Italiano II Il 13 di febbraio 2017

Obiettivo Progetto

Il Grande Ripasso

Dialogo Originale

I. In Gruppi (Groups)

II. CRTEATE AN ORIGINAL DIALOGUE:

-USA VOCABULARY FROM ITALIAN I -STRUTTURA (GRAMMAR) -CULTURA (CULTURE)

III EACH STUDENT IN TRHE GROUP MUST HAVE 15 SENTENCES

IV. PRESENTATION:

-BEFORE THE PRESENTATION-GROUPS WILL WRITE FIVE (5) QUESTIONS ON THE BOARD ABOUT THE DIALOGUE

V. ASSESSMENT:

A. ORAL (25 POINTS) B. WRITTEN (25 PTS.) C. QUIZ (WHICH IS FORMED BY TAKING THE QUESTIONS FROM EACH GROUP) WILL TAKE PLACE AFTER ALL OF THE PRESENTATIONS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. THE QUIZ SHALL BE TAKEN BY EACH GROUP. (20 PTS.)

FORZA RAGAZZI!

QUI LA GRAMATICA DI SENTIERI

https://www.sptraducciones.com/2015/10/27/italiano-a1-1-clase-pronuncia-saluti-verbo-essere-chiamarsi-pronomi-soggetto/

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The Back alley

Sentieri Pagina 9!!!

Until next time ! Alla prossima!

Buon fine settimana ! Have a nice weekend!

Che c’è di nuovo? What’s new?

Ci sentiamo! Talk to you soon!

Ci vediamo ! See you soon!

Come te la passi? How are you getting along?

Ehilà! Hey there!

Il solito. The usual.

Niente di nuovo. Nothingh new.

C’è and ci sono and ECCO!

Italian for "there is, there are, there is!, there are!, look!" etcIn this lesson we are going to look at 3 Italian phrases or clauses which are;

c'è ci sono ecco

there is there are There is...!, There are ...! Look! etc.

The first two are merely statements of fact, acknowledgment of the existence of a person, place or thing, seen or unseen. To make these negative, simple place non before the clause as show below; 

C'è un bicchiere nella cucina?No, non c'è un bicchiere nella cucina. Ci sono troppo persone nella chiesa?No, non ci sono troppo persone nella chiesa.

Is there a glass in the kitchen? No, there is not a glass in the kitchen. Are there too many people in the church? No, there are not too many people

in the church.

A simple statement could be "Ci sono sette tazze sul tavolo." (There are seven cups on the table) 

The third choice or "Ecco" is more of a statement of explanation or is used to point out something that is visible and can actually be translated in a few different way. It is invariable so it doesn't change to accommodate gender or number. Here are a few examples; 

Ecco mio fratello! Ecco i bambini! Ecco, un aereo! Ecco i tuoi occhiali! Ecco la sua camicia.

That's my brother! Here are the kids! Look, a plane! There are your glasses. Here is his shirt.

C’è – Ci sono              C’è e ci sono dicono la presenza di una cosa o di una persona in un posto.

C’è è per il singolare

es:C’è un quaderno sul tavolo.In casa c’è un ladro.Marco non c’è.

Ci sono è per il pluralees:In camera ci sono i CD di Laura Pausini.In cucina ci sono Antonio e Alfredo.I libri non ci sono!

I NUMERI

Counting from 0 (zero) to 100 (cento) in Italian

Number in Italian

0 zero (4)1 uno (3)2 due (3)3 tre (3)4 quattro (7)5 cinque (6)6 sei (3)7 sette (5)8 otto (4)9 nove (4)

Number in Italian

(length)

10 dieci (5)11 undici (6)12 dodici (6)13 tredici (7)14 quattordici (11)15 quindici (8)16 sedici (6)17 diciassette (11)18 diciotto (8)19 diciannove (10)

Number in Italian

(length)

20 venti (5)21 ventuno (7)22 ventidue (8)23 ventitre (8)

Number in Italian

24 ventiquattro (12)25 venticinque (11)26 ventisei (8)27 ventisette (10)28 ventotto (8)29 ventinove (9)

Number in Italian

(length)

30 trenta (6)31 trentuno (8)32 trentadue (9)33 trentatre (9)34 trentaquattro (13)35 trentacinque (12)36 trentasei (9)37 trentasette (11)38 trentotto (9)39 trentanove (10)

Number in Italian

(length)

40 quaranta (8)41 quarantuno (10)42 quarantadue (11)43 quarantatre (11)

44quarantaquattro (15)

45quarantacinque (14)

46 quarantasei (11)47 quarantasette (13)48 quarantotto (11)

Number in Italian

49 quarantanove (12)

Number in Italian

(length)

50 cinquanta (9)51 cinquantuno (11)52 cinquantadue (12)53 cinquantatre (12)

54cinquantaquattro (16)

55cinquantacinque (15)

56 cinquantasei (12)

57cinquantasette (14)

58 cinquantotto (12)59 cinquantanove(13)Numbe

r in Italian(length

)60 sessanta (8)61 sessantuno (10)62 sessantadue (11)63 sessantatre (11)

64sessantaquattro (15)

65sessantacinque (14)

66 sessantasei (11)67 sessantasette (13)68 sessantotto (11)69 sessantanove (12)Numbe

r in Italian(length

)70 settanta (8)71 settantuno (10)72 settantadue (11)73 settantatre (11)

74settantaquattro (15)

Number in Italian

75settantacinque (14)

76 settantasei (11)77 settantasette (13)78 settantotto (11)79 settantanove (12)Numbe

r in Italian(length

)80 ottanta (7)81 ottantuno (9)82 ottantadue (10)83 ottantatre (10)84 ottantaquattro (14)85 ottantacinque (13)86 ottantasei (10)87 ottantasette (12)88 ottantotto (10)89 ottantanove (11)Numbe

r in Italian(length

)90 novanta (7)91 novantuno (9)92 novantadue (10)93 novantatre (10)

94novantaquattro (14)

95 novantacinque(13)96 novantasei (10)97 novantasette (12)98 novantotto (10)99 novantanove (11)100 cento (5)Numbe

r in Italian(length

)

Numbers in ItalianDetails of how to count in Italian with cardinal and ordinal numbers.

Key to abbreviations: m = masculine, f = feminine

Numeral Cardinal Ordinal

0 zero

1uno (m) una (f)

primo

2 due secondo

3 tre terzo

4 quattro quarto

5 cinque quinto

6 sei sesto

7 sette settimo

8 otto ottavo

9 nove nono

10 dieci decimo

11 undici undicesimo

12 dodici dodicesimo

13 tredici tredicesimo

14 quattordici quattordicesimo

15 quindici quindicesimo

16 sedici sedicesimo

17 diciassette diciassettesimo

18 diciotto diciottesimo

19 diciannove diciannovesimo

20 venti ventesimo

21 ventuno ventunesimo

22 ventidue ventiduesimo

23 ventitré ventitreesimo

24 ventiquattro ventiquattresimo

25 venticinque venticinquesimo

26 ventisei ventiseiesimo

27 ventisette ventisettesimo

28 ventotto ventottesimo

29 ventinove ventinovesimo

30 trenta trentesimo

40 quaranta quarantesimo

50 cinquanta cinquantesimo

60 sessanta sessantesimo

70 settanta settantesimo

80 ottanta ottantesimo

90 novanta novantesimo

100 cento centesimo

200 duecento duecentesimo

300 trecento trecentesimo

400 quattrocento quattrocentesimo

500 cinquecento cinquecentesimo

600 seicento seicentesimo

700 settecento settecentesimo

800 ottocento ottocentesimo

900 novecento novecentesimo

1.000 mille millesimo

10.000 diecimila diecimillesimo

100.000 centomila centomillesimo

1.000.000 un milione millionesimo

1.000.000.000

un miliardo milliardesimo

Math in Italian

TALKING ABOUT MATH IN ITALIAN

Learning How to Talk About Adding, Subtracting, Multiplication & Division in ItalianIn this article I would like to focus on the four types of arithmetical calculations that rule our daily lives. Most of us know our addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, and I want to show you how you speak about these calculations--and other common ones--in Italian.

Because adding, subtracting, etc. is so necessary for the way we function day to day (from shopping to banking) if you’re visiting Italy it’s important to know how to communicate about these basic math equations. Here are some typical phrases that will likely come in handy:

Quanto fa sei più uno? = How much/What is six plus one?  6 + 1 = 7

Sei più uno fa/è uguale a sette = Six plus one is seven  Quanto fa sette meno uno? = How

much/What is seven minus one?  7 - 1 = 6

Sette meno uno fa/ è uguale a sei = Seven minus one is six.

