A common contraction we hear every day in Italian is c’è (there is). If we open it up, we find two words:
Ci (there) and è (third person singular of essere [to be]).
When referring to objects in a place, c'è is fairly straightforward, and its English translation “there is” corresponds quite well:
Nel corpo di Giada non c'è traccia di quel sonnifero.
In Giada's body there is no trace of that sleeping medicine.
Caption 50, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo - Part 9
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But things aren't always so straightforward. Let’s look at the following example where, to our ears, it might seem like there’s an extraneous “there.” In fact, the literal translation of the Italian would be “there’s the mama.” Let’s not forget that Italian uses ci to mean “there” and “here” interchangeably for the most part.
...vai, vai tranquillo, c'è la mamma!
...go, don't worry, Mommy's here!
-Sì, mamma.
-Yes, Mom.
Captions 22-23, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi - Part 10
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In the following example, and the previous one, we see that the word order changes between English and Italian. In Italian the ci (there) comes before the conjugated verb “to be,” making the contraction easy, but in English we need to put “there” afterwards:
Sì, ma non c'è nessuno.
Yes, but nobody is there.
È tutto serrato.
It's all locked up.
Captions 9-10, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 1
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Or, we can put in an extra “there.”
There’s nobody there.
There’s nobody here.
Attenzione! If we want to distinguish between “here” and “there,” then we can use qui and lì.
Il libro non è qui, è lì (the book isn't here; it's there).
Italian uses “there is” to mean “it exists”:
È il minerale più resistente che c'è in natura.
It's the most resistant mineral that exists in nature.
Rilassati Gina.
Relax, Gina.
Captions 17-18, La Ladra - EP. 1 - Le cose cambiano
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But there are also colloquial turns of phrase that use “there is” that don't quite correspond to English. The following example is in the imperfetto or simple past.
C'era Lei di turno tre notti fa? -Sì.
Were you on duty three nights ago? -Yes.
Caption 3, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo - Part 10
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When asking for someone on the phone, Italians use c’è. Remember that unlike English, questions and statements in Italian have the same word order, but the inflection changes.
Pronto. -Salve, c’è Susanna?
Hello. -Hello, is Susanna there?
When asking what’s wrong, it’s easy to say:
Che c'è? -Niente.
What's the matter? -Nothing.
Caption 7, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP5 - Il Raggio Verde - Part 5
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In this case, translating literally (what is there?) does not work at all!
Lastly, let’s not forget the popular song by Nek, "Laura non c'è". Note again the fact that ci (here, there) is inserted before the verb “to be.”
Laura non c'è, è andata via
Laura's not here; she's gone away
Caption 1, Nek - Laura non c'è
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We’ll often come back to the word ci in lessons, since it really does get around, and can be tricky. For more about ci, see these lessons.
Conjugated verbs have different endings depending on the type of verb, the tense, and the person carrying out the action. Daniela has taught video lessons on the different conjugations of Italian verbs. Un verbo all’infinito (a verb in the infinitive), on the other hand, is the basic verb, with nothing done to it. It always ends in “e.”
Conjugated verbs combine with verbs in the infinitive in different ways. Sometimes a preposition (to, at, of) is needed and sometimes not. Let's talk about the cases in which no preposition is needed between the conjugated verb and the verb in the infinitive.
In these cases we have the formula:
conjugated verb + verb in the infinitive
In the following example, the conjugated verb is the modal verb volere (to want). Let’s quickly review what modal verbs are. They generally combine with verbs in the infinitive and normally don’t stand alone. Another word for verbo modale is verbo servile (servant verb) because these verbs serve another verb. The modal verbs in Italian are potere (to be able to), volere (to want to), sapere (to know how to), and dovere (to have to). See this video lesson about modal verbs.
Voleva entrare dalla finestra all'alba.
He wanted to come through my window at sunup.
Caption 15, La Tempesta - film Part 3
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But here is a non-modal verb that works the same way. The verb lasciare (to leave, to let) is conjugated, and it's followed by a verb in the infinitive entrare (to enter), with no preposition between the two verbs.
Non ti lasciamo entrare in casa.
"We won't let you come in the house."
Caption 4, Ti racconto una fiaba - I tre porcellini
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The second formula Daniela talks about is:
conjugated verb essere (to be) + adjective + verb in the infinitive
E per lei non è stato difficile conoscere tanti nuovi amici.
And it hasn't been hard for her to get to know a lot of new friends.
Caption 24, Adriano - la sua ragazza
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The following are some examples of the two different formulas Daniela has explained. They don’t correspond in meaning exactly, but are close enough to give you a visual idea of how these two combinations of verbs work.
verbo essere + aggettivo + verbo all'infinito (verb “to be” + adjective + verb in the infinite)
verbo coniugato + verbo all’ infinito (conjugated verb + verb in the infinitive)
È bello parlare con te (it’s nice talking to you).
Mi piace parlare con te (I like talking with you).
È noioso fare i compiti a casa (it’s boring to do homework).
Non mi piace fare i compiti a casa (I don’t like doing homework).
Non è sano mangiare troppo (it is not healthy to eat too much).
Non si dovrebbe mangiare troppo (one shouldn’t eat too much).
Sarebbe preferibile prendere un'altra strada (it would be preferable to take another road).
Preferirei prendere un'altra strada (I would prefer to take another road).
Per me è stato molto faticoso camminare fin qua (it was very tiring for me to walk here).
Non ho potuto camminare fin qui senza stancarmi. (I couldn’t walk here without getting tired).
È brutto parlare male degli altri (it is bad to speak badly about other people).
Non dobbiamo parlare male degli altri (we shouldn’t speak badly about other people).
È facile parlare italiano (It's easy to speak Italian).
So parlare italiano (I know how to speak Italian).
Sarà importante andare a letto presto stasera (it will be important to go to bed early tonight).
Devo andare a letto presto stasera (I must go to bed early this evening).
