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Marika spiega
Beginner
210 Videos

Marika explains a great many things connected with the Italian language and culture. Geared towards beginners, the videos include Italian lessons, simple recipes, conversation, and lots more.

129 Episodes
Videos
Showing 1-200 of 210 Totaling 13 hours 33 minutes

Marika spiega - Proverbi italiani - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika tells us about Italian sayings and proverbs, providing examples about life, love, and the weather.

Marika spiega - Proverbi italiani - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Marika teaches us some other Italian sayings, regarding time; working on one's own, instead of being assisted; and even about people who drink too much, who might let down their guard, saying things they wouldn't say while sober.

Marika spiega - Settimana, stagioni e mesi

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

In this video, Marika explains the days of the week, the months and the seasons of the year. Learn them now with Marika!

Marika spiega - Direzioni

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

In this video, Marika moves around explaining directions (prepositions of place and direction). You need to refresh these as well? Well, repeat them with Marika!

Marika spiega - I colori

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Curious to know how Italians relate to certain colors? Let's review the colors with Marika and learn some Italian expressions associated with them.

Marika spiega - Gli arti superiori

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika introduces us to the various parts of the upper body with the help of the doll Quincy and ten other little assistants.

Marika spiega - Il busto e gli arti inferiori

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

In this video, Marika - with the help of Quincy - tells us about the chest and lower limbs of the human body. The lower limbs are attached to the chest at its base.

Marika spiega - La vera storia di Babbo Natale - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika tells us the true story of Father Christmas. Saint Nicholas was a bishop who was imprisoned in the fourth century after Christ, when Christians were being persecuted. Curious to hear more? Then listen to Marika.

Marika spiega - La vera storia di Babbo Natale - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Here we go with the second part of the story. Marika tells how the legend of Saint Nicholas became famous through the world and how he came to be known as Santa Claus, who brings presents to children.

Marika spiega - La Vigilia di Natale

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Marika takes a small poll of Italians to find out how they spend Christmas Eve, what they eat, and, above all, whether or not they follow particular traditions.

Marika spiega - La testa

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Today Marika talks to us about the head and the face. You can learn or practice by repeating after her.

Marika spiega - Il Carnevale in Italia - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Are you curious to hear about Carnival celebrations in Italy? Marika describes for us some of the traditions and curiosities.

Marika spiega - Il Carnevale in Italia - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Are you familiar with any of the famous characters from the Commedia dell'Arte? And, what about "chats" that are a fantastic taste treat. Marika will tell you all about them.

Marika spiega - Numeri Cardinali e Ordinali

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika gives a lesson about numbers, both cardinal and ordinal ones.

Marika spiega - Numeri moltiplicativi, distributivi

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika talks about multiplicative numbers as well as numbers concerning periods of time.

Marika spiega - Le forme geometriche con Nicolas

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Do you already know the names of geometric figures in Italian? Review now with Marika and her very helpful little assistant, Nicolas.

Marika spiega - La frutta e la verdura - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika names some of the delicious fruits available in Italy. In general the fruits themselves are feminine, while the plants on which they grow take the masculine form.

Marika spiega - La frutta e la verdura - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika takes us through the vegetables used in Italian cooking. Buon appetito!

Marika spiega - L'euro in Italia, con Anna

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika tells us about the euro in Italy. Learn or review the names of the coins and bills, and go with Anna to buy some items she needs for school.

Marika spiega - Pettegolezzi in ufficio con Anna

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Office gossip, the Italian way. Marika and Anna dish about the boss, the boss's nephew, the boss's nephew with the wife of the old boss, a temp--all while pretending to work.

Marika spiega - Gli animali della fattoria

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika goes over the names of farm animals, what their young are called, and the onomatopoetic calls of the animals.

Marika spiega - I veicoli

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika takes us to Rome, and talks about all the different ways we can get around--trains, scooters, and even hydrofoils.

Marika spiega - Le emozioni

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika gives us a helpful guide to describing your feelings in any given moment.

Marika spiega - Gli opposti

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Big or small, thick or thin? Marika gives you a jump start to some of the most common opposites used in everyday Italian. You'll get the picture!

Marika spiega - Gli attrezzi

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika gets to help a friend in need, and at the same time, show off her skill at using a hammer and nails. She tells us how she put together a chest of drawers and put up a shelf all in a morning's work, and had fun doing it.