 Quanto fa cinque per quattro? = How much/What is five times four?     5 x 4 = 20

Cinque per quattro fa/ è uguale a venti = Five times four is twenty.

Quanto fa sessanta diviso tre? = How much/What is sixty divided by three? 60/3 = 20

Sessanta diviso tre fa/ è uguale a venti = Sixty divided by three is twenty. Sette diviso tre fa/è uguale a due con il resto

di uno.Seven divided by three is two and one over/two, remainder one. 

Fractions - FrazioniIn Italian fractions work as in English: the first number is a cardinal number, the second one is ordinal.

un mezzo = ½ a half

un terzo = 1/3 a third

tre quinti = 3/5 three fifths

cinque mezzi = 5/2 five over two

quattro mezzi = 4/2 four halves

Ho già letto due terzi del libro = I have already read two thirds of the book.

Ne ha bevuto solo metà = He only drank half of it.

When a fraction indicates a quantity the noun to which it refers is preceded by preposition DI:

Due quinti di olio = Two fifths of oil

Un quarto di un litro = One fourth of a liter

When the numbered object is feminine, ordinal numbers always take the masculine form:

Un quarto di dolce = One fourth of cake

Vorrei un quarto della torta = I would like one fourth of the cake

Tre quinti di farina = Three fifths of flour

Tre quinti di questa farina = Three fifths of this flour

When you're not sure the exact number you can use rough quantitie

s. Like if you think you'll be about twenty people at dinner you can say "una ventina di persone." Some other examples:

una decina = about ten una ventina = about twenty una trentina = about thirty

una quarantina = about forty

Alla conferenza c'erano una trentina di uomini = At the conference there was about thirty men.

Quella donna è sulla trentina = That woman is about thirty years old.

Sarò lì tra una quarantina di minuti = I'll be there in about forty minutes.

un centinaio = about one hundred

centinaia = hundreds

un migliaio = about one thousand

migliaia = thousands

Centinaia di feriti = Hundreds of wounded

Un centinaio di persone = About a hundred people

Cento penne = One hundred pens

Un centinaio di penne = about one hundred pens

We can also express rough quantities with the word "paio" = pair:

Entro un paio di settimane saremo a Parigi = Within a couple of weeks we will be in Paris

Vorrei darti un paio di consigli = I would like to give you a couple of tips.

Ho comprato due paia di scarpe = I bought two pairs of shoesCinque paia di pantaloni = Five pairs of trousers

 Ratios / Proporzionia sta a b come c sta a x    a:b = c:xa is to b as c is to x

 Raising to a Power / Potenzedue alla seconda (potenza) / due al quadrato = two to the power of two / two squareddue alla terza / due al cubo = two to the power of three / two cubedelevare alla quinta = to raise two to the power of fiveelevare all'ennesima potenza = to raise x to the power of

 Decimal Fractions / Decimalitre virgola dieci = 3,10 = 3.10 = three point tenzero virgola zero cinque = 0,05 = 0.05 = zero point zero fivezero virgola zero uno = 0,01 = 0.01 = zero point zero onedue virgola tre periodico = 2,3333.... = 2.3333.... = two point three recurring Percentages / Percentuali

A percentage is a way to express a number as a fraction of a whole.

dieci per cento = 10% = ten per cent

cinque virgola cinque per cento = 5,5% = 5.5% = five point five per cent

Il 20% dei lavoratori ha più di 40 anni = 20% of the workers are over 40.

L'offerta è aumentata del 10% = The offer has risen by 10%. 

Vado allo stadio per comprare la camicia che mi piace.

Definite Articles and Indefinite Articles and Nouns IN ITALIANO

Remember that in Italian, every noun is either masculine or feminine so the definite article, "the" in English, is either masculine singular, masculine plural, feminine singular or feminine plural.a. Masculine

Il : for masculine singular nouns which start with a consonant.Il libro / the book Il vino / the wine Il tavolo / the table

L' : for masculine singular nouns which start with a vowel.L' orologio / the watchL'aereo / the planeL'albero / the tree

Lo : for masculine singular nouns which start with:

s + consonantlo studente, lo spagnolo, lo scontrino / the student, the Spanish guy, the receipt

z lo zaino, lo zio / the backpack, the uncle

y lo yogurt, lo yen / the yoghurt,

the yenps lo psicologo / the psychologistpn lo pneumatico / the tyregn lo gnomo / the gnome

I : for masculine plural nouns which start with a consonant.I libri / the booksI vini / the wines I tavoli / the tables

Gli : for masculine plural nouns which start with a vowel, s + consonant, z, y, ps, pn, x or gn.Gli orologi / the watches Gli aerei / the planesGli alberi / the treesGli studenti / the studentsGli zaini / the backpacksGli yogurt / the yoghurtsGli psicologi / the psychologistsGli pneumatici / the tyresGli gnomi / the gnomes

b. Feminine

La : for feminine singular nouns which start with a consonant.La penna / the penLa camicia / the shirtLa sedia / the chair 

L' : for feminine singular singular nouns which start with a vowel.

L' ape / the beeL'insalata / the salad L'ora / the hour

Le : for feminine plural nouns which start with a vowel or a consonant.Le penne / the pensLe camicie / the shirtsLe sedie / the chairsLe api / the beesLe insalate / the saladsLe ore / the hours

 

Indefinite Articles in italiano

a. Masculine indefinite articlesUn: this indefinite article is used when the noun is masculine singular and begins with a consonant or a vowel. Note that we don't use un',Un quaderno / a notebook Un libro / a book Un piatto / a dish Un uomo / a man Un albero / a tree Un aereo / a plane

Uno : when the noun is masculine singular and begins with s + consonant, ps, pn, z, x, y or gn.Uno stato / a state Uno psicologo / a psychologistUno pneumatico / a tyre Uno zoccolo / a hoof Uno xilofono / a xylophoneUno yacht / a yacht Uno gnomo / a gnomeb. Feminine indefinite articlesUna : this indefinite article is used when the noun is feminine singular and begins with a consonant.una macchina / a car una penna / a pen una sedia / a chairUn' : this indefinite article is used when the noun is feminine singular and begins with a vowel.un' infermiera / a nurse un' insalata / a salad un'ora / an hourIn the plural form, both masculine and feminine nouns use the indefinite adjectives Alcuni/e, Certi/e.

E.g.: Alcuni uomini, Certe cose. 

Noun (Nome)     Italian nouns end in -o, -a, -tà, -e and, rarely, in -(t)ú. These ending in -o are inherited from the Latin Second declension, and those in -a -- from the First declension. The nouns in -tà and -tú had formerly longer forms in -tate and -tute and as the other nouns in -e descended from the Latin Third declension. The word tribú tribe has preserved the -u of the Latin Forth declension, while the other nouns of this class acquired the ending -o.

Nouns of non-Latin origin may have different endings, mainly a consonant or an -i.     Gender of the Nouns (Genere dei Nomi)As in the other modern Romance languages, the nouns in Italian are either of masculine or of feminine gender.

Usually, the nouns in -o are  masculine and those in -a (-tà) are feminine, cf.:  

Masculines in -o Feminines in -a (-tà) tavolo table sviluppo development organismo organism

casa house rosa rose città city

§ The words eco echo, mano hand and others are feminine. See Feminine nouns ending in -o. § Many words ending in -a (mainly in -ta and -ma) are masculine; these are usually of Greek origin. See for details the List of Masculine nouns ending in -a. § The words in -tà ended formerly in -tate. § There are a few feminine nouns, like spia spy, guàrdia guard etc., that refers usually to male persons. See Feminine nouns in -a referring to males.

The nouns in -e may be masculine or feminine. Those referring to males are masculine and those referring to females are feminine, cf.:  

Masculine Feminine padre father imperatore emperor 

 ...

madre mother imperatrice empress 

 ...

  For the nouns that denote inanimate objects gender seems randomly assigned and it is to be memorized:  Masculine Feminine

amore love codice code cuore heart giudice judge latte milk mare sea mese month sole sun

arte art corte court, yard croce cross fede faith legge law luce light pace peace voce voice

  Often the gender may be recognized by the suffixes.

Nouns ending in -tore / -sore (agent; often corresponding to E. -tor, -sor), -ore (abstract nouns; often corresponding to BE. -our), -ione (agent etc.; often = E. -ion), -one(augmentative = E. -on) etc. are masculine:

autore author, dittatore dictator; precursore precursor; colore colour, onore honor, orrore horror, sapore taste, umore 

mood, humour; campione champion, ladrone brigand; cannone cannon, milione million, padrone master, owner.

