attenzione! Let's also mention that both la corriera (the bus) and il corriere (the courier) have the same origins. In earlier times, a stagecoach would carry passengers but also letters and packages. Nowadays, la corriera carries passengers and il corriere carries packages. We can detect the verb correre in the term, which hints at speed.
Usually, with la stazione, it is pretty clear you are talking about the train station, but if you are asking for the bus station, you will want to specify that. Il pullman, is a word you'll likely recognize from English.
È arrivata zia, è alla stazione dei pullman.
My aunt has arrived. She's at the bus station.
Caption 48, Il Commissario Manara S2EP11 - Uno strano incidente di caccia - Part 11
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Note that la corriera is feminine and il pullman is masculine. Often, these two terms indicate buses that go long distances, from city to city (like Greyhound in the U.S).
When there is a proper bus station, you can buy your biglietto (ticket) at la biglietteria, but more and more, there are self-service machines where you can pay in cash or by credit card. In some places, however, you have to buy your ticket at the bar or dal tabaccaio (at the tobacconist's).
Some cities have had trams since the 19th century. In some cities, they were once in vogue, then went out of vogue, but are coming back. Whoever is interested in an overview of the tramways in Italy can consult this Wikipedia article. It's called il tram in Italian (so that's easy!). It runs on rails and is (now) electric.
Bene, una volta arrivati a Napoli, prendete il tram che vi porta al porto.
Good, once you've arrived in Naples, you'll get a tram that will take you to the harbor.
Caption 28, Marika spiega I veicoli
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Other cities have a kind of bus that's powered electrically, from above. It's called il filobus (the trolley bus). Il filo is the word for "the wire".
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Here are the words we discussed in this lesson. In a future lesson, we'll dive deeper into travel vocabulary, as this list is only partial.
l'autobus (the city bus)
la corriera (the bus, the coach)
il corriere (the courier)
il pullman (the bus, the long-distance bus)
il treno (the train)
la ferrovia (the railroad)
il biglietto (the ticket)
la stazione (the station)
il filobus (the trolley bus)
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Three interesting verbs found in this week's videos are:
gonfiare
rosicare
ignorare
All three have very literal translations, but they have nuances, too, that are important to know for anyone looking to get comfortable speaking Italian.
The adjective gonfio comes from the verb gonfiare (to inflate). So we can talk about pumping up our tires, or blowing up a balloon.
"Andare a gonfie vele" significa che tutto procede al meglio.
"Going with full sails" [full steam ahead] means that everything is proceeding well.
Caption 27, Marika spiega Espressioni legate al mare e al mondo nautico - Part 2
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We can imagine a full sail puffing out and looking swollen.
There is a reflexive form as well, so when we get a bruise, sometimes it swells — Si gonfia.
Poi l'universo ha cominciato a gonfiarsi, a gonfiarsi come un palloncino.
Then the universe began to inflate, to inflate like a balloon.
Captions 3-4, Illuminate Margherita Hack - Part 10
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We can use the past participle as an adjective with pallone to mean "hot air balloon," figuratively speaking.
Ma che infame, mentitore, pallone gonfiato, pieno di sé.
You are wicked, a liar, a hot-air balloon, full of yourself.
Caption 55, Il Commissario Manara S1EP9 - Morte in paradiso - Part 7
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Cioè, tu hai permesso a quel pallone gonfiato di usare la mia cucina per fare la sua torta?
That is, you allowed that hot-air balloon to use my kitchen to make his cake?
Caption 18, La Ladra EP. 1 - Le cose cambiano - Part 3
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Translating is not an exact science, so we're not talking about the kind of serene mongolfiera (hot air balloon) we see floating over the countryside, but rather someone who is full of him/herself and hot air (instead of substance). Un pallone is "a big ball" (also a soccer ball), so it can also refer to someone's head if we're thinking about the shape, but un palloncino is "a balloon," so un pallone could also be a big balloon, like one of those hot air balloons. We can talk about someone spouting hot air, so although a direct translation doesn't exactly do the trick, now you get the idea! You undoubtedly know someone who is un pallone gonfiato.
This verb can be used in reference to animals, such as a dog gnawing at a bone, but it's used with people, too, when they are envious. Here's a little scene from JAMS where someone tends to be a sore loser. Once again, it is a bit tough to translate precisely. That's why we wrote a lesson about it.
No! -E mamma mia, non rosicare sempre! Abbiamo perso, no "non rosicare"! -E va be', abbiamo perso correttamente, però. -Non va bene.
No! -For heaven's sake, don't always let it gnaw at you! We lost, not "Don't let it gnaw!" -OK, so what? We lost fair and square, though. -It's not OK.
Captions 11-13, JAMS S1 EP 3 - Part 5
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Ignorare is a very interesting verb, together with the adjective, ignorante, that comes from it. It is a partially true cognate, but not totally, and that is why we are mentioning it here.
One meaning of ignorare is "to ignore," in other words, to neglect to take into consideration. But its other meaning is "not to know." There's a big difference between the two! So in the following passage, it's not totally clear which it is.
Farà male? -Vuoi la verità? Sì. -Anna. E così mi ignori la primissima regola di questo mestiere.
Will it hurt? -Do you want the truth? Yes. -Anna. And so you ignore the very first rule of this profession on me.
Captions 3-5, La linea verticale EP8 - Part 2
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In this next example, the meaning clearly has to do with not being schooled, with not knowing how to read and write, for example.
Sarò anche una povera vecchia contadina ignorante,
I might even be an old, ignorant farm woman,
Caption 25, Il Commissario Manara S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo - Part 7
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But ignorante is widely used to mean something similar to maleducato — being a boor or a lout. We can see how it is combined with other similar insults here.
Prepotente, zotico, ignorante!
Arrogant, boorish, rude!
Caption 3, La Ladra EP. 6 - Nero di rabbia - Part 6
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Can you use these words to describe someone you know or someone you've seen in televisione or al cinema?
If you look up the verb aspettare in the dictionary, the first English translation you will find is "to wait." Or almost. You might see "to await." That is because, even though we don't use the verb "to await" much in general conversation, it's a transitive verb, and so is aspettare. They can line up. So that's something to remember.
Aspettare is transitive most of the time (except when it means something like "Hey wait!"). We don't need a preposition after it as we do in English — "to wait for." This lesson isn't about English, but let's just mention that lots of people use "to wait on" in certain contexts, and other people use "to wait for." In Italian, we don't have to worry about that.
Adesso bisogna aspettare il risultato dell'autopsia e poi finalmente potrete organizzare il funerale.
Now we have to wait for the results of the autopsy and then, finally, you'll be able to organize the funeral.
Captions 22-23, Il Commissario Manara S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 4
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Just as in English, we can use the imperative form aspetta! (informal singular), aspettate! (informal plural), aspettiamo (first person plural) or aspetti (formal, singular) on its own to mean "Wait!"
Aspetta, aspetta, ti levo il cerotto piano piano. Aspetta, aspetta.
Wait, wait, I'll remove the band-aid slowly, slowly. Wait, wait.
Caption 55, Il Commissario Manara S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 12
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Aspettate, lascio il libro sul tavolo
Wait, I'll leave the book on the table
Caption 3, Corso di italiano con Daniela Il futuro - Part 4
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Dottor Barale, aspetti!
Mister Barale, wait!
Caption 29, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep. 1 - Part 18
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In a question, let's remember again that aspettare is transitive. So if you want to ask the common question: "What are you waiting for?" you don't need the preposition.
Mai. -E che aspetti?
Never. -And what are you waiting for?
Caption 44, Questione di Karma Rai Cinema - Part 8
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When we use aspettare reflexively, in other words — aspettarsi — the meaning changes. It becomes "to expect."
Cioè, il ladro può essere entrato in biblioteca senza aspettarsi che Fazi fosse lì.
That is, the thief could have gone into the library without expecting Fazi to be there.
Caption 11, Il Commissario Manara S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi - Part 7
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So when the verb is conjugated rather than in the infinitive, we have to look for an object pronoun (or noun). Here are two examples. The first is not reflexive so aspettare here means "to wait."
Erano cinque anni che aspettavo questo momento.
I'd been waiting five years for this moment.