Marika spiega - Le pentole e le posate

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika shows us the various pots and pans, plates and silverware used every day in Italian kitchens, dining rooms and restaurants.

Marika spiega - L'orologio

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

What time is the right time to say "Buongiorno?" Marika explains it and talks about how Italians tell time.

Marika spiega - L'abbigliamento - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika tells us about the clothes people wear, from underwear to winter coats.

Marika spiega - L'abbigliamento - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

What would you wear if you had to do sports, go to the beach, or if it were cold? Marika teaches you the names for items of clothing, as well as an Italian saying on the subject.

Marika spiega - Le pulizie di primavera - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

It's time for spring cleaning. Marika shows us how, and more importantly, she gives us the names of the tools we'll need.

Marika spiega - Le pulizie di primavera - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

More spring cleaning! Marika shows us how to dust, and what materials to use. She goes on to wash the windows, and then the dishes.

Marika spiega - Gli aggettivi possessivi

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Whose keys are these? Marika explains how to answer this kind of question and more. Occhio! (look out!): his and hers are the same!

Marika spiega - Il nome dei negozi - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Do you have shoes that need repair? Or maybe you need new sunglasses? Marika walks around a residential neighborhood, pointing out the different shops.

Marika spiega - Il nome dei negozi - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Join Marika as she walks around the city pointing out different kinds of shops. Learn where to get that flat tire on your bicycle fixed. And discover the unlikely name of the place you go to get your dry cleaning done.

Marika spiega - L'alfabeto

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

You can't learn a language without knowing its alphabet. Here's Marika to teach you the Italian one. Pay special attention when she gets to J! It's one of the letters that wasn't in the original alphabet of 21 letters.

Marika spiega - La pronuncia - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Once you know the rules, pronouncing Italian words correctly is not so hard. Some consonants change their pronunciation depending on what vowel follows them. Marika helps you get started.

Marika spiega - La pronuncia - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika explains some more rules for pronouncing "C" and "G."

Marika spiega - Fare lo spelling

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Often, when making a phone reservation for a restaurant, theatre, or museum, you'll be asked to spell your name. Marika gives us an example of how it's done in Italian.

Marika spiega - Le doppie

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Double letters are taken very seriously in Italian, so pay careful attention as Marika shows us how they work. You'll see why they're so important!

Marika spiega - Il genere maschile

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika gives us helpful hints for recognising masculine nouns, as well as some important exceptions.

Marika spiega - Il genere femminile

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Dealing with gender in Italian can be tricky. Most feminine nouns do end in "a," but not all. If it were only that easy! Marika tells us some of the main types of exceptions, putting them into categories to help us remember.

Marika spiega - Il plurale - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika introduces the three classes of plural nouns. She even has a tiny assignment for you!

Marika spiega - Il plurale - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Some nouns are the same in the singular and the plural. Marika makes it easy by dividing them into categories. She also gives us some important advice regarding nouns from other languages.

Marika spiega - I segni dello Zodiaco - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Whether or not you take stock in astrology, Marika gives you plenty of new vocabulary for talking about personality, while describing the characteristics attributed to the first three signs of the zodiac: Aries, Taurus and Gemini.

Marika spiega - I segni dello Zodiaco - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika explains the next three signs of the zodiac, Cancer, Leo, and Virgo. Learn plenty of adjectives that describe people's personalities.

Marika spiega - I segni dello Zodiaco - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

This time Marika talks about Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius. There's lots of good vocabulary having to do with personality!

Marika spiega - I segni dello Zodiaco - Part 4

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Here are the last three signs of the Zodiac, with new expressions and new vocabulary. The signs Marika talks about are Capricorno (Capricorn), Acquario (Aquarius), and Pesci (Pisces).

Marika spiega - Tu e io, me e te

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Just as in English, you would never say "I and you," there are rules in Italian, too for using these personal pronouns (io (I), tu (you-subject), me (me), te (you-object). Marika explains it all and gives you examples!

Marika spiega - La formazione dei nomi - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Many nouns are formed by adding suffixes to another word. If you know the original word, you can guess the noun. If you know the noun, you can guess the original word. Marika shows you how!

Marika spiega - La formazione dei nomi - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika tells us more about suffixes, and this time explains how to form nouns from adjectives. There's homework to do, too!