In part 2, we talk about formulas where we need the preposition a between the conjugated verb and the infinitive.
Marika explains all about the verb mettere (to put) in this video lesson.
As you will see, there are dozens of different ways to use mettere. But what can sometimes be tricky is that in English we don’t generally use “put” without some sort of preposition or adverb. We always think of “put in,” “put on,” or “put up,” but in Italian, at least in casual speech, we might hear:
Metti un po’ di sale.
Put [in] a bit of salt.
In a recent episode of Stai lontana da me, there is a discussion between two guys in a couple. One is criticizing the cooking methods of the other:
No, allora cuciniamo per terra
No, so let's cook on the floor
come nel Medioevo. -Ma che c'entra?
like in the Middle Ages. -But what does that have to do with it?
Metti meno olio, no, scusami. -Sì, nella Preistoria.
Put in less oil, right? Excuse me. -Yes, in prehistoric times.
Captions 88-90, Stai lontana da me - Rai Cinema
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The grammatically correct way to say this would be by attaching an indirect pronoun at the end of the verb to mean “in it”:
Mettici meno olio, no?
Put in less oil, can’t you?
If we look carefully, however, we see that earlier in the discussion, they actually do say things the right way:
Chi cucina? Ah, sì,
Who cooks? Ah, yes,
con tutto l'olio che ci metti
with all that oil that you put in,
me l'incrosti da matti, guarda, ogni volta.
you cake them up like crazy, look, every time.
Captions 86-87, Stai lontana da me - Rai Cinema
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In the previous example ci stands for “into them,” where it represents the baking pans. For more on metterci, see this lesson. The lesson also talks about using mettere to say how long something takes—how much time you “put into something” (Marika will talk about this in part 2 of her lesson on mettere).
Here’s another thing to remember with mettere. In an episode of Commissario Manara, there's a dicey situation, and Luca lifts Lara up to help her. She exclaims:
Aiutami. Ah, ah, ah... mettimi giù!
Help me. Ah, ah, ah... put me down!
Captions 40-41, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva
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In the example above, a single word is formed from the verb and object pronoun together. In this case Lara is using the informal imperative and she’s using herself as the direct object.
In the following example, however, mettimi looks identical, but means something different. This time mi at the end of mettimi is an indirect object and means in this case, “for me.” The direct object is questo (this).
No, mettimi questo sulla scrivania per favore, io vado con la Rubino.
No, put this on the desk for me please. I'm going with Rubino.
Caption 42, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP8 - Morte di un buttero
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And just to add a little something more to the pot, we have the word smettere. An “s” attached to a verb often shifts its meaning to the opposite.
Mi metto al lavoro alle dieci e smetto alle tre di pomeriggio.
I start working at ten and I quit at three in the afternoon.
So a way to ask someone to stop doing something is smettila (stop it)!
In fact, in a recent episode of La Tempesta, Paolo’s neighbor is telling him off.
Terzo, la devi smettere di parcheggiare la Porsche
Third, you have to stop it with parking the Porsche
davanti al pettine delle bici.
in front of the bike rack.
Captions 72-73, La Tempesta - film - Part 1
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Learn more:
Direct object pronouns
Particelle (little words like mi, ci, ti...)
Let's have a quick look at some of the ways the subjunctive has been used in a few of some recent Yabla videos.
One way Italian uses the subjunctive is when invoking some higher power.
In our first example the verb is assistere (to assist) which is a synonym for aiutare (to help).
Che Dio ci assista.
May God help us.
Caption 65, Stai lontana da me - Rai Cinema
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In the following example the verb is proteggere (to protect).
Che Dio mi protegga,
God may protect me,
lo devo riportare dove l'ho preso.
I have to take it back to where I got it.
Captions 30-31, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo
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We have mentioned before, but it bears repeating, that the formal imperative actually uses the third person singular subjunctive. Here Lara is using the formal imperative with the woman she is questioning.The verb is stare.
Stia tranquilla, Iolanda, lo scopriremo.
Be calm,[don't worry], Iolanda, we'll find out.
Caption 17, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo
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The next example is clearly subjunctive since it is used in the English as well. The verb is essere (to be). The subjunctive deals with hypothetical situations, and come se (as if) is the signpost.
E io l'ho cresciuta come se fosse mia figlia.
And I brought her up as if she were my daughter.
Caption 62, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo
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In the following example, the subjunctive is used after the word che (that), and involves doubt.
The verb is essere (to be).
Ho pensato che fosse già uscita,
I thought she had already gone out,
o che non fosse tornata per nulla.
or that she hadn't come home at all.
Captions 82-83, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo
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Attenzione! Our last example is actually one of incorrect Italian. Lots of Italians get this wrong, sometimes by choice because it’s easier to say (and has become acceptable in very informal situations), but also because of ignorance.
This is a classic case where correct Italian requires one part of the phrase to be in the subjunctive, and the other part in the conditional.
In the following example, the verb that should be in the subjunctive is essere (to be). Manuela instead used the imperfetto (simple past tense). The other verb is sposare (to marry). She used the imperfetto once again, when she should have used the condizionale (conditional).
Cioè, se eri [fossi stato] più grande ti sposavo [avrei sposato]!
That is, if you were older, I would marry you!
Caption 79, La Tempesta - film - Part 5
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If Manuela had wanted to use correct grammar, she might have said:
Cioè, se fossi più grande ti sposerei.
In two recent Yabla videos, we see and hear the verb recuperare and its noun form il recupero. We have an English cognate for this, “to recuperate,” but the Italian recuperare is about much more than getting well after an illness or injury! In English we also have “to recoup” which corresponds a bit more closely to the verb recuperare: to get something back that was lost. Recupero password (retrieve password) is often seen on internet sites. In English we just say “Forgot your password?”
