Let's look at some different ways people say, "I don't think so." In English, we have "so" at the end, and we might wonder how to translate it. In some cases, we can add a pronoun, but often, it's left out entirely. As you will see, different verbs work a bit differently from one another, so we need to keep them straight. Of course, it's perfectly OK for you, as you learn, to say it the same way every time, but someone might use one form or another, so you'll want to be prepared to understand them. There's more than one way to skin a cat!
We're talking about responding (in the negative) to questions such as:
*Hai il mio numero di telefono (do you have my phone number)?
Non mi pare (I don't think so).
Non mi sembra (it doesn't seem so to me).
Non credo (I don't believe so).
Non penso (I don't think so).
*Quella donna è sua moglie (is that woman his wife)?
Non mi pare (I don't think so).
Non mi sembra (I don't think so, it doesn't seem so to me).
Non credo (I don't think so, I don't believe so).
Non penso proprio (I really don't think so).
Let's look at these verb choices one by one.
You might remember a lesson where we talked briefly about the verb parere. In addition, let's remember that il parere is also a noun, meaning "the opinion."
So if you want to answer a question in the negative, you can say, Non mi pare (I don't think so).
Non lo so, cambiamenti nell'atteggiamento, nell'umore, nel modo di vestirsi, cose così. -No... no, non mi pare.
I don't know, changes in her behavior, in her mood, in the way she dresses, stuff like that. -No... no, I don't think so.
Captions 15-16, Il Commissario Manara S2EP3 - Delitto tra le lenzuola - Part 5
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Sembrare (to seem) is a bit tricky because, like parere, it's often used with an indirect object or personal pronoun. In everyday conversation, we often find the construction mi sembra che... or non mi sembra che... (it seems to me that... it doesn't seem to me that...). Or we just find non mi sembra. Here we have to keep in mind that sembra (the third person singular of sembrare) includes the subject pronoun "it" or possibly "he/she." Translating it literally is just a bit awkward. In English, we tend to simplify.
Ma non ti sembra un po' affrettato? -Affrettato?
But doesn't it seem a bit rushed to you? -Rushed?
Captions 10-11, Stai lontana da me Rai Cinema - Part 17
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We couldn't find an example in Yabla videos with the simple answer non mi sembra, but we can answer the question "Rushed?" in the previous example with it: Affrettato? Non mi sembra (rushed? I don't think so). We can dress up the answer with proprio or, since it is in the negative, with affatto ([not] at all) Non mi sembra affatto (I really don't think so, I don't think so at all).
So with parere and sembrare, we often use the indirect personal pronoun (to me, to him, to them, to you) but with our next words, credere (to believe) and pensare (to think) we don't. They are just "normal" verbs.
Another word that is used a lot in this context is the verb credere (to believe). It goes together nicely with proprio (really). Proprio means lots of things, so see our lesson about it for more information. In English, we often use "think" instead of "believe" out of habit. In many cases, "believe" would be fine, too.
Forse un imprenditore americano non le parlerebbe così. -No, non credo proprio.
Maybe an American industrialist wouldn't talk about it like that. -No, I really don't think so.
Captions 40-41, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep.2 - Part 13
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We have seen this verb many times before, but we include it here, because it might be the easiest to remember, corresponding to the English verb "to think."
Cos'è, bigiotteria? Non penso. Rubini e filigrana d'oro.
What is it? Costume jewelry? I don't think so. Rubies and gold filigree.
Captions 70-71, Il Commissario Manara S2EP12 - La donna senza volto - Part 4
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We've provided some quick and easy negative answers to questions asking our opinion or judgment about something. When we use any of these verbs in longer sentences, we might need the subjunctive if the verbs are followed by the conjunction che (that, which). There are other ways to use these verbs without the subjunctive and we will explore these in a future lesson.
Practice:
Try asking yourself some questions and experiment with the different verbs. Here's a start:
Pioverà (is it going to rain)?
Arriveremo in tempo (will we get there in time)?
Hai abbastanza soldi per pagarlo (do you have enough money to pay for this)?
La pasta è cotta (is the pasta cooked)?
Just as the English word "everywhere" comes from two words, "every" and "where," Italian uses the same technique, in many cases. Sometimes the two (or multiple) words become one, such as dappertutto (everywhere).
If we think about it, dappertutto comes from 3 words: the preposition da (from, at, by); the preposition per (for); and tutto (everything, all), an adjective, noun, or pronoun, depending on the context.
I cani cercano dappertutto, ma non riusciamo a trovare nulla.
The dogs are searching everywhere, but we can't find anything.
Caption 63, Fulvio Benelli Crimine Infinito, romanzo - Part 2
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Of course, you don't need to think about the three words making up dappertutto, you just have to remember that it means "everywhere."
In literature, for the most part, we might see the word ove used to mean "where," rather than the word we are familiar with: dove (where). And this leads us to another word for "everywhere": ovunque. We can detect the stem -unque that is part of words like comunque (however), dunque (so, therefore).
Perché non solo la libreria, ma ovunque in città ha avuto danni incredibili.
Because, not just the bookshop, but everywhere in the city had sustained incredible damage.
Captions 63-64, In giro per l'Italia Venezia - Part 2
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But we can also say dovunque, using the normal word for "where," to mean the same thing.
Vedi il crimine dovunque, anche dove non c'è.
You see crimes all over, even where there aren't any.
Captions 3-4, Provaci ancora prof! S1E4 - La mia compagna di banco - Part 16
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We can also say ogni dove. This word has remained as two words, which might confuse some people. But if we take it apart, we see the word ogni (each, every) and dove (where).
Per secoli nobili, studiosi, artisti venivano qui da ogni dove per capirne l'essenza.
Over the centuries, noblemen, scholars, and artists came here from all over in order to understand its essence.
Captions 2-3, Meraviglie EP. 1 - Part 1
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The verb tenere translates, much of the time, as "to hold," "to keep." But we also use the verb to talk about things or people we care about, that matter to us, and consequently do not want to lose.
We use it intransitively with the preposition a (to, in, about...) to mean to care about, to consider important. We can use it with things or people.
Io ci tengo al mi [mio] lavoro. E il mi [mio] capo nun [non] vuole grane.
I care about my job. And my boss doesn't want trouble.
Captions 21-22, Il Commissario Manara S1EP7 - Sogni di Vetro - Part 10
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In a way, the person wants to keep his or her job, so tenere makes sense. When you care about a person, but it's not the moment for talking about actual love, tenere is a good verb to use. You care about someone and you don't want to lose them.
Io ci tengo a te.
I care about you.