Marika spiega - Le parole composte - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Just as in English, Italian has a great many compound nouns. Marika explains the different types. A proposito, this time she greets us a new way, saying buondì. It's simply another way of saying buongiorno. is another way of saying giorno (day). Diurno is its relative adjective, meaning "daytime."

Marika spiega - Le parole composte - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

There are lots of ways to form compound nouns, and lots of different ways to form their plurals. Marika fills us in.

Marika spiega - La formazione dei contrari

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

To form the opposite of a word in Italian, there are different kinds of prefixes. Marika explains how they work.

Marika spiega - La formazione degli aggettivi

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika explains how to form adjectives from nouns, by using various suffixes.

Marika spiega - Le parole alterate

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

It's a very Italian thing to alter a word to make it mean something bigger, smaller, or worse. You just need to know the right suffix to add to the word. Marika shows you how.

Marika spiega - Expo 2015 - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

2015 is an exciting year for Italy, because this year's Expo is in Milan. Marika was lucky enough to go, and she's eager to share her experience with you. But first she gives you a little background on how the Expo got started as a phenomenon.

Marika spiega - Expo 2015 - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Marika shares her impressions and her bubbling enthusiasm for the Expo 2015 held in Milan until the October thirty-first of this year. We hope you get the chance to go!

Marika spiega - I verbi riflessivi e reciproci

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika introduces us to an area where Italian and English have some important differences: reflexive and reciprocal verbs. For extra help, see: Reflections on the Reflexive and Ci Gets Around: Part 1

Marika spiega - Il presente progressivo

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Can you answer the question, cosa stai facendo (What are you doing)? If not, take a look at this video where Marika explains the presente progressivo (present continuous tense).

Marika spiega - La forma impersonale

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

The third person "impersonal" has mostly gone out of fashion in English, but in Italian it's used all the time. Although in English it's common to use "you" or the passive voice, we've used the impersonal "one" here, in order to understand better how it works.

Marika spiega - I pronomi diretti

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika gives us an overview on how to use direct object pronouns, which take the place of direct objects when the object has already been referred to. Here's an example of this in English:
"Do you know the answer [direct object noun]?" "Yes I know it [direct object pronoun]."

Marika spiega - Le preposizioni di luogo - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Using the prepositions "to" and "at" in Italian can be tricky, because there's one Italian word for both: a. Marika gives us some tips.

Marika spiega - Le preposizioni di luogo - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika explains when to use the prepositions: in (to), da (from), di (of, from), and per (for, to, by). There's no need to learn them all at once!

Marika spiega - I pronomi diretti con participio passato

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika shows us the rules about using direct object pronouns. Don't be discouraged if you don't absorb it all at once. It takes plenty of practice, and plenty of trial and error. See first part: Marika spiega - Pronomi diretti

Marika spiega - La Parmigiana di melanzane - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Melanzane alla Parmigiana, or La parmigiana di melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan) is a classic recipe from the Campania region. Marika shows us how to make it, one step at a time.

Marika spiega - La Parmigiana di melanzane - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Marika prepares the eggplant slices by baking them in the oven—a much lighter way of preparing the eggplant layers than the traditional frying method.

Marika spiega - La Parmigiana di melanzane - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

It's time to check the eggplant in the oven. And what about the slices that were a bit too sottili (thin)? Will they have burned? Note that English mostly uses eggplant as a collective noun (in the singular) but Italian, unless referring specifically to a single eggplant, uses the plural le melanzane when referring to eggplant in general, and to the slices themselves.

Marika spiega - La Parmigiana di melanzane - Part 4

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

We've finally reached the last part of this recipe. Now you can make this dish yourself. Don't forget to pre-heat the oven to two hundred and twenty or two hundred and forty degrees (428-464°F). If you happen to have any leftover afterwards, you can safely freeze it. Buon appetito!

Marika spiega - L'ingresso di casa

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika shows us the entryway of her apartment, from the intercom to the coat rack.

Marika spiega - La camera dei bambini

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika shows us her children's cozy bedroom. You may notice that there is an emphasis on drawing and coloring. Italian students are graded on their drawings.

Marika spiega - Il corridoio

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

We continue getting acquainted with Marika's apartment. This time she shows us the hall with its furnishings.

