It’s almost funny how many times the verb capire (to understand) was used in last week’s episode of Commissario Manara. It’s not really funny because it was about Iolanda Sorge’s tragic murder. But it’s an excellent example of how often capire is used in everyday speech. And since in casual conversation, this past participle can stand alone, it’s very handy and easy to use. It can fill up the time between one phrase and the next. It’s almost as common as “you know” in English.
As mentioned in previous lessons, capire is most often used in the past participle, capito, even when English would call for the present tense, as in the following example.
La gente si fida di me, capito?
People trust me, you understand?
Caption 12, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP12 - Le verità nascoste
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In the following example, the speaker is getting more specific (and angrier), and uses the verb with its subject and auxiliary verb.
Te [tu] mi usi per ricattarli, hai capito?
You're using me to blackmail them, you understand?
Caption 14, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP12 - Le verità nascoste
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Later on in the episode, Manara is in a meeting with his chief. Here, they use the present indicative of capire. In this case, we’re talking about understanding something or someone on a deeper level. It’s used transitively, and means something like, “Do you understand where I’m coming from?” or “Do you understand what I’m really trying to tell you?”
Ci sono i segreti di mezzo paese in quelle registrazioni,
There are secrets from half the town in those recordings,
mi capisce?
you understand me?
La capisco perfettamente.
I understand you perfectly.
Captions 44-45, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP12 - Le verità nascoste
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When arguing with her husband, Iolanda could have used the second person indicative present tense capisci (do you understand), and it would have been correct and maybe equally as effective, but using the past participle of this verb is just how people usually talk.
In the following example, the speaker could have used va bene (all right) or even the loan word “OK” in place of capito.
Ma te non ti devi preoccupare, capito?
But you're not to worry, understand?
Caption 44, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto
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But capito is a great and user-friendly alternative.
When listening to someone tell you something, instead of just nodding your head and saying sì sì (yes, yes), it’s very natural to say ho capito (literally, “I have understood/I understood,” or “I get it”). People will say it to you when you are speaking, even if they don’t quite get what you’re saying. It’s basically another way of saying “I’m listening.”
As you go through your day, try mentally using capire in its past participle to ask the question “do you get it?” (capito?) or to replace “you know?” (capito?), or to say, “I heard you, I’m listening” (ho capito).
One of our subscribers has asked about the difference between il fine and la fine.
It’s an excellent question, and one many of us surely wonder about from time to time.
Both il fine and la fine refer to “the end,” more or less.
Italian has its origins in Latin. Finis is both masculine and feminine in Latin, depending on the meaning. These meanings have, for the most part, been carried over into Italian.
When referring to periods, ranges, and intervals of time, the masculine is used. A good example of this is il fine settimana. Here we’re not talking about “the end of the week,” by which we often mean Friday or Saturday, a specific moment in time, but rather “the weekend,” a period that lasts from, say, Friday afternoon until Sunday evening. That’s why Italian uses the masculine il fine settimana. It’s an interval of time. Of course, oggi come oggi (today, literally “today as today”), “weekend” has been adopted into Italian and lots of people just say buon weekend rather than buon fine settimana.
Questo è proprio un lungo weekend.
This is really a long weekend.
Un fine settimana lunghissimo.
A very long weekend.
Captions 33-34, Corso di italiano con Daniela - Orari di apertura e sistema scolastico
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One useful expression that uses the masculine form of fine is andare a buon fine (literally: to go to a good ending, to be successful).
Bene, la prenotazione è andata a buon fine.
Good, the reservation was successful.
Caption 24, Marika spiega - Fare lo spelling
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Another popular expression with the masculine form of fine is il lieto fine (the happy ending) when talking about stories. Note that the English translation, in this case, is “ending,” not “end.” When we are talking about the final phase of something, we generally use the masculine.
In genere, questi film romantici hanno un lieto fine.
In general, these romantic films have a happy ending.
Il fine can also correspond to the goal or the purpose. In this case, we use the masculine.
Al fine di permettere un'accelerazione del processo di compostaggio,
In order to enable the speeding up of the process of composting,
si cercherà di ridurre il materiale di grosse dimensioni
one will try to break down the larger pieces of material
da collocare nella compostiera.
to place in the composter.
Captions 25-26, Raccolta differenziata - Campagna di sensibilizzazione del Comune di Alliste (LE)
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In English, we also use this sense of fine meaning “goal” sometimes: “to what end?” meaning “for what purpose?” or, “the end justifies the means.”
When referring to the end or conclusion of something, or the moment in which something ends, then the feminine is used. With the exception of the above-mentioned cases, most of the time, fine is feminine: la fine. You’ll find a great many examples if you do a Yabla search.
Le fettine così sottili com'è successo a me,
The really thin little slices, like what happened to me,
faranno un po' una brutta fine.
will come to a bad end.
Captions 42-43, Marika spiega - La Parmigiana di melanzane
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In the Yabla search you will also see fine with no article at all. This is used when two nouns stand next to each other to express one idea, but are not attached, rather like fine settimana. In fact, many compound but detached words imitate “weekend” or fine settimana and are masculine, even when their actual meaning may also be interpreted as referring to completion, such as:
Fine corso (the end of a course, end of the line, as for a bus or train)
Fine anno (the last part of the year)
Fine stagione (end of season)
A fine pranzo and alla fine del pranzo are both correct. They mean almost the same thing (at the end of the midday meal), but fine pranzo, for all intents and purposes, is a compound word (or concept) whereas alla fine del pranzo uses prepositions and articles. They’re set up differently.
This detail can be handy, especially when you’re not sure whether to use la or il.
Quando ti devo pagare? -Fine mese.
When do I have to pay you? -End of month.
No need to say alla fine del mese (at the end of the month).
There is more to say about fine, especially since it has some ambiguities both as an adjective and as a preposition, so stay tuned!
Most of us have dealt with custodians at one time or another. They’re the ones who take care of a place, like a school, church, or museum. And while custode is a good bet for the equivalent of any kind of “guardian,” there are other words that are more specific.