Nouns ending in -trice (agent), -tudine  (corresponding to E. -tude), -zione (-sione) / -gione (corresponding to E. -tion (-sion) / -son), etc. are feminine:

imperatrice empress; altitudine height, magnitudine magnitude; nazione nation, visione vision, ragione reason, stagione season

.

Nouns in -tú, like gioventú youth, servitú slavedom, virtú virtue etc., are feminine. The noun tribú tribe is masculine.

The nouns of non-Latin origin, ending in consonant, like film film, sport sport, tram tramway etc., are masculine. The nouns of Greek origin, ending in -i, like analisi analysis,sintesi synthesis etc., are feminine.

Abbreviated nouns retain the gender of the words from which they are derived.

foto f (from fotografia) picture; cinema m (from cinematografo) cinema; moto f (from motocicletta) motorcycle; auto f (from automobile) car; bici f (from bicicletta) bike.

    Feminine of the Nouns (Femminile dei Nomi)Feminine is often obtained from masculine by the alternation -o : -a in the endings, cf.:  

Masculine Feminine

amico friend bambino little

boy cugino cousin

(he) figlio son maestro master,

teacher orso he-bear ragazzo boy zio uncle

amica friend bambina little girl cugina cousin (she) figlia daughter maestra teacher (female

) orsa she-bear ragazza girl zia aunt

  The alteration -e : -a also occurs, cf.:  Masculine Feminine

signore mister padrone master,

owner

signora mistress padrona mistress of

the house

  Feminine can be derived through suffixation:  

Suffix Change ExamplesMasculine Feminine Masculine Feminine

-|a -|essa poeta poet poetessa poetess-|e principe prince principessa princess-|o patrono patron patronessa patroness-|e -|ina eroe hero eroina heroine-|o gallo cock gallina hen

-|tore -|trice direttore director direttrice manageress  Sometimes masculine and feminine are derived from different (or modified) roots:  Masculine Feminine

frate friar fratello brother padre father padrino godfather

suora nun sorella sister madre mother madrina godmother

uomo man  ...

becco / capro he-goat

bove / toro bull montone ram papero gander paperone drake porco / verro boar

donna woman  ...

capra she-goat mucca / vacca cow pecora sheep papera /

anatra goose oca duck scrofa / troia female

swine

    

Nouns of common gender (Nomi di genero commune)

These are nouns with one form for both genders. Here are included:

1. All the nouns suffixed by -ista, cf.:

artista artist giornalista journalist pianista pianist turista tourist etc.

2. Some other nouns, like:

camerata comrade

compatriota compatriot

eresiarca heresiarch

idiota idiot omicida murderer patriot(t)a patriot

amante lover cliente client commerciante tr

ader consorte consor

t erede heir interprete interpr

eter

martire martyr nipote nephew, 

niece rivale rival testimone witne

ss

etc.

      Nouns of epicene gender (Nomi de genero epiceno)

These are nouns having but one form to indicate either sex. The natural sex is indicated by the adjectives maschio male and femmina female:

l'acquila (maschio / femmina) eagle la cicogna (maschio / femmina) stork il serpente (maschio / femmina) snake la volpe (maschio / femmina) fox.

    Plural of the Nouns (Plurale dei Nomi)Generally, the plural is derived according to the following rules:  

. Endings Examples

. Sg. Pl. Singular Plural

-|o -|i letto bed letti beds-|a -|e donna woman donne women-|e -|i leone lion leoni lions-|tà unchanged città city città cities-|tù unchanged virtù virtue virtù virtues

-|è unchanged (un) caffè (one) coffey (due) caffè (two) coffeys

-|i unchanged analisi analysis analisi analyses[cons.] unchanged tram tramway tram tramways

  

RECUERDEN UDS

Obiettivo oggi -el 3 de febrero

1. Sentieri pagina 6 e 7 FOTORAMONZO -ascoltare2. Ripasso e l’attività pagina 6 e 7 Vero o falso?3. Pagina 8 Baci dall’Italia! Leggete4. Pagina 8 l’attività Vero o falso?

Social customs in ItalyHow do Italians greet each other?

A  simple Look at Italian Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette……..Some facts from the UK

Facts and Statistics (British English is used here)

The Italian Language

Italian is the official language of Italy, and 93% of population are native Italian speakers. Around 50% of population speak a regional dialect as mother tongue. Many dialects are mutually unintelligible and thus considered by linguists as separate languages, but are not officially recognised. Friulian, one of these dialects, is spoken by 600,000 people in the north east of Italy, which is 1% of the entire population. Other northern minority languages include Ladin, Slovene, German, which enjoys equal recognition with Italian in the province of Alto-Adige, and French, which is legally recognised in the Alpine region of the Val d'Aosta.

Albanian is spoken by 0.2% of the population, mainly in the southern part of Italy, as too are Croatian and Greek.

Catalan is spoken in one city, Alghero, on the island of Sardinia, by around 0.07% of the population. On the rest of the island, Sardinian is spoken by over 1m, which comes to 1.7% of the Italian population.

Italian Society & CultureItalian Family Values

The family is the centre of the social structure and provides a stabilizing influence

for its members.

In the north, generally only the nuclear family lives together; while in the south,

the extended family often resides together in one house.

The family provides both emotional and financial support to its members.

Italian Style

Appearances matter in Italy.

The way you dress can indicate your social status, your family's background, and

your education level.

First impressions are lasting impressions in Italy.

The concept of 'bella figura' or good image is important to Italians.

They unconsciously assess another person's age and social standing in the first

few seconds of meeting them, often before any words are exchanged.

Clothes are important to Italians.

They are extremely fashion conscious and judge people on their appearance.

You will be judged on your clothes, shoes, accessories and the way you carry

yourself.

Bella figura is more than dressing well. It extends to the aura your project too -

i.e. confidence, style, demeanour, etc.

Catholicism

The primary religion in Italy is Roman Catholic.

There are more Catholic churches per capita in Italy than in any other country.

Although church attendance is relatively low, the influence of the church is still

high.

Many office buildings will have a cross or a religious statue in the lobby.

Each day of the year has at least one patron saint associated with it.

Children are named for a particular saint and celebrate their saint's day as if it

were their own birthday.

Each trade and profession has a patron saint.

The church promulgates hierarchy, which can be seen in all Italian relationships.

They respect and defer to those who are older, those who have achieved a level

of business success, and those who come from well-connected families.

Etiquette & Customs in ItalyMeeting Etiquette

Greetings are enthusiastic yet rather formal.

The usual handshake with direct eye contact and a smile suffices between

strangers.

Once a relationship develops, air-kissing on both cheeks, starting with the left is

often added as well as a pat on the back between men.

Wait until invited to move to a first name basis.

Italians are guided by first impressions, so it is important that you demonstrate

propriety and respect when greeting people, especially when meeting them for

the first time.

Many Italians use calling cards in social situations. These are slightly larger than

traditional business cards and include the person's name, address, title or

academic honours, and their telephone number.

If you are staying in Italy for an extended period of time, it is a good idea to have

calling cards made. Never give your business card in lieu of a calling card in a

social situation.

Gift Giving Etiquette

Do not give chrysanthemums as they are used at funerals.

Do not give red flowers as they indicate secrecy.

Do not give yellow flowers as they indicate jealousy

If you bring wine, make sure it is a good vintage. Quality, rather than quantity, is

important.

Do not wrap gifts in black, as is traditionally a mourning colour.

Do not wrap gifts in purple, as it is a symbol of bad luck.

Gifts are usually opened when received.

Dining Etiquette

If invited to an Italian house:

If an invitation says the dress is informal, wear stylish clothes that are still rather

formal, i.e., jacket and tie for men and an elegant dress for women.

Punctuality is not mandatory. You may arrive between 15 minutes late if invited

to dinner and up to 30 minutes late if invited to a party.

If you are invited to a meal, bring gift-wrapped such as wine or chocolates.

If you are invited for dinner and want to send flowers, have them delivered that

day.

Table manners

Remain standing until invited to sit down. You may be shown to a particular seat.

Table manners are Continental -- the fork is held in the left hand and the knife in

the right while eating.

Follow the lead of the hostess - she sits at the table first, starts eating first, and is

the first to get up at the end of the meal.

The host gives the first toast.

An honoured guest should return the toast later in the meal.

Women may offer a toast.