Caption 16, L'Oriana film - Part 15
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If we find an object pronoun nearby (in this case mi), then we're likely looking at the reflexive version of aspettare and it will mean "to expect." And in many cases, we'll see some sort of preposition afterwards. In the examples below, first we have di and then, in the next example, we have da. We also often find the conjunction che, as in the third example below.
Grazie. -E non mi aspettavo di rivedervi così presto.
Thank you. -Uh, I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon.
Caption 21, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1EP1 L'estate del dito - Part 19
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Cosa ti aspetti da questo Real Madrid?
What do you expect from this Real Madrid [team]?
Caption 12, Spot Sky Sport con Perrotta, Totti, Marchisio
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Mi aspettavo che tu fossi più sincera,
I expected that you'd be more sincere,
Caption 30, Anna e Marika Il verbo essere - Part 4
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And, since an expectation is often tied to uncertainty, and che triggers the subjunctive, we will likely find the subjunctive form of the verb in the subordinate clause.
But... sometimes the difference is nuanced. For example, when a person is pregnant, we use "expecting" in English. In Italian, not necessarily.
We usually hear the non-reflexive form of aspettare.
È vero, aspetto un bambino da Arturo.
It's true, I am expecting a baby of Arturo's.
Caption 6, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP1 I Bastardi - Part 21
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When you're expecting a package, or sometimes a person, you'll likely use the non-reflexive version.
Senta, Lei è un bel tipo, io non lo posso negare, però io sto aspettando una persona molto importante.
Listen, you're a cute guy, I can't deny it, but I'm expecting a very important person.
Captions 6-7, Il Commissario Manara S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 6
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Another case in which English might use "expect," is when you invite someone and then you expect them at a certain hour. "I'll be expecting you!" Italians just use aspettare. Think of the end of a video when Marika talks about seeing you in the next video. She might say:
Io ti lascio lavorare in pace e ti aspetto nel prossimo video!
I'll leave you to work in peace, and I'll be waiting for you in the next video!
Caption 56, Marika spiega I verbi riflessivi e reciproci
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We've translated this with the verb "to wait," because there is no reflexive, but it could have been, "I'll be expecting you in the next video" or "I look forward to seeing you in the next video."
If we look at the Italian translation of the verb "to expect," we can see that there are all sorts of nuances. But what we can say is that when it's about waiting for something to arrive, as in expecting a package, expecting a child, or expecting a guest, we can use aspettare.
This is one more thing to have fun paying attention to when you watch Yabla videos!
Do you already know the 4 seasons in Italian? Here they are.
L'inverno (the winter)
La primavera (the spring)
L'estate (the summer)
L'autunno (the autumn)
Check out this beginner video.
Ciao, sono Marika e oggi ti insegnerò i giorni della settimana, le stagioni e i mesi dell'anno.
Hi, I'm Marika and today I'm going to teach you the days of the week, the seasons and the months of the year.
Captions 1-2, Marika spiega Settimana, stagioni e mesi
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Adriano talks about the 4 seasons, what to wear, the colors he associates with each, his favorites, and so on.
Oggi vi parlerò delle stagioni.
Today I'm going to talk to you about the seasons.
Caption 2, Adriano Le stagioni dell'anno
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Grammar tip: The noun la stagione is one of those nouns that ends in E. We don't think of it automatically as being feminine because it doesn't end in A as the majority of feminine nouns do. But it is indeed feminine, so when we form the plural we have to add an I at the end (there's already an e in the singular!). La stagione, le stagioni. We just have to think a bit harder when using these kinds of nouns.
So if you aren't familiar with the seasons, the videos mentioned above will help out. But in this lesson, we're going to talk about words that have to do with the seasons, or words or expressions that include the Italian word for season: stagione.
In the following example, Marika is talking about an Italian household ritual, often left to la mamma (the mom). It's a common excuse for not going out with friends on a weekend at the end of April or October. It's a thankless job, but also a good opportunity for throwing things away — eliminare (to eliminate), scartare (to discard), dar via (to give away). It's il cambio degli armadi (the closet switching), or il cambio di stagione.
Come tu ben sai, eh, l'Italia, come anche altri paesi del mondo, è soggetta alle stagioni, e quindi noi ogni sei mesi facciamo il cambio di stagione, che vuol dire che svuotiamo il nostro armadio dei vestiti invernali e le [sic] prepariamo a quelli primaverili ed estivi, oppure autunnali.
As you well know, uh, Italy, like other countries in the world, is subject to the seasons, and so every six months, we do a season change, which means that we empty our closet of winter clothes and we prepare them [sic] for the spring or summer ones, or else the fall ones.
Captions 24-27, Marika spiega L'abbigliamento - Part 1
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***A note about how things work in Italy. In apartments and homes, it's not so common for there to be built-in closets. You have to buy one, and they take up a lot of space in the bedroom. The bigger ones are often called quattro stagioni (four seasons) because you put the things up high that you don't need for the current season, and do some rotating during the year, to have the clothes you need handy.
When we talk about the seasons, we tend to first think about the more extreme ones, summer and winter, with their relative temperatures, caldo (hot) and freddo (cold). The seasons in between — spring and fall — have their characteristics, too. La primavera (spring) is often referred to as la bella stagione. La bella stagione can also simply refer to "the warm weather," or the season in which the weather is nice and warm.
A risvegliarsi dal torpore invernale, sono uomini ed animali, decisi a sfruttare la bella stagione per esplorare nuovi sentieri in una natura selvaggia, ma accogliente.
Awakening from the winter torpor are men and animals, determined to take advantage of the "beautiful season" [spring] to explore new paths in a wild but welcoming nature.
Captions 24-26, Formaggi D'autore - Part 3
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Another way to think about the in-between seasons of primavera and autunno, is by calling them "half-seasons" or "in-between seasons," La mezza stagione. This applies primarily to what to wear. La mezza stagione is when we tend to dress a cipolla (like an onion, in layers) and be ready for anything. But it can also refer to "mid-season."
Ma l'ultima neve ha i giorni contati. In un paesaggio da mezza stagione, la transizione verso la primavera è iniziata.
But the days of the last snow are numbered. In a mid-season landscape, the transition to spring has begun.
Captions 21-23, Formaggi D'autore - Part 3
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The best time to buy clothes for less is a fine stagione (at the end of the season). That's when shops have saldi (sales).
Tigrotto, non avevo più niente da mettermi e ho comprato due cosine ai saldi. -Hai fatto bene, ma...
Tiger Cub, I had nothing to wear and I bought two little things at the sales. -You did the right thing, but...
Caption 7, Il Commissario Manara S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva - Part 17
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If you are traveling to Italy and want to save money, you'll go during la bassa stagione (the off-season). Prices are cheaper. We can also talk about fuori stagione ("out of the season" or "off-season") indicating the non-tourist season.
Questa bella piscina, che non è sempre così perché siamo fuori stagione e di solito è più ricca di persone, perché è sempre pieno qua di persone. Questa casa vacanze che è, insomma, è per poter [sic] ospitare delle famiglie,
This beautiful swimming pool, which isn't always like this because we're in the off season... and usually it's more crowded with people, because here it's always full of people. This vacation rental that is, in short, is to be able to host families,
Captions 41-44, Sicilia - Marsala Casa vacanze Torre Lupa
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Thanks for reading.
In a previous lesson, we talked about transportation vocabulary, specifically ground transportation. Now, let's look at some other terms to know. To speak generally, we refer to mezzi di trasporto (means of transportation). And getting more specific, we can talk about mezzi pubblici (public transportation).
Nella grande città per fare qualsiasi cosa hai bisogno della macchina, hai bisogno dei mezzi pubblici, devi aspettare l'autobus, devi prendere la metropolitana, devi farti largo in mezzo alle persone, invece qui è tutto tranquillo.
In the big city in order to do anything you have to take the car, you need public transportation; you have to wait for the bus, you have to take the subway, you have to get out of people's way, whereas here it's all very quiet.
Captions 9-12, Giuliano in Vacanze a Riva del Garda
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The noun or adjective mezzo has multiple meanings. One important meaning is "half" but it also means "middle," or "means." When the context is clear, i mezzi di trasporto can be shortened to i mezzi. In the following example, mezzi refers to vehicles of various kinds, such as trucks and tanks. The context is World War I.