Caption 8, Il Commissario Manara S2EP2 - L'addio di Lara - Part 1
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Another way to think about it is that "it matters."
Oh, mi raccomando, non mi fate fare cattive figure perché ci tengo, capito?
Oh, and I mean it — don't make me look bad, because it really matters to me, you get it?
Caption 41, Il Commissario Manara S2EP4 - Miss Maremma - Part 11
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We can also use tenere when we want to make sure to mention something. So we can follow the preposition a with either a noun or a verb.
Ci tengo a dire una cosa,
I feel the need to say one thing,
Caption 17, Il Commissario Manara S2EP9 - L'amica ritrovata - Part 3
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So when something or someone means something to you, try saying, Ci tengo (it matters to me).
You can turn it into a question:
Ci tieni davvero tanto a mangiare al ristorante stasera? Perché io sono molto stanca” (do you really care about going out to eat tonight? Because I am really tired).
Since tenere is used so much in various contexts, it may be hard to search for examples, but the more you watch and listen, the more you will notice that Italians use this turn of phrase all the time.
What are some of the things a cui tieni (that matter to you)?
È una fotografia alla quale tengo molto.
It's a photograph I'm very attached to.
Caption 27, L'arte della cucina La Prima Identitá - Part 9
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In a recent episode of Un medico in famiglia, Guido (the doctor who is staying at the Martini residence) is having a conversation with Maria (a family member who is studying medicine and is also attracted to Guido). Her grandfather is trying to listen in on the conversation. Guido uses the word innanzitutto. It's a long word, and can be a bit daunting, but if we take it apart, we'll see that it is no big deal. Let's look for the words within the word.
Be', innanzitutto bisogna vedere se è veramente un'amicizia, perché...
Well, first of all, we have to see if it's really a friendship, because....
Caption 62, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3EP4 Lo stagno del ranocchio - Part 12
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Innanzitutto, scriviamo il luogo e la data in alto a destra.
First of all, we write the place and the date in the upper right hand corner.
Captions 12-13, Corso di italiano con Daniela Lettera informale - Part 1
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Maestra, tantissime cose. Innanzitutto, Firenze con gli Uffizi, ma non solo.
Teacher, many things. First of all, Florence with the Uffizi, but not only.
Captions 72-73, L'Italia a tavola Interrogazione sulla Toscana
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Perhaps the first word that jumps out is tutto. Many of us know that means "everything" or "all."
What might not jump out as a word is innanzi. It means "in front of" or "before." It's not all that common, but it is used in literature and formal speech quite a bit. It's another way to say davanti (in front of) and has a variant, dinnanzi.
"Alla parola "comizio", d'ora innanzi, prego di sostituire la parola "raduno di propaganda".
"For the word "assembly," from now on, please substitute the word "propaganda meeting."
Caption 44, Me Ne Frego Il Fascismo e la lingua italiana - Part 7
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It's also another way to say in avanti (henceforth), as in the previous example (from the 1930s).
One way to say you are surviving is:
Si tira avanti or si tira innanzi (one is pulling forward, or pushing forth).
A more common word we can detect as part of innanzitutto is anzi. We use this word a lot when we contradict ourselves, change our minds, or reiterate something with emphasis. See our lesson about anzi.
Interestingly, anzi comes from the Latin word (also an Italian word) ante meaning "before." We find this in words like anteprima (preview) or antenati (forefathers). It basically means "before." As we can see in the lesson mentioned above, anzi means a lot of things now, but originally, its meaning was "before," or, in Italian, prima. Many of us know that prima can mean either "before" or "first."
So, innanzitutto just means, "first of all," or if you want to get a bit fancier, "first and foremost." It's really no big deal. And the good news is that if it's too hard to pronounce, you have some alternatives, some of them similar but not exact synonyms.
Prima di tutto (first of all)
Per cominciare (to start with)
Soprattutto (above all)
There may be more! Let us know if you discover new ones. Meanwhile, if you can manage it, innanzitutto is something to say when beginning a speech and acknowledging the sponsor.
Innanzitutto, vorrei ringraziare... (first and foremost, I would like to thank...)
In a previous lesson, we looked at the preposition presso. It's used, for example, when you are staying with someone and can stand for "c/o." You can use it to say in which organization you are working. It's always followed by a noun.
Lavoro presso la biblioteca comunale (I work at the public library).
Please see this lesson to get more information about presso.
In a recent video, we find a related word, appresso, usually used as an adverb, but also as a preposition. In this particular case, Alberto Manzi has been sent to a juvenile detention center to try to teach kids how to read and write. They are unwilling, and prefer to follow the "leader of the pack."
Tutti appresso a lui come delle pecore.
All of you following him like sheep.
Caption 52, Non è mai troppo tardi EP1 - Part 8
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Our translation, "following," doesn't really do the word justice. It might be easier to have a visual cue. Think of how sheep really act. They don't follow each other neatly in a line. They kind of crowd one another without thinking.
In the following example, Lara's father is talking about an ancient tomb he has been studying for years. Again, the translation doesn't do it justice, but the preposition appresso gives you the feeling that he has been obsessing over that tomb, that it has been consuming his time and energies.
Sono quattordici anni che sto appresso a quella tomba!
I've been on that tomb for fourteen years.
Caption 52, Il Commissario Manara S1EP11 - Beato tra le donne - Part 8
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Let's consider for a moment the addition of an A to the beginning of the preposition presso. It is very reminiscent of the relation between dosso and addosso, or poggio and appoggio. The prefix A can change a noun into a different part of speech.
But whereas addosso has to do with the back as a body part, often used figuratively, appresso is more about being nearby.
Cucina contadina che emigra nelle città, portandosi appresso conoscenze e tradizioni.
Country cooking that emigrates to the cities, taking along with it knowledge and traditions.
Captions 15-16, L'arte della cucina Terre d'Acqua - Part 13
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In terms of clothing and accessories, addosso might have to do with the clothes you have on, and appresso will be more related to your briefcase, laptop, carry-on bag, or handbag.
Speaking figuratively, when you are keeping at someone to do something, or just coming too close, addosso and appresso can practically coincide.
Non mi stare così addosso (get off my back)!
Non mi stare così appresso (give me some space)!
Addosso may be more common in this context, but the example can serve to see what the difference is.
We have already talked a bit about the verb anticipare because it is the opposite of posticipare (to postpone). But let's look at some examples to get a feel for the verb and then look at the noun.
Eh, c'è un caso delicato e ho dovuto anticipare il rientro.
Uh, there is a delicate case and I've had to move up my return.