Always take a small amount at first so you can be cajoled into accepting a

second helping.

Do not keep your hands in your lap during the meal; however, do not rest your

elbows on the table either.

It is acceptable to leave a small amount of food on your plate.

Pick up cheese with your knife rather than your fingers.

If you do not want more wine, leave your wine glass nearly full.

Business Etiquette and Protocol in ItalyRelationships & Communication

Italians prefer to do business with people they know and trust.

A third party introduction will go a long way in providing an initial platform from

which to work.

Italians much prefer face-to-face contact, so it is important to spend time in Italy

developing the relationship.

Your business colleagues will be eager to know something about you as a

person before conducting business with you.

Demeanour is important as Italians judge people on appearances and the first

impression you make will be a lasting one.

Italians are intuitive. Therefore, make an effort to ensure that your Italians

colleagues like and trust you.

Networking can be an almost full-time occupation in Italy. Personal contacts

allow people to get ahead.

Take the time to ask questions about your business colleagues family and

personal interests, as this helps build the relationship

Italians are extremely expressive communicators. They tend to be wordy,

eloquent, emotional, and demonstrative, often using facial and hand gestures to

prove their point.

Business Meeting Etiquette

Appointments are mandatory and should be made in writing (in Italian) 2 to 3

weeks in advance.

Reconfirm the meeting by telephone or fax (again in Italian).

Many companies are closed in August, and if they are open many Italians take

vacations at this time, so it is best not to try to schedule meetings then.

In the north, punctuality is viewed as a virtue and your business associates will

most likely be on time.

The goal of the initial meeting is to develop a sense of respect and trust with your

Italian business colleagues.

Have all your printed material available in both English and Italian.

Hire an interpreter if you are not fluent in Italian.

It is common to be interrupted while speaking or for several people to speak at

once.

People often raise their voice to be heard over other speakers, not because they

are angry.

Although written agendas are frequently provided, they may not be followed.

They serve as a jumping off point for further discussions.

Decisions are not reached in meetings. Meetings are meant for a free flow of

ideas and to let everyone have their say.

Business Negotiation

In the north, people are direct, see time as money, and get down to business

after only a brief period of social talk.

In the south, people take a more leisurely approach to life and want to get to

know the people with whom they do business.

Allow your Italian business colleagues to set the pace for your negotiations.

Follow their lead as to when it is appropriate to move from social to business

discussions.

Italians prefer to do business with high-ranking people.

Hierarchy is the cornerstone of Italian business. Italians respect power and age.

Negotiations are often protracted.

Never use high-pressure sales tactics.

Always adhere to your verbal agreements. Failing to follow through on a

commitment will destroy a business relationship.

Heated debates and arguments often erupt in meetings. This is simply a function

of the free-flow of ideas.

Haggling over price and delivery date is common.

Decisions are often based more on how you are viewed by the other party than

on concrete business objectives.

Dress Etiquette

Dressing well is a priority in Italy.

Men should wear dark coloured, conservative business suits.

Women should wear either business suits or conservative dresses.

Elegant accessories are equally important for men and women.

Business Cards

Business cards are exchanged after the formal introduction.

To demonstrate proper respect for the other person, look closely at their

business card before putting it in your card holder.

It is a good idea to have one side of your business card translated into Italian.

If you have a graduate degree, include it on your business card.

Make sure your title is on your card. Italians like knowing how you fit within your

organization.

Greetings in ItalyWhen you’re introduced to an Italian, you should say ‘good day’ (buongiorno) and shake hands (a single pump is enough). ‘Hello’ (ciao) is used among close friends and young people, but it isn’t considered polite when addressing strangers unless they use it first. Women may find that some men kiss their hand, although this is rare nowadays.

When being introduced to someone in a formal situation, it’s common to say ‘pleased to meet you’ ( molto lieto). When saying goodbye, you should shake hands again. It’s also customary to say ‘good day’ or ‘good evening’ ( buonasera) on entering a small shop, waiting room or lift, and ‘good day’ or ‘goodbye’ (arriverderci or, when addressing only one person, arrivederla) on leaving (friends say ciao).Buongiorno becomes buonasera any time after the lunch break (around 1pm), although if you choose buonasera(or buongiorno), don’t be surprised if the response isn’t the same. Good night ( buonanotte) is used when going to bed or leaving a house in the evening.Titles should generally be used when addressing or writing to people, particularly when the holder is elderly.Dottore is usually used when addressing anyone with a university degree ( dottoressa if it’s a woman) and employees may refer to their boss as director ( direttore) or presidente. Professionals should be addressed by their titles such as professor ( professore), doctor ( dottore), engineer ( ingegnere), lawyer ( avvocato) and architect ( architetto).If you don’t know someone’s title, you can use signore (for a man) or signora (woman); a young woman may be addressed as signorina, although nowadays all women tend to be addressed as signora.

Kissing in ItalyItalian families and friends usually kiss when they meet, irrespective of their sex. If a lady expects you to kiss her, she offers her cheek. Between members of the opposite sex the ‘kiss’ is deposited high up on the cheek, never on the mouth and isn’t usually really a kiss, more a delicate brushing of the cheeks accompanied by kissing noises.There are usually two kisses – first on the right cheek, then on the left. It’s also common in Italy for male relatives and close male friends to embrace each other.

Lei & TuWhen talking to a stranger, particularly older Italians, you should use the formal form of address ( lei). Don’t use the familiar form ( tu) or call someone by their Christian name until you’re invited to

do so. Generally the older or (in a business context) senior person invites the other to use the familiar tu form of address and first names.The familiar form is used with children, animals and God, but almost never with your elders or work superiors. However, Italians are becoming less formal and younger people often use tu and first names with colleagues. It’s customary to use lei in conversations with shopkeepers, servants, business associates and figures of authority (the local mayor) or those with whom you have a business relationship, e.g. your bank manager, tax officials and policemen.

InvitationsIf you’re invited to dinner by an Italian family (a rare honour), you should take along a small present of flowers, pastries or chocolates. Gifts of foreign food or drink aren’t generally well received unless they’re highly prized in Italy such as single malt whisky. Some people say you must never take wine, although this obviously depends on your hosts and how well you know them. If you do bring wine, it’s unlikely to be served with the meal, as the wine will have already been chosen.Flowers can be tricky, as some people associate them with certain things (e.g. chrysanthemums for cemeteries), but a florist will be able to advise you. It’s common for Italians to send a small note or gift the following day to thank people for their hospitality or kindness.Italians say ‘good appetite’ ( buon appetito) before starting a meal. If you’re offered a glass of wine, wait until your host has made a toast ( salute!) before drinking. If you aren’t offered another drink, it’s time to go home. You should, however, go easy on the wine and other alcohol, as if you drink to excess you’re unlikely to be invited back! It’s common in Italy to invite people to come after dinner ( dopo cena), e.g. from 9.30pm, for dessert and wine.

Dress code in ItalyItalians dress well and seem to have an inborn sense of elegance and style. Presentation and impression are all-important to Italians and are referred to as bella presenza or bella figura (literally ‘beautiful presentation or figure’). Italians generally dress well and appropriately, tending to be more formal in their attire than most northern Europeans and North Americans.

However, although they rarely loaf around in shorts or jogging pants, they also tend not to go to the other extreme of tuxedos and evening gowns. Italians judge people by their dress, the style and quality being as important as the appropriateness for the occasion. Italians consider bathing costumes, skimpy tops and flip-flops or sandals with no socks strictly for the beach or swimming pool, and not the street, restaurants or shops. (Italians believe that many foreigners are shameless in the way they dress and act in public and have no self respect.)They also choose the occasions when they wear jeans carefully, as these aren’t thought appropriate for a classy restaurant or church.Bella figura refers not only to the way you look, but also to the way you act and what you say. It’s similar in some ways to the oriental concept of ‘face’, and Italians must look good and be seen in the best light, always appearing to be in control and not showing ignorance or a lack of savoir-faire. It’s important not to show disrespect or ridicule an Italian.

Other CustomsYou should introduce yourself before asking to speak to someone on the telephone. Although the traditional siesta is facing a battle for survival, it isn’t recommended to telephone between 2 and 4pm, when many people have a nap or siesta, ( pisolino). If you must call between these times, it’s polite to apologise for disturbing the household.If you have a business appointment with an Italian, he will expect you to be on time, although he will invariably be five or ten minutes late. If you’re going to be more than five minutes late, it’s wise to telephone and apologise. Italians usually exchange business cards ( biglietti de da visita) on business and social occasions.