Altre invece costituivano più le retrovie che alimentavano di uomini, mezzi, munizioni, eccetera,
Others instead made up the rear that supplied men, transport, munitions, et cetera
Captions 50-51, Meraviglie EP. 5 - Part 9
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We can also use the noun il veicolo. It mainly refers to a mechanical means of transportation operated by a person, such as una macchina (a car) or un camion (a truck).
La via è una strada lunga e larga, adatta alla circolazione di persone e veicoli.
The street is a long and broad, suitable for the circulation of people and vehicles.
Captions 17-18, Marika spiega La strada
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In the context of a town or city, it's clear that i mezzi refer to public transportation.
Oppure è meglio prendere delle biciclette? Ci sono dei mezzi? Come funziona? -Quanto tempo hai a disposizione?
Or is it better to get bicycles? Is there public transportation? How does it work? -How much time do you have available?
Captions 23-25, In giro per l'Italia Lucca - Part 1
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When we talk about getting around, especially locally, one verb we can use is spostare, in its reflexive form, spostarsi. This is an interview with some high school students.
Come ti sposti? -Coi mezzi o in bici.
How do you get around? -With public transportation or by bike.
Captions 59-60, Le Interviste I liceali - Part 3
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To get around using a specific means of transportation, we use the verb prendere (to take), just like in English.
Eh, la madre dei ragazzi è morta tre anni fa, ma il padre, Cosimo, ieri ha preso un treno per Napoli
Uh, the mother of the kids died three years ago, but the father, Cosimo, yesterday, took a train to Naples
Captions 51-52, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP4 Gelo - Part 3
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We can use the verb collegare (to connect) to refer to how to reach places such as cities and towns. We note also that we use the preposition in (in) to refer to the specific means of transportation.
Com'è collegata? -La Campania è collegatissima, quindi ci si può arrivare in treno, in aereo, in macchina o in nave.
How is it connected? -Campania is very accessible, meaning you can get there by train, by plane, by car, or by ship.
Captions 81-84, L'Italia a tavola Interrogazione sulla Campania
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Some towns, notably hilltop towns, are not very accessible by car. There is very limited parking and the streets are narrow. One solution is to have a small bus that shuttles people back and forth from a parking lot to the center of town. It's called la navetta.
Ci sono delle navette che tutto il giorno, con una cadenza oraria, visitano tutti i luoghi che fanno parte del programma.
There are shuttles, which, all day, with hourly frequency, visit all the places that are part of the program.
Captions 30-31, Ferrari Museo Ferrari Maranello
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In future lessons, we'll talk about other topics related to getting around.
Metaphors might be fun and easy when they are in one's own language, but they may not be so easy to identify and understand in the language you're learning. We've selected some expressions using the metaphor of aria (air) for your enjoyment and learning.
Obviously, you can't fry air, so it's a great way to say something is not worth selling, not worth taking into consideration.
Qui si vende aria fritta.
Here we're selling fried air [thin air].
Caption 31, Sposami EP 4 - Part 23
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There are lots of ways to let things go up in smoke, and here is one:
Adesso tu vuoi mandare all'aria tutto così, per niente?
Now you want to make everything go up in smoke, just like that, for nothing?
Caption 4, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3EP4 Lo stagno del ranocchio - Part 12
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Of course, Italians do also use the metaphor of fumo (smoke) but we'll look at those in another lesson.
For this metaphor, it might be useful to talk about the verb campare. For English speakers, the word "camp" comes to mind. Campare may come from the French verb "camper" meaning accamparsi (to encamp, to set up camp). In modern colloquial Italian, it has come to mean "to get by" and by extension, "to live" or to "survive." Campato in aria means something is nonsensical, far-fetched. Just as you can't fry air, you can't survive on it alone.
Questa è tutta una sua ricostruzione totalmente campata in aria.
This is all her totally far-fetched reconstruction.
Caption 9, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP2 Come piante fra sassi - Part 5
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Here below, we have a different translation that keeps with the metaphor of "air." The meaning here is still "unfounded."
Sono tutte supposizioni, campate in aria.
These are all suppositions, drawn out of thin air.
Caption 8, Il Commissario Manara S2EP3 - Delitto tra le lenzuola - Part 12
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If we visualize legs in the air, we can relate to the English equivalent: to go belly up.
Un matrimonio che va a gambe all'aria al momento della cerimonia, per colpa di chi?
A wedding that ends up with legs in the air [goes belly up] at the moment of the ceremony, by the fault of whom?
Captions 45-46, Sposami EP 5 - Part 21
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To change the air means to change the environment — in other words, to get a change of scene.
Il tempo di mettere da parte abbastanza soldi per cambiare aria e ricominciare daccapo.
The time it took to put aside enough money, to get a change of scene, and start over from the beginning.
Captions 22-23, Il Commissario Manara S2EP4 - Miss Maremma - Part 6
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This expression has two versions, but the meaning is the same.
"Avere la testa tra le nuvole" o "avere la testa per aria" si usa quando non si riesce a pensare in maniera logica o chiara.
"To have one's head in the clouds" or "to have one's head in the air" is used when you are unable to think logically or clearly.
Captions 23-24, Marika spiega Espressioni con la testa - Part 2
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Have you seen other examples with aria as a metaphor in Yabla videos, or elsewhere? Let us know, and we'll add them to this lesson.
We've come to the final 10 adjectives of the list of 50 good-to-know Italian adjectives. If you can learn these and use them in a sentence, you will have a good basis for conversation in many situations. Of course, there are many more and we'll feature new lists from time to time.
41) simpatico (likeable, congenial, nice)
This is such a great Italian adjective, but it’s hard to translate into English. It describes a person that you want to get to know, someone who is attractive as a person, rather than physically, someone with a great personality, and a warm smile. More about simpatico here.
E poi il cuoco è uno simpatico, stava simpatico pure a te.
And besides, the cook is a nice guy. You liked him, too.
Caption 62, La Ladra EP. 8 - Il momento giusto - Part 9
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41a) antipatico (unpleasant, troublesome, nasty)
The opposite of simpatico, antipatico can describe a person, but also behavior or a situation.
È severo e pure un po' antipatico.
He is stern and also a bit unfriendly.
Caption 41, Provaci ancora prof! S1E4 - La mia compagna di banco - Part 4
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Ti devo dare una notizia un po’ antipatica (I have to give you some unpleasant news).
Il mio insegnante di Italiano è veramente antipatico (my Italian teacher is really not very nice).
42-42a) Educato (polite, well-behaved, good-mannered) and its opposite, maleducato (rude, ill-mannered, impolite) have nothing, or very little, to do with going to school and getting an education. They have to do with manners and behavior, and also training as regards children and animals.
È una ragazza madre ed è una persona tanto carina, tanto gentile, educata.
She's a single mother and is a very nice person, very kind, polite.
Caption 43, La Ladra EP. 1 - Le cose cambiano - Part 6
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Non si azzardi più a chiamarmi a quest'ora, maleducato!
Don't you dare call me again at this hour, how rude!
Caption 69, Il Commissario Manara S1EP5 - Il Raggio Verde - Part 12
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In other words, educato and maleducato are generally false friends. They do not mean "educated" and "uneducated."
43) Sospettoso mostly describes a person. For something that’s suspicious-looking, the adjective sospetto is normally used. Il sospetto is a noun that means “the suspect.”
No, il barone era sospettoso e faceva assaggiare il cibo prima di mangiare alla moglie,
No, the baron was suspicious and had the food tasted, before eating it, by his wife,
Captions 14-16, Caravaggio EP1 - Part 20
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44) affettuoso (affectionate, loving, tender)
Un tipo affascinante, simpatico, affettuoso.
A charming, friendly, affectionate type.
Caption 42, Il Commissario Manara S2EP8 - Fuori servizio - Part 10
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45) ingenuo (naive, gullible, inexperienced, innocent)
Someone who is ingenuo isn’t all that familiar with the ways of the world. They may be too trustful and might easily get conned.
Mi crede così ingenuo da affidare a Lei un compito così delicato?
Do you think I'm so naive that I would entrust such a delicate task to you?
Caption 47, Il Commissario Manara S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi - Part 3
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46) tranquillo (tranquillo, calm, with no worries)
This very useful adjective covers a lot of ground, so it’s a good one to have in your Italian vocabulary. If you travel in Italy, you’ll undoubtedly hear this expression a lot: Stai tranquillo. It means, “Don’t worry.” The polite version is Stia tranquillo. It can also mean, “Stay calm.”