When referring to someone as a “custodian,” Italians often do use il custode, especially in the realm of museums and such places, and may even use custode to refer to the more prestigious role of “curator.” The curator of a museum is often called il direttore. In the following example, it’s impossible to know the professional level of the custode in question.
Il custode del museo mi mostra due carrozze
The curator of the museum shows me two carriages,
restaurate di recente...
recently restored...
Caption 27, Dottor Pitrè - e le sue storie - Part 1
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In referring to custodians, Italian also uses il guardiano (the guardian), or in schools, ilbidello or la bidella (the janitor) in addition to custode. In a Catholic church, on the other hand, a word similar to “sexton” or “sacristan” is used: il sagrestano or il sacrestano.
“Custody” in English often refers to divorce settlements. But when a parent is given custody of a child, then Italian employs l’affidamento, from the verb affidare (to entrust).
Suspects or criminals can be “taken into custody.” In this case, detenere is the verb meaning “to take into custody.” Once taken into custody they’re in detenzione. A prisoner is also known as un detenuto. “Detention” at school, after all, is a form of punishment, and “imprisons” the student after school hours.
So, we need only stretch our imagination very slightly to understand what custodire means.
In this week’s episode about Giuseppe Pitrè and Sicilian traditions, a couple of variations of custodire are used. Custodire is often used to refer to conserving or taking care of something. In Pitrè’s case, we’re talking about stories and traditions.
Il modo migliore di custodire la tradizione
The best way to preserve tradition
è quello di saperla adattare continuamente.
is to know how to adapt it, continually.
Caption 26, Dottor Pitrè - e le sue storie - Part 6
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Il dato positivo di Pitrè è che, in fondo,
The positive fact about Pitrè is that, deep down,
ama questo popolo a cui dà voce,
he loves this populace to which he gives a voice,
da cui raccoglie racconti, testimonianze
whose stories and remembrances he gathers,
e in qualche modo le vuole custodire,
and somehow he wants to conserve them,
le vuole salvaguardare.
he wants to safeguard them.
Captions 30-32, Dottor Pitrè - e le sue storie - Part 6
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The person who does the conserving can be called il custode (the custodian), as in the following example.
Ora, credo che Pitrè sia uno dei custodi della tradizione.
Now, I believe that Pitrè is one of the custodians of the tradition.
Caption 23, Dottor Pitrè - e le sue storie - Part 6
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We can talk about conserving physical objects, too. Custodire is a verb often used in conjunction with works of art in museums, castles, and churches.
Nell'Auditorium comunale di Norcia,
In the Municipal Auditorium of Norcia,
... è custodita, invece, la bellissima pala d'altare.
... is housed, instead, the very beautiful altarpiece.
Captions 12-14, Itinerari Della Bellezza - Umbria
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Someone who owns a musical instrument, or some other kind of precious or fragile object, will usually keep it in una custodia (a case).
Custodire and “custody,” with their various derivatives, stem from the Latin custos, meaning “the guard.” So it all makes a certain amount of sense, doesn’t it?
It’s interesting how a word in Latin or other ancient language evolves to mean different things in different languages. Finding the connections can be fun, all the time remembering that there may be a few false friends waiting around the corner.
Some of you may already have begun experimenting with the new Scribe game. Although Italian is relatively easy to pronounce and spell, there are a few typical stumbling blocks. Let's talk about one in particular.
Let's say you are playing Scribe. You feel like you've have written all the words correctly but the game doesn't let you go on to the next caption. It can be quite frustrating.
This often happens because you have neglected to insert an accent.
In English, we are not used to writing accents, but in Italian, it’s something we have to pay attention to whether we're playing Scribe or not. Be patient with yourselves. It's just something you have to learn little by little.
So where do we usually find these accents? If we know a bit more about them, we can be prepared for them in the Scribe game and elsewhere, so let's have a look.
Perhaps the most frequent error is the accent on the i of sì (yes). It certainly sounds about the same with or without the accent, and it’s not always easy to see. But if we omit the accent when writing, we can mean any number of other things, from the note si (B), to the personal pronoun si (himself/herself/itself). In the following example, the si with no accent is part of the reflexive verb allontanarsi (to leave).
Sì, non era la prima volta che
Yes, it wasn't the first time that
Giada si allontanava di casa senza avvertirmi.
Giada left home without letting me know.
Caption 49, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo
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In two-syllable words, the accent usually falls on the first syllable, so when that is not the case, there will generally be an accent on the second syllable to let us know.
Let’s take the word però (however, but). The accent is there to signal that the accent falls on the second syllable, a departure from the basic rule about accenting the first syllable. The accented version of the word però is the one you’ll usually see because it’s such a common word.
Sembra banale, però mi aiuta.
It seems banal, but it helps me.
Caption 35, Amiche - Filosofie
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Però is one word you’ll use often in casual conversation. And with that long ò at the end, you can buy yourself some time while thinking of what to say next.
Without the accent, we’re talking about un pero (a pear tree)! Note that names of fruit trees frequently end in o (with no accent) whereas the fruit itself ends in a, like la pera (the pear), la mela (the apple), la ciliegia' (the cherry). A proposito (speaking of which), Marika explains this here and here.
We also have to pay attention to which way an accent is facing, but fortunately, this applies primarily to accents on “e.” On “o,” “ a,” “i,” and “u,” the accent is almost always “grave,” meaning down-facing from left to right. One of the most basic accents to remember is the grave accent on è, the third person conjugation of the basic verb essere (to be). This particular conjugation is extremely common, but for foreign ears, can easily be confused with e with no accent. Hearing and pronouncing the difference between e (and) and è (to be) is one thing, but writing it is another, so Scribe is a great chance to assimilate this aspect of Italian spelling.
Another important word that has an accent is perché (because, why). This is an acute or upward facing accent from left to right, which indicates a closed e. However you pronounce the é in perché, people will usually understand you, but if you’re writing, you need to get it right. Think of perché in its question form: why. The accent goes up (to the right), just like the inflection of a question.