Let’s mention once and for all that there are two spellings for this word: recuperare and ricuperare. They are both correct. People seem to use recuperare more often, however. In Italian, what you see is what you get, as far as pronunciation goes, so just say it like you see it!
Going beyond the spelling, we see that recuperare is a transitive verb, meaning it normally has an object connected with it. In English “recuperate” is an intransitive verb: “I was recuperating after a long illness.” In a recent video about turtles, the verb recuperare is employed to mean “to rescue.”
Innanzitutto, abbiamo una rete di gruppi di lavoro
First and foremost, we have a network of work groups
e di centri di recupero lungo le coste italiane,
and rescue centers along the Italian coasts,
che si occupano di recuperare gli animali spiaggiati
that take care of rescuing the beached animals
e trovati feriti dai pescatori
and those found wounded by fishermen,
e di portarli in centro di recupero
and bringing them to the rescue centers
dove vengono curati e rilasciati in mare.
where they are treated and released back to the sea.
Captions 52-57, WWF Italia - Progetto tartarughe
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Recuperare also means “to catch up,” for example in class, when you have been home, sick. If you are the teacher, or a private student, you make up the lesson by scheduling una lezione di recupero, and if you are the student you study extra hard: recuperi (you get caught up).
In sports, we talk about “recovery,” and that’s when Italians use the word recupero. It’s what you do when you’ve finished your workout, or what you do after a race or a work interval in a workout. Il recupero. If your activity app is in Italian, you will find this word in just about every workout you do!
Near the end of the movie L’oro di Scampia, Toni is in the thick of his Olympic match, but he stops to catch his breath before finishing up. The sports commentator observes:
È giusto riprendere fiato, recuperare.
It's right to catch one's breath, to recover.
Caption 68, L'oro di Scampia - film
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And here’s an example of the formal imperative (which is actually the third person subjunctive) of recuperare to mean “to retrieve,” “to recover.” The mattress in question may be floating away!
Qualcuno recuperi il materassino.
Someone recover the air mattress.
Caption 6, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo
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We can’t always be on time, so let’s look at some of the words you need when you or someone else is late. It’s not as simple as using the Italian word tardi (late).
In an episode of Stai Lontana da Me, there has been a little car accident. This time nobody got hurt, but Sara is going to be late for work if she’s not careful.
Però è tardi.
But it's late.
Senti, mi dispiace, io prendo la metropolitana.
Listen, I'm sorry, I'll take the metro.
Ho fatto tardi.
I'm running late [or "I've gotten delayed," "It got late," "I'm late."]
Captions 11-13, Stai lontana da me - Rai Cinema
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When she says, “È tardi,” she’s talking about the hour. She has to be at work, say, at nine, and it’s already ten to nine, and she is still far from her office. Objectively speaking, it is late!
When she says: “Ho fatto tardi,” she is talking about herself and the fact that she got delayed. She is late.
In an episode of La compagnia del cigno, a new kid in class arrives late on his first day. It's not good. Here's his exchange with the teacher, who has a tendency to be sarcastic. Note that, as happens in some schools, the teacher addresses the student formally.
Mi scusi se ho fatto tardi. -Eh, lo vediamo che ha fatto tardi.
Sorry if I am late. -Yeah, we see that you got delayed.
Captions 7-8, La compagnia del cigno EP1 - Part 4
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Telling someone not to be late is important sometimes. Here’s one way to do this:
Ciao, mamma. Io vado da Flavia.
Hi, Mom. I'm going to Flavia's.
-Ciao, amore. -Non fare tardi.
-Bye, love. -Don't be late.
Captions 38-39, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu
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Another way to say you’re late is to use the phrasal adverb, in ritardo (late). Ritardo is a noun meaning “delay.”
In an episode of Commissario Manara, Manara’s boss is not happy with him per niente (at all).
Lei è in ritardo di ventiquattro ore.
You're twenty-four hours late.
Si può sapere che cosa aveva da fare di così urgente?
Can you let me know what you had to do that was so urgent?
Captions 16-17, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP7 - Sogni di Vetro
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The noun il ritardo is commonly used when we apologize for being late.
Buonasera a tutti.
Good evening everyone.
Scusate il ritardo, ragazzi.
Sorry I'm late, guys.
Ma aspettavate solo me?
Were you just waiting for me?
Captions 8-10, Concorso internazionale di cortometraggio - A corto di idee
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Both the adverb tardi and the noun ritardo also have verb forms: tardare and ritardare.
Non dovrebbe tardare ad arrivare.
It won’t be long before he arrives.
This doesn’t refer to a precise amount of time, and doesn’t necessarily mean someone or something is late. It just means they haven’t arrived yet.
The following is a bit more urgent and refers, most likely, to an agreed-upon hour.
Non ritardare, perché il film comincia puntuale.
Don’t be late, because the film starts punctually.
Here’s how we use comparatives and superlatives with tardi (late).
Vado a letto tardi il sabato sera.
I go to bed late on Saturday nights.
Più tardi means "later."
Ci vediamo più tardi.
We’ll see each other later.
Al più tardi means "at the latest."
Devi spedire questa lettera domani al più tardi.
You have to send this letter by tomorrow at the latest.
The opposite of in ritardo is in anticipo (ahead of schedule, early, in advance).
We can also use the verb form anticipare (to be early, to expect).
La consegna era prevista per domani, ma il pacco è arrivato in anticipo.
Delivery was scheduled for tomorrow, but the package arrived early.Per via del maltempo in arrivo, hanno anticipato il rientro.
Because of approaching bad weather, they came back early.
Just to add a little twist, another opposite of anticipare is posticipare (postpone, to delay).
Per via del maltempo in arrivo, hanno posticipato il rientro.
Because of approaching bad weather, they postponed their return.
Attenzione! Italians do not use anticipare in the sense of “looking forward to something.” See this definition of the verb to anticipate. Definition number 2 doesn’t conform to the Italian. In fact, “looking forward to something” is difficult to say in Italian, and there is no precise translation. We will tackle this conundrum in another lesson.