Lei non è incriminato di niente, deve stare tranquillo, va bene?
You haven't been incriminated of anything, you can rest easy, all right?
Caption 20, Il Commissario Manara S1EP5 - Il Raggio Verde - Part 7
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47) preoccupato (worried, concerned)
This adjective looks like it should mean “preoccupied,” but it basically means “worried.”
Sono molto preoccupato per mio figlio (I’m very worried about my son).
And someone might say to you:
Non ti preoccupare (Don’t worry).
And if the situation is formal:
Non si preoccupi (Don’t worry [formal]).
More about worrying in Italian, here.
48) intelligente (intelligent)
This is an easy cognate and it means just what you would think!
49) stupido (stupid)
This is another adjective that means just what you would imagine it would.
50) pazzo (crazy)
This is a fun word and primarily describes a person or animal. Note that just as in English we can be crazy about something or someone, Italian uses this adjective, too.
Sono pazza/pazzo di te (I’m crazy about you).
And “to go crazy” is diventare pazzo (to become crazy).
When we are talking about something, on the other hand, we need the adjective pazzesco. Pazzo is only for humans and animals.
Hai avuto un successo pazzesco, eh?
You were wildly successful, huh?
Caption 1, Provaci ancora prof! S2EP2 Una mina vagante - Part 2
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51) furbo (clever, cunning, shrewd)
Ho detto: "Non fare il furbo".
I said "Don't be a wise guy."
Caption 39, L'Italia a tavola Interrogazione sul Piemonte
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This adjective can either be positive or somewhat pejorative, depending on the context. It is sometimes transformed into a noun, as in the example above.
And with that, we’ve given you more than 50 (but who’s counting?) good-to-know Italian adjectives to put in your pocket. Try them out for size — practice them as you go about your day, observing your human, animal, and physical surroundings.
Learn more!
Practical examples of these adjectives can be found throughout Yabla videos available with a subscription. Yabla offers you the possibility of learning at your own pace and through videos pertaining to your interests. Expand your horizons by learning one of the most romantic languages in the world.
Let's check out this great Italian two-word adverb: a malapena. We rarely, if ever, see malapena without its preposition, so we can almost think of it as one word. Let's look at some examples in context to absorb its meaning, and then we'll unpack it.
In this first example, Imma, the deputy public prosecutor of the city of Matera, is at a dinner party at the home of one of her colleagues, the last place she wanted to be, and in fact, some of the other guests are making disparaging remarks about her.
Pensare che parlava a malapena l'italiano e mò [lucano: ora] è diventata pure PM [Pubblico Ministero].
Just think that she barely spoke Italian and now she has even become a public prosecutor.
Captions 55-56, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP2 Come piante fra sassi - Part 10
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In this wonderful film for TV, based on a true story about teaching adults how to read and write on TV, Antonio argues with the school principal criticizing his teaching methods. He defends himself by asking her why his methods work, while hers clearly don't.
Mi sa spiegare perché a malapena sanno leggere e scrivere?
Can you explain to me why they can barely read and write?
Captions 62-63, Non è mai troppo tardi EP 2 - Part 5
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In La tempesta, a comedy set in the Venetian city of Treviso, Paolo, a photographer, knocks at the door of his new neighbor (a woman), wanting a favor. She doesn't want to open the door.
No, io a malapena ti conosco. No. -Va bene, allora facciamo le presentazioni:
No. I hardly know you. No. -All right, then let's introduce ourselves.
Captions 50-51, La Tempesta film - Part 1
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In the next example, the context is a bit different, as we are talking about the number of bottles of wine a new winery has produced.
Cavour impiega almeno una quindicina di anni per riuscire a produrre le prime bottiglie. Sono a malapena cento.
Cavour takes at least fifteen years to succeed in producing the first bottles. There were barely a hundred of them.
Captions 38-40, Meraviglie EP. 5 - Part 2
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If we look up a malapena in the dictionary, we find some synonyms: a stento, a fatica, con fatica. But if we do a little more digging, we see it also means appena. If we look for the etymology, we find that malapena is malo (an adjective meaning "bad" or an adverb meaning "badly") plus pena. While la pena is a noun meaning "suffering," a malapena likely comes from appena, from the Latin "ad paene," meaning "almost." In addition, the verb penare means "to struggle." One translation of a malapena is "with difficulty." The evolution of a word, as we have seen on many occasions, is not a straight line!
So we could say a malapena means "almost" but in the negative sense, in other words, "barely." We can use it when we have gone further than "almost," but just by a hair. You made it, but you almost didn't make it! And it took an effort, a struggle, to make it by that small margin.
So if we take our video examples, one by one, we could give these alternative (though inelegant) translations:
"She almost didn't speak Italian." "She struggled to speak Italian."
"They almost don't know how to read and write." "They struggle to read and write."
"I almost don't know you."
"There were almost less than a hundred bottles." "It was a struggle to reach one hundred bottles."
We could use appena in place of a malapena in our video examples (see above):
Pensare che parlava appena l'italiano...
Mi sa spiegare perché sanno appena leggere e scrivere?
No, io ti conosco appena.
Sono appena cento [bottiglie].
Using a malapena instead of appena gives the idea more weight, more effort to reach a limit. With mal as a sort of prefix (meaning malo), there is also a hint of a negative connotation.
In a previous lesson, we looked at the adverb appena in a different context to mean "as soon as" and "just as." But we also use appena to mean "a small amount." Almost nothing!
In the following example, we can keep to the "almost" meaning by thinking that they almost didn't know each other!
Lui e lei si sono appena conosciuti, ma già si amano.
He and she just met, but they already love each other.
Captions 6-7, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep. 1 - Part 19
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Appena in tempo, translated as "just in time," could also be interpreted as "almost late."
"Basta!" -Appena in tempo.
"Stop!" -Just in time.
Caption 33, Dixiland Coppa di cioccolato
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Here is an example of appena used just like a malapena.
Lo conoscevo proprio appena, perché vivo in Italia da un anno e...
I barely knew him, because I've been living in Italy for a year, and...
Caption 8, Il Commissario Manara S1EP7 - Sogni di Vetro - Part 3
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I almost didn't know him, because...
To round out this lesson about a malapena and appena, let's just add that when you are talking about something very, very slight, it's common to repeat the adverb appena.
Qui ci sono ancora le tracce del colore originario che si riescono appena appena a vedere.
Here, there are still traces of the original color which one can just barely see.
Captions 13-14, In giro per l'Italia Asciano - S. Giuliano Terme: Villa Bosniascki - Part 2
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For sure, appena is used more often than a malapena, but now we see where they cross paths. Do a Yabla search of appena on the videos page and you will see scores of examples. See if you can single out the nuances of meaning.
Have questions or comments? Write to us. We love to hear from you!
When you are learning a language, you tend to pay attention to what people say (unless you are tuning it out). I don't know about you, but when I hear a word for the first time, I know it's a first and put a mental asterisk next to it. Often, I just say, "Hey, I have never heard that word. What does it mean?" But much of the time I can figure out what a word means just by the context.
Italians use a variety of suffixes. There are various reasons to use a suffix, and sometimes it's just a personal preference to give a little emphasis to the word. Suffixes may change according to the area of Italy, so be prepared to learn some new ones depending on where you go.
I still remember the first time I heard the suffix -uccio in Italian. Many years ago, I happened to be near Rome in a house where a group of young music students were making lunch. That was already very interesting to watch, of course. But it was summer, it was hot, and one of the girls said, Che calduccio! It stuck in my mind. Isn't the word for "hot" just caldo? That one I knew, or thought I did. Why does she say calduccio? And is it a noun or an adjective? I might have been too shy to ask about that word, but I never forgot it.
I also had to figure out that sometimes there's a fine line between adjectives and nouns, that che can mean "what," as in "What tremendous heat!" or "how," as in "How tremendously hot it is!"
In the following example, we can sense the enveloping positive heat with the suffix -uccio. So, -uccio isn't necessarily positive or negative, but it's a way of reinforcing the adjective and providing it with something personal.
Adding -uccio is a way of emphasizing the quantity, quality, or intensity of heat being felt. Caldo by itself might be felt as neutral, but adding the -uccio assures you that things are going to be cozy.