Customs and Etiquette in Italy:

GREETINGS

1: Upon meeting and leave-taking, both friends and strangers wish each other good day or good evening (buongiorno, buonasera); ciao isn't used between strangers. Italians who are friends greet each other with a kiss, usually first on the left cheek, then on the right. When you meet a new person, shake hands.

SIGHTSEEING

2: Italy is full of churches, and many of them contain significant works of art. They are also places of worship, however, so be sure to dress appropriately.3: Shorts, tank tops, and sleeveless garments are taboo in most churches throughout the country. In summer carry a sweater or other item of clothing to wrap around your bare shoulders before entering a church.4: You should never bring food into a church, and do not sip from your water bottle while inside. If you have a cell phone, turn it off before entering. And never enter a church when a service is in progress, especially if it is a private affair such as a wedding or baptism.

OUT ON THE TOWN

5: Table manners in Italy are formal; rarely do Italians share food from their plates. In a restaurant, be formal and polite with your waiter—no calling across the room for attention.6: When you've finished your meal and are ready to go, ask for the check (il conto); unless it's well past closing time, no waiter will put a bill on your table until you've requested it.7: Italians do not have a culture of sipping cocktails or chugging pitchers of beer. Wine, beer, and other alcoholic drinks are almost always consumed as part of a meal. Public drunkenness is abhorred.8: Smoking has been banned in all public establishments, much like in the United States.9: Flowers, chocolates, or a bottle of wine are appropriate hostess gifts when invited to dinner at the home of an Italian.

DOING BUSINESS

10: Showing up on time for business appointments is the norm and expected in Italy. There are more business lunches than business dinners, and even business lunches aren't common, as Italians view mealtimes as periods of pleasure and relaxation.11: Business cards are used throughout Italy, and business suits are the norm for both men and women. To be on the safe side, it is best not to use first names or a familiar form of address until invited to do so.12: Business gifts are not the norm, but if one is given it is usually small and symbolic of your home location or type of business.

LANGUAGE

You need not strive for fluency; even just mastering a few basic words and terms is bound to make chatting with the locals more rewarding.14: "Please" is per favore, "thank you" is grazie, and "you're welcome" is prego.15: In larger cities such as Venice, Rome, and Florence, language is not a big problem. Most hotels have English speakers at their reception desks, and if not, they can always find someone who speaks at least a little English. You may have trouble communicating in the countryside, but a phrase book and expressive gestures will go

Customs and Etiquette in Italy

Everybody knows (or at least assumes) that Italians are a warm, friendly people.  But beneath the surface of this easy, genteel exterior lays a refined undertone of rigid customs and etiquette in Italy that might not be apparent to the foreigner at first glance.

I’ve talked previously about the concept of fare una bella figura (making a beautiful figure).  I had tried to emphasize that while clothing is the most visible sign of this practice, it might not be the most important.

Indeed, your behavior says more about you than your couture, even if the subtleties can be lost on foreigners.  Take off your sunglasses when you address someone, and remove your gloves when you shake hands.  Don’t wear a hat indoors.  Cover yourself properly when entering a church.  Get your elbows off the table!  And always respect your elders.  Yes, manners matter.Italian society as a whole is really fond of courtesy forms and recognition of titles given by job positions, level of education, age, or—even more difficult for a foreigner to understand—the grade of acquaintance with a specific person.Let’s start from that last point. In English, we address anyone and everyone in the second person (singular and plural) with “you.” It could be your best friend, your teacher, your priest, or President Obama; but the fact is, that’s the only form available.

In Italian, instead, when you bump into a stranger while walking down the street and you want to apologize—or when you want to thank the restaurant owner for

the complimentary shot of limoncello, you would use the third person “Lei”

instead of “tu” (you).  It’s a form of respect and deference that maintains a

certain social distance between people that are not familiar with each other.

Customs and Etiquette in Italy

“Piacere di conoscerLa, signorina.”

The same use of this courtesy form occurs when speaking to somebody older than you, or when you are approaching a professional person that you are working with.   Often you might address them with the third person “Lei” form of the verb plus the title that the person has (Dottor, Maestro, Avvocato, etc.)Funny how such a (supposedly) warm population likes to keep this type of formality, right?

If the use of “Lei” and other titles might persist in certain formal occasions, once you have introduced yourself to a person you might ask politely if he or she is comfortable with the friendlier and more direct “tu,” corresponding to the English

“you.” (Possiamo darci del tu?) In almost every case, the person will agree with your request.

This is actually an opportunity to warm up quickly to a person that you’ve just met.  If you like the person, you’ll invite him/her to give you the “tu” right away. Note that the one who’s in charge of suggesting such a switch is the one of the higher social standing (i.e. your boss can tell you to use the “tu,” but you cannot suggest it to him).  And even if he/she addresses you in the “tu,” you should still use the “Lei” with them until asked to do otherwise.On the other hand, you can switch back to a “Lei” after a short “tu” phase if the person does something that offends you, and you want to put that distance back in place again.  In fact, in the middle of an argument you might remind the person, “Mi dia del Lei” to let them know openly that they’ve pissed you off and you want to keep your distance.

I have a foreign friend in Rome who happens to speak excellent Italian.  The reasoning for this linguistic eccentricity is best explained by Luigi Barzini in his seminal book, The Italians.  He says: “This form of address, the third person singular, is left over from the Spanish rulers.  It is a conventional way of talking not directly to a man, but to his aura, so to speak, to a shadowy persona, la sua signoria, his lordship.”

Don’t worry too much about this; I merely want to point out the existence of this phenomenon, which permeates social graces as well as the language.  Just understand that Italians are big on formalities, politeness, and respect for age, social status, and titles.

But being a foreigner, they realize that you’re not acquainted with this practice and they will usually give you plenty of leeway in your manner of speaking.  Also, in Rome the “Lei” might be used less than anywhere else in Italy.  Perhaps this is

due to the Latin inheritance, since Latin does not have such a form.  So relax and just do as the Romans do.

Perhaps more importantly for the visitor to Italy would be to abandon the idea of “getting right to the point,” whether you’re speaking in Italian or English.  Italians don’t like this way of conversing, and in fact are a bit put off by a person who forgets to say “good day” or “how are you?” before launching into his or her series of questions and demands.  It’s a good practice to slow down a bit and let the conversation warm up more naturally instead of reducing it to merely an exchange of information.  And don’t forget to say “grazie” at the end.

A History of Proper Decorum

I came across an excellent article the other day on the Italy Magazine website that addressed this exact topic and traced the historical evolution of these customs.  Very interesting, indeed.  The author reminds us of the Italian authority on such social graces, “Il Galateo overo de’ costume,” is a treatise of polite behavior written by Giovanni Della Casa in 1558 for the benefit of his nephew, a young Florentine destined for greatness.  You can see where some of these things are still held in esteem today in Italy, even if other countries have found reason to abandon such “rigorous” decorum. 

Here are a few examples:

Good Manners are always in fashion

There might be a time in the future when the etiquette of behavior and the courtesy forms of speech will be extinguished from Italian society—but not in your lifetime.  Until then, try to be aware of who you’re talking to and what strata of society that they belong to.  Overdosing on courtesy forms and titles can still be very flattering to many Italians, whether it’s your boss or a beautiful woman (or her mother, if you get that far).  Show some understanding of the local rules.  It’s always a good thing.

I VERBI

Il presente indicativoparl - are cred- ere part- ire

io parl - o cred- o part- otu parl- i cred-i part- ilui/lei parl- a cred- e part- enoi parl- iamo cred- iamo part-iamovoi parl- ate cred- ete part- iteloro parl- ano cred-ono part- ono

fin- ire (isco)fin- isco fin- isci fin-isce fin-iamo fin-itefin-iscono

 How to conjugate verbs / Come coniugare i verbi

Auxiliary verbs / Verbi ausiliari

The two most important verbs in Italian, by far, are avere (to have) and essere (to be). They are called verbi ausiliari (auxiliary verbs), and they are irregular in nearly every tense, including the present indicative, sometimes extremely so. Here are their conjugations.Avere (to have):

Italian English

(Io) ho I have

(tu) hai you (singular) have

(lui/lei/Lei) ha

he/she/you (singular formal) has

(noi) abbiamo we have

(voi) avete you (plural) have

(loro) Loro hanno they have / All of you have

Essere (to be):Italian English

(Io) sono I am

(tu) sei you (singular) are

(egli ella (lui)/ (lei)/Lei) è

he/she/you (singular formal) is

(noi) siamo we are

(voi) siete you (plural) are

(loro) sono they are

Egli = he / ella = she old Italian now used I writing/literature not used in daily speech.

Lui=he lei=she used now Lei=YOU FORMAL

Dov’è lei? Where is she?

Dov’è Lei Where are you?

Regular verbs / Verbi regolariIn Italian, regular verbs are the most common ones. They always end with -are, -ere, and -ire, are the same in the first person (singular and plural) and second person singular. They are different in the third person (singular and plural) and second person plural. According to the different suffix, verbs are assigned to one of the three regular conjugation of verbs in Italian. For instance:• amare (to love): is a first conjugation verb (prima

coniugazione);• ripetere (to repeat): is a second conjugation verb (seconda

coniugazione);• dormire (to sleep): is a third conjugation verb (terza

coniugazione).

Here is a table of the regular present

indicative for -are, -ere, and -ire verbs.

Who amàre (to love)

ripétere (to repeat)

dormìre (to sleep)

Io àmo ripéto dòrmo

tu àmi ripéti dòrmi

lui/lei/Lei àma ripéte dòrme

noi amiàmo ripetiàmo dormiàmo

voi amàte ripetéte dormìte

Essi/Esse

loroLoro

àmano ripétono dòrmono

It is important to note the change of stress position in different person forms. Regular verbs follow the same position change. Stress is shown in table above to help learning, it is not written in real texts (see Pronunciation for details on stress).

Irregular verbs / Verbi irregolariIn Italian, there are also several irregular verbs. A very few of them do not even apply to the conjugation previously seen, such as porre (to put down, to place) and tradurre (to translate); actually they derive from second conjugation (ponere,traducere). This is a list of common usage verbs which are known to be irregular, and do not apply to the conjugation rules seen before:

• andare (to go)• bere (to drink)• cercare (to seek, to look for)• dare (to give)• dire (to say)• fare (to do, to make)• piacere (to like)

• stare (to stay, to remain)• uscire (to leave, to

Below- IRREGULAR PRESENT TENSE VERBS IN ITALIANAndare (to go) Volere (to want) Venire (to come)

 io vado tu vai lui /lei /Lei va noi andiamo voi andate loro /Loro vanno

 io voglio tu vuoi lui /lei /Lei vuole noi vogliamo voi volete loro /Loro vogliono

 io vengo tu vieni lui /lei /Lei viene noi veniamo voi venite loro /Loro vengono

Fare (to make/do) Dovere (to have to) Dire (to say) io faccio tu fai lui /lei /Lei fa noi facciamo voi fate loro /Loro fanno

Note: we write fa without an accent

 io devo, debbo tu devi lui /lei /Lei deve noi dobbiamo voi dovete loro /Loro devono, debbono

 io dico tu dici lui /lei /Lei dice noi diciamo voi dite loro /Loro dicono

Dare (to give) Potere (to be able to) Salire (to go up) io do tu dai lui /lei /Lei dà noi diamo voi date loro /Loro danno

Note:we write do without an accent we write dà with an accent

 io posso tu puoi lui /lei /Lei può noi possiamo voi potete loro /Loro possono

 io salgo tu sali lui /lei /Lei sale noi saliamo voi salite loro /Loro salgono

Sapere (to know) Uscire (to go out) io so tu sai lui /lei /Lei sa noi sappiamo voi sapete loro /Loro sanno

Note:We write so and sa without an accent

 io esco tu esci lui /lei /Lei esce noi usciamo voi uscite loro /Loro escono

Bere (to drink)

 io bevo tu bevi lui /lei /Lei beve noi beviamo voi bevete loro /Loro bevono

Modal verbs / Verbi serviliThree other important verbs, dovere, potere and volere, are irregular too; these three particular verbs are known as verbi servili (modal verbs), as they have the function to “serve” and “support” other infinite verbs. In particular:• dovere is equivalent to the English modal verb must, but also

the have to form: for instance, devo studiare (I have to study, I must study).

• potere is equivalent to the English modal verbs can and may: for instance, puoi andare (You can go, you may go).

• volere expresses willingness to do something, and is actually equivalent to the English verbs to want, to wish and to will; for instance, voglio mangiare (I want to eat). The verb volere can be also used in non-modal forms, that is not in support of an infinite verb.

Another chart to examine the regular verbs in Italian:

Used for:• events happening in the present;• habitual actions;• current states of being and conditions.

amare/a

ˈmaːre/

credere/

ˈkreːdere/

dormire/dor

ˈmiːre/finire/fiˈniːre/

essere/

ˈɛssere/

avere/a

ˈveːre/

andare/an

ˈdaːre/

stare/

ˈstaːre/

dare/

ˈdaːre/

io/ˈiːo/

amo/ˈaːmo/

credo/ˈkreːdo/

dormo/ˈdɔrmo/

finisco/fiˈnisko/

sono/ˈsoːno/

ho/ɔ/

vado (Tuscan: vo)/ˈvaːdo//vɔ/

sto/stɔ/

do/dɔ/

tu/tu/

ami/ˈaːmi/

credi/ˈkreːdi/

dormi/ˈdɔrmi/

finisci/fiˈniʃʃi/

sei/ˈsɛi/

hai/ˈai/

vai/ˈvai/

stai/ˈstai/

dai/ˈdai/

lui / lei / Lei/ˈlui//ˈlɛi/

ama/ˈaːma/

crede/ˈkreːde/

dorme/ˈdɔrme/

finisce/fiˈniʃʃe/

è/ɛ/

ha/a/

va/va/

sta/sta/

dà/da/

noi/ˈnoi/

amiamo/aˈmjaːmo/

crediamo/kreˈdjaːmo/

dormiamo/dorˈmjaːmo/

finiamo/fiˈnjaːmo/

siamo/ˈsjaːmo/

abbiamo/abˈbjaːmo/

andiamo/anˈdjaːmo/

stiamo/ˈstjaːmo/

diamo/ˈdjaːmo/

voi / Voi/ˈvoi/

amate/aˈmaːte/

credete/kreˈdeːte/

dormite/dorˈmiːte/

finite/fiˈniːte/

siete/ˈsjɛːte/

avete/aˈveːte/

andate/anˈdaːte/

state/ˈstaːte/

date/ˈdaːte/

loro/

amano/

credono/

dormono

finiscon

sono/

hanno/ˈanno/

vanno/

stanno

danno

ˈloːro/

ˈaːmano/

ˈkreːdono/

/ˈdɔrmono/

o/fiˈniskono/

ˈsoːno/ ˈvanno//ˈstanno/

/ˈdanno/

• io credo "I believe"• lei dorme "she sleeps"

Pronouns are not obligatory in Italian, and they are normally only used when they are stressed. The conjugation of the verb is normally used to show the subject.

• credo "I believe"• credi "you believe" (2nd pers. sing.)• dorme "he/she sleeps"The pronoun tu (and corresponding verb forms) is used in the singular towards children, family members and close friends (cf. "thou"), whereas voi is used in the same manner in the plural (cf. "ye"). The pronouns Lei and Voi are used towards older people, strangers and very important or respectable people. Note that lei can also mean "she".Lei va "you are going" (formal)tu vai "you are going" (informal)vai "you are going" (informal)va "you are going" (formal)The irregular verb essere has the same form in the first person singular and third person plural.sono "I am"/"they are"The forms vado and faccio are the standard Italian first person singular forms of the verbs andare and fare, but vo and fo are used in the Tuscan dialect.The infix -isc- varies in pronunciation between /isk/ and /iʃʃ/, depending on the following vowel. Similar alternations are found in other verbs:leggo /ˈlɛɡɡo/ "I read" vs. leggi /ˈlɛddʒi/ "you read"dico /ˈdiːko/ "I say" vs. dici /ˈdiːtʃi/ "you say"etc.

another example of basic regular - ARE - ERE -IREconjugations

amare temere sentire finire

(io) amo (io) temo (io) sento (io) finisco(tu) ami (tu) temi (tu) senti (tu) finisci(lui, lei) ama (lui, lei) teme (lui, lei) sente (lui, lei) finisce(noi) amiamo (noi) temiamo (noi) sentiamo (noi) finiamo(voi) amate (voi) temete (voi) sentite (voi) finite(loro) amano (loro) temono (loro) sentono (loro) finiscono

BELOW: QUESTION WORDS

It may be a little late in the game for discussing these, but it's still worth covering the topic of question words in Italian and looking at some ways they might be used which aren't immediately apparent.

Che?

The word che in Italian means what, but when asking "what" questions it is preferred to ask che cosa, or "what thing". In fact, this is so common that it is actually possible to omit che and just ask cosa as if it were a question!

Che cosa fai?What are you doing?

Cosa hai detto?What did you say?

Chi?

The word chi means who. It can be used to ask and answer question about people.

Chi hai incontrato?Who did you meet?

chi riceve gli ospitihost (the one who receives guests)

Dove?

The word dove is used to ask where questions. Also, one interesting thing to note is that for questions of "how far?", Italians ask fin dove? or "ending where?".Di dove sei?Where are you from?

Fin dove andrai?How far will you go?

Quando?

The Italian word quando means when. It asks and answers "when" questions. When paired with da (from), it can be used to form the present perfect tense.Quando torni?When will you return?

Da quando sei qui?How long have you been here?

Perché?

The word perchè means both why and because.Sono in ritardo perché avevo dimenticato di mettere la sveglia.I an late because I forgot to set my alarm clock.

Dimme perchè.

Tell me why.

Come?

The word come means both how and like. It is capable of both asking and answering "how" questions.Come è vestido?How is he dressed?

È vestido come un poliziotto.He is dressed like a policeman.

It can also be used in the phrase come mai to ask "why" questions (how come).Come mai non sei venuto alla festa?Why didn't you come to the party?

Quanto?

The Italian word quanto translates both as how much and how many, depending on its ending. In English, we have separate words for questions about single or plural quantities. In Italian, you just pluralize the question word as you would any other word.Quanto sono grandi i cani?How big are the dogs?

Quanto anni hai?How old are you?

Quale?

The word quale is the equivalent of the English question word "which".Quale preferisci?

Which one do you prefer?

Quale macchina è la tua?Which car is yours?

Meeting people Introducing Yourself in Italian 

When meeting new people in Italy, you will most likely find yourself asking either ‘tu come ti chiami?’ or ‘Lei come si chiama?’ Both mean ‘what is your name’ but the first version is informal, and can be used with people of the same age or younger, and the second version is formal to be used with people of an older age or in a business / formal situation. Tu means you informal and Lei means you formal.If in doubt, use Lei and you may be invited to use Tu with the expression ‘Diamoci del tu?’ (Shall we use the informal with each other?)Male or Female? Gender confusing namesIf asking the name of a male, you may be surprised to hear them answer Andrea or Nicola as these are female names in the UK and US. The pronunciation in Italian is different, however, with the stress on the middle syllable, rather than the first one as it is in English. These are typical male names in Italy, along with others which can be gender confusing to non-Italians such as Gianmaria, Luca, Rosario and Toni (short for Antonio).

Typical expressions

There are some typical expressions we can use in addition to asking someone’s name when we meet them, such as:Ciao - HelloPiacere - Nice to meet youDi dove sei / di dov’è? - Where are you from (informal and formal)?Sono di ... - I am from ...Che lavoro fai / che lavoro fa? What’s your job (informal and formal)?Mi chiamo ... - My name is ...

MEETING PEOPLE more here……

Your handshake should be firm, and don't be surprised if your new friend moves in for a cheek kiss or shoulder slap. When greeting friends, cheek kisses on both sides are as common as shaking hands in Italy. Remember, though, if you're even in Russia or places like Lebanon they'll be expecting three kisses, not two.When you introduce yourself tell someone your name, first and last. For "my name is..." you can say "Io mi chiamo..." or "Il mio nome è...". If you have a nickname or preferred to be called by a shortened version of your name let people know up front.Eating and dining are an important part of Italian culture and one of the main way friends connect with one another. If you meet Italians during your vacation, don't be surprised if you're invited for a long, lazy dinner where conversation and laughter is shared over some good food. What better way to bond and unwind? Here is an example of a conversation that may occur between two people who have just met. The scene is a private home in Naples...YOU: "Ciao, mi chiamo Carlo, Carletto per gli amici, piacere di conoscerti. Come ti chiami?" = "Hi, I'm Carlo, but my friends call me Carletto. Nice to meet you. What's your name?"NEW FRIEND: "Io mi chiamo Claudia." = "I'm Claudia."Y: "Come va?" = "How are you doing?" or "How are you?"NF: "Io sto bene, grazie." = "I'm great, thanks."Y: "Di dove sei?" = "Where are you from?"NF: "Io sono italiano e vivo a Roma, e tu?" = "I'm Italian and I live in Rome and you?"Y: "Io vengo da Sidney." = "I'm from Sydney."NF: "Sei mai stata in Italia?" = "Have you ever been to Italy before?"

Y: "No, questa è la prima volta." = "No, this is the first time."NF: "Prego, accomodati!" = "Please, take a seat!"NF: "Vorresti un caffè o qualcosa altro da bere?" = "Would you like a coffee or something else to drink?"Y: "Si, grazie un caffè." = "Yes, thank you, a coffee."NF: "Ti stai divertendo qui?" = "Are you having a good time here?"Y: "Si certamente." = "Yes, of course."NF: "Cosa hai fatto di bello oggi?" = "What did you do today?"Y:  "Oggi sono andata al Maschio Angioino e ho fatto delle belle foto." = "Today I went to the Maschio Angioino and I took some beautiful pictures."NF: "Napoli è una bella città, e penso che valga la pena vederla una volta nella vita." = "Naples is a amazing city, I think it's worth seeing it once in a lifetime."Y: "Non molto tempo fa ho pensato a questo viaggio in Italia alla scoperta del paese natio di mio nonno." = "Not too long ago I decided to make this trip to explore the country where my grandfather was born."NF: "Che bella idea! Ricercare le tue radici è interessante. Dove vuoi andare precisamente?" = "What a great idea! Discovering your roots is very interesting. Where would you like to go, exactly?"Y: "Mio nonno era di Caserta, e domani vado là." = "My grandfather was born in Caserta and tomorrow I'm going there."NF: "Dal momento che non conosci bene la strada, posso procurarti una cartina." = "Given that you're not familiar with the area I can get you a map."Y: "Grazie, molto gentile." = "Thank you, that's very kind of you."NF: "Ad ogni modo se vuoi stare qui a lungo, mi piacerebbe farti fare un giro qui attorno." = "By the way, if you want to stay here longer, I would love to show you around."Y: "Grazie, sarebbe bello!" = "Thanks, that would be great!"NF: "Allora, fa' buon viaggio!" = "Well, then, have a great trip!"Y: Grazie per la tua ospitalità = "Thanks for your hospitality." This is only an example about what can be talked about when you meet someone

Nouns and articles in Italian

Italian Definite ArticlesIn English the definite article (l'articolo determinativo) has only

one form: the. In Italian, l’articolo determinativo has different forms according to the gender, number, and first letter of the noun or adjective it precedes.

i ragazzi e le ragazze (the boys and girls)il quaderno e la penna (the notebook and pen)

Here are some rules for using definite articles:

1. Lo (pl. gli) is used before masculine nouns beginning with s + consonant or z.

2. Il (pl. i) is used before masculine nouns beginning with all other consonants.

3. L’ (pl. gli) is used before masculine nouns beginning with a vowel.

4. La (pl. le) is used before feminine nouns beginning with any consonant.

5. L’ (pl. le) is used before feminine nouns beginning with a vowel.

The article agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies and is repeated before each noun.

la Coca–Cola e l’aranciata (the Coke and orangeade)

gli italiani e i giapponesi (the Italians and the Japanese)

le zie e gli zii (the aunts and uncles)

The first letter of the word immediately following the article determines the article’s form. Compare the following:

il giorno (the day)l’altro giorno (the other day)lo zio (the uncle)il vecchio zio (the old uncle)i ragazzi (the boys)

gli stessi ragazzi (the same boys)l’amica (the girlfriend)la nuova amica (the new girlfriend)

In Italian, the definite article must always be used before the name of a language, except when the verbs parlare (to speak) or studiare (to study) directly precede the name of the language; in those cases, the use of the article is optional.Studio l’italiano. (I study Italian.)

Parlo italiano. (I speak Italian.)Parlo bene l’italiano. (I speak Italian well.)

The definite article is used before the days of the week to indicate a repeated, habitual activity.

Domenica studio. (I’m studying on Sunday.)

Marco non studia mai la domenica. (Marco never studies on Sunday)

The Italian indefinite article (l'articolo indeterminativo)

corresponds to English a/an and is used with singular nouns. It also corresponds to the number one.

INDEFINITE ARTICLES

MASCHILE FEMMINILE

uno zio (uncle) una zia (aunt)

un cugino (cousin, m.)

una cugina (cousin, f.)

un amico (friend, m.) un’amica (friend, f.)

Uno is used for masculine words beginning with z or s + consonant;

un is used for all other masculine words.

Una is used for feminine words beginning with a consonant;

un’ is used for feminine words beginning with a vowel.

un treno e una biciclettaun aeroplano e un’automobileuno stadio e una stazione

Italian Vocabulary Things in a classroom

Vocabolario italiano - Italian vocabularyGLI OGGETTI IN UN'AULA - CLASSROOM OBJECTS

Italiano English

l'aula f classroom

il blocchetto per appunti notepad

la borsa bag

il cancellino board eraser

la carta paper

la cartella folder

la classe class

l'evidenziatore m highlighter pen

un foglio di carta a sheet of paper

il gessetto piece of chalk

la gomma eraser (US), rubber (GB)

la lavagna blackboard

la lavagna bianca whiteboard

il lettore di cassette tape player

il libro book

il libro di esercizi workbook

la matita pencil

il pastello crayon

il pennarello board pen, felt-tip pen

la perforatrice hole punch

il portafogli briefcase

il registratore tape recorder

il righello ruler

la scrivania desk

la scuola school

la sedia chair

il taccuino notebook

il temperamatite, il temperino pencil sharpener

alzare la mano to raise one's hand

aprire/chiudere il libro to open/close the book

ascoltare una cassetta to listen to a tape

cancellare la lavagna to clean the board

condividere il libro to share a book

fare una domanda to ask a question

guardare un video to watch a video

lavorare a coppie to work in pairs

lavorare a gruppi to work in groups

parlare col tuo compagno to talk to your partner

scambiare i posti to swap places

ENGLISHItalian School Words INGLESE 

ItalianoA B C D E F G

H IJ K L M N O

P QR S T U V W

X Y ZARTl'arte

BELLil

BOOK

ALPHABETl'alfabeto

BACKPACKlo zaino

campanello il libro

BOOKCASElo scaffale

CALCULATOR

la calcolatriceCLOCKl'orologio

COMPUTER

il computer

DESKla scrivania

DICTIONARY

il dizionario

EASELil cavalletto

ERASERla gomma

EXAMl'esame

GLOBEil

mappamondo

INKl'inchiostro

KEYBOARDla tastiera

LEARNimparare

A B C D E F G H I

J K L M N O P Q R

S T U V W X Y Z

LETTERSl'alfabeto

LUNCHil pranzo

MAGNETla calamita

MAPla mappa,la cartina

MEDALla medaglia

MOUSEil mouse

RULERla riga

SCALEla bilancia

SCHOOLla scuola

SCHOOL BUS

l'autobus della scuola

SCISSORSle forbici

STAPLERla cucitrice

TEACHinsegnare

TEACHERl'insegnante, professore, maestro/a

THINKpensare

Italian Adjectives INGLESE Italiano

ALIKEsimile

ANGRYarrabbi

atoBIG

grandeCLEANpulito

CLOSEDchiuso/chiu

sa

COLDfreddo

CUTEcarino

DIRTYsporco

2 x

DOUBLEdoppio

EARLYpresto

EMPTYvuoto

FASTveloce

FATgrasso

FIRSTprimo FULL

pieno

HAPPYfelice

HEALTHYsano

HOTcaldo

HUNGRYaffamato

LARGEgrande

LASTultimo

LITTLE

piccolo

LOUDrumoroso NARROW

stretto OPENaperto

QUIETsilenzioso

SADtriste SHORT

bassoSHUT

chiuso/chiusa

SICKmalato

SLOWlento SMALL

piccoloTALL

altoTHINmagro

UNHAPPYtriste

WIDElargo

YOUNG

giovane

Adjectives of nationality

djectives of nationality in ItalianTo find out somebody's nationality and where he or she comes from, we can ask the question:

Di dove sei (tu)? / Where are you from?

  - (Io) Sono di Buenos Aires. / I'm from Buenos Aires.   - (Io) Sono argentina. / I'm Argentinian.

Di che nazionalità è lui? / What

nationality is he?

  - Lui è giapponese. / He's Japanese.

(Voi) Siete inglesi? / Are you English?

  - Sì. / Yes.   - No, (noi) siamo americani. / No, we are American.

Listen to these dialogues:

Nazionalità e ProvenienzaThere aren't any rules to create adjectives of nationality. Usually they come from the same word as the country.One exception is for the country Germania, where the adjective is tedesco.

N.B: We use a small letter for the first letter of the adjective.

CountryAdjective of nationality 

-ano/aItalia

AmericaAustralia

EgittoMessico

ColombiaBrasileCorea

italiano/aamericano/aaustraliano/a

egiziano/amessicano/acolombiano/abrasiliano/acoreano/a

-eseInghilterra

IrlandaOlanda

FinlandiaNorvegia

CinaFrancia

PortogalloCanada

ingleseirlandeseolandese

finlandesenorvegese

cinesefrancese

portoghesecanadese-ense

Stati Uniti d'AmericaPanama

statunitensepanamense

-ino/aArgentina

AlgeriaTunisia

argentino/aalgerino/atunisino/aeno/a

IraqCile

iracheno/acileno/a-o/a

Russia russo/a

Grecia greco/a-e

LettoniaEstonia

lettoneestone

Adjectives of nationality with other suffixes:

-ita vietnamita

-egno ecuadoregno/a

-ota keniota

-acco polacco/aslovacco/a

The adjective for Romania, so as not to confuse it with "romano" (from Rome), is rumeno/a.

For some nations, there is no corresponding adjective and so to indicate nationality we say abitante di / cittadini di(inhabitant of / citizen of) plus the name of the country.

Examples:

Io sono abitante del Bangladesh. / I am an inhabitant of Bangladesh. Loro sono cittadini del Botswana. / They are citizens of Botswana.

The adjectives for the continents are as follows:

Continent AdjectiveAmerica

(Oceania) AustraliaAsia

AfricaEuropa

americano/aaustraliano/a

asiatico/aafricano/aeuropeo/a

COGNATE ADJECTIVES

Content/a

Difficile

Onesto

Disonesto

Importante

Indipendente

Intelligente

Interessante

Lungo

Nervosa

Serio

Sincero

Socievole

Studioso

Timido e tranquillo

Other common Adjectives

Antipatico

Bello

Bravo

Buono

Cattivo

Divertente

Facile

Felice

Noioso

Pigro

Simpatico

Triste

La pizza e’ buona.

L’insegnante e’ brava!

E’ un libro noioso.

Sono ragazzi studiosi.

Che ore sono? Che ora e’ ?

Telling TimeTelling time in Italian

You've got to know the time if you want to see those Botticelli paintings at the Uffizi in Florence. Luckily, there are two ways to ask "What time is it?" in Italian: Che ora è? andChe ore sono? If the time is one o'clock, noon, or midnight, the answer is in the singular; for all other hours, it is plural. Note that the phrase "o'clock" has no direct equivalent in Italian.

Che ora è? (What time is it?)Che ore sono? (What time is it?)È l'una. (It's one o'clock.)È mezzogiorno. (It's noon.)È mezzanotte. (It's midnight.)Sono le tre e quindici. (It's 3:15.)È mezzo giorno e dieci. (It's 12:10.)

COMMON TERMS RELATED TO TELLING TIMEmorning di mattinonoon mezzogiornoafternoon del pomeriggioevening di sera

COMMON TERMS RELATED TO TELLING TIMEmidnight mezzanottea quarter un quartoa quarter after/past e un quartohalf past e mezzoa quarter to/before meno un quartosharp in punto

Store hours, TV timetables, performance listings, and other time references are written differently in Italy. When telling time, commas replace colons. For example, 2:00 becomes 2,00; 2:30 becomes 2,30; 2:50 becomes 2,50.

The following table shows how you would tell the time from 5:00 to 6:00.

TELLING TIME 5:00-6:005,00 Sono le cinque.5,10 Sono le cinque e dieci.5,15 Sono le cinque e un quarto.5,20 Sono le cinque e venti.5,30 Sono le cinque e mezzo.5,40 Sono le sei meno venti.5,45 Sono le sei meno un quarto.5,50 Sono le sei meno dieci.6,00 Sono le sei.

As in most of Europe, Italy uses the so-called "official time" (equivalent to "military time" in the United States) in train schedules, performances, movie timetables, radio, TV, and office hours. Between friends and in other informal situations, Italians may use the numbers from 1 to 12 to indicate time, and the context of the conversation will usually be sufficient. After all, La Scala doesn't have performances at eight in the morning!

Fine parte I

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