Marika spiega - Il bagno

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

It's time for the grand tour of a very important room in Marika's apartment, the bathroom! You'll notice she gets a little mixed up between hot and cold water faucets! Don't worry--the position is the same in Italy as in other countries!

Marika spiega - La camera da letto

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika shows us her apartment's master bedroom.

Marika spiega - La cucina

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika shows us around her kitchen, the heart of the household. We can bet it's her favorite room of all!

Marika spiega - Il salone

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika gives us a tour of her living room, where the family is entertained, and where she has lunch and dinner parties for guests.

Marika spiega - Espressioni con animali

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

In many languages, animals are used to describe human characteristics, but not every language uses the same animal for the same characteristic! Marika shares with us the Italian point of view.

Marika spiega - Il verbo dire

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

There are plenty of idiomatic expressions connected with certain verbs. Marika tells us about expressions with dire (to say).

Marika spiega - Il verbo fare

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

The verb fare (to do, to make) is used in lots of expressions. Marika talks about some of the most common ones.

Marika spiega - Il verbo prendere

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika has a nice group of Italian idiomatic expressions using the verb prendere (to take).

Marika spiega - La divisione in sillabe - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

By popular request, Marika has a great lesson on dividing words into syllables.

Marika spiega - La divisione in sillabe - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika has more tips on how to divide syllables and some fun practice words, too.

Marika spiega - L'elisione - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Several Yabla users asked about elisions and contractions, and how, when, and where they're used. This is Marika's first of three videos on this essential topic.

Marika spiega - L'elisione - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika tells us more about the use of elisions in Italian.

Marika spiega - L'elisione - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

In some cases using an elision is not grammatically correct. Marika explains some of these cases.

Marika spiega - Il troncamento - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Marika's first of three lessons on truncation, where she compares elision to truncation. There are many useful examples, such as: mar, san, buon, ben, and signor.

Marika spiega - Il troncamento - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Marika outlines exceptions to the rules governing truncation, and provides many useful examples.

Marika spiega - Il troncamento - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

The final segment on truncation covers imperative mood verbs that take apostrophes, as well as expressions concerning maladies.

Marika spiega - Gli accenti - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika's opening segment on accents and accentuation in Italian.

Marika spiega - Gli accenti - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika covers the grave and acute accents, providing examples of words that have entirely different meanings because of their accentuation.

Marika spiega - Gli accenti - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika's last segment on accents covers some fun homographs. She also provides advice on learning the correct pronunciation of words.

Marika spiega - Gli scioglilingua

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

What in English is called a tongue-twister, in Italian is a scioglilingua, or tongue loosener. The Trentine one, with the alliterated Ts, is the most successful in English translation.

Marika spiega - Il Verbo Mettere - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika, in her lesson on the verb mettere (to put, to set) includes some commonly used expressions.

Marika spiega - Il Verbo Mettere - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika provides more useful expressions that employ the verb mettere [to put]. Mettere a posto [to put in order, to tidy up] is one that is used on a daily basis.

Marika spiega - Il verbo chiudere

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika relates some expressions using the verb chiudere [to close, to shut]. A number of these are very close to English expressions.

Marika spiega - I verbi cavare e togliere

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika focuses on the verbs cavare and togliere, both of which mean to remove. She also provides some expressions for both verbs.

Marika spiega - Il balcone

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika shows us her balcony, highlighting its utilitarian and pleasure sides. Washing machines are often placed on balconies. This is because Rome's climate is mild and there is little danger of frozen pipes.

Marika spiega - I verbi transitivi

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika's lesson is on transitive verbs, or verbs that take direct objects, known as complemento oggetto in Italian.

Marika spiega - I verbi intransitivi

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika's lesson is on intransitive verb and how to recognize them. She has some interesting things to say on southern Italian speech and the influence of Spanish.

Marika spiega - Il verbo andare

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika's lesson is on the all important verb andare [to go]. She includes a number of common expressions using this irregular verb.

Marika spiega - La particella CI - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika starts off her 3-part series on particles, otherwise known as function words. In this segment, she mostly concentrates on the locative function of the particle ci.

Marika spiega - La particella CI - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika's lesson concentrates on how the pronouns: mi [me], ti [you], vi [you, plural] are used in conjunction with the particle "ci."

Marika spiega - La particella CI - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika covers with the pronominal particle ci, this time providing examples as to how it is used with the direct pronouns: lo, la, li, and le.