E io farò un bel calduccio.
And I will make some nice heat.
Caption 50, PIMPA S3 EP 5 Il signor Inverno
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Sometimes -uccio is a suffix of endearment.
I have been called tesoruccio (dear/little treasure) or amoruccio (dear/little love) in the past. Translated literally, it sounds very stilted in English but it is pretty common in Italian and is a kind of equivalent of "sweetheart," darling," or "honey." It just adds some endearment and is more personal.
Tesoruccio mio, ti prego, perdonami.
Little treasure of mine, I beg you to forgive me.
Caption 33, La Ladra EP. 4 - Una magica bionda - Part 12
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Sometimes -uccio is diminutive, such as in minimizing un difetto (a defect).
Quando si parla troppo bene delle persone, senza neanche trovargli un difettuccio... Significa essere innamorata, zia.
When you talk too positively about people, without finding even one teensy flaw... It means being in love, Aunt.
Captions 35-37, Il Commissario Manara S2EP12 - La donna senza volto - Part 1
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We can use the suffix -uccio for emphasis with the adverb male (bad, badly). It can mean something like "kind of badly," or "pretty badly."
Com'è andata l'audizione? -Maluccio.
How did the audition go? -Pretty badly.
If the audition had gone really badly, the person might have answered: Male male, malissimo, or molto male.
There are lots of suffixes Italians use all the time, such as "-etto," "ino," "one," but It's impossible to predict, right off the bat, which suffixes go with which adjectives or nouns. You just have to listen a lot and adopt the ones that stick.
For more about parole alternate (modified or altered words) see this lesson.
Good-to-know Italian Adjectives Describing Someone’s Mood or Feelings
31) felice (happy)
Apart from its most common meaning, felice can also mean “fitting” or "well-chosen.” We can also make this adjective into its opposite by adding the prefix in: infelice = unhappy.
Sono felice di averLa conosciuta.
I'm happy to have met you.
Caption 48, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep. 1 - Part 1
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32) triste (sad)
Il canile è un luogo molto triste per un cane.
The dog pound is a very sad place for a dog.
Caption 11, Andromeda La storia di Ulisse
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Whereas infelice is a general state, triste more often describes a momentary feeling or something that brings on feelings of sadness, such as a sad story.
33) arrabbiato (angry)
When you eat in an Italian restaurant, you often find penne all’arrabbiata on the menu. The color is red, and it’s hot with peperoncino (hot pepper). The color red is associated with anger. The adjective comes from the verb arrabbiare (to get angry).
È arrabbiato con la moglie, allora se la prende con tutti.
He's angry with his wife, so he takes it out on everyone.
Caption 18, Il Commissario Manara S2EP11 - Uno strano incidente di caccia - Part 1
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34) fiducioso (hopeful, confident, optimistic, trusting)
Italian doesn’t have a cognate for “hopeful,”— or rather, it does — speranzoso, but it is rarely used. As a result, fiducioso is a good bet, especially when you are optimistically hopeful. Fiducioso comes from the reflexive verb fidarsi (to trust) and the noun la fiducia (the trust).
Ma io sono fiduciosa.
But I am confident.
Caption 17, Sei mai stata sulla Luna? film - Part 13
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35) volenteroso (willing)
Non l'ho fatta io questa palla di neve, ma sicuramente qualcuno molto più volenteroso di me.
I didn't make this snowball, but for sure, somebody much keener than me.
Captions 39-40, Francesca neve - Part 3
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This adjective is used to describe a person who pitches in and helps, or is willing to learn. It comes from the verb volere (to want, to want to). Someone who is volenteroso will likely offer his or her services as a volunteer, a cognate to help you remember its meaning. See this Yabla lesson: Being Willing with Volentieri. When someone asks you to do something you would like to do, you can answer, Volentieri (I'd love to).
36) scoraggiato (discouraged, disheartened)
The s prefix turns incoraggiare (to encourage) into scoraggiare (to discourage), and the adjective scoraggiato comes from the past participle of the verb scoraggiare.
Sì, ma guarda, ne ho sentiti trentadue, un disastro. Sono veramente scoraggiata.
Yes, but look, I have heard thirty-two of them, a disaster. I am really discouraged.
Captions 9-10, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3EP4 Lo stagno del ranocchio - Part 10
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37) stufo (fed up, sick and tired)
This is a great adjective to have in your toolbox, and comes from stufare (literally, “to stew”). It’s commonly used in the reflexive — stufarsi (to get fed up with) — but the adjective is good to know, too.
Fabrizio, basta. Basta. Sono stufa delle tue promesse.
Fabrizio, that's enough. Enough. I'm sick of your promises.
Captions 67-68, Il Commissario Manara S2EP9 - L'amica ritrovata - Part 5
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38) svogliato (unenthusiastic, listless)
Svogliato has the s prefix, indicating the opposite of the original word (often making it negative) and comes from the verb volere (to want). This is a great word for when you really don’t feel like doing what you have to do.
Oh, guarda un po' se c'è un programma per riattivare un marito svogliato?
Oh, look and see if there's a program for reactivating a listless husband.
Caption 49, Il Commissario Manara S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu - Part 5
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39) nervoso (tense, irritable, stressed out)
False friend alert! Nervoso really seems like a great translation for “nervous,” and it does have to do with nerves, but when you are nervous, there’s a different word (next on our list). Nervoso is more like when your kids are acting up and you have work to do and you are having trouble staying calm and collected. Irritable is a good equivalent. Stressed out works, too. See this Yabla lesson: Emozionato or Nervoso? What’s the Difference?
Non ti innervosire, mica... -No, non sono nervoso, Toscani.
Don't get stressed out... it's not as if... -No, I'm not stressed out, Toscani.
Caption 14, Il Commissario Manara S2EP5 - Mondo sommerso - Part 1
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40) emozionato (nervous, excited, moved, touched, thrilled).
Diciamo, adesso sono un po' emozionato, è la prima volta, vedo la cinepresa, registi, ciak, cose, insomma per me è una grande emozione questo momento.
Let's say, right now, I am a bit nervous. It's my first time. I see the camera, the directors, the clapperboard, in short, for me this is a moment of great excitement.
Captions 14-16, Volare - La grande storia di Domenico Modugno Ep. 1 - Part 7
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Learn more!
Practical examples of these adjectives can be found throughout Yabla videos. Yabla offers you the possibility of learning at your own pace through videos pertaining to your interests. Expand your horizons by learning one of the most romantic languages in the world.
Here are some good-to-know Italian adjectives that express something negative: for positive adjectives (numbers 1-10) see this lesson.
11) brutto (ugly, bad)
Brutto is the opposite of bello, and works the same way. We use brutto to talk about a movie we didn’t like, or something that is physically unpleasant to look at. Just like bello, brutto is more than ugly. It’s often used to mean "bad," for instance: un brutto incidente (a bad accident).
Che brutto incidente!
What a terrible accident!
12) cattivo (bad, mean, nasty, evil)
This is another kind of “bad,” but often has more to do with non-physical things. Someone can be una cattiva persona (a nasty person).
13) pessimo (really bad, awful)
This is a wonderful adjective to have in your repertoire when you really need to call something “awful.”
Quel risotto era pessimo. (That risotto was really awful.)
14) scorretto (unfair, unjust, rude)
This is one of those wonderful adjectives that, by merely adding the “s” prefix, becomes the opposite of the original word, in this case, corretto.
Va be', ma non ti sembra scorretto nei confronti del mio Cicci? -No.
OK, but don't you think it's unfair to my Cicci? -No.
Caption 32, La Ladra EP. 8 - Il momento giusto - Part 9
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15) terrible (terrible, awful, horrendous)
Here’s a partially true friend. We add it because it will be an easy word to call on if you need a negative adjective. It is not the first choice for Italians, though, and usually describes something as extraordinarily intense.
Qui, in seguito a una terribile frana, non abita più nessuno.
Here, following a big landslide, no one lives here anymore.
Caption 48, Basilicata Turistica Non me ne voglio andare - Part 2
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16) terrificante (dreadful, horrifying, terrifying, scary)
False friend alert. Terrificante does not mean “terrific.” It is a negative adjective, often used to mean “terrible,” but also “terrifying,” — inspiring fear.