The other place accents crop up is in the future tense. There will usually be an accent on the last vowel of the word in the first and third person singular. Let’s look at the irregular but very common verb venire (to come).
lui/lei verrà (he/she/it will come)
io verrò (I will come)
the verb andare (to go):
io andrò (I will go)
lui/lei andrà (he/she/it will go)
And essere (to be):
io sarò (I will be)
lui/lei sarà (he/she/it will be)
Be on the lookout for these accents when playing Scribe and when watching videos in general. You'll start to recognize them and become more comfortable with them sooner than you think.
See part 2 of this lesson here.
English speakers think of school when they hear the word “education.” But educazione in Italian usually means something a bit different. Check out what Italian words correspond to the English “education.” Istruzione is a common one. This sounds like “instruction,” so we can understand it well enough, although we usually think of instruction as in “instructions” for how to do something. Titolo di studio is another one. This is about what diplomas or degrees you have. Formazione is another. This refers to what one has been trained in. Gli studi corresponds to “studies,” and refers to the schools one has attended, and what someone has majored in, but English speakers can easily forget that educazione is more about upbringing, and teaching one’s children (or pets) to behave, than about going to school.
Here are some reminders from Yabla videos.
If you’ve been following La Tempesta, you know that Paolo, a Venetian unemployed wealthy factory-owner’s son has suddenly taken on, against his will, responsibility for his brother’s adopted son, an orphan from Russia. They are both having a rough time of it. The following comment (from this week’s new video) is from a meeting with the school principal after the kid got in a fight. They are not talking about book learning here.
Ma prima di metterlo in classe con i bambini normali,
But before putting him in a class with normal children,
bisognerebbe educarlo.
one should teach him some manners.
Captions 10-11, La Tempesta - film
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In the following example, we’re talking about a dog. For Caterina, the dog is part of the family so she talks about him as if he were a person (with bad manners).
Sempre in giro a ficcanasare questo cagnazzo...
Always snooping around this old dog...
Lo devi scusare Malvina, è un gran maleducato...
You have to excuse him Malvina, he's really ill-mannered...
Captions 49-50, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva
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In the following example, Manara has called his boss in the middle of the night for something he thought was molto importante and urgente. His boss didn’t appreciate it per niente (at all)!
Non si azzardi più a chiamarmi a quest'ora, maleducato!
Don't you dare call me again at this hour, how rude!
Caption 69, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP5 - Il Raggio Verde
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In actual fact, his boss uses maleducato as a noun, as is common in Italian. Indeed, it’s a common insult to somebody who is not being polite. It implies that the person was brought up badly—maleducato—and therefore has no manners. The adjective “rude” in English gives the idea. “Disrespectful” could have worked, too.
P.S.
Male (evil, badly) is often used as a prefix, lending its "badness" to other words. It’s often truncated to mal. Male is both a noun and an adverb. Technically the adjective form is malo, as in: ha reagito in malo modo (he reacted in a bad way). But colloquially, people do say non è male to mean something’s not bad, even though male isn’t an adjective. A correct way to describe something as "not bad," would be with malvagio (wicked). These days, malvagio is usually used in the negative, to say “not bad,” in talking about something you’re eating or drinking, for example:
Non è malvagio questo vino (this wine isn't bad = it's drinkable).
Or a movie you’ve seen:
Quel film non era malvagio (that movie wasn't so bad).
Maledire (to curse someone, to wish someone ill)
Maldestro (maladroit, clumsy)
There are plenty more words with mal where these come from. Take out your dizionario!
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In one of Daniela’s recent lessons, she covers an important modo di dire (figure of speech): stare per (to be about to).
Sto per cadere (I'm about to fall).
But let’s also take a closer look at the verb stare (to be). It’s so similar to essere (to be) and translates much the same way, but if we think of the word “state,” as in “the state of things,” so close in spelling to stare, it might help us see what this verb is about.
The state can be physical—how someone looks:
Anche tu, stai proprio bene.
You look really good, too.
-Grazie... però tu hai un volto molto riposato e...
-Thanks... but you have a very rested face [you look rested] and...
Captions 3-4, Anna e Marika - Villa Torlonia - La Casina delle Civette
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Come sto con questo vestito?
How do I look in this dress?
It can be about how someone feels—about their state of health or happiness.
Come stai? How are you?
Sto bene (I’m good, I’m fine, I’m well, cured, healed).
Sta male. (He/she is ill, distraught, overtired, etc.)
Stare is often used in command forms that translate as “to be.”
Stai attento. Bene, bravo, bravo!
Be watchful [be careful]. Good, brilliant, brilliant!
Caption 36, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva - Part 6
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Lara, io... -Stai zitta, non dire niente.
Lara, I... -Be quiet, don't say a thing.
Caption 1, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi - Part 13
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We use stare for other commands like:
Stai tranquillo (be in a state of tranquillity [don’t worry])
Stai fermo (be still)
Stai qui (stay here)
We also use stare to construct the presente progressivo (present continuous/progressive) in Italian. We conjugate the verb stare and follow it with the gerundio (gerund) of the verb of our choosing.
Stiamo cercando di risalire al proprietario
We're trying to trace the owner
attraverso il numero del telaio.
through the chassis serial number.
Caption 50, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva - Part 7
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'Sto [questo] posto mi sta distruggendo.
This place is destroying me.
Caption 6, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva - Part 7
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Although Italian tenses don’t always correspond to English ones as we would expect, the present progressive is an important tense in Italian. Marika explains it here.
Practice:
Stare is an ever-present, very important verb to be familiar with. When you get up in the morning, think about how you feel, how you look, what you’re doing at the moment, and what you are about to do. You can use stare for all these considerations. Here’s an example to get you started.
Ho dormito bene, quindi sto abbastanza bene, ma di sicuro non sto bene con i capelli così in disordine. Sto pensando alla mia colazione. Sto per mangiare gli ultimi biscotti, quindi ne dovrò comprare degli altri. Tutti questi biscotti mi stanno facendo ingrassare.