To sum up
Tardi (late): With the adverb tardi, we use the verb fare when talking about someone being late. When talking about the hour, we use essere (to be).
Tardare (to be late, to run late)
Il Ritardo (the delay)
Essere, arrivare in ritardo (to be late or behind schedule)
Ritardare (to run behind schedule, to be late)
The useful but tricky filler word insomma crops up again in some recent episodes of Commissario Manara and L’oro di Scampia.
We discussed insomma in a previous lesson, but here it is again, so it’s worth looking at, since it is such a popular word with several different meanings. For more about insomma and other filler words, read What to Say While You’re Thinking of What to Say!
In this segment of L’oro di Scampia, Toni is off to the Olympics with his father. His mom wants to be encouraging:
Comunque vada avete già vinto.
However it goes, you've already won.
E insomma. -E perché?
Not really. -And why?
Perché, Teresa? Il secondo non se lo ricorda nessuno.
Why, Teresa? The runner-up isn't remembered by anyone.
Captions 27-29, L'oro di Scampia - film
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Toni's mom is being encouraging, but he and his father are being more realistic.
So in this case, insomma is negative, as if to say, “I don’t think so,” or even “yeah, right.” It’s a way of disagreeing without actually coming out and saying so. Raising one's eyebrows and shaking one's head slightly seem to be partnered with this one-word expression.
In the following example there’s another instance where insomma means something negative—without the speaker coming out and saying that something is terrible. In this week’s segment of Commissario Manara, Lara is asking Luca’s sister how she likes staying at Ada’s hotel.
Ah, a proposito, come ti trovi da Ada?
Ah, by the way, how is it over at Ada's?
Ma insomma...
Well, nothing special...
diciamo che mi sono adattata nella stanza di Luca, ma russa.
let's say I've adjusted to being in Luca's room, but he snores.
Captions 90-93, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo
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But sometimes insomma means something completely different: “in short,” “to sum up,” “in other words,” “all in all,” or “what I really mean to say is...” Manara is asking questions, but instead of listing all the possibilities, he says insomma, to put them all together, figuratively, to get right to the point.
Forse Lei può aiutarci.
Maybe you can help us.
Sa se aveva nemici... insomma, sa qualcosa?
Do you know if she had enemies... in short, do you know anything?
Captions 34-35, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo
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Insomma, (to conclude), we hope this helps you understand insomma a bit better!
In the new film on Yabla, La Tempesta, a conversation takes place down on the street. Paolo has had his car towed and doesn’t quite know how to get to work. His neighbor comments:
Nel senso, magari è la volta buona
I mean, maybe this will be the time
che ti fai una bicicletta pure tu.
that even you get yourself a bike.
Captions 4-5, La Tempesta - film
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Nel senso literally means “in the sense,” but Italians use it these days much as we use “I mean” in English. Lots of times they don’t even finish the sentence. Nel senso just stands alone, and you have to guess the rest. Nel senso can be likened to cioè (that is, meaning...), but technically, nel senso in this context should be followed by che (that) as in the following example.
Conoscendolo in che senso...?
Knowing him in what way...?
Nel senso che in paese le voci girano.
In the way that in town word gets around.
Captions 48-49, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu
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Without che (or any other conjunction) following it, it's decidedly less grammatically correct.
Il senso is a noun that covers a lot of bases, but here, it is equivalent to "the way," "the manner."
A Yabla subscriber has asked about the difference between infatti and in effetti. The question is an excellent one.
The short answer is that infatti may be translated as “in fact,” while in effetti can be translated as “actually,” or “admittedly.” You can get this kind of information from any dictionary. But the question merits a closer look.
Infatti has, over time, become a single word but like many Italian words of this type, started out being two words: in + fatti. It’s extremely similar to the English “in fact,” and, not surprisingly, it means the very same thing.
È quasi una sorella, anzi è una sorella.
She's almost a sister, or rather, she is a sister.
Infatti, parliamo allo stesso modo...
In fact, we talk the same way...
e facciamo le stesse cose.
and do the same things.
Captions 4-6, Amiche - sulla spiaggia
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Another way to say infatti is difatti. It’s less common, but used often enough, and is interchangeable with infatti. Note that these two terms use the plural ending.
The fact is, both infatti and difatti come from the Latin de facto (from the fact) which is also used in English to mean that something exists in fact, although perhaps not in an intentional, legal, or accepted way: de facto. The direct Italian translation of the Latin de facto is di fatto—two words, like the Latin. Note that this term uses the singular ending, as in the Latin.
When we go to a meeting, and it doesn’t actually take place for some reason, we can say it was nulla di fatto (nothing actually happened).
In the following example from the very first episode of Commissario Manara, introductions are being made at police headquarters. Pio, meaning pious, is an old-fashioned but common enough name in Italian. Buttafuoco’s co-worker is making a pun, saying Pio Buttafuoco is a good and maybe even religious person.
Buttafuoco. -È pio, eh di, di nome e di fatto.
Buttafuoco. -He's Pio [pious], uh in, in name and in fact.
Caption 48, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto
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Unlike infatti, in effetti is made up of two words, and though, like infatti and difatti, it comes from the Latin de facto, it’s a bit more subjective, and has to do with taking something into consideration and admitting that, “yes, that is actually so.”
In the following example, in effetti is used because one couple realizes that they have actually been absent for a good while, and so the question is more than justified.
Ma è un po' che non vi si vede. Dove siete stati?
Well, it's been awhile since we've seen you. Where have you been?
Beh sì, in effetti siamo appena rientrati dall'India.
Well yes, actually we've just gotten back from India.
Captions 7-8, Escursione - Un picnic in campagna
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In this case, they could just as easily have said:
Beh si, infatti, siamo appena rientrati dall’India.
Well yes, in fact, we just got back from India.