Cioè, viviamo in un mondo che è brutale, terrificante... -Aspro, sì.
That is, we live in a world that's brutal, terrifying... -Bitter, yes.
Caption 6, Fellini Racconta Un Autoritratto Ritrovato - Part 8
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17) orrendo (horrible, hideous, horrendous, dreadful, awful, terrible)
This is a strong, extreme (negative) adjective, but it’s there when you need it, as a true “friend.” Eyebrows up, eyes wide open in horror.
18) noioso (boring, annoying, tedious, irritating)
This is a great adjective because, as well as describing a boring movie, it can also describe something or someone that’s annoying you or being a nuisance:
Quel film era molto noioso. Mi sono addirittura addormentato (That film was boring. I even fell asleep).
Non essere noioso (Don’t be so irritating, don’t annoy me).
Eh, povero Dixi, il singhiozzo è noioso
Oh, poor Dixi, the hiccups are bothersome
Caption 15, Dixiland Il singhiozzo
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19) negato (hopeless, useless, incapable, decidedly ungifted)
This is a useful adjective for admitting someone does something badly because they have no talent, no gift, not because they aren’t trying.
Negato describes a person (or possibly an animal), not an action or thing. Negato comes from the verb negare (to deny, to negate) but here, we are talking about the talent of a person.
Sono negato per la cucina. (I’m no good at cooking. I’m a disaster at cooking.)
Il maestro dice che non ha mai visto nessuno più negato di me.
The teacher says he has never seen anyone less gifted than me.
Caption 41, Questione di Karma Rai Cinema - Part 9
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20) tirchio (stingy, miserly)
This describes a person who holds onto his or her money or possessions. However, in English, we might sooner use a noun such as “tightwad.”
Quanto sei tirchio (what a tightwad you are).
We hope these words will help you describe events, people, food, and more.
Here are some good-to-know Italian adjectives that describe size and strength:
21) grande (big, large, tall, adult, great, grand)
This is a basic adjective that covers several bases, which means there is also room for doubt about what someone means. Hand gestures help, of course. Generally speaking, grande is a very positive adjective.
22) grosso (big, large, major, coarse, arduous)
As you can see, grande and grosso are equivalents in some cases, but not all. If you say someone is grande, that’s fine. You might mean “tall” or you might mean “adult.” If you use grosso, you are talking about size, and might be implying they are also grasso (fat). Reading and watching Italian language videos will help you develop a sense for which adjective to use.
il sale grosso (coarse salt). Sale grosso is what most Italians use to salt the water for cooking pasta or vegetables. Good to know! We also need to consider the figurative meanings of both grande and grosso.
È stato un grande lavoro can imply the positive quality of a job. Grande also means “great.”
È stato un grosso lavoro implies that there was a lot of work to do.
Sometimes we describe someone as grande e grosso. In this case, it’s (often) a big, tall man with broad shoulders and possibly also a paunch. Grosso might give the impression of strength too.
È un omone grande e grosso, però è come un bambino,
He's a tall and big man, but he's like a child,
Caption 70, Il Commissario Manara S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi - Part 2
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23) grasso (fat, fatty, greasy, oily)
We use this adjective to describe a person or animal, but also to describe the fat content of food. Even oily or greasy hair can be described with grasso — Capelli grassi (oily hair). Boldface letters are called in grassetto because the letters are thicker than normal ones.
24) robusto (strong, sturdy, hardy, robust, heavyset)
Here’s a word to use when you don’t want to call someone grasso (fat).
Era una donna robusta. (She was a heavyset woman.)
25) forte (strong, loud, intense, gifted)
This adjective is important to know, but it can also be ambiguous sometimes. See this Yabla lesson about this ambiguity.
In estate qui il sole è molto forte.
In summer, the sun here is very strong.
Caption 40, Adriano Le stagioni dell'anno
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Forte can also be the opposite of negato, therefore describing someone who is very good at something. Here are two examples with forte, but where it means something different in either example.
Abbassa la musica; è troppo forte. (Lower the volume of the music. It’s too loud.)
Certo che se vai tantissimo [tanto] forte, devi saper frenare per tempo!
For sure, if you go super fast, you have to know how to brake in time!
Caption 11, Dixiland In bicicletta
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26) piccolo (small, little)
If you are ordering a beer, the waiter might ask you grande o piccola? large or small?
Una birra piccola, per cortesia (a small beer, please).
Piccola can also mean very young, just as grande, especially when used comparatively, can describe someone older, like an older brother.
Mio fratello è più piccolo di me (my brother is younger than me).
27) debole (weak)
Sono troppo debole per sollevare questo peso. I’m too weak to lift this weight.
28) sottile (thin, subtle, fine)
The cognate for sottile is “subtle,” but sottile also means "thin," as when you want thin slices of something like cheese or prosciutto.
La nostra cipolla va affettata in modo molto sottile.
Our onion is to be sliced very thinly.
Caption 6, L'Italia a tavola Penne alla Toma Piemontese - Part 2
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29) basso (low, short, shallow, soft [in volume])
Here’s another adjective with different meanings that can lead us astray, so consequently, we have to pay careful attention to context. Sometimes it’s hard to know!
Ha il fondo piatto cosicché può navigare anche sui canali più bassi e sui fondali anche di pochi centimetri.
It has a flat bottom so it can navigate even the shallowest canals and over depths of even just a few centimeters.
Captions 20-21, In giro per l'Italia Venezia - Part 5
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30) alto (high, loud, tall)
The same ambiguity applies to this adjective. If you know all the meanings, you can try to figure out which meaning is intended, according to context. As with basso and forte, sometimes it’s hard to be 100% sure of the meaning.
Il sole doveva già essere alto in cielo, e invece era scomparso.
The sun should have already been high in the sky, but instead it had disappeared.
Captions 14-15, Dixiland Sole dormiglione
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Learn more!
Practical examples of these adjectives can be found throughout Yabla videos available here. Yabla offers you the possibility of learning at your own pace and through videos pertaining to your interests. Expand your horizons by learning one of the most romantic languages in the world.
When we distinguish between adjectives and nouns, the presence or absence of an article plays its part. Certainly, in the Vocabulary Review exercise, included with all Yabla videos, a noun will have either a definite or indefinite article to distinguish it, and we add an article to the English translation for the same reason. But in real life, the distinction can be kind of fuzzy.
When you're just speaking Italian, without translating, the difference doesn't matter all that much, but when we translate we have to decide whether a word is a noun or an adjective.
In English, too, the line can be a bit fuzzy. Take the word "elderly." It's an adjective, but we can also use it as a noun, to identify a group: the elderly. We don't think about it, we just use the word correctly.
If we talk about an old person in Italian, we can use the adjective vecchio [m] or vecchia [f].
Passati i settant'anni, ormai è vecchio.
Being over seventy, he's already old.
Caption 29, Corso di italiano con Daniela Ormai
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But we can use the adjective as a noun by using an article with it.
È un vecchio.
He's an old guy.
Caption 29, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP1 I Bastardi - Part 16
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When we translate it into English, we need a noun after the adjective.
Allora le faccio entrare le tre vecchie? -Signore, le... chiamiamole signore. -Le tre vecchie signore.
So should I have the three old [women] come in? Ladies, the... let's call them ladies. The three old ladies.
Captions 68-70, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP2 Rabbia - Part 20
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The sergeant was describing the elderly women in a somewhat pejorative way and Lojacono corrected him. So he just turned the word he was using as a noun into an adjective. We could follow the same model with the adjective giovane (young). This adjective ends in e, so we don't immediately know the gender of the young person. As a noun in the context of the following clip, it usually refers to a male.
No. -Dio bono, Dio... -Eh... giovane, stai molto calmo, eh!
No. -Dear God... -Uh... young man, stay super calm, huh!
Caption 23, Il Commissario Manara S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva - Part 10
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When we add a noun after the adjective, we sometimes have a clue as to gender, but after that, we have to use the context to choose our noun wisely. In Italian, there are suffixes that can enhance the noun. Instead of saying una vecchia, we can say una vecchietta. That way it's clear it's a noun. We can say, instead of un giovane, un giovanotto.
We often find this noun-adjective correlation when describing people and their traits.
Pazzo (crazy)
E certamente, quello è pazzo di me.