I slept well, so I feel all right, but for sure I don’t look good with my hair so messy. I’m thinking about my breakfast. I’m about to eat up the last cookies, so I will have to buy more of them. All these cookies are making me gain weight.
Parecchio, molto
No, papà è che c'ho parecchio lavoro da fare,
No, Dad, it's that I have quite a lot of work to do;
sono un po' sotto pressione.
I'm under a bit of pressure.
Caption 17, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP11 - Beato tra le donne
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Parecchio might be less familiar to you than molto.
Ho molto lavoro (I have a lot of work).
Like molto, parecchio is used as an adjective and in this case has different endings depending on whether it modifies a masculine or feminine noun and depending on whether it’s plural or singular.
Il lavoro is masculine, so it’s parecchio lavoro or molto lavoro.
Ci sono parecchie cose strane.
There are a lot of strange things.
Caption 72, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto
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La cosa is feminine and it’s plural, so we say parecchie cose or molte cose.
But like molto, parecchio is also an adverb. In the following example, parecchio could easily replace molto.
Mi piace molto il posto e poi ho ritrovato vecchi amici
I like the place a lot and then I met up with old friends
e la zia è deliziosa come sempre.
and Aunt is charming as always.
Captions 13-14, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP11 - Beato tra le donne
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Un sacco
Un sacco is quite colloquial, as is “bunch!” Sacco translates as “bag,” or “sack," so imagine a big bag of something!
Non fare questa faccia, vedrai che ti farai un sacco di amici.
Don't make that face. You'll see that you'll make a bunch of friends.
Caption 10, La Tempesta - film
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Guarda che ti faranno un sacco di domande, eh.
Look, they will ask you a bunch of questions, huh.
Caption 46, Provaci ancora prof! - S2EP2 Una mina vagante
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Eh, ma cosa potrà mangiare questo povero bambino?
Yeah, but what can this poor child eat?
E un sacco di cose... polenta, -Riso. -riso.
A bunch of things... cornmeal, -Rice. -rice.
Captions 5-6, Un medico in famiglia Stagione - 3 S3EP3 - Il tarlo del sospetto
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We might also translate un sacco here as "plenty."
Tanto
Tanto is another word for a lot. Like the other words above, it can be used as an adjective:
E... insomma, dopo un tempo che in quel momento
And... in short, after a time, which in that moment
non sapevo stimare se era tanto o poco.
I couldn't assess whether it was a lot or a little.
Captions 54-55, Anna presenta - Il mio parto
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Certo che firmo per la barella, non avevo tanta scelta.
Of course I'll sign for a gurney. I didn't have much choice.
Caption 33, Anna presenta - Il mio parto
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Tanto can be used as an adverb as well.
Non andavo tanto veloce, ma mi hanno fatto la multa.
I wasn’t going very fast, but they gave me a ticket.
It’s always good to know several different ways to say something. Variety is the spice of life!
Sapere sapere sapere. We keep coming back to the same verbs, but there’s always something more to learn!
We have already covered the verb sapere (to know, to know how to, to have the flavor/smell of) in previous lessons. But this week, Daniela talks about sapere once again. This time she discusses the most common meaning of sapere: to have knowledge of something. She explains how to use sapere in this sense, when followed by a verb in the infinitive rather than by a noun.
She explains about using the preposition di between conjugated sapere and the verb in the infinitive:
Allora diciamo: sappiamo di essere i più forti. I più forti.
So we say, "We know we're the strongest. The strongest."
Captions 23-24, Corso di italiano con Daniela - Verbo + Verbo all'infinito + preposizione DI
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So di essere in ritardo.
I know I am late. (Or, I know that I’m late.)
The preposition di is generally translated as "of," but the trick here is that in English we don’t use the preposition “of” in this kind of situation. We either use “that,” as in “I know that I am late,” or we don’t use any preposition at all, as in “I know I am late.” All in all, sapere plus di plus infinitive is a construction that is difficult to match up in English, so we just have to assimilate it as best we can.
Let’s look at some more examples of sapere plus di, so you can get a feel for it.
Uno stupido non sa di essere stupido (an idiot doesn’t know he’s stupid).
Sappiamo di doverti delle scuse (we know we owe you an apology).
Sai di essere l’unica persona in grado di risolvere il problema (do you know you are the only person able to solve the problem)?
Sapete di camminare in mezzo alla strada (do you know you are walking in the middle of the road)?
Sanno di infrangere la legge, ma non gli importa niente (they know they are breaking the law, but they don’t care).
Leonardo sa di essere stato scorretto con me (Leonardo knows he has not been fair with me).
One of the other ways sapere gets used is to mean “to know how to.” Daniela has explained this in another video lesson:
Per esempio, io posso dire: Luca sa nuotare.
For example, I may say, "Luca knows how to swim."
Caption 19, Corso di italiano con Daniela - Verbo + Verbo all'infinito
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Here are some additional examples of this meaning. It should be mentioned that in this case, sapere acts like a modal verb, such as “can,” “must,” “may,” etc. Remember that with modal verbs, there is no preposition before the infinitive.
Non so parlare spagnolo (I don’t know how to speak Spanish).
Roberto non sa cucinare (Roberto doesn’t know how to cook).
Non sapete leggere fra le righe (you don’t know how to read between the lines).
I miei genitori non sanno ballare (my parents don’t know how to dance).
And let’s not forget that we can also use sapere before a noun.
Sai l’ora (do you know the time)?
So quello che dico (I know what I’m saying).
So l’inglese (I know English).
Di quella canzone, Gianna non sa abbastanza bene le parole (Gianna doesn’t know the words to that song well enough).
In a classroom lesson, Daniela talks about the fact that the verb ricordare (to remember) takes the preposition di. In an episode of Stai lontana da me, there is a scene where the verb ricordare appears a number of times. Let’s take a closer look.