Caption 65, Il Commissario Manara S2EP9 - L'amica ritrovata - Part 5
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We might just say, "I had to go back earlier" or "I had to return ahead of schedule."
Ma no, sulle prime sembrava che fosse quel giorno, poi invece gli scritti li hanno anticipati e li ho dati un mese fa.
But no, at first it seemed like it was that day, but then they moved the written exams up and I did those a month ago.
Captions 5-6, Sposami EP 4 - Part 25
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If I answer your question before you ask it, you might say:
Mi hai anticipato (you preceded me, you beat me to it).
When I have told you something earlier and refer to it now, I might say something like:
Vediamo un po' in quale altro modo si usa, perché, come ti avevo anticipato, ci sono vari modi.
Let's look a bit into what other way it's used. Because, as I told you earlier, there are various ways.
Captions 2-3, Marika spiega La particella CI - Part 2
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Sometimes, instead of words or information, it's money!
Walter m'aveva chiesto di anticipare i soldi per il viaggio ai Caraibi...
Walter had asked me to advance him the money for the trip to the Caribbean...
Caption 51, Il Commissario Manara S2EP5 - Mondo sommerso - Part 3
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It's also common, when talking about money, to use the noun form we mentioned earlier: un anticipo.
Ma il nostro accordo era un anticipo subito e il resto alla consegna.
But our agreement was an advance payment right away and the rest upon delivery.
Caption 8, Il Commissario Manara S2EP5 - Mondo sommerso - Part 9
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We could also use "down payment" to mean anticipo here. You might ask your boss for un anticipo (an advance).
And when something or someone is early, or arrives early, ahead of schedule, most of the time we say in anticipo. It functions as an adverb.
Sono in anticipo?
Am I early?
Caption 40, Il Commissario Manara S2EP3 - Delitto tra le lenzuola - Part 11
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We can also say con anticipo when we want to say "in advance." Here anticipo is a noun, and it has an adjective in front of it.
Il problema è che spesso le strutture sono sovraffollate, per cui, eh, devi agire con molto anticipo rispetto agli esami che vuoi fare
The problem is that often, the facilities are overcrowded, so uh, you have to act long in advance with respect to the exams that you want to do
Captions 8-10, Anna presenta La gravidanza - Part 2
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But we can also say in netto anticipo (well in advance) and here it again functions pretty much like an adverb. It is more important to be able to use this word than to know its part of speech. Sometimes the confines are blurry.
One word leads to another. Since some of Yabla's videos have included scenes of construction, the topic of scaffolding has come up from time to time, even though it's certainly not a topic you run into every day. But there is a false cognate we may run into whenever we go to a supermercato (supermarket) or grande magazzino (department store), so a closer look might be merited.
One word for "scaffolding" is il ponteggio or, more often, i ponteggi. We can detect the noun il ponte (the bridge) in the word, and can easily imagine the wooden planks as "bridges" from one set of poles to the next.
Ha ceduto un ponteggio.
Some scaffolding collapsed.
Caption 35, Volare - La grande storia di Domenico Modugno Ep. 1 - Part 3
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Impalcatura is often used in the singular, as a generic term, but can also be used in the plural. Here, we might detect the noun il palco, which can mean "the stage" (as in a theater) or "the platform." L'impalcatura is a series of platforms on top of each other.
È caduto da un'impalcatura del cantiere.
He fell from a scaffold at the construction site.
Caption 9, La Ladra EP. 7 - Il piccolo ladro - Part 3
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No, Spartacus, non credo che gli faccia piacere avere un ricevimento in mezzo a impalcature e betoniere.
No, Spartacus, I don't think he is happy to have a reception in the middle of scaffolding and cement mixers.
Captions 66-67, Sposami EP 4 - Part 24
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"Platform" has a cognate, too: la piattaforma (the platform, the board).
La parte centrale del Colosseo, dove accadeva tutto, era una piattaforma lignea che veniva, eh, riempita di sabbia,
The central part of the Colosseum, where everything took place, was a wooden platform that was, uh, filled with sand,
Captions 25-27, Marika e Daniela Colosseo, interno - Part 1
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But, when we find the word scaffale in Italian, it doesn't mean "scaffolding." It is, instead, the kind of shelving you find in a store, supermarket, or department store.
Se andate a fare la spesa in un supermercato italiano, vi troverete davanti allo scaffale del riso indecisi sul tipo di riso da comprare,
If you go grocery shopping in an Italian supermarket, you'll find yourselves facing the rice shelf, uncertain about the type of rice to buy,
Captions 1-3, L'Italia a tavola Risotto alla milanese - Part 2
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It's used a lot in the plural as a general term: gli scaffali.
Se voi mangiaste meno, il supermercato sarebbe sicuramente più pieno e io non troverei gli scaffali vuoti. -Esagerata, eh!
If you ate less, the supermarket would surely be fuller and I wouldn't find the shelves empty. -Over the top, huh!
Captions 44-45, Daniela e Francesca Il verbo mangiare
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We can also use the noun lo scaffale in a house. If the shelves are for books, we'll usually say, una libreria.
False friend alert: Una libreria is also a bookshop! A library, on the other hand, is una biblioteca. If you have a dedicated room or lots of shelves for books, you can talk about una biblioteca in your house, too.
When we are speaking generically, we can use scaffale. Marika talks about lo scaffale, because, as she mentions, it contains all kinds of things.
A fianco alla televisione, ho un mobile. Questo mobile si chiama scaffale. Io lo uso per conservare tantissimi oggetti.
Alongside the television, I have a piece of furniture. This piece of furniture is called a shelving unit. I use it to store many objects.
Captions 26-28, Marika spiega Il salone
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If this web of words has brought you more confusion than anything else, just stick with learning gli scaffali. That's where you will find food and products at the supermarket, and eating is essential.
Svolgere is yet another verb starting with S, meaning there is likely a verb without the S, at its roots.
The use of the "prefix" S to give a word the opposite meaning is a common Italian phenomenon. It comes up frequently (see, for example this lesson). There is no fool-proof "rule," but knowing about the S-prefix can often give us a clue about a word. If we try a search of the word without the S, we might gain a deeper understanding of the word. Sometimes the S provides a different slant on a word, and isn't necessarily a negation or an opposite.
So if we look up volgere, we find that it does exist. We just don't use it very often in everyday conversation. Svolgere, on the other hand, is very common, but it's not easy to guess its meaning.
Let's take a closer look.
When the verb is in its non-reflexive form it can be translated as "to carry out," "to conduct," "to do," or "to perform." It's transitive. We use it a lot when the question is, "What does it do?" or "What do you do (as a job)?"