And of course, that guy is crazy about me.
Caption 20, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP1 I Bastardi - Part 16
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Aragona, guidi come un pazzo.
Aragona, you drive like a maniac.
Caption 13, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP1 I Bastardi - Part 4
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Malato (ill)
E sapevate che era malato?
And did you know that he was ill?
Caption 1, Il Commissario Manara S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 4
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Molti dei malati vennero ricoverati nel vicino ospedale di Santa Maria della Scala,
Many of the sick were admitted to the nearby Santa Maria della Scala hospital,
Caption 42, Meraviglie EP. 3 - Part 6
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In this particular case, we use "the sick" to mean "sick people" in English, but we can't do it with all adjectives.
È un bastardo.
He is a bastard.
Caption 27, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP1 I Bastardi - Part 24
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Se fossi più grande, andrei al cantiere, da quel geometra bastardo e gli darei un sacco di botte.
If I were older, I would go to the construction site, to that bastard of a construction supervisor and I'd throw a bunch of punches at him.
Captions 3-5, La Ladra EP. 7 - Il piccolo ladro - Part 3
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Most of us have heard or uttered the adjective stupido (stupid). But we can use it as a noun, too, just like adjectives idiota, cretino, and scemo.
Sì. Sara, io sono uno stupido.
Yes, Sara, I'm an idiot.
Caption 40, Stai lontana da me Rai Cinema - Part 16
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When people call other people names, it's not always clear how to translate them, whether as nouns or adjectives. But in either case, the insult is clear.
Stupido! Cretino! Deficiente!
Stupid! Idiot! Dumbass!
Caption 44, La Ladra EP. 6 - Nero di rabbia - Part 7
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In Italian, as in other languages, sometimes a verb uses the same root as a noun that's related or vice versa. We don't always know which came first, the verb or the noun, but the good news is that there are plenty of verbs like this and they are pretty easy to learn.
The words we discuss in this lesson originally have to do with plants. So let's learn the Italian word for "plant" right off the bat. It's an easy one.
Pianta - piantare
La pianta is the noun and piantare is the verb.
E poi, domenica aveva in progetto di piantare il nuovo vigneto al podere dei Sassi.
And then, Sunday he had planned to plant a new vineyard at the Sassi farm.
Caption 34, Il Commissario Manara S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva - Part 1
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Ehm, in questi vasi sono state piantate delle piante molto belle.
Um, in these pots, very beautiful plants have been planted.
Caption 20, In giro per l'Italia Mazara Del Vallo - Sicilia - Part 3
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As we will see with seminare, further on in this lesson, piantare can also be used figuratively. It often means to stop or quit doing something like complaining or lying. It's a strong word to use when you are fed up with how someone is behaving.
La devi piantare di mentire.
You have to quit lying.
Caption 5, Provaci ancora prof! S1E4 - La mia compagna di banco - Part 21
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In the previous example, the speaker wanted to include the verb dovere (to have to) but otherwise could have just said, Piantala (quit it)! It's as if he wanted to say, "You have to quit it with the lying."
There's more! If you get dropped by a friend or hired help, piantare can be a useful verb.
Pia, la mia colf, mi ha piantato. Dice che non vuole vivere in campagna.
Pia, my nanny, ditched me. She says that she doesn't want to live in the country.
Caption 21, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP1 - Casa nuova - Part 5
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Seme - seminare
Another noun that goes nicely with its verb is il seme (the seed).
E poi da questo seme che pianti nasce, come per miracolo, una verdura, un pomodoro, ehm, del peperone.
and then from this seed that you plant, like a miracle, a vegetable, a tomato, uhm, a pepper comes up.
Captions 10-11, Professore Antonio L'orto del Vesuvio
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We often use the verb piantare (to plant), as in the previous example, because it's generic for putting something in the ground, and it can apply to both seeds and plants, but the more accurate word to use, especially when talking about seeds for crops, is seminare (to sow).
The verb is seminare (to sow).
E usiamo i semi. Questa idea mi piace. Eccoli qui, Mirò, sono pronti da seminare.
And we'll use the seeds. I like this idea. Here they are, Mirò. They're ready to plant/sow.
Captions 42-44, Gatto Mirò EP 10 Piantiamo un albero
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In a segment of Provaci ancora, Prof!, Camilla is driving when her daughter, Livietta, sees that a car has been following them for a while. Camilla gives her daughter instructions to tenersi forte (to hold on tight) while she tries to lose the other car. She uses the colloquial term, seminare. Think of someone sowing seeds by tossing them or throwing them.
Perché c'è una macchina che ci segue, saranno almeno dieci minuti. -Tieniti forte perché cerco di seminarla adesso.
Because there's a car following us, it must be at least ten minutes. -Hold on tight because I'm going to try to lose it now.
Captions 5-7, Provaci ancora prof! S1E3 - Una piccola bestia ferita - Part 20
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And again, in another episode, Camilla is being followed and it is her daughter who notices that.
Evvai, mamma! Li hai seminati!
Go, Mommy! You lost them!
Caption 66, Provaci ancora prof! S2E4 L'amica americana - Part 19
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Disseminare
A verb related to seminare is disseminare. This is used to mean "to spread out," or "to distribute," "to broadcast."
Smembra il cadavere e lo dissemina in punti che sono tutti riconducibili a Lei, signor Romaniello.
He dismembers the corpse and he spreads it around in places that can be traced to you, Mister Romaniello.
Captions 32-33, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1EP1 L'estate del dito - Part 27
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Here, too, we can imagine someone holding a basket full of seeds that get sown in the field by tossing them out by the handful, scattering them, broadcasting them, so that they get spread out, they get well-distributed.
Can you think of other verbs and nouns that go together?
It's good to know some basic Italian adjectives so that you can comment on things you see, hear, smell, and taste. We'll be presenting 50 Italian adjectives that people use every day, approximately 10 by 10, so they'll be manageable. Some of these will be easy because they are similar to ones you know in English. Others will be past participles of verbs, just as in English. Yet others will be weird and different and just need to be memorized. And there will be some false friends to watch out for. For more about how adjectives work, see this lesson.
Adjectives are an essential part of speaking a language but the good news is that even if you don't know how to form a sentence or a question, just knowing the appropriate adjective can allow you to communicate something. And that's what language is all about: communication. So if nothing else, just say the appropriate adjective, all by itself, and you will get your message across.
1) bello (beautiful, great)
We can use this adjective for much more than describing a panorama or person as “beautiful.”
We also use it for a movie or book we liked, a situation like a vacation, an encounter…
Ho visto un bel film (I saw a great movie).
So it can also mean “wonderful.” And, since it’s an adjective that changes its ending according to gender and number, it can be used for both guys and gals or masculine and feminine nouns by just changing the ending from bello to bella. So it also means “handsome!”
You'll have noticed that instead of saying Ho visto un bello film, we chop off the ending when it's followed directly by the noun. We say:
Ho visto un bel film, ho letto un bel libro (I saw a great movie, I read a good book).
When you see something beautiful, you can simply say Bello! or Che bello!
Bello, l'ha fatto Lei?
b. Did you do it?
Caption 16, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep. 1 - Part 18
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2) buono (good)
Buono is used a lot for food, for instance, when something tastes good, but it’s also used to mean “valid.” It can also describe a good person.
È una buona persona (He/she is a good person).
Note that persona is a feminine noun, so even if we are talking about a boy or man, the adjective describing persona has to take a feminine ending. Tricky, right?
See Daniela's video lesson about bello, buono, and bene.
Questo è il gelato artigianale. Più gli ingredienti sono freschi e più è buono.
This is handmade ice cream. The fresher the ingredients are, the better it is.
Captions 15-16, Andromeda in - Storia del gelato - Part 2
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Note: Buono is one of those adjectives that has an irregular comparative. See this lesson and this one, too.
3) carino (nice, pretty, good-looking)
This is another adjective with an “o” ending, changing its ending according to gender and number. In aesthetic terms, it is less extreme than bello. However, carino is often used to mean “nice” or “kind” in describing a person, or what the person has done, for example, if you do someone a favor they didn’t ask you to do.
Eh sì. -Eh sì. Comunque Luca è stato molto carino, eh, ad accompagnare suo figlio Fabio all'istituto.