In the following example, Simona is using the verb ricordare reflexively: ricordarsi (to remember). But she is using it generally, in that there is no direct object at all. She’s just saying, “You don’t remember, do you?”
È incredibile, sono passati trent'anni e sei identico.
It's incredible, thirty years have passed and you are the same.
-Identico a chi?
-The same as who?
-Sono Simona, non ti ricordi, eh?
-I'm Simona, you don't remember, do you?
Captions 17-19, Stai lontana da me - Rai Cinema
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But then, as they keep talking, we start hearing some direct object pronouns as well.
Ma figurati, ma io manco me la ricordo 'sta maledizione.
But are you kidding? But I don't even remember this curse.
Caption 29, Stai lontana da me - Rai Cinema
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Of course in English, we don’t normally include the direct object pronoun together with the direct object noun but this is very common in Italian.
'Sta maledizione (this curse) is the actual direct object of the above example and the one below.
Ma come non te la ricordi?
But how can you not remember it?
-Ma non me la ricordo, era alle elementari, Jacopo.
-But I don't remember it, it was at elementary school, Jacopo.
-Eh!
-Yeah.
Caption 30, Stai lontana da me - Rai Cinema
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In the following example, just the indirect object pronoun (mi in this case) is used because what was remembered (the fact of being sweethearts) is then explained in a separate clause.
Eh, mi ricordo che eravamo fidanzatini, poi, non so, è successo qualcosa e...
Uh, I remember we were sweethearts and then something happened and...
Caption 31, Stai lontana da me - Rai Cinema
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So when we don’t need to be specific, mi ricordo or non mi ricordo (I remember/I don’t remember) will do.
When there is no direct pronoun, just an indirect pronoun, we can ask the question:
Ti ricordi?
Do you remember?
But when we specify what is being remembered, we either insert a direct object noun:
Ti ricordi quel viaggio...?
Do you remember that trip...?
Or a verbal phrase:
Ti ricordi di aver fatto quel viaggio nel settantanove?
Do you remember having made that trip in seventy-nine?
Attenzione! This is when we need di, as Daniela has explained in a video lesson! Ricordare is a verb that takes the preposition di when followed by a verb in the infinitive, whether or not it is reflexive.
We can also insert a direct object pronoun. Attenzione! This causes a shift. In this case, the indirect pronoun changes from an i ending to an e ending. The direct pronoun will be lo (it), la (it), li (them), or le (them): In this particular case the object is viaggio (trip), a masculine noun.
Te lo ricordi?
Do you remember it?
Me lo ricordo
I remember it.
Se lo ricordano.
They remember it.
You can practice forming sentences with only an indirect pronoun. Then add a direct object pronoun corresponding to a noun you are thinking of, and make the shift, as above.
In Italian, “to remember” and “to forget” go well together: Ricordare/dimenticare
Ricordare may be easy to remember if we think of making a mental record of something.
Dimenticare, if you take it apart, is kind of a fun word. Di, just like “dis” in English, often undoes something. Mente is the Italian word for mind. You undo something from your mind!
Duemilaseidici è stato un anno da ricordare o da dimenticare?
Was two thousand sixteen a year to remember, or a year to forget?
Think of things you want to remember or forget from last year:
Vorrei ricordare un bellissimo viaggio in Italia.
I would like to remember a great trip to Italy.
Vorrei dimenticare quanti soldi ho dovuto spendere
I would like to forget how much money I had to spend.
In the above examples, we have treated ricordare and dimenticare as ordinary transitive verbs. They are followed by a noun. This is the most basic way to use these verbs. But ricordare and dimenticare are, more often than not, used reflexively.
Ricordati (remember)!! When a verb is reflexive, the subject and object of the verb are one and the same:
Mi sono tagliato (I cut myself).
For more about reflexive verbs see this lesson and this video.
In the following example, ricordare is used reflexively, and is followed by a noun, not a verb.
Daniela, tu per caso ti ricordi i nomi
Daniela, do you, by chance, remember the names
degli altri colli di Roma?
of the other hills of Rome?
Caption 6, Marika e Daniela - Il Foro Romano
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Ricordiamoci (let’s remember) that when a verb, not a noun, follows a verb in this category, we need the preposition di in between, as in the following example. You may notice that the verb decidere (to decide) behaves the same way!
Il tuo amico ha deciso di portarti in giro con il suo scooter,
Your friend has decided to take you around on his scooter,
ma non ha dimenticato di prestarti un casco.
but he hasn't forgotten to lend you a helmet.
Captions 7-8, Marika spiega - I veicoli
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The above example could be modified a few ways to say the same thing. We could use the reflexive:
Il tuo amico si è deciso di portarti in giro con il suo scooter,
Your friend has decided to take you around on his scooter,
ma non si è dimenticato di prestarti un casco.
but hasn't forgotten to lend you a helmet.
You will notice that as soon as we use the reflexive form, we need the auxiliary verb essere (to be) rather than avere (to have) in the compound tenses. This can be tricky indeed!
We could also use the verb ricordare:
Il tuo amico si è deciso di portarti in giro con il suo scooter,
Your friend has decided to take you around on his scooter,
e si è ricordato di prestarti un casco.
and has remembered to lend you a helmet.
However we decide to use ricordare and dimenticare (and decidere, for that matter), we need di before the verb in the infinitive.
Ah, mi sono dimenticato di dirti che...
Oh, I forgot to tell you that...
Caption 25, Francesca - alla guida
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Cercare, tentare, provare: All three of these verbs have multiple meanings, but they are also all synonyms meaning “to try.” There are nuances in their meanings that lead us to choose one over the other in a given situation, but that will get easier over time.
This week Daniela explains about using the verb cercare with infinitives when it means “to try.” Cercare takes the preposition di (to) before a verb in the infinitive.
Cerco di aprire la bottiglia.
I try to open the bottle.
Caption 62, Corso di italiano con Daniela - Verbo + Verbo all'infinito + preposizione DI
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We could use the verb tentare to mean much the same thing. It also takes the preposition di when used with a second verb in the infinitive.