Marika spiega - La particella NE - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika discusses the particle "ne" and provides examples of how it is used as a partitive pronoun (some, none) among other uses.

Marika spiega - La particella NE - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika's lesson involves the use of the particles ce and ne when they are side by side in a sentence.

Marika spiega - La particella NE - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Gliene is the double object pronoun that Marika focuses on in this segment.

Marika spiega - Il verbo mancare

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika features the verb mancare [to miss] and provides numerous expressions using the verb.

Marika spiega - Il raffreddore

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika's video on the flu also includes a lot of useful vocabulary on first aid kits.

Marika spiega - Il verbo venire - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika focuses on the verb venire [to come], providing lots of useful examples of how it is used, and also contrasting it with the verb andare [to go].

Marika spiega - Il verbo venire - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika continues her lesson on the all-important verb venire [to come], providing many useful examples of its use.

Marika spiega - I verbi venire e andare - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika goes over the verbs andare [to go] and venire [to come], verbs that are often mistakenly interchanged. She also highlights the expression, va bene, which can indicate that things are going nicely or can be used to voice agreement.

Marika spiega - I verbi venire e andare - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika continues with her lesson on the crucial verbs, andare [to go] and venire [to come], and provides many useful examples.

Marika spiega - L'insalata di pasta - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Here's a summer recipe that uses simple but good ingredients.

Marika spiega - L'insalata di pasta - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika finishes explaining how to make a delicious pasta salad, so you'll be ready to give it a try in your own kitchen. Buon appetito!

Marika spiega - I pronomi combinati - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Marika, in response to Yabla user requests, begins her 3-part lesson on those pesky little words (Me plus lo, la, li, le, and ne, together with Ti plus lo, la, li, le, and ne), otherwise known as combined pronouns or double pronouns.

Marika spiega - I pronomi combinati - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Marika covers these super tricky combined pronouns: glielo, gliela, glieli, gliene, and gliele.

Marika spiega - I pronomi combinati - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Marika wraps up her lessons on combined pronouns in which ci acts as a stand in for places.

Marika spiega - Gli avverbi - Avverbi di luogo

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika begins a five-part series on the five different types of adverbs in Italian. Location adverbs, which would be termed more “prepositions” in English, are the focus of this segment. In Italian, the difference between adverbs, prepositions and conjunctions is often blurry.

Marika spiega - Gli avverbi - Avverbi di tempo

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Marika discusses adverbs of time, including: subito [immediately], mai [never], and talvolta [sometimes].

Marika spiega - Gli avverbi di modo

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

It may come as a relief to see that Italian adverbs of manner are similar to English ones. But when Marika starts giving us some [very useful] idiomatic adverbial phrases using adjectives, it's slightly more complicated.

Marika spiega - Avverbi di quantità

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

How much is too much? Marika explains about quantity, and shares some common idioms about quantity and degree that can come in very handy.

Marika spiega - Oggetti in ufficio

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika shows us what materials she uses in her small home office. Whether you work or go to school, these terms will come in handy.

Marika spiega - Biancheria

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

The noun biancheria (linens) comes from bianco, the Italian word for "white." Marika tells us why that is, and takes us around the house to look at the different kinds we use.

Marika spiega - Saluti verbali e a gesti

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Greeting people is the first thing we do when we meet up with someone, so it's important to know how to do it right, especially when you don't know the person. Marika shows us how.

Marika spiega - Cosa - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

The word cosa (thing) in Italian is an extremely useful word, especially when you don't know the real word for something. Marika tells us about how it's used in Italian everyday conversation.

Marika spiega - Cosa - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

The word cosa (thing, something, what) is used a great deal in Italian. In speech, it's especially used in questions to mean "what." Marika explains how this works.

Marika spiega - Come - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Come is an important question word that means "how," but it also fulfills plenty of other roles. Marika spells out the ways...

Marika spiega - Come - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

In this second part, you will master using come (how) in questions and exclamations.

Marika spiega - Quando - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Quando (when) is an important question word. It can be used as either an adverb or a conjunction.

Marika spiega - Quando - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Here is some more about the very useful adverb and conjunction quando (when). It's comforting to know that quando is usually translated with "when," but there are a few exceptions, and above all, there are some new expressions to learn.