It’s just a different slant, like saying “in fact” instead of “actually” or “as a matter of fact.”
In effetti can be used when you’re forced to agree with someone, but not all that willingly, or when they have convinced you of something.
You might say:
In effetti... hai ragione.
Admittedly... you’re right.
The other person who knew he was right all along, and was waiting for you to realize it, might say:
Infatti, ho ragione!
In fact, I am right!
He might also just say:
Infatti.
In fact.
Infatti can be used by itself to confirm what someone has said. You’re agreeing wholeheartedly. It may not actually have to do with facts, but is used in the same circumstances in which we use “in fact,” “as a matter of fact,” “that’s a fact,” or “that’s true” in English. It’s usually expressed with an affirmative tone.
In effetti is more like a consideration. It’s more like “admittedly” or “actually.” The tone may well be one of realizing something you hadn’t considered before. You might raise your eyebrows. The adverb form of in effetti is effettivamente and can be used interchangeably for the most part.
To sum up, there are definite differences in the words discussed in this lesson, but the differences are, in effetti, fairly subtle, and so you have to pay close attention to really grasp them. For the most part, if you stick to infatti to be emphatic, and in effetti to be a bit more thoughtful, you’ll probably do fine! Listen to the tone and context in the Yabla videos to get more insight into these words.
The word prego is commonly used in many aspects of Italian life.
Perhaps the best known use of prego is after someone says, "Thank you." One polite answer is: Prego (you’re welcome).
But prego is also used to let someone pass, as in “go ahead.” This happens, for example, when you are in line at the supermarket and you let a person go ahead of you for whatever reason. Imagine the gesture you make when saying, “After you!” That’s when you might say prego (please, go ahead).
The original meaning of the verb pregare is “to pray.” It's used when pleading or begging, and it stands to reason that it's used in actual prayers (preghiere) as well. There’s a good example of this basic meaning of pregare in Giuseppe Verdi’s Otello. Desdemona says her prayers, and sings the Ave Maria in Italian: prega per noi (pray for us), she says, using the familiar imperative form. It’s one of Verdi’s most beautiful arias for soprano.
Check out this Maria Callas recording of the aria.
See the text and translation for this aria at the bottom of the lesson.
In a new film on Yabla Italian pregare is used in a sticky situation.
Manuela, ti prego, mi fai entrare?
Manuela, I'm begging you, will you let me in?
Caption 48, La Tempesta - film - Part 1
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The translation says, “I’m begging you,” but what we would likely say in English in this situation is simply “please.” The urgency is in the tone. When we want to roll our eyes and say "Oh please!" we can also use ti prego all by itself.
Italian uses the verb pregare in making formal requests. One important situation where you’ll hear the word pregare/prego is when taking a train or plane, or in any situation where you have to show a ticket or passport. In this case, it means “please:”
Biglietto, prego.
Ticket, please.
-Non ce l'ho.
-I don't have one.
-Centoventi euro di multa.
-A fine of a hundred and twenty euros.
-Non ce l'ho.
-I don't have it.
Captions 35-38, Ma che ci faccio qui! - Un film di Francesco Amato
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It can also mean “you are kindly requested...”
I viaggiatori sono pregati di scendere dal treno.
Passengers are kindly requested to get off the train.
We can use it in the impersonal, too:
Si prega di non fumare.
You are kindly requested to refrain from smoking.
We have seen that pregare means to pray, but it also means to beg, to kindly request, to say "please," and to say "you’re welcome."
Attenzione: Prego does not mean “please” when asking for something like a cappuccino, or asking someone to do a favor. For this kind of “please” we need per favore or per cortesia.
Un caffé per cortesia.
A coffee, please.
Un biglietto per Venezia, per favore.
A ticket to Venice, please.
Mi passi il sale per favore?
Please pass the salt.
These are the words to Desdemona's aria from Otello.
Ave Maria, piena di grazia,
eletta fra le spose e le vergini sei tu,
sia benedetto il frutto,
o benedetta, di tue materne viscere, Gesù.
Prega per chi adorando a te si prostra,
prega nel peccator, per l'innocente,
e pe 'l debole oppresso e pe 'l possente,
misero anch'esso, tua pietà dimostra.
Prega per chi sotto l'oltraggio piega la fronte
e sotto la malvagia sorte;
per noi tu prega,
sempre e nell'ora della morte nostra.
Ave Maria... nell'ora della morte. Ave! Amen!
Hail Mary, full of grace
You are blessed amongst wives and maidens
and blessed be the fruit, o blessed one
of thy maternal womb, Jesu.
Pray for those who kneeling adore thee
Pray for the sinner, for the innocent
and for the weak oppressed;
and for the powerful,
they are also wretched.
Show your sweet compassion.
Pray for him who bows beneath injustice
and beneath the blows of cruel destiny;
Pray for us,
always, and at the hour of our death,
Hail Mary ... and at the hour of our death.
Hail! Amen!
In a recent video, Marika talks about accents. But attenzione! She is talking about pronouncing the grave and acute accents, not about writing them (except when necessary for clarity). Sometimes the accents are actually written in a word, and have become part and parcel of it, like in è (is), sarò (I will be), farà (he/she will do), or sì (yes), but much of the time we just have to learn and remember whether a vowel is open or closed.
Marika explains about the difference between the word for “peach” and “fishing.” To the naked eye, “peach” and “fishing” look exactly the same: pesca. For learning purposes, in the context of the lesson, you will see the accents in the words, but in real life, it’s the context that tells you which one it is, and you are the one who has to know which one gets an open “e” and which gets a closed “e.” Aside from cases in which their absence would be cause for confusion, the accents mentioned by Marika in pesca or botte are absent in written Italian.
In speaking, If you’re not sure about whether a vowel is open or closed, say the word anyway, and don’t worry too much about it. Not all Italians respect the rules, and if the context is clear, you will be understood. It’s not the end of the world.