Ho tentato di aprire la bottiglia, ma ...
I tried to open the bottle, but...
A helpful cognate for this verb is “to attempt.”
I attempted to open the bottle...
We can say something similar with the verb provare. Attenzione! Provare takes the preposition a. Daniela will soon be talking about this preposition. When she does, you’ll be ready!
Ho provato ad aprire la bottiglia.
I tried to open the bottle.
All three of these verbs have additional meanings.
Daniela told us about cercare. You use it when you’re searching for something.
Ho cercato il libro, ma non l’ho trovato.
I looked for the book but I didn’t find it.
Tentare has an additional meaning, “to tempt.“
Non mi tentare con quel dolce. Sono a dieta.
Don’t tempt me with that dessert. I’m on a diet.
There’s a noun form, too: una tentazione (a temptation).
Provare has an English cognate “to prove,” which is a synonym for dimostrare (to demonstrate).
Non ha rubato le scarpe, ma non lo può provare.
He didn't steal the shoes, but he can't prove it.
The noun form is la prova (the proof, the evidence).
e quindi tutte le prove sono a carico di Ninetta.
and so all the proof is against Ninetta.
Caption 63, Anna e Marika - in La Gazza Ladra
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But provare also has to do with feelings, and in this case is a synonym for sentire (to feel). In the following example the impersonal si is used.
Ce la fai a dirci che cosa si prova in questo momento?
Can you let us know what you're feeling right now?
È un'emozione grandissima, sono emozionatissima.
It's a very great emotion, I'm very excited.
Captions 8-9, Gioia Marconi - Vado avanti
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It should be mentioned that we use la prova, or le prove, for when we practice music, theater, or dance with others, when we rehearse. This meaning has more to do with provare when it means “to try.”
Dove devi andare?
Where do you have to go?
A fare le prove per il concerto.
To practice for the concert.
Captions 28-29, Milena e Mattia - L'incontro
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Practice:
Try switching verbs among cercare, tentare, and provare. Remember to use the correct preposition! In this exercise we are only dealing with cercare, tentare and provare when they mean "to try."
Tutti i giorni, cerco di arrivare puntuale a scuola (every day, I try to get to school on time).
A volte provo ad andarci in bici, ma arrivo troppo stanco (sometimes I try to go by bike but I arrive tuckered out).
Ho tentato di chiedere un passaggio alla zia, ma lei parte troppo tardi (I tried asking my aunt for a ride, but she leaves too late).
Hai provato a chiamare il dottore (did you try to call the doctor)?
Tenterò di dire qualche parola in inglese (I will try to say a few words in English).
Cerca di parlare un po’ più piano, altrimenti non ti capiscano (try speaking more slowly, otherwise they don’t understand).
Cercherò di darti una risposta entro questa settimana (I will try to give you an answer within the week).
L’ultima volta che ho cercato di cucinare il pesce, è stato un fallimento (the last time I tried cooking fish, it was a failure).
Marika explains all about the verb mettere (to put) in this video lesson.
As you will see, there are dozens of different ways to use mettere. But what can sometimes be tricky is that in English we don’t generally use “put” without some sort of preposition or adverb. We always think of “put in,” “put on,” or “put up,” but in Italian, at least in casual speech, we might hear:
Metti un po’ di sale.
Put [in] a bit of salt.
In a recent episode of Stai lontana da me, there is a discussion between two guys in a couple. One is criticizing the cooking methods of the other:
No, allora cuciniamo per terra
No, so let's cook on the floor
come nel Medioevo. -Ma che c'entra?
like in the Middle Ages. -But what does that have to do with it?
Metti meno olio, no, scusami. -Sì, nella Preistoria.
Put in less oil, right? Excuse me. -Yes, in prehistoric times.
Captions 88-90, Stai lontana da me - Rai Cinema
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The grammatically correct way to say this would be by attaching an indirect pronoun at the end of the verb to mean “in it”:
Mettici meno olio, no?
Put in less oil, can’t you?
If we look carefully, however, we see that earlier in the discussion, they actually do say things the right way:
Chi cucina? Ah, sì,
Who cooks? Ah, yes,
con tutto l'olio che ci metti
with all that oil that you put in,
me l'incrosti da matti, guarda, ogni volta.
you cake them up like crazy, look, every time.
Captions 86-87, Stai lontana da me - Rai Cinema
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In the previous example ci stands for “into them,” where it represents the baking pans. For more on metterci, see this lesson. The lesson also talks about using mettere to say how long something takes—how much time you “put into something” (Marika will talk about this in part 2 of her lesson on mettere).
Here’s another thing to remember with mettere. In an episode of Commissario Manara, there's a dicey situation, and Luca lifts Lara up to help her. She exclaims:
Aiutami. Ah, ah, ah... mettimi giù!
Help me. Ah, ah, ah... put me down!
Captions 40-41, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva
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In the example above, a single word is formed from the verb and object pronoun together. In this case Lara is using the informal imperative and she’s using herself as the direct object.
In the following example, however, mettimi looks identical, but means something different. This time mi at the end of mettimi is an indirect object and means in this case, “for me.” The direct object is questo (this).
No, mettimi questo sulla scrivania per favore, io vado con la Rubino.
No, put this on the desk for me please. I'm going with Rubino.
Caption 42, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP8 - Morte di un buttero
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And just to add a little something more to the pot, we have the word smettere. An “s” attached to a verb often shifts its meaning to the opposite.
Mi metto al lavoro alle dieci e smetto alle tre di pomeriggio.
I start working at ten and I quit at three in the afternoon.
So a way to ask someone to stop doing something is smettila (stop it)!
In fact, in a recent episode of La Tempesta, Paolo’s neighbor is telling him off.
Terzo, la devi smettere di parcheggiare la Porsche
Third, you have to stop it with parking the Porsche
davanti al pettine delle bici.
in front of the bike rack.
Captions 72-73, La Tempesta - film - Part 1
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Learn more:
Direct object pronouns
Particelle (little words like mi, ci, ti...)