Marika spiega - Conversazione - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Daniela and Marika show us the basics of making conversation between 2 people who know each other as well as between strangers, or people of different ages.

Marika spiega - Conversazione - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika and Daniela continue their conversation about making conversation in Italian. They even talk a little bit about baby talk, Italian style, including the vezzeggiativo (affectionate) form of adjectives.

Marika spiega - Adottare dei gatti - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Marika shares some of her childhood with us, specifically, her experience of having a puppy grow up beside her as part of the family. Now she has children of her own, and wants to give them that same special experience.

Marika spiega - Adottare dei gatti - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Adopting a dog means going through several steps. Marika describes what she and her family went through in attempting to realize their dream of having a puppy.

Marika spiega - Adottare dei gatti - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

What accessories do we need when we take a kitten into the family? Some are just for kittens themselves, and others are for us humans. Marika makes introductions.

Marika spiega - Adottare dei gatti - Part 4

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Marika shows us a series of items that make it easier to have cats in the house. In order to discourage the cats from destroying the furniture, rugs, and curtains, there are some handy remedies.

Marika spiega - Adottare dei gatti - Part 5

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Adopting an animal is a serious undertaking! Marika is fully aware of that fact and in this final segment, she gets down to the nitty-gritty of keeping cats at home.

Marika spiega - Il sistema solare e i pianeti

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

It's time to learn the names of the planets in Italian. Marika talks about our Solar System. Great for beginners!

Marika spiega - La spiaggia

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

This is a great video for beginners, especially beginners who like to go to the beach. Here are the words you need to know.

Marika spiega - Festa di compleanno

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Here's how to plan a birthday party in Italian. In this case, it's for a piglet turning eight.

Marika spiega - La strada

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Here are some simple words you need to know if you want to travel in Italy, and walk, cycle, or drive around a town or city. For example, what's the difference between a piazza and a piazzale?

Marika spiega - Le professioni

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Do you know how to say "plumber" in Italian? Marika gives us a rundown of the most common professions in Italy and how to say them in Italian.

Marika spiega - I segnali stradali

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Knowing the rules of the road is very important, and if you plan to drive in Italy, you'll find this video useful. Knowing the rules of the road is essential for driving safely.

Marika spiega - Medico o dottore?

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika explains the difference between dottore and medico and helps us understand all the different kinds of doctors. Great for beginners.

Marika spiega - Gli insetti

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Let's learn the names of common insects in Italian. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Marika spiega - Gli sport

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Get to know some of Italy's favorite sports. You probably already know the absolute favorite...

Marika spiega - Il cinema

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika talks about going to the movies in Italy. Don't worry. Italians like popcorn, too.

Marika spiega - Il parco

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

Marika tells us about parks and what we find there, and also what we can do there.

Marika spiega - Il pronto soccorso

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

With the term pronto soccorso, what's usually meant is the emergency room of a hospital. Marika takes us through who to call if you have an accident, and how an emergency room works in Italy.

Marika spiega - Le bollette - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

When you rent out a house to someone or rent a house from someone, it's important to know who's who. Marika explains how it works.

Marika spiega - Le bollette - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

No one likes paying bills, ma vanno pagate (but they have to be paid). Marika goes over some of the most common utilities and special taxes you have to pay if you live in Italy.

Marika spiega - Le bollette - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

If you don't check your meters and tell the electric and gas companies how much you have consumed, they make an estimate. Sometimes this means you get a nasty surprise at the end of the year, when they work things out, and figure out how much you owe in order to square accounts. This is called il conguaglio.

Marika spiega - La matematica, vocabolario - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika gets us on track with the words and expressions we need for talking about math. You might hate math, as many do, but it is handy to have the vocabulary at your fingertips!

Marika spiega - La matematica, vocabolario - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

We all know how to add and subtract, but talking about it in Italian is another thing. Marika helps us make sense of it and talks about the fractions and percentages we often find in the news and surveys.

Marika spiega - I cinque sensi - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

The five senses. We know what they are in English, but let's learn them in Italian. First, though, Marika will talk about the noun senso (sense), itself, which has some meanings beyond its cognate "sense."

Marika spiega - I cinque sensi - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

In this second part, we look at the sense of sight, the sense of smell, and the sense of taste. What are the receptor organs connected to these senses?