Ha una capacità di memoria elevatissima; può svolgere la stessa funzione di cinquemila calcolatori meccanici messi insieme, ma in un tempo infinitamente più breve.
It has a very high memory capacity; it can perform the same function as five thousand mechanical calculators put together, but in an infinitely shorter time.
Captions 3-5, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep.2 - Part 19
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Ci troviamo nel centro tartarughe WWF di Lampedusa, fa parte del progetto italiano del WWF, che svolge attività di conservazione sulle tartarughe marine,
We are at the WWF center in Lampedusa, it's part of the Italian WWF project, which conducts work on conserving sea turtles
Captions 36-38, WWF Italia Progetto tartarughe - Part 1
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Espressione del lavoro di ricerca che svolgono durante il loro soggiorno romano.
An expression of the research work they carry out during their stay in Rome.
Caption 10, Villa Medici L'arca della bellezza - Part 4
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When we use the reflexive form of the verb, we often translate it as "to take place." We could also say "to unfold" in certain contexts. The reflexive form is intransitive.
Una parte del film si svolge qua dove sembra veramente che il passato e il futuro siano coesistenti.
One part of the film takes place here where it really seems that the past and the future coexist.
Captions 34-35, Fratelli Taviani La passione e l'utopia - Part 6
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The reflexive form svolgersi, is extremely common, but not all that easy to guess at, since it's not a cognate... or is it?
If we look up the etymology of the verb svolgere, we do find volgere, but another, archaic, version of volgere — volvere, no longer in use, is mentioned as well. And if we try hard, we can see the verb "to evolve" as a sort of cognate. If we think of the verb svolgersi as something like, "to evolve," it might help us remember it.
How does this story evolve? Come si svolge questa storia?
If we look at the conjugation chart of the verb svolgere and we look at the conjugation chart of the verb svoltare (to change directions, to turn) there are some similarities, so this can be a bit confusing.
Both the non-reflexive and the reflexive form of the verb svolgere can mean "to unfold." So they intersect in a way. But we should just keep in mind that the non-reflexive form is transitive (it takes a direct object) and the reflexive form is intransitive (you won't find a direct object after it).
If you do a search of svolgere, and svolgersi on the Yabla videos page, you will have an overview of how these verbs are used. If you then go to the transcript for a given video where the word is used and hit command or control F to search the word there, you'll see the larger context, together with the English translation. You will see that the translation isn't consistent. Sometimes it's tricky to find the right word, since there really isn't a good, reliable English cognate.
Certainly, the two forms of svolgere are great verbs to have in your toolbox. If you pay attention, you will start hearing both of them a great deal. And now you know what they mean!
We've talked various times about the noun il conto. It can refer to "the bill" or "the account," but it's also used in expressions such as per conto di..., or to put it in more personal terms, per conto mio/suo.
What's perhaps important to remember is that it has two distinct (but related meanings). It can mean "of one's own."
Nilde, tu c'hai già mille problemi per conto tuo, il ristorante, Enrica fra i piedi, lascia perdere.
Nilde, you already have a ton of problems of your own, the restaurant, Enrica on your back, forget about it.
Captions 10-11, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3EP4 Lo stagno del ranocchio - Part 5
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Perché la mi' figliola [mia figlia] c'ha già tanti problemi per conto suo.
Because my daughter has enough problems of her own.
Caption 37, Il Commissario Manara S1EP9 - Morte in paradiso - Part 7
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But it also means "on one's own."
Allora, lei è una che fa finta di starsene per conto suo, ma poi te la ritrovi sempre fra i piedi, una grandissima ficcanaso.
So, she is someone who pretends to be on her own, but then you always find her underfoot, hugely nosy.
Captions 45-47, Provaci ancora prof! S1E4 - La mia compagna di banco - Part 30
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Poi, se ne andarono ognuno per conto suo [sic: proprio].
Then they went away, each on his own.
Caption 33, Ti racconto una fiaba I tre porcellini - Part 1
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You will have to rely on the context to help decide what per conto means in each case.
With sforzo, we have an S at the beginning of a word once again, and we might recognize the word without the S as looking like the noun forza. In fact, forza vs sforzo can cause confusion for non-native speakers of Italian, because they are both about strength, in a way.
In the popular detective series on Yabla, Imma Tatarannni is trying to get some information from the young woman whose boyfriend was murdered. She uses the noun sforzo as she talks to Milena.
Allora, Milena, ascoltami. Ora tu devi fare un piccolo sforzo, va bene?
So, Milena, listen to me. Now, you have to make a little effort, all right?
Captions 23-24, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP2 Come piante fra sassi - Part 16
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We have translated Imma's use of sforzo with "to make an effort" but we might more likely say, "Now you have to try a bit harder." "Now you have to really try."
We have seen that an S at the beginning of an existing word will often change it to an opposite meaning, but it can also reinforce it, and that is basically what is happening in the example above (although this is even clearer when looking at the verb forms forzare and sforzare as we do below).
When you make an effort, you use some reserves of strength. The noun la forza is "the strength" or "the force" (easy cognate!). It's actually a very popular word, so see our lesson all about forza. It's a great noun to know because it's used so much, especially in conversation.
Sometimes it's hard to remember that lo sforzo is a masculine noun and la forza is a feminine noun so let's keep in mind that lo sforzo is "the effort," and la forza is "the strength."
The noun la forza is easy to understand, as it is a cognate of "the force," but is often translated as "the strength."
One example of this noun is the subtitle of a popular biopic about Adriano Olivetti, the man behind the well-known Olivetti typewriter. Adriano Olivetti - La forza di un sogno (the strength of a dream).
Both lo sforzo and la forza are associated with verbs: sforzare and forzare. Sometimes these two verbs mean the same thing, but sometimes we need to distinguish them and that's where it can get tricky. Which to use?
E mi prometti di stare tranquilla, di riposarti e di non sforzare il piede?
And promise me you'll stay calm, rest and not strain your foot?
Captions 1-2, Sposami EP 3 - Part 2
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In this case, we're talking about putting too much pressure on the injured foot. Some people might use the verb forzare to mean the exact same thing, as sometimes forzare means going too far.
In the following example, sforzare is used reflexively to mean "to make an effort," "to try hard."
Piggeldy si sforzò di camminare come si deve.
Piggeldy made an effort to walk properly.
Caption 14, Piggeldy e Federico Il cielo
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Sometimes forzare means "to use force" as implied in the following example.
Eh, qualcuno ha forzato i cancelli del canile comunale, sono scappati tutti i cani,
Uh, someone pried open the gates of the town dog pound, all the dogs escaped,
Captions 68-69, Il Commissario Manara S1EP8 - Morte di un buttero - Part 3
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Of course, as with many verbs, the past participle of forzare may be used as an adjective, and often is. Sforzare, on the other hand, isn't commonly used this way.
La prima settimana di libertà dopo mesi di confino forzato!
The first week of freedom after months of forced confinement!
Caption 26, Il Commissario Manara S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena - Part 1
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When your car gets towed from a no-parking zone, in Italy, it's often called rimozione forzata. This is because they will remove the car without having to ask you. You want to avoid parking in these areas, so these might be a good couple of words to know! To see what these signs look like, here's a link.
As to when to use one or the other verb, don't worry about it too much, as sometimes it depends on personal preference. It's more important to remember about the noun, as we have mentioned above. Also, keep your ears open to notice which word people use in various situations.
P.S. The use of S as a sort of prefix in Italian comes from the Latin prefix "ex!"
P.P.S. Sforza (with an "a" at the end) is not a noun, at least not a normal, common noun. It is used as a proper noun — as a family name, and in particular, it was the name of a Milanese ruling family in the Renaissance, and a power name at that.
A noun that crops up a lot in various contexts is il discorso. It can be tricky to translate because it can mean so many things. At a basic level, we can detect the cognate: the discourse. The English noun discourse is a word we can make sense of, even though we might not use it all that often in everyday conversation. But what does il discorso mean in Italian?
In Italian, un discorso can be a speech, a conversation, a story, or even a theme. In the following example, it seems to mean "theme."
Il discorso simbolico dei balconi prosegue all'interno della casa nobiliare.
The symbolic theme of the balconies continues inside this aristocratic house.
Caption 2, Meraviglie S2 EP3 - Part 11
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While discorso can mean "theme," it's used later in the same episode to indicate either conversation or speech.
Immaginate le atmosfere, i discorsi, i silenzi,
Imagine the atmospheres, the conversations, the silences,
Caption 11, Meraviglie S2 EP3 - Part 11
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It can also mean "discussion" or "argument."
Fine del discorso.
End of discussion.
Caption 20, La Ladra EP. 7 - Il piccolo ladro - Part 10
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But it can also mean other things.
In an argument, in English, you might say, "What on earth are you talking about?" or "What is this nonsense?"
In Italian, you would say something like:
"Ma che discorsi sono?"
or
Che discorso fai?
If you do a search of discorso or discorsi in Yabla videos, you will find plenty of examples in various contexts.
In a previous lesson we talked about the verb seguire (to follow). Here are two other words that have the same root and are related, but mean something else: Proseguire and inseguire.
In Italian, we can use the verb continuare, an easy cognate, but sometimes it's nice to change. Proseguire is a verb you will hear a lot, especially when someone is giving you directions.
Come posso arrivare alla spiaggia più vicina? Guarda, se proseguite sulla strada che fat' [sic] stavate facendo...
How can I reach the closest beach? Look, if you continue on the road you tak [sic] were taking...
Captions 17-18, Una gita al lago - Part 1
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Il nostro viaggio prosegue in Piemonte,
Our journey continues in Piedmont,
Caption 7, Meraviglie EP. 5 - Part 4
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You might ask, "Is there a difference between continuare and proseguire?" Well, much of the time they are interchangeable, but sometimes continuare can imply that you keep doing the same thing.
Continuo a non capire (I still don't understand).
But with proseguire, you continue on, you advance, you proceed. Think of an arrow in one direction.
Prosegua pure, prego.
Go ahead and continue, please.
Caption 35, PsicoVip La lavatrice - Ep 23
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We could also have translated this with the verb "to proceed."
There is a noun form of this word: il proseguo.
...questa è diventata una, una realtà e sicuramente, eh, anche per il proseguo...
...this has become a, a reality and surely, uh, also for the aftermath...
Caption 40, Calcio Intervista con il Prof. Cravero
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When you are saying goodbye to someone, instead of saying buona giornata or buona serata, you might say, buon proseguimento if you know that whomever you are saying goodbye to is off to do something else, not just going home.
Buon proseguimento (I wish you well in whatever you do next).
Or
Per il telegiornale oggi è tutto, io vi auguro un buon proseguimento di giornata.
That's all for the newscast for today. I wish you a good rest of the day.
Captions 56-57, Anna e Marika in TG Yabla Italia e Meteo - Part 4
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Allora, il ragioniere, terrorizzato, scappa verso il salone, ma Menicucci lo insegue e gli spara una seconda volta.
So the accountant, terrified, runs towards the living room, but Menicucci chases him down and shoots him a second time.
Captions 51-52, Provaci ancora prof! S2EP1 - La finestra sulla scuola - Part 23
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We can also use the word "to follow" as a translation, but the intention changes from seguire.
We have a noun associated with this word, too: l'inseguimento (the chase, the pursuit).
Ma i bolidi sfreccianti verso Parma sembrano sfidare il nostro inseguimento celeste.
But the race cars speeding towards Parma seem to defy our airborne pursuit.
Captions 9-10, La Mille Miglia del passato per vivere quella di oggi - Part 2
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Susseguirsi (to follow one another in succession)
We have inserted this verb with its reflexive ending, which is actually a reciprocal form, and is used as a noun in our example, something that's quite common.
Ora è il turno della parola: tempo, con la quale indichiamo il susseguirsi dei minuti, delle ore, dei giorni.
Now, it's time for the word "tempo," with which we indicate the passing of minutes, hours, days.
Captions 46-47, Marika spiega Parole con più significati - Part 1
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We can visualize the seconds following one another on a clock... We can talk about un susseguirsi di eventi (a chain of events or a series of events).
For more on the reflexive versus reciprocal verbs, see this video, presented by Marika.
For a lesson in English that explains the reciprocal form of verbs, see this lesson.
We hope we haven't filled your brain with words that are too similar. Please work on each one separately if you if that works best for you!
Looking at the word verso, we can detect a couple of cognates: "verse" and "versus," abbreviated as "vs" or "v." We can also see the word in words like "reverse..."
Verso is actually a wonderful word that can be used in so many circumstances. But where to start? Let's start in earlier times.
If you look at a medieval manuscript, for example, and think of how they numbered the pages, it's pretty interesting.
Instead of pages, they considered the whole sheet or leaf. Think of a looseleaf notebook. A leaf, or a sheet of paper (or parchment), has two sides. When scribes started numbering these leaves (in the twelfth century "foliation" became a rule. Before that there were different ways of keeping track), the number would be placed in the upper right-hand corner, for example: "XXX" (roman numerals were commonly used). This was the right side, the front side, the "recto." The backside of the leaf was called the "verso," the reverse side. So if you were indicating where a song or chapter started, you would say folio XXX r or XXX v.
The word verso comes from the Latin verb "vertĕre," meaning "to turn" — in its past participle form, "versus." The Italian verb meaning "to turn" is voltare which has common origins with volgere, the Italian for Latin "vertere." So the backside of a sheet is the one you have "turned."
Considering the above, it seems appropriate to discuss the noun form il verso next.
Il verso can certainly mean, as we have seen, "the reverse side," especially when talking about a coin, medal, or sheet or leaf of parchment.
It can also mean "direction" or "way."
...e per trenta minuti si gira in un verso, lentamente,
...and for thirty minutes, you stir it in one direction, slowly,
Caption 35, Adriano L'arancello di Marina
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Le parti basse dell'ulivo vanno tolte perché sono secche e non permettono alla pianta di, di crescere nel giusto verso.
The lower parts of the olive tree have to be removed because they're dry, and they don't allow the plant to, to grow in the right direction.
Captions 25-26, Gianni si racconta L'olivo e i rovi
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In colloquial speech il verso can mean "the way," used figuratively.
Pezzo di pane... -Bisogna saperlo prendere per il verso giusto.
Piece of bread... -You have to know how to handle him the right way.
Caption 65, Il Commissario Manara S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi - Part 16
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...ma non c'è stato verso di farla ragionare.
...but there was no way to get her to reason.
Caption 4, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1EP1 L'estate del dito - Part 10
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When talking about marble, it means "the correct direction," or "the grain."
Eh, il verso e il contro sono due termini, eh, conosciuti diffusamente tra gli art', gli artigiani del marmo,
Uh, the grain and against the grain are two terms, um, well known to art', marble artisans,
Captions 6-8, Claudio Capotondi Scultore - Part 1
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We also have the word inverso in Italian, meaning "inverse" or "opposite."
Quando "venire" è contrapposto esplicitamente ad "andare", indica movimento inverso, perché i due verbi esprimono insieme un movimento alternato e ripetuto nei [due] sensi.
When “venire” is explicitly juxtaposed with “andare,” it indicates an inverse movement, because the two verbs together express alternate and repeated movements, direction-wise.
Captions 42-45, Marika spiega I verbi venire e andare - Part 2
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Other meanings of il verso as a noun are:
-the sound an animal makes.
-a line of poetry
-a verse
Verso is a preposition, too, again having to do with direction.
Verso can mean "towards." It can also be interpreted as "facing,"
Perciò ti volti verso di lui. -Certo.
So, you turn towards him. -Of course.
Caption 62, Fratelli Taviani La passione e l'utopia - Part 16
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Note that when we use personal pronouns as an object, we need the extra preposition di. If it's a noun, then no extra preposition is needed.
Poi andando sempre più verso il Duomo, si vede appunto il Duomo
Then still going towards the Duomo, you can see just that, the Cathedral,
Captions 27-28, In giro per l'Italia Firenze - Part 4
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When we're talking about directions rather than concrete destinations, we use neither an extra preposition nor an article.
Poi, andando verso sinistra si vede il Palazzo Vecchio,
Then, going towards the left you can see the Palazzo Vecchio [the old building]
Caption 34, In giro per l'Italia Firenze - Part 4
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The English word "versus," has the same Latin origin as the preposition verso, but has come to mean "against." Two people or teams face each other when they are against each other.
Verso can mean "around" especially when talking about time.
La signora ha cenato e poi verso le nove è uscita.
The lady had dinner and then around nine, she went out.
Caption 8, Il Commissario Manara S2EP3 - Delitto tra le lenzuola - Part 5
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Finally, we mention the verb versare, because the first person singular happens to be verso. But versare deserves a lesson all to itself, because it's used often, but with various nuances in specific contexts.
There is an Italian cognate for the noun exam: It's esame, but there are a few basic things to know about using the word.
First of all, if you are in college (which is always called università in Italy), you take exams, right? Well in Italy, first of all, exams are generally oral exams, where you have to speak and answer questions at length, and often in public, before your peers. The final exam of high school is called l'esame di maturità, or just la maturità.
Cioè, come ho potuto io, che alla maturità ho preso sessanta?
That is, how could I have, when I got sixty in the finals?
Caption 16, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP1 - Casa nuova - Part 8
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Second of all, instead of taking an exam, you give it: dare un esame. At least this is how it is in colloquial speech.
Che importa se non ha dato nessun esame.
What does it matter if he didn't take any exams?
Caption 16, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3EP3 - Il tarlo del sospetto - Part 5
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That's one way to say it. We can also use the more "correct" verb sostenere. Sostenere means plenty of things as you can see in the link (including a close cognate — "to sustain"), but in the case of exams, it means "to undergo."
Per avere l'elenco degli esami che ha sostenuto tuo nipote, ci vuole il [sic: la] password, no, eh. -Ah, sì, sì, ho capito. -Ecco.
To have the list of the exams your nephew took, you need the password, right? -Ah, yes, yes, I get it. -Here.
Captions 44-45, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3 EP2 - Un nuovo medico in famiglia - Part 8
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And sometimes Italians use the all-purpose verb fare (to make, to do).
Ma mi avevi detto che era una freccia, era... faceva gli esami, uno dopo l'altro.
But you told me that he was as fast as an arrow, he was... he took the exams one after another.
Captions 54-55, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3 EP2 - Un nuovo medico in famiglia - Part 5
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When you pass an exam, the right word is superare l'esame but people use the verb passare, too.
Non ho mai visto Alberto dispiaciuto di aver passato un esame.
I've never seen Alberto unhappy to have passed an exam.
Caption 46, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3 EP2 - Un nuovo medico in famiglia - Part 6
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Che se non superi quegli esami non puoi fare gli altri esami che poi ti permettono di passare al secondo, al terzo, al quarto e poi al quinto anno e prendere la laurea.
That if you don't pass those exams you can't do the other exams that then allow you to go on to the second, third, fourth, and then to the fifth year and get your degree.
Captions 36-38, Serena sistema universitario italiano
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If you flunk an exam, sei bocciato or bocciata.
Invece, all'università, se prendi un voto inferiore al diciotto sei bocciato e non passi l'esame.
Instead, at the university, if you get a grade below eighteen, you fail, and you don't pass the exam.
Captions 49-50, Serena sistema universitario italiano
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Check out the video where Serena and Martina talk about how the university system works in Italy. And here they talk about high school.
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There are also the exams you do for your health (and sometimes when you are already dead).
Non ti consegno il rapporto perché ho richiesto un esame necroscopico.
I won't give you the report because I requested a post-mortem exam.
Caption 19, Il Commissario Manara S1EP11 - Beato tra le donne - Part 4
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In the U.S. we make an appointment to see a doctor. In Italy, prediamo un appuntamento (we take an appointment) and a visit to the doctor is called una visita, but when the doctor examines you, he or she "visits" you: visitare.
Dopo che sei stato accolto o accolta dagli infermieri e visitato o visitata dal dottore del Pronto Soccorso, ti diranno cosa è meglio per la tua salute.
After you have been asked to come in (m) or come in (f) by the nurses and examined (m) or examined (f) by the emergency room doctor, they will tell you what's best for your health.
Captions 55-57, Marika spiega Il pronto soccorso
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...tanto che una volta andai da un medico a farmi visitare...
...so much so that once I went to a doctor to get a checkup...
Caption 3, L'arte della cucina I Luoghi del Mondo - Part 3
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Just as we have two separate words in English for when we use our ears — "to listen" and "to hear" — we have them in Italian, too. There are a few things to know about the two verbs we use: ascoltare and sentire. On a very basic level, ascoltare (to listen) is more active than sentire (to hear).
E Lei non si è messa dietro la porta ad ascoltare?
And you didn't get behind the door to listen in?
Caption 39, Il Commissario Manara S2EP6 - Sotto tiro - Part 5
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Ama sentire il rumore dei suoi passi nei corridoi semideserti,
He loves to hear the noise of his steps in the semi-deserted corridors,
Caption 59, Fulvio Benelli Crimine Infinito, romanzo - Part 3
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Signore e signori, è con grande piacere che ascoltiamo la prossima canzone.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that we will listen to the next song.
Caption 1, Volare - La grande storia di Domenico Modugno Ep. 2 - Part 23
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We can just say ascolta (listen)! or ascoltate (listen [pl])! But we often use an object pronoun, too, as in the following example. Note that we sometimes attach the object pronoun and end up with one word. This can happen with the informal version of the imperative. As you will see, the polite form is different.
Allora, ascoltami bene. Tu non c'hai la mamma, stai qua a fare la cameriera a tutti, qualcuno te le dà pure...
Then, listen to me carefully. You don't have a mother, you're here being a maid to everyone, someone even beats you up...
Captions 5-7, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP2 Come piante fra sassi - Part 4
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If I answer that command, to say, for example, "I am listening to you," then I put the object pronoun first, and it's separate.
Ti ascolto.
I'm listening [to you].
Caption 31, Il Commissario Manara S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu - Part 9
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When we use the polite form of address, we can't attach the personal pronoun to the verb.
Manara, mi ascolti bene.
Manara, listen to me carefully.
Caption 23, Il Commissario Manara S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 8
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We can listen to a person, but we can also listen to sounds, to music, to the radio.
Era mattina presto e ascoltavo la radio.
It was early morning, and I was listening to the radio.
Caption 3, Volare - La grande storia di Domenico Modugno Ep. 2 - Part 4
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We also have the noun form, l'ascolto. We use it with verbs such as dare (to give) or prestare (to lend).
Mamma non mi vuole mandare al concerto. -Non se lo merita. Papà, non le dare ascolto.
Mom doesn't want to let me go to the concert. -She doesn't deserve it. Daddy, don't listen to her.
Captions 3-4, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP2 Come piante fra sassi - Part 5
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Colleghi e cittadini... -Attenzione, attenzione, prestatemi ascolto.
Colleagues and citizens... -Hear ye, hear ye, lend me your ear.
Captions 62-63, Volare - La grande storia di Domenico Modugno Ep. 1 - Part 15
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We have already mentioned that sentire is more of a passive verb than ascoltare. It corresponds to the verb "to hear." But that's not all! Sentire has to do with the senses, and the sense of hearing — l'udito — is one of them. But sentire is also used for the sense of smell, the sense of touch, and even the sense of taste sometimes.
Sentire can be used to get someone's attention, for example, in a restaurant when you want to call the waiter or waitress. Although literally, it's "Hear [me]," it's a very common way to say, "Excuse me."
Senta, mi sa dire che ore sono adesso?
Excuse me, can you tell me what time it is now?
Caption 11, Barzellette L'asino che dà l'ora
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In the first instance of the man wanting to know the time in the video, he uses mi scusi (excuse me).
Mi scusi, buon uomo. Mi sa dire l'ora, per favore?
Pardon me, my good man. Can you tell me the time, please?
Captions 1-2, Barzellette L'asino che dà l'ora
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Senta is a different way of saying the same thing, even though it really means "to hear."
In the following example, on the other hand, it's clear we're talking about hearing.
Come dici? No, no, non ti sento.
What are you saying? No, no, I can't hear you.
Caption 57, Il Commissario Manara S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva - Part 5
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In the following example, we have translated sentire with "to hear," but, come to think of it, Eva might have been talking about not smelling the potatoes frying. Il risultato non cambia (the result is the same)!
Ferruccio, non sento friggere le patate.
Ferruccio, I don't hear any potatoes frying.
Caption 65, La Ladra EP. 6 - Nero di rabbia - Part 9
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So sentire presents problems that ascoltare does not. Another issue is that we use sentire very often in its reflexive form, sentirsi. In this case, it means "to feel."
Vi prego, mi sento male!
Please, I'm feeling ill.
Caption 17, La Ladra EP. 7 - Il piccolo ladro - Part 13
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There's a common expression with sentirsi plus some particles. It's used when you don't feel up to something, and more often than not is used in the negative.
Sì, lo so, ma io ancora non me la sento di affrontare questo argomento.
Yes, I know, but I don't feel up to facing this subject just yet.
Caption 7, La Ladra EP. 8 - Il momento giusto - Part 2
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Or it can be used in a question: Can you do this? Are you up to it?
Te la senti? and in the polite form: Se la sente?
We have talked about both ascoltare and sentire in a previous lesson, with a different slant, so feel free to check it out!
Both words we want to talk about in this lesson have to do with the root word tono (tone). It means pretty much the same thing in both languages.
Ora delle due è una: o mi sta raccontando una balla adesso o mi ha preso in giro sin dall'inizio. Questo tono con me! Si rende conto che questa è insubordinazione?
Now it's one of the two: Either you're bullshitting me now, or you've been giving me the runaround from the beginning. This tone with me! Do you realize that this is insubordination?
Captions 13-16, Il Commissario Manara S1EP8 - Morte di un buttero - Part 12
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We use the words tono and "tone" a lot in music, too. Un tono is a whole tone or whole step of a scale. In Western music, for example, we have a series of whole tones and semi tones — toni e semitoni — that make up a particular musical scale.
Remaining in the realm of music, the verb intonare can mean "to start singing."
When someone sings the right notes, with accurate relationships between the notes, we can say this person is intonato or intonata (in tune). He or she has good intonazione (intonation).
When the opposite happens, when someone is not singing in tune, he is stonato, she is stonata. So once again, we have the S prefix that transforms a word into one with an opposite meaning. If this use of S at the beginning of a word is unfamiliar to you, check out this lesson.
In the example below, Martino, the guitarist, hears a woman singing onstage. He complains:
Ma quella è stonata.
But she's out of tune.
Caption 4, Chi m'ha visto film - Part 2
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In Italian, we often use the verbs intonare and stonare or their past participles, intonato and stonato in a figurative way, or in referring to colors and designs, anything, really. In the example below, it's used with a reflexive si.
La sua maglietta non si intona col mio rossetto e quindi Le metto sette.
Your t-shirt doesn't harmonize with my lipstick, and so I'm giving you a seven.
Caption 92, L'Italia a tavola Interrogazione sulla Liguria
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In this next example, an acquaintance of the famous film directors, the Taviani brothers, is describing how they were and how they worked together.
Erano sempre, ehm, eleganti, se si può dire la parola usata in maniera e... appunto non manierata, ma in maniera intonata no, sempre intonati, ecco.
They were always, uh, elegant, if one can use the word used in a manner and... just that, not mannered, but in a manner — harmonious, right? Always harmonious, that's it.
Captions 45-49, Fratelli Taviani La passione e l'utopia - Part 8
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In a recent episode of Meraviglie, Alberto Angela uses the verb stonare figuratively, imagining what kind of play could be performed in the piazza of Lecce, a piazza that is reminiscent of a theatrical stage.
Tutto sembra disposto e ornato per un lieve gioco teatrale. Una commedia di Goldoni non vi stonerebbe.
Everything seems set up and decorated for a lighthearted play. A Goldoni play would not be out of place here.
Captions 9-10, Meraviglie S2 EP3 - Part 7
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So we can use stonare to mean "to clash," "to go together poorly."
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Another noun, stemming from tono, is sintonia, which is used quite a bit in Italian when talking about people who are on the same wavelength, who seem to be in sync. For example, when two people are thinking the same thing at the same time.
Loro due sono in sintonia (Those two are attuned to each other, they're on the same wavelength).
It's always a good idea to know what each finger on the hand are called in a given language.
Here are the names of the five fingers in italian:
Ogni mano ha cinque dita. Andiamo a conoscerle. Il pollice, indice, medio, anulare e mignolo.
Each hand has five fingers. Let's get to know them. The thumb, index, middle, ring, and little finger.
Captions 12-15, Marika spiega Gli arti superiori
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For more about upper limbs see this video from Marika.
Compared to English, Italian has a different take on fingers and toes. Italian speakers use dito (finger) for both fingers and toes, but specify when it's not about hands.
Tutti i pezzi che mancavano meno uno. -Il dito? No, le dita ci sono tutte sia dei piedi che delle mani. -Eh.
All the missing pieces save one. -The finger? No, all the digits are there, both on the feet and the hands. -Yeah.
Captions 23-24, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1EP1 L'estate del dito - Part 17
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So it's important to know that in Italian, there is no real difference between a finger and a toe. It just depends on where it is located.
However, the big toe is often referred to as l'alluce.
Il dito grande del piede si chiama alluce.
The big toe of the foot is called [the] big/great toe.
Caption 15, Marika spiega Il busto e gli arti inferiori
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Note that when we are talking about the toe of a boot or a shoe, then, it's la punta.
È la punta dello stivale Italia.
It's the toe of Italy's boot.
Caption 15, L'Italia a tavola Interrogazione sulla Calabria
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Ci sono delle scarpe a punta,
There are shoes with pointed toes,
Caption 22, Meraviglie EP. 6 - Part 10
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If you do something with your toe or toes, then it will probably be con la punta del piede.
Let's keep in mind that il dito (the finger) is a masculine noun, but has a feminine plural with an unusual ending: le dita (the fingers).
Non tutte le ciambelle escono col buco
Let's look at the main, individual words in this expression.
Ciambella: Una ciambella is often a donut or doughnut. But actually, it can refer to anything that is ring-shaped with a hole in the middle. It can be an "inner tube" you use in the pool, or a life-preserver. Un ciambellone is a large-size coffee cake, usually in the shape of a ring, with a hole in the middle. For more about turning a feminine noun like la ciambella into a big, masculine version such as il ciambellone using the ending -one, see this lesson.
Bona 'sta [buona questa] ciambella.
Good, this doughnut.
Caption 44, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP1 - Casa nuova - Part 10
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Escono: This is the third person plural of the verb uscire (to exit, to come/go out). In this case, we are talking about a donut or ring-shaped cake coming out of the oven or deep-frier. Sometimes there's a mistake, and one might not have its hole in the middle, it might be lopsided.
Buco: Un buco is a hole. Just like in the middle of a donut.
Cominciamo a piantarne uno. Allora bisogna fare un buco.
Let's start planting one. So we need to make a hole.
Captions 46-47, Gatto Mirò EP 10 Piantiamo un albero
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A word about the other words:
Non is a negating word, like "not."
Tutte means "all." In this case, it refers to the plural feminine noun, le ciambelle, so it has a plural feminine ending.
We have the conjunction col. This is a combination of con (with) and il (the).
A variation on this expression is: Non tutte le ciambelle riescono col buco.
The verb changes from uscire to riuscire. While riuscire can mean "to come/go out again," as in when you come home but have to go out again because you forgot to buy milk, it also means "to succeed," "to turn out," "to manage to do something."
Però, non tutti riescono a farlo bene.
However, not everyone succeeds in doing it well.
Caption 10, Anna e Marika Il pane
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So the meaning of the two variants is essentially the same, but with escono, we can visualize the donut coming out of the oven, and with riescono, we can visualize how they turn out.
Yet another variation is: Non tutte le ciambelle vengono col buco. Here the verb is venire (to come). "Not all donuts come with holes." The concept doesn't change.
Literally, the sentence means: "Not all donuts come out [of the oven] with holes." The figurative meaning of the expression is that not everything goes according to plan. Sometimes things turn out imperfectly, but it's not a huge deal. A nuance is that the donut will still taste good even if it is a bit misshapen or lopsided.
When you or someone else does a job that didn't come out perfectly, it's also a way of minimizing the error, as if to say, "Oh well..."
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