If you look up the verb aspettare in the dictionary, the first English translation you will find is "to wait." Or almost. You might see "to await." That is because, even though we don't use the verb "to await" much in general conversation, it's a transitive verb, and so is aspettare. They can line up. So that's something to remember.
Aspettare is transitive most of the time (except when it means something like "Hey wait!"). We don't need a preposition after it as we do in English — "to wait for." This lesson isn't about English, but let's just mention that lots of people use "to wait on" in certain contexts, and other people use "to wait for." In Italian, we don't have to worry about that.
Adesso bisogna aspettare il risultato dell'autopsia e poi finalmente potrete organizzare il funerale.
Now we have to wait for the results of the autopsy and then, finally, you'll be able to organize the funeral.
Captions 21-22, Il Commissario Manara S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 4
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Just as in English, we can use the imperative form aspetta! (informal singular), aspettate! (informal plural), aspettiamo (first person plural) or aspetti (formal, singular) on its own to mean "Wait!"
Aspetta, aspetta, ti levo il cerotto piano piano. Aspetta, aspetta.
Wait, wait, I'll remove the band-aid slowly, slowly. Wait, wait.
Caption 55, Il Commissario Manara S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 12
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Aspettate, lascio il libro sul tavolo
Wait, I'll leave the book on the table
Caption 3, Corso di italiano con Daniela Il futuro - Part 4
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Dottor Barale, aspetti!
Mister Barale, wait!
Caption 29, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep. 1 - Part 18
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In a question, let's remember again that aspettare is transitive. So if you want to ask the common question: "What are you waiting for?" you don't need the preposition.
Mai. -E che aspetti?
Never. -And what are you waiting for?
Caption 44, Questione di Karma Rai Cinema - Part 8
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When we use aspettare reflexively, in other words — aspettarsi — the meaning changes. It becomes "to expect."
Cioè, il ladro può essere entrato in biblioteca senza aspettarsi che Fazi fosse lì.
That is, the thief could have gone into the library without expecting Fazi to be there.
Caption 11, Il Commissario Manara S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi - Part 7
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So when the verb is conjugated rather than in the infinitive, we have to look for an object pronoun (or noun). Here are two examples. The first is not reflexive so aspettare here means "to wait."
Erano cinque anni che aspettavo questo momento.
I'd been waiting five years for this moment.
Caption 16, L'Oriana film - Part 15
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If we find an object pronoun nearby (in this case mi), then we're likely looking at the reflexive version of aspettare and it will mean "to expect." And in many cases, we'll see some sort of preposition afterwards. In the examples below, first we have di and then, in the next example, we have da. We also often find the conjunction che, as in the third example below.
Grazie. -E non mi aspettavo di rivedervi così presto.
Thank you. -Uh, I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon.
Caption 21, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1EP1 L'estate del dito - Part 19
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Cosa ti aspetti da questo Real Madrid?
What do you expect from this Real Madrid [team]?
Caption 12, Spot Sky Sport con Perrotta, Totti, Marchisio
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Mi aspettavo che tu fossi più sincera,
I expected that you'd be more sincere,
Caption 30, Anna e Marika Il verbo essere - Part 4
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And, since an expectation is often tied to uncertainty, and che triggers the subjunctive, we will likely find the subjunctive form of the verb in the subordinate clause.
But... sometimes the difference is nuanced. For example, when a person is pregnant, we use "expecting" in English. In Italian, not necessarily.
We usually hear the non-reflexive form of aspettare.
È vero, aspetto un bambino da Arturo.
It's true, I am expecting a baby of Arturo's.
Caption 6, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP1 I Bastardi - Part 21
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When you're expecting a package, or sometimes a person, you'll likely use the non-reflexive version.
Senta, Lei è un bel tipo, io non lo posso negare, però io sto aspettando una persona molto importante.
Listen, you're a cute guy, I can't deny it, but I'm expecting a very important person.
Captions 6-7, Il Commissario Manara S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 6
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Another case in which English might use "expect," is when you invite someone and then you expect them at a certain hour. "I'll be expecting you!" Italians just use aspettare. Think of the end of a video when Marika talks about seeing you in the next video. She might say:
Io ti lascio lavorare in pace e ti aspetto nel prossimo video!
I'll leave you to work in peace, and I'll be waiting for you in the next video!
Caption 56, Marika spiega I verbi riflessivi e reciproci
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We've translated this with the verb "to wait," because there is no reflexive, but it could have been, "I'll be expecting you in the next video" or "I look forward to seeing you in the next video."
If we look at the Italian translation of the verb "to expect," we can see that there are all sorts of nuances. But what we can say is that when it's about waiting for something to arrive, as in expecting a package, expecting a child, or expecting a guest, we can use aspettare.
This is one more thing to have fun paying attention to when you watch Yabla videos!
Italians love TV. Most houses have one in a central spot, and many families have it on during family meals. They get very good at listening to the conversation and the news at the same time. This can be frustrating for foreign guests trying to learn Italian!
As you can see from the following example, the abbreviation TV is often used. But let's talk about that. If you write it out, it's tivù, which is how you would pronounce the two letters, T and V. Although rarer and rarer, you might find it spelled out: tivù. But it's usually just spelled with the classic abbreviation, TV. You just have to remember to pronounce the V as Italians do.
What gender is it? Well, the noun visione (vision) is feminine, and so is televisione (television). So is TV. La TV. But if you see something on TV, then the article goes away and you use the preposition in, pretty much like English, except it's "in" not "on": in television, in TV.
Ti abbiamo visto in TV [tivù].
We saw you on TV.
Caption 9, Chi m'ha visto - film
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1) How about if the speaker is talking about himself, not his company?
2) What if he is talking to a musical group?
There's another word to talk about a TV. Here is Luca Manara after his first day on job, and he is staying at a bed and breakfast. Ada is showing him his room.
La stanza numero tre. La più bella.
Room number three. The nicest one.
Un suo agente Le ha già portato i bagagli. -Perfetto.
One of your agents has already brought you your luggage. -Perfect
-Ah! -Sì? -Il televisore c'è in camera?
Ah! -Yes? -Is there a TV in the room?
Eh, certo che c'è. È anche bono [sic: buono], sa?
Yeah, of course there is. It's even a good one [heavy Tuscan accent], you know?
Soltanto l'antenna non funziona.
It's just that the antenna doesn't work.
Vabbé, tanto la televisione non la guardo.
All right, I don't watch television anyway.
Captions 28-33, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto
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3) What if Ada was showing Manara the biggest room, rather than the nicest one?
4) What if more than one agent had brought Manara's luggage?
So what's the difference between televisione and televisore? Well, visore means "viewer" or "screen," so with televisore, we are talking about the TV set, the actual appliance. In this case, visore is masculine and so is televisore: il televisore.
In the previous example, we can see clearly that Luca wants to know if there is a TV so he uses il televisore. But when it comes to watching it, he uses la televisione.
Just as in English, TV is used as an adjective, but we have to remember to put the adjective after the noun, as in serie TV (TV series). And as with "series" in English, serie doesn't change between singular and plural.
Capri è stata una serie televisiva in onda su Rai Uno,
“Capri” was a television series broadcast on RAI One.
di grande successo.
A big success.
Captions 54-55, L'Eredità -Quiz - TV La sfida dei sei. Puntata 2
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The speaker could have said, a bit more informally:
Capri è stata una serie TV in onda su Rai Uno, di grande successo.
Another thing to note is that when una serie TV (a TV series) is a (usually fictional) story with episodes, as opposed to a talk show, game show, or the like, then it's usually called un telefilm, in other words, a film for TV, often a puntata (in episodes), but not necessarily. Sometimes a telefilm is distinguished from a documentary or other kind of series by being called una fiction. In fact, RAI Fiction produces and broadcasts movies, made-for-TV movies, and series.
Eccomi qua a commentare alcune espressioni
Here I am to comment on some expressions
che troviamo nel telefilm "Il Commissario Manara"!
that we find in the TV series "Commissioner Manara."