The following Italian expression paints a picture of an outside force, either making us do something, or preventing us from doing something. It’s out of our hands.
È più forte di me, non ce la faccio, non ce la faccio.
It's stronger than me [I can't help it], I can't do it, I can't do it.
Caption 90, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP9 - Morte in paradiso
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The expression is used when you know that what you’re doing is a bit overboard, but you still do it. You can’t help it, there's a stronger force at work!
In the expression below, you are throwing your cares to the wind. You might be able to do something about the situation, but you choose not to worry about it!
E se entrano, chi se ne frega?
And if they come in, who cares?
Caption 80, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP9 - Morte in paradiso
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Fregare (to rub, to scrub, to steal, to rip off) is a widely used word, acceptable in casual speech, but should be avoided in formal situations or in writing to anyone but close friends. Originally it meant “to rub” or “scrub” but now, sfregare is more common for those meanings. Nowadays fregare has various colloquial meanings, and has become part of a very popular expression, fregarsene (to not care about something). This long verb with pronouns attached is called a verbo pronominale (pronominal verb). See this lesson to learn more about pronominal verbs.
Grammatically speaking, fregare is used reflexively in this expression, with an indirect object included that means “of it” or “about it.”
fregar(e) + se (oneself) + ne (of it)
This tiny ne is quite important, but a bit tricky to use. When the expression crops up in a video, listen carefully and read the captions to assimilate it, as it goes by rather quickly. You won’t hear Daniela and Marika using this expression in their lessons, but you will often hear it in Commissario Manara, L’oro di Scampia, Ma che ci faccio qui? and others.
Since the expression is tricky, let’s look at some examples in different conjugations and constructions.
Indicative first person singular/third person singular:
Me ne frego (I don’t care about it).
Se ne frega (he/she/it doesn’t care about it).
Imperative informal:
Fregatene (don’t be concerned about it, ignore it)! [Attenzione, the accent is on the first syllable!]
Interrogative:
Che mi frega (what do I care?)
Che ti frega (what do you care?)
Passato prossimo (past tense):
Se n’è fregato (he didn’t care about it, didn’t do anything about it). [Here the accent is on the second syllable.]
Negative:
Non me ne può fregar di meno (it can’t affect me any less, I don't give a hoot about it).
Note: In English we often use the conditional to say the same thing: "I couldn't care less."
Note the troncamento or shortening, from fregare to fregar. See Marika’s lessons on troncamento!
Avere la puzza sotto al naso or avere la puzza sotto il naso (to have a stink under their noses): These are both ways of saying “to have one’s nose in the air” (to avoid smelling the stink below). It’s a way of calling someone stuck up, or a snob.
The difference between sotto il naso and sotto al naso is a bit like the difference between “under” and “underneath.” We can use either one.
Va be', però c'hanno la puzza sotto al naso.
OK, but they have the stink underneath their noses [they're stuck up].
Caption 46, L'oro di Scampia - film
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So, now you have a few more expressions to use when the situation calls for it.
It's easy to get confused about secondo and a seconda di. They sound almost the same, their meanings are similar, but they're used in different circumstances, and have different rules.
In addition to meaning "second," secondo is an adjective used as a preposition to mean “according to” or “on the basis of.” It is usually used subjectively, to express an opinion, what someone thinks.
In the following example Marika is asking our opinion, what we think.
Dove cade l'accento secondo te?
Where does the accent fall in your opinion?
Where do you think the accent falls?
Caption 44, Marika spiega - Gli accenti
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It’s useful to be familiar with this turn of phrase, because rather than saying penso che (I think that), which takes the subjunctive and requires a relatively complicated sentence structure, it’s easier to say secondo me (in my opinion). In this case there is no change to the verb. It’s important to remember, however, that secondo must be followed by an object: a proper noun, noun, or pronoun.
Secondo me, pioverà stasera.
I think it will rain tonight.
You can also say:
Secondo le previsioni, pioverà stasera.
According to the forecast, it will rain tonight.
Secondo is also used to mean "in compliance with."
Dovremmo guidare secondo il codice della strada.
We should drive in compliance with the traffic laws.
Similar in meaning is the curious compound preposition a seconda di (depending on, according to). With a seconda di we can refer to facts or conditions, not opinions. In contrast to secondo, we need three elements: the preposition a (in, to, at), the main preposition seconda, in the feminine, and another preposition di (of).
Following this compound preposition, there may be a noun:
Il codice della strada cambia a seconda del paese.
The traffic laws change depending on the country.
Marika uses this compound preposition in her lesson on accents.
E sì, parliamo della corretta pronuncia
Oh, yes. We'll talk about the correct pronunciation
delle parole italiane a seconda dell'accento.
of Italian words according to the accent.
Captions 5-6, Marika spiega - Gli accenti
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She could also have followed a seconda di with an adverb, like this:
Parliamo della corretta pronuncia a seconda di come mettiamo gli accenti.
We'll talk about correct pronunciation depending on/according to how we place the accents.
In English we can say "according to me, him, her, us, you, them," and this is when we use secondo, because it is referring to something subjective, an opinion.
Attenzione!
We cannot say a seconda di me or a seconda di Elena.
When we are choosing or deciding something, the choice may be made according to certain factors. That’s when we use a seconda di.
Il prezzo cambia a seconda della destinazione.
The price changes depending on the destination.Il prezzo cambia a seconda di dove vuoi andare: Roma o Istanbul.
The price changes according to where you want to go: Rome or Istanbul.
An opinion is expressed with secondo:
Secondo me, il prezzo è troppo alto in ogni caso.
In my opinion, the price is too high in any case.
We hope to have cleared up a common uncertainty. Let us know if you have any other questions!
In this week's episode of Commissario Manara, Lara and Luca are having a romantic walk on the beach, but Lara isn't very tranquilla (relaxed and unworried). She worries about the others at work finding out about their relationship. Luca tries to lighten things up a bit, to sdramatizzare (to remove or reduce the drama or seriousness).