Marika spiega - I cinque sensi - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika tells us about the sense of hearing and touch in this final segment. Do you know what the largest sensory organ is?

Marika spiega - Preposizioni semplici - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

This video lesson is about simple prepositions, especially di (of, from, about) and a (to, at).

Marika spiega - Preposizioni semplici - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

We continue with simple prepositions, starting off with da (from). But da can also mean "to" or "at," so you won't want to miss this. Marika also explains when to use in or a regarding cities, countries, etc.

Marika spiega - Preposizioni semplici - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

We look at a few more prepositions and see the contexts in which they are used.

Marika spiega - Articoli partitivi - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Articoli partitivi, or partitive articles look like articoli articolati because they are formed with a preposition plus an article. But their function is different. Most of the time they are a way to say “some.” This lesson is about how to form them, and in future lessons, we will learn how to use them.

Marika spiega - Articoli partitivi - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika explains what partitive articles are all about and gives us some helpful examples.

Marika spiega - Le preposizioni articolate - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

After looking at simple prepositions, Marika talks about a special kind of preposition called una preposizione articolata. It just means that the preposition has a definite article attached to it. In this segment, she covers the ways the preposition di (of) combines with different articles to become a new complex preposition. For example, di + il = del.

Marika spiega - Le preposizioni articolate - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

We look at the preposition a combined with different definite articles. This preposizione articolata is used, for example, in talking about the time: alle otto (at eight o'clock); about a manner or style: alla francese (French-style), al dente (not too cooked).

Marika spiega - Le preposizioni articolate - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

In this video, the preposition we combine with a definite article is da. It can mean "from," but also "to" and "at." So, combined with the different definite articles, it's going to mean "from the," "to the," or "at the."

Marika spiega - Le preposizioni articolate - Part 4

Difficulty: difficulty - Newbie Newbie

Italy

We look at the preposition in [in, to, at] and how it combines with the various definite articles.

Marika spiega - Le preposizioni articolate - Part 5

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika concentrates on the preposition su [on] in combination with various articles to form the very useful sul, sui, sugli, sulla, sulle and sull'.

Marika spiega - Le preposizioni articolate - Part 6

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika adds the preposition con (with) to the list of prepositions that combine with definite articles.

Marika spiega - Parole con più significati - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika talks about three words — piano, credenza, and tempo — that have something important in common. They all have multiple meanings, not just nuances, not just connotations. Technically, they are called polysemous or polysemic words.

Marika spiega - Parole con più significati - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Ready for some more Italian words with various different meanings? Marika talks about albero, batteria, and dado.

Marika spiega - Parole con più significati - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Find out the various different meanings of these words: campo, squadra, and verso.

Marika spiega - Articolo partitivo o preposizione articolata?

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika gives us a trick for how to know if del, della, or degli (all meaning "of the") are articulated prepositions or partitive articles. Sounds complicated, but isn't really. See her previous videos about these grammar topics: preposizioni articolate - articoli partitivi.

Marika spiega - Omofoni - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

One tricky thing in lots of languages is when words sound the same but are written differently and have different meanings. In English, these are called, "homophones," part of the larger group, "homonyms."

Marika spiega - Omofoni - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Two words can sound the same because in one, there is an article beginning with L connected to the noun by way of an apostrophe (such as l'ago [the needle]) and in the other one, the first letter is L, such as lago [lake]. When we hear them, we distinguish them from the context, because otherwise, there is no way to know.

Marika spiega - Gli omonimi

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Omonimi (homonyms) look and sound the same but have different meanings, sometimes wildly different meanings!

Marika spiega - Verbo tenere - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

As promised, Marika talks about the verb tenere (to keep, to hold), beginning with its conjugation. Let's keep in mind that Italian tenses don't always correspond to the English ones. For example, the passato prossimo is conjugated like the English present perfect tense, but is used differently in expressing events in time. The imperfetto is translated various ways in English. See this lesson about the imperfetto.

Marika spiega - Verbo tenere - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

We learn in this segment that the verb tenere can mean not only "to hold," but also "to keep" or "to have."

Marika spiega - Verbo tenere - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Here's the last segment about the verb tenere where Marika provides several expressions using the verb. In some cases, we can use "to keep" and "to hold" when translating, but not always.

Marika spiega - Il verbo vedere - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

We take a deep dive into the common and very useful verb vedere (to see). First of all, we look at how it is conjugated. Then we go on to its meaning, as well as some expressions.