Let's have a quick look at some of the ways the subjunctive has been used in a few of some recent Yabla videos.
One way Italian uses the subjunctive is when invoking some higher power.
In our first example the verb is assistere (to assist) which is a synonym for aiutare (to help).
Che Dio ci assista.
May God help us.
Caption 65, Stai lontana da me - Rai Cinema
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In the following example the verb is proteggere (to protect).
Che Dio mi protegga,
God may protect me,
lo devo riportare dove l'ho preso.
I have to take it back to where I got it.
Captions 30-31, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo
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We have mentioned before, but it bears repeating, that the formal imperative actually uses the third person singular subjunctive. Here Lara is using the formal imperative with the woman she is questioning.The verb is stare.
Stia tranquilla, Iolanda, lo scopriremo.
Be calm,[don't worry], Iolanda, we'll find out.
Caption 17, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo
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The next example is clearly subjunctive since it is used in the English as well. The verb is essere (to be). The subjunctive deals with hypothetical situations, and come se (as if) is the signpost.
E io l'ho cresciuta come se fosse mia figlia.
And I brought her up as if she were my daughter.
Caption 62, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo
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In the following example, the subjunctive is used after the word che (that), and involves doubt.
The verb is essere (to be).
Ho pensato che fosse già uscita,
I thought she had already gone out,
o che non fosse tornata per nulla.
or that she hadn't come home at all.
Captions 82-83, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo
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Attenzione! Our last example is actually one of incorrect Italian. Lots of Italians get this wrong, sometimes by choice because it’s easier to say (and has become acceptable in very informal situations), but also because of ignorance.
This is a classic case where correct Italian requires one part of the phrase to be in the subjunctive, and the other part in the conditional.
In the following example, the verb that should be in the subjunctive is essere (to be). Manuela instead used the imperfetto (simple past tense). The other verb is sposare (to marry). She used the imperfetto once again, when she should have used the condizionale (conditional).
Cioè, se eri [fossi stato] più grande ti sposavo [avrei sposato]!
That is, if you were older, I would marry you!
Caption 79, La Tempesta - film - Part 5
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If Manuela had wanted to use correct grammar, she might have said:
Cioè, se fossi più grande ti sposerei.
In two recent Yabla videos, we see and hear the verb recuperare and its noun form il recupero. We have an English cognate for this, “to recuperate,” but the Italian recuperare is about much more than getting well after an illness or injury! In English we also have “to recoup” which corresponds a bit more closely to the verb recuperare: to get something back that was lost. Recupero password (retrieve password) is often seen on internet sites. In English we just say “Forgot your password?”
Let’s mention once and for all that there are two spellings for this word: recuperare and ricuperare. They are both correct. People seem to use recuperare more often, however. In Italian, what you see is what you get, as far as pronunciation goes, so just say it like you see it!
Going beyond the spelling, we see that recuperare is a transitive verb, meaning it normally has an object connected with it. In English “recuperate” is an intransitive verb: “I was recuperating after a long illness.” In a recent video about turtles, the verb recuperare is employed to mean “to rescue.”
Innanzitutto, abbiamo una rete di gruppi di lavoro
First and foremost, we have a network of work groups
e di centri di recupero lungo le coste italiane,
and rescue centers along the Italian coasts,
che si occupano di recuperare gli animali spiaggiati
that take care of rescuing the beached animals
e trovati feriti dai pescatori
and those found wounded by fishermen,
e di portarli in centro di recupero
and bringing them to the rescue centers
dove vengono curati e rilasciati in mare.
where they are treated and released back to the sea.
Captions 52-57, WWF Italia - Progetto tartarughe
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Recuperare also means “to catch up,” for example in class, when you have been home, sick. If you are the teacher, or a private student, you make up the lesson by scheduling una lezione di recupero, and if you are the student you study extra hard: recuperi (you get caught up).
In sports, we talk about “recovery,” and that’s when Italians use the word recupero. It’s what you do when you’ve finished your workout, or what you do after a race or a work interval in a workout. Il recupero. If your activity app is in Italian, you will find this word in just about every workout you do!
Near the end of the movie L’oro di Scampia, Toni is in the thick of his Olympic match, but he stops to catch his breath before finishing up. The sports commentator observes:
È giusto riprendere fiato, recuperare.
It's right to catch one's breath, to recover.
Caption 68, L'oro di Scampia - film
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And here’s an example of the formal imperative (which is actually the third person subjunctive) of recuperare to mean “to retrieve,” “to recover.” The mattress in question may be floating away!
Qualcuno recuperi il materassino.
Someone recover the air mattress.
Caption 6, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo
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We can’t always be on time, so let’s look at some of the words you need when you or someone else is late. It’s not as simple as using the Italian word tardi (late).
In an episode of Stai Lontana da Me, there has been a little car accident. This time nobody got hurt, but Sara is going to be late for work if she’s not careful.
Però è tardi.
But it's late.
Senti, mi dispiace, io prendo la metropolitana.
Listen, I'm sorry, I'll take the metro.
Ho fatto tardi.
I'm running late [or "I've gotten delayed," "It got late," "I'm late."]
Captions 11-13, Stai lontana da me - Rai Cinema
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When she says, “È tardi,” she’s talking about the hour. She has to be at work, say, at nine, and it’s already ten to nine, and she is still far from her office. Objectively speaking, it is late!
When she says: “Ho fatto tardi,” she is talking about herself and the fact that she got delayed. She is late.
In an episode of La compagnia del cigno, a new kid in class arrives late on his first day. It's not good. Here's his exchange with the teacher, who has a tendency to be sarcastic. Note that, as happens in some schools, the teacher addresses the student formally.
Mi scusi se ho fatto tardi. -Eh, lo vediamo che ha fatto tardi.
Sorry if I am late. -Yeah, we see that you got delayed.
Captions 7-8, La compagnia del cigno EP1 - Part 4
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Telling someone not to be late is important sometimes. Here’s one way to do this:
Ciao, mamma. Io vado da Flavia.