The word they volley back and forth is some form of sospettare/sospetto (to suspect/suspicion). As in English where we have different forms of the word, Italian has them, too, but not exactly as in English. Let’s have a look at what Lara and Luca say to each other.
E poi qualcuno comincerà a sospettare.
And then, someone one will start to suspect.
Rubino, un sospetto senza una prova rimane un sospetto.
Rubino, a suspicion without proof remains a suspicion.
Te lo devo insegnare io?
Do I have to teach you that?
E io ho il sospetto che sto per cederti di nuovo.
And I have the suspicion that I'll give in to you again.
E io ho la prova.
And I've got the proof.
Captions 18-22, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP9 - Morte in paradiso
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In the above example Lara starts out with the infinitive verb form sospettare (to suspect), then Luca answers using the noun form un sospetto (a suspicion/a suspect). He may have been playing with the words, since what he said could also have meant: "a suspect is just a suspect unless there is proof." Lara plays with words, too, but, instead of conjugating the verb sospettare, she uses the noun form il sospetto (the suspicion) with the verb avere (to have): Avere il sospetto (to have the suspicion).
Below is an example of the verb form sospettare in the second person plural:
Voi sospettate di me?
Do you suspect me?
Ma vi ho chiamati io? -Si calmi signora Brumelt,
But I'm the one who called you! -Calm down, Missus Brumelt,
Captions 46-47, Il Commissario Manara -S1EP5 - Il Raggio Verde
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Note that sospettare is both transitive and intransitive and may take a preposition as in the above example, where di (of) is the preposition, indicating an indirect object. It can also take a direct object, or no object at all.
The adjective sospettoso (suspicious) describes a person who has a suspicious or mistrustful nature (Marika gives us an example here).
An adjective describing something or someone that arouses suspicion is sospetto(suspicious), as in the following example.
Niente, c'è un giardiniere sospetto nel vostro giardino,
Nothing, there's a suspicious gardener in your garden.
mi ha chiesto di fare una verifica.
She asked me to run a check.
Captions 47-48, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena
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Someone who is suspected of something may be un sospetto (a suspect) or sospettato (suspected).
Stanno interrogando un sospetto.
They're questioning a suspect.È sospettata di aver ucciso suo marito.
She's suspected of having killed her husband.
To sum up:
Depending on the context, the word sospetto may have the following meanings:
Noun: il sospetto (the suspicion), il sospetto (the suspect)
Conjugated verb in the first person singular: sospetto (I suspect)
Adjective: sospetto (suspect or suspicious)
The verb sospettare is both transitive and intransitive.
The past participle sospettato is used in the passive voice (as in the above example) or as a normal past participle.
Let the context be your guide. It's a little tricky to get right, but the good news is that while the meaning and use may vary slightly, the sense of the word is basically the same as in English. Little by little, through reading and listening, you'll get a feel for how it's used in context.
In the hilarious film Stai lontana da me, we see the events of the day through Jacopo’s eyes (he thinks he is the cause), and through Sara’s eyes (she thinks she is having a bad day and also thinks he is funny). Chi può dirlo (who can say)? They may both be right. This movie is an excellent source of casual everyday conversation, and at the end of this week’s segment, Jacopo uses a one-word expression that could use some explaining.
Casomai is usually expressed as a single word, but is in fact composed (a bit oddly) of two distinct words, the noun caso (case) and the adverb mai (never, ever), and roughly means “in the event” or “in case.”
What’s interesting is that in English you need more words to say something similar, whereas in Italian, casomai is one of those words that just hangs there, like magari (see this lesson) or ecco (see this lesson), and get inserted pretty much anywhere in a sentence, without concern for word order and endings. As opposed to some complicated Italian constructions that make you want to tear your hair out, casomai says plenty in just one relatively short word and is easy to use. Grammatically it is considered a conjunction like “if,” “and,” or “but.”
If we want to use a conjunction to translate casomai we can think of it as standing for “if the situation calls for it,” or “if need be.”
At certain point in the movie, Jacopo says:
Casomai te la dico dopo.
If need be, I'll tell you afterwards.
Caption 64, Stai lontana da me - Rai Cinema
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In some contexts, we can also translate casomai as “if at all,” or “if ever,” and this corresponds more to the meaning of the two separate words. In the above example “if at all” might correspond to what Jacopo was thinking. He was probably thinking, “At this point, I may not tell you at all, but if I ever do, it will be afterwards.”
You will enjoy this moment in the movie and knowing a bit more about casomai might further enhance it.
In the following example we see how casomai gets inserted in a sentence in a seemingly haphazard way:
In genere, l'estetica la si trova su scarpe meno comode,
In general, the aesthetics we find on less comfortable shoes,
tacchi molto alti, eccetera, eccetera
very high heels, etcetera, etcetera
e, e poi il comfort casomai si trova su modelli più classici.
and, and then comfort, if needed, we find on more classic models.
Captions 12-14, Anna e Marika - Un negozio di scarpe
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With casomai, this shoe salesman is really saying, "If what you are looking for is comfort, then you should look at the more classic models of shoes."
We hope you have understood something about the word casomai.
Scrivici casomai i tuoi dubbi (If need be, write to us with your questions)!
Thanks for reading. If you have any questions or comments, please write to us at newsletter@yabla.com. We'd love to hear from you!
Find some history and general information about the Trentino-Alto Adige Südtirol region of Italy here.
But let’s take a closer look at the name itself: Trentino-Alto Adige.
The Alto Adige part of the name refers to the upper part of the Adige River that runs from the Alps through the Trentino-Alto Adige region and on to the Veneto region to empty out into the Adriatic Sea just south of Venezia and Chioggia. The Adige is the second longest river in Italy after the Po River, and it is this river valley that accommodates a good part of the toll road autostrada A22 that runs from the Italian-Austrian border at the Brenner Pass to Modena, as well as the railroad that follows a similar route. And so when travelling to and from Italy by way of the Brenner Pass, the river is visible for a good number of kilometers.