Oh yes. -Oh yes. However Luca was very sweet, no, to accompany his son Fabio to the institute.
Oh yes. -Oh yes. However, it was really nice of Luca, no, to accompany his son Fabio to the institute.
Captions 26-27, Il Commissario Manara S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 14
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4) gentile (kind, gentle)
Gentile is a bit more formal than carino. Carino is often used to describe people close to you, but if the bank manager was nice and polite to you, you would use the word gentile. You might also use cortese (courteous) —a great cognate!
E come no, mai una cattiva parola, sempre gentile.
For sure, never a mean word, always kind.
Caption 31, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP2 Rabbia - Part 3
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5) bravo (capable, well-behaved, good at something)
Caro Olivetti, sarai anche bravo a far le macchine da scrivere, ma i tuoi interessi non sono i nostri.
Dear Olivetti, you might be good at making typewriters, but your interests are not ours.
Captions 43-44, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep.2 - Part 20
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False friend alert! Forget about “brave” for the most part. Fai la brava! means “Be a good girl!”
È un bravo idraulico (he is a very capable plumber. He is a good plumber).
When I want to say, “Good for you!” I say Bravo! (for a guy) or Brava! (for a gal).
Il cane è bravo (he’s a good [well-behaved] dog–he won’t bite you).
6) ottimo (great, excellent)
This looks like “optimal,” and can also mean that sometimes, but primarily, it’s a superlative kind of adjective that means “great.” Consider this exchange:
Ci vediamo alle cinque. -Ottimo.
I’ll meet you at five o’clock. -Great.
È un ottimo posto per fare jogging.
It's a great place to go jogging.
Caption 25, Anna e Marika Villa Torlonia - Casino Nobile
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This is the perfect comment for someone whose work you appreciated:
Ottimo lavoro!
[You did a] great job!
7) eccellente (excellent)
Here’s a great true friend or cognate. This adjective ends in e, so it doesn’t change with gender, just number.
Questo risotto era da vero eccellente (this risotto was excellent.)Queste ostriche sono eccellenti (these oysters are great.)
Eccellente can also describe a prominent or eminent person, such as someone in a high position.
8) corretto (correct, fair, right, decent)
Here is a partially false friend. If you get the right answer, la risposta è corretta. That’s easy. However, the other meaning of “fair,” — “fair-minded,” “sportsmanlike”— is less familiar to non-native speakers, but very important! For instance, corretto can describe a person as well as his or her behavior.
Pensavo che fosse una persona corretta, e invece… (I thought he was a decent, fair-minded person, but instead…)
Ma ti pare corretto, l'esaminatore che si fa venire a prendere dall'esaminando? -No. -Ma dai!
But does it seem right to you for the exam giver to have the exam taker pick him up? -No. -Come on!
Captions 8-9, La Ladra EP. 11 - Un esame importante - Part 4
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9) favoloso (fabulous, magnificent, awesome)
Here is another true friend. We don’t use “fabulous” in English so much anymore — but some of us still remember the “fab four” (The Beatles). In contrast, Italians do use favoloso when they really mean it. Eyebrows go up, eyes get wider.
Allora, io oggi sono arrivata in questa favolosa città, Lucca, però non la conosco, quindi dove posso andare?
So, today I arrived in this fabulous city, Lucca, but I don't know it, so where can I go?
Captions 16-17, In giro per l'Italia Lucca - Part 1
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10) magnifico (magnificent, great, terrific, cool)
Another true friend, this adjective is somewhat over-used in Italian, thus diminishing its value as a superlative:
Ci vediamo alle cinque. -Magnifico. (I’ll see you at five. -Great.)
E tu, come sempre, sei stata magnifica. -E tu un magnifico bugiardo.
And you, as always, were magnificent. -And you, a magnificent liar.
Captions 2-3, La Ladra EP. 12 - Come ai vecchi tempi - Part 14
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Let's add one more adjective (not included in the 50) that is super easy to use, and easy to remember: fantastico. It's used just like "fantastic" in English, so when you're short on vocabulary, try this one. AND even if you say it in English, people will understand. Of course, it can also be connected with "fantasy," but that's another story.
Sarebbe fantastico andare al concerto tutti insieme. -Un sogno.
It would be fantastic to go to a concert all together. -A dream.
Caption 48, JAMS S1 EP2 - Part 7
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We hope this has been helpful. The next group of adjectives will be about negative adjectives. Stay tuned!
Previously, we looked at ways to talk about going to work and different positions at the workplace. In Part 3, we will talk about something we often have to do in an office or other workplace, or even just in everyday life: sign documents. Since the words we are looking for are not cognates — in fact, we might be tempted to invent the word "signare," which would be wrong — let's become familiar with the right words.
The verb is firmare (to sign).
Documenti importanti da firmare, giusto.
Important documents to sign, that's right.
Caption 14, Provaci ancora prof! S1E3 - Una piccola bestia ferita - Part 9
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But you can also use the noun la firma (the signature).
Il verbale senza la sua firma non serve a nulla.
The statement without her signature is useless.
Caption 5, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1EP1 L'estate del dito - Part 26
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We often use the verb fare (to make, to do) when asking someone for their signature.
Mi fai una firma (will you sign this for me)?
We can also use the verb mettere (to put).
C'è da pagare un'ammenda, se mi mette una firma.
There's a fine to pay if you would put your signature on it for me.
Caption 17, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3 EP2 - Un nuovo medico in famiglia - Part 12
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These days, we are often asked to create una firma digitale (a digital signature) so that we can send un documento firmato (a signed document) via posta elettronica (email) or messaggino (text). Whatever kind of computer you have, there is likely an application to facilitate this.
When you just need to initial a document, or, especially, single lines in a document, rather than providing your entire signature, someone might say:
Basta uno scarabocchio (a scribble will suffice).
Fai uno scarabocchio (initial it).
The proper, formal term, is siglare (to initial).
Did you know that Daniela has a series of lessons on how to write a formal letter in Italian? Check it out here!
Dopo la formula di chiusura, inserisco la firma del mittente.
After the complimentary closing, I insert the signature of the sender.
Captions 27-28, Corso di italiano con Daniela Lettera formale - Part 4
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Two more important words to know, in the office or outside it are il mittente (the sender) and il destinatario (the recipient or addressee).
Let us know if there are particular things you would like to know about using Italian in the workplace. And let's not forget that more and more, English words are being incorporated into business Italian!
In our lessons, we often take Italian words and explore them, but sometimes we can switch things around and begin with an English word that's used in so many ways, such as the verb "to get." Let's look at just 1 common and useful way we can translate "to get."
In English, we might say, "I'm getting sleepy. I think I will go to bed." We use the adjective "sleepy," just as we use "hungry," and "thirsty." But in Italian, we usually use the noun, "sleepiness" or "sleep." You might already have learned the Italian for saying, "I'm hungry" (ho fame), "I'm thirsty" (ho sete), "I'm tired or sleepy" (ho sonno). But sometimes we want to talk about getting to that state. That's when we can use the verb venire.
Già mi viene sonno.
I'm already getting sleepy.
Caption 16, PsicoVip Il treno - Ep 3
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Note that the verb used in Italian is venire (to come). We would never say it, but we could say, "To me, sleepiness is coming." In fact, using the verb venire, where in English we say "get," is common, especially in the specific instance of adjectives like the ones we have mentioned. Let's look at some examples.
Quando corro, mi viene sete.
When I run, I get thirsty.
Non ti viene fame? -Oh, sì.
Don't you get hungry? -Oh, yes.
Caption 25, PIMPA S3 Ep 21 Arriva l'autunno
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Here's an example using the future tense of venire. Marika and Anna are about to take us to un panificio (a bakery).
Vi verrà fame eh!
You're going to get hungry huh!
Caption 32, Anna e Marika Il pane
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And here is one in the passato remoto (the remote past tense).
Poi venne sonno anche a lui.
Then he, too, got sleepy.
Caption 6, Dixiland Cometa caduta
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Note that in the examples above, the subject of the sentence or phrase is the condition, in other words, "the hunger," "the sleepiness," "the thirstiness."
Sometimes we don't want to use the verb "to get" in a translation because it is somewhat colloquial. So we use the verb "to become," which seems clearer. In fact, one translation of the verb "to become" is divenire, a verb that is closely related to venire.
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