Hi, Mom. I'm going to Flavia's.
-Ciao, amore. -Non fare tardi.
-Bye, love. -Don't be late.
Captions 38-39, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu
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Another way to say you’re late is to use the phrasal adverb, in ritardo (late). Ritardo is a noun meaning “delay.”
In an episode of Commissario Manara, Manara’s boss is not happy with him per niente (at all).
Lei è in ritardo di ventiquattro ore.
You're twenty-four hours late.
Si può sapere che cosa aveva da fare di così urgente?
Can you let me know what you had to do that was so urgent?
Captions 16-17, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP7 - Sogni di Vetro
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The noun il ritardo is commonly used when we apologize for being late.
Buonasera a tutti.
Good evening everyone.
Scusate il ritardo, ragazzi.
Sorry I'm late, guys.
Ma aspettavate solo me?
Were you just waiting for me?
Captions 8-10, Concorso internazionale di cortometraggio - A corto di idee
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Both the adverb tardi and the noun ritardo also have verb forms: tardare and ritardare.
Non dovrebbe tardare ad arrivare.
It won’t be long before he arrives.
This doesn’t refer to a precise amount of time, and doesn’t necessarily mean someone or something is late. It just means they haven’t arrived yet.
The following is a bit more urgent and refers, most likely, to an agreed-upon hour.
Non ritardare, perché il film comincia puntuale.
Don’t be late, because the film starts punctually.
Here’s how we use comparatives and superlatives with tardi (late).
Vado a letto tardi il sabato sera.
I go to bed late on Saturday nights.
Più tardi means "later."
Ci vediamo più tardi.
We’ll see each other later.
Al più tardi means "at the latest."
Devi spedire questa lettera domani al più tardi.
You have to send this letter by tomorrow at the latest.
The opposite of in ritardo is in anticipo (ahead of schedule, early, in advance).
We can also use the verb form anticipare (to be early, to expect).
La consegna era prevista per domani, ma il pacco è arrivato in anticipo.
Delivery was scheduled for tomorrow, but the package arrived early.Per via del maltempo in arrivo, hanno anticipato il rientro.
Because of approaching bad weather, they came back early.
Just to add a little twist, another opposite of anticipare is posticipare (postpone, to delay).
Per via del maltempo in arrivo, hanno posticipato il rientro.
Because of approaching bad weather, they postponed their return.
Attenzione! Italians do not use anticipare in the sense of “looking forward to something.” See this definition of the verb to anticipate. Definition number 2 doesn’t conform to the Italian. In fact, “looking forward to something” is difficult to say in Italian, and there is no precise translation. We will tackle this conundrum in another lesson.
To sum up
Tardi (late): With the adverb tardi, we use the verb fare when talking about someone being late. When talking about the hour, we use essere (to be).
Tardare (to be late, to run late)
Il Ritardo (the delay)
Essere, arrivare in ritardo (to be late or behind schedule)
Ritardare (to run behind schedule, to be late)
The useful but tricky filler word insomma crops up again in some recent episodes of Commissario Manara and L’oro di Scampia.
We discussed insomma in a previous lesson, but here it is again, so it’s worth looking at, since it is such a popular word with several different meanings. For more about insomma and other filler words, read What to Say While You’re Thinking of What to Say!
In this segment of L’oro di Scampia, Toni is off to the Olympics with his father. His mom wants to be encouraging:
Comunque vada avete già vinto.
However it goes, you've already won.
E insomma. -E perché?
Not really. -And why?
Perché, Teresa? Il secondo non se lo ricorda nessuno.
Why, Teresa? The runner-up isn't remembered by anyone.
Captions 27-29, L'oro di Scampia - film
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Toni's mom is being encouraging, but he and his father are being more realistic.
So in this case, insomma is negative, as if to say, “I don’t think so,” or even “yeah, right.” It’s a way of disagreeing without actually coming out and saying so. Raising one's eyebrows and shaking one's head slightly seem to be partnered with this one-word expression.
In the following example there’s another instance where insomma means something negative—without the speaker coming out and saying that something is terrible. In this week’s segment of Commissario Manara, Lara is asking Luca’s sister how she likes staying at Ada’s hotel.
Ah, a proposito, come ti trovi da Ada?
Ah, by the way, how is it over at Ada's?
Ma insomma...
Well, nothing special...
diciamo che mi sono adattata nella stanza di Luca, ma russa.
let's say I've adjusted to being in Luca's room, but he snores.
Captions 90-93, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo
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But sometimes insomma means something completely different: “in short,” “to sum up,” “in other words,” “all in all,” or “what I really mean to say is...” Manara is asking questions, but instead of listing all the possibilities, he says insomma, to put them all together, figuratively, to get right to the point.
Forse Lei può aiutarci.
Maybe you can help us.
Sa se aveva nemici... insomma, sa qualcosa?
Do you know if she had enemies... in short, do you know anything?
Captions 34-35, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo
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Insomma, (to conclude), we hope this helps you understand insomma a bit better!
In the new film on Yabla, La Tempesta, a conversation takes place down on the street. Paolo has had his car towed and doesn’t quite know how to get to work. His neighbor comments:
Nel senso, magari è la volta buona
I mean, maybe this will be the time
che ti fai una bicicletta pure tu.
that even you get yourself a bike.
Captions 4-5, La Tempesta - film
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Nel senso literally means “in the sense,” but Italians use it these days much as we use “I mean” in English. Lots of times they don’t even finish the sentence. Nel senso just stands alone, and you have to guess the rest. Nel senso can be likened to cioè (that is, meaning...), but technically, nel senso in this context should be followed by che (that) as in the following example.
Conoscendolo in che senso...?
Knowing him in what way...?
Nel senso che in paese le voci girano.
In the way that in town word gets around.
Captions 48-49, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu
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Without che (or any other conjunction) following it, it's decidedly less grammatically correct.
Il senso is a noun that covers a lot of bases, but here, it is equivalent to "the way," "the manner."
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