Marika spiega - Il verbo vedere - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Are you ready for plenty of expressions using the verb vedere (to see)? Andiamo a vedere (let's go see)!

Marika spiega - Il verbo vedere - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Here are some more expressions featuring the verb vedere (to see). For non-native speakers, a few of them might be a little tricky to understand, but others might be very useful to learn and use.

Marika spiega - Espressioni con la parola lingua

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

You will find out in this video that there are really a lot of expressions using la lingua (the tongue). The tongue can be lunga (long), sciolta (loose), biforcuta (forked) and more. We use the tongue when we speak, so lots of these expressions involve speaking.

Marika spiega - Vacanze estive e Ferragosto - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

In Italy, August is the warmest month, and most Italians try to go on vacation for at least part of the month. The most important vacation day is August 15th, called Ferragosto.

Marika spiega - Vacanze estive e Ferragosto - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

People often wonder where the name ferragosto comes from, as well as the holiday itself. Marika fills us in with its fascinating history and evolution.

Marika spiega - 18 Modi di dire Sì senza dire Sì

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika describes some situations, asks a related question, and provides us with various ways to answer in the affirmative. 18 ways to say (yes).

Marika spiega - 20 Modi di dire No senza dire No

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Just as there are many ways of saying "Yes" without saying , there are plenty of ways of saying "No" without saying no. Check them all out!

Marika spiega - Espressioni con i capelli - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Italian, like English, uses body parts in lots of expressions. Marika gives us some examples of expressions using the word capello or its plural capelli. Let's keep in mind that in English "hair" isn't usually countable, but in Italian it is!

Marika spiega - Espressioni con i capelli - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Do you know all the expressions associated with hair? Marika explains some and gives us plenty of examples. Keep in mind that in Italian, i capelli is the plural, and hair is countable.

Marika spiega - Espressioni con la testa - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

There are a great many expressions with la testa (the head) as the protagonist. Marika, gives us a first round of explanations and examples, many of them from Yabla videos.

Marika spiega - Espressioni con la testa - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika's explanations together with examples from video clips make it easy and fun to learn new expressions using la testa (the head).

Marika spiega - Espressioni con la testa - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

There are various ways to talk about being obsessed, distracted, or crazy... Marika has some great examples from our favorite TV series.

Marika spiega - Espressioni con la testa - Part 4

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Italy

Marika provides more useful expressions involving the head, many of which are also common in English.

Marika spiega - Espressioni con la testa - Part 5

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Italians scratch their heads when they are perplexed, just like English speakers do. It's grattarsi la testa. In this segment, Marika explains this and other expressions having to do with the head. Sometimes "testa" can be translated as "head" and other times, as "mind."

Marika spiega - Espressioni con la testa - Part 6

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

In this last part, Marika provides some expressions to use when you're frustrated or when you forget what you were about to say. They all use la testa (the head) as the featured body part.

Marika spiega - Espressioni con occhio - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

When you have plenty of confidence or trust someone, you might keep your eyes closed and do something "ad occhi chiusi" (with your eyes closed), but make sure to keep them open while watching this video about expressions featureing l'occhio (the eye).

Marika spiega - Espressioni con occhio - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika gives us plenty of examples of expressions using l'occhio (the eye) in this final segment. We see and hear them in context by way of clips from Yabla videos.

Marika spiega - Espressioni con naso

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

Marika shares with us some very useful expressions using il naso (the nose) and the sense of smell, called l'olfatto in Italian.

Marika spiega - Verbi in arre, orre, urre

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

If you have ever wondered what conjugation (first -are, second -ere, or third -ire) verbs that end in -arre, -orre, or -urre belong, you will find the answer in this video!

Marika spiega - Espressioni con la bocca - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

There are a lot of Italian expressions using la bocca (the mouth) in a literal or figurative way. Marika tells us about some of them

Marika spiega - Espressioni con la bocca - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

In this video, Marika explains plenty of expressions with the word bocca (mouth). Listen for the double C!

Marika spiega - Espressioni con orecchie

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

Italy

There are quite a few expressions having to do with the ear and Marika gives us plenty of examples. Let's keep in mind that the plural of orecchio is orecchie, in other words, a masculine singular noun with a feminine plural. But in some places, people use the masculine plural orecchi.

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