Trentino refers to the province of Trento (Trent), one of the two provinces of the region. Trento is a beautiful medieval city with a marvelous castle (Il Castello del Buonconsiglio), and was the seat of the famous Council of Trent in the 16th century.
Trentin-Südtirol is the German language name for the region, with its German speaking province and main city, Bozen/Bolzano.
When travelling north from Modena, Verona, and Trento towards Innsbruck, Austria, whether by car or by train, the names on the signs start to appear in two languages, Italian and German. The mountains get higher, the temperatures a bit cooler. The views are breathtaking.
It is great wine country, and on both sides of the river and of the autostrada, there are vineyards carpeting every inch, except for when there are apple orchards. Most of the apples produced in Italy come from this region.
There is also a bike path that goes along the Adige river, through the vineyards, for about 60 kilometers between Trento and Bolzano.
Buon viaggio!
There is no one English equivalent for simpatico, which is a bit too bad because it is a wonderful description of a person’s character. As a matter of fact, it has started creeping into English vocabulary: simpatico.
Simpatico quel ragazzo, quello cieco.
That kid is nice, the blind one.
Caption 61, L'oro di Scampia - film
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What are some of the translations of this word?
Often it simply means “nice” as in the above example.
But “nice” has all sorts of connotations, and various Italian translations. One Italian word for “nice” is gentile but that tends towards “kind.” Still another Italian word for “nice” is carino, which is often similar to simpatico in meaning, but can also mean "pretty" or "good-looking" in certain contexts.
Sometimes simpatico means “friendly,” “amicable,” or “likeable.” Simpatico, when used to describe a person (or animal), really refers to personality or their way of relating to others.
Italians also use simpatico, when referring to objects, to mean “cute,” “sweet,” or “funny.” If you do a Yabla search, you will note that both Adriano and Marika make use of this word to describe objects. The object in question isn’t beautiful, but it may make you smile or laugh, as would a simpatico person. In most dictionaries, “cute” is not given as an official translation of simpatico, but in the case of objects, it seems to render the idea better than other words.
In questo simpatico contenitore ho il detersivo per i piatti.
In this cute container I have dish detergent.
Caption 23, Marika spiega - La cucina
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Simpatico is used for a person when you want to say something nice about him or her. The guy may not be good-looking, but he is simpatico (a nice guy). She may not play the piano very well, but she is molto simpatica (very nice).
If you go to the doctor for a procedure that is quite unpleasant, you may use the words poco simpatico.
Ho avuto un intervento poco simpatico.
I had a rather unpleasant procedure done.
Stare simpatico a qualcuno or essere simpatico a qualcuno (to be likeable to someone) is a rather complicated but popular way of saying that one person likes the other as a person, without the ambiguity of the verb piacere, which can have more sensual connotations. See this lesson for more about the difference.
In the same vein, una simpatia is an affinity, an attraction (more mental than physical). There is simpatia between people who get along really well.
Mica te lo devi sposare,
It's not as if you have to marry him,
se è solo una simpatia, un'amicizia...
if it's just an attraction, a friendship...
Captions 73-74, L'oro di Scampia - film
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Prendere in simpatia is “to take a liking to” or “to become fond of.”
L’insegnante m’ha preso in simpatia e m’ha promosso.
The teacher took a liking to me and passed me.
Beware of the false friend “sympathy,” which usually translates as compassione (compassion).
In a recent lesson we talked about some of the verbs in the inscription on a stone plaque in Valsinni, Basilicata. We discussed some verbs in the passato remoto. In this lesson we’ll focus on the verbs nascere (to be born), vivere (to live), and morire (to die), which also appear in the inscription.
Questo castello che vide nascere,
This castle, which saw the birth,
vivere e morire la poetessa Isabella Morra...
life, and death of the poet Isabella Morra...
Captions 1-4, Basilicata Turistica - Non me ne voglio andare
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It’s interesting to note that in Italian, being born is expressed with the active verb nascere, whereas English requires the passive voice of the verb “to bear”: Someone is, or was, born. The only way to make being born active is to use a phrase like “to come into being.”
In Italian history books, the third person remote past of the (intransitive) verb nascere (to come into being, to be born) is used quite often: nacque (he/she/it was born).
The Valsinni inscription could have just as easily read:
Qui nacque, visse, e morì la poetessa Isabella Morra
(Here the poet Isabella Morra was born, lived and died).
The remote past of the irregular verb vivere (to live) might be familiar to opera lovers. Vissi d’arte (I lived for [my] art), from Puccini’s Tosca, is one of the most famous opera arias of all. In fact, the aria is a great source of verbs in the passato remoto.
Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore,
I lived for art, I lived for love,
non feci mai male ad anima viva!
I never did any harm to a living soul!
Morire is also an irregular verb.
Floria Tosca muore alla fine dell’opera.
Floria Tosca dies at the end of the opera.
Isabella Morra morì a Valsinni.
Isabella Morra died in Valsinni.
What’s interesting about the verb morire (to die) is that, as with many verbs, the past participle morto (died) is the same as the adjective morto (dead). You need to pay close attention to the context to know which it is.
Isabella è morta diversi secoli fa.
Isabella died several centuries ago.
È morta da diversi secoli.
She has been dead for several centuries.
On a lighter note, in a video about Beauty and the Beast, there is another life event where English requires the passive voice, while Italian uses the active: il matrimonio (marriage).
Belle e il principe si sposarono nel giardino di rose.
Beauty and the Prince were married in the rose garden.
Caption 67, Ti racconto una fiaba - La Bella e la Bestia
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In this case, the si is not reflexive, but reciprocal. Beauty and the Beast marry each other. See Marika’s video about reflexive and reciprocal verbs.
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