‘Braccine corte‘ means ‘short arms’, but if someone tells you “Avere le braccine corte“, they’re not referring to the length of your appendages… The Italian phrase “Avere le braccine corte” is an interesting idiom that literally translates to “to have short arms.” However, if someone tells you this, they are not commenting on the length […]
Squeeze every last drop of flavour from your plate with the Italian tradition of “fare la scarpetta” “Fare la scarpetta” is a unique Italian phrase that embodies the country’s culinary and cultural traditions. The literal translation of the phrase is “do the little shoe,” but it’s used to describe the act of cleaning the plate […]
In this edition of our bilingual feature, Tom Alberto Bull invites you to a hand of Burraco, the card game that’s become all the rage in Italy KEY WORDS Useful Italian words and phrases to add to your vocabulary Fare il quarto/la quarta To make up a foursome Un gioco di carte A card game […]
Discover the meaning of magari, a useful word that can express your hopes, wishes, and desires… Magari is an Italian word that has no direct translation in English. It comes from the Greek word “makàrios“, which means a blessed or happy event. In Italian, “magari” is a versatile word that can be used to express a […]
In this edition of our bilingual feature, Tom Alberto Bull reports on the rise and – in hindsight at least, inevitable – fall of the Domino’s pizza chain in Italy, home of the handmade pizza KEY WORDS Useful Italian words and phrases to add to your vocabulary Cotta (cotto) alla perfezione Cooked to perfection Prosciutto […]
‘Latte’ seems like a fairly simple Italian word, but there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye… Latte (pl. latti) meaning ‘milk’. In English, we understand it to mean a delicious steamy coffee, but in Italian ‘latte‘ simply means ‘milk’. So, to avoid being handed a glass of the white stuff, ensure you […]
‘Culaccino’ is an Italian word which sums up an irritating party phenomenon. We teach you the meaning of this word and how to use it… We all know this stain. The unsightly ring left on a wooden table when someone doesn’t use a coaster for their cold drink. It’s infuriating. Well, did you know that […]
Molise is the youngest of Italy’s 20 regions, and perhaps its least-known. Decidedly mountainous in the west (and quite hilly in the east) it is perceived as being inaccessible – which makes it the perfect destination for the intrepid Heather Crombie. Situated between sea and mountains, half way between the centre and the south of Italy, […]
Donald Trump’s election to the US presidency took many by surprise, writes Tom Alberto Bull. But of course the Italians have seen this sort of thing before, in the form of Silvio Berlusconi… Back to the future Here in the UK, Donald Trump’s rise to the White House took everyone by surprise. His background in […]
Speaking Italian isn’t all about cramming verbs and vocabulary as Amanda Robinson discovers when she takes a language course with a difference in the heart of Le Marche. The fragrant aroma of our morning caffè rises up from the iron lattice table, strewn with notebooks and dictionaries as we wrestle with the basics of Italian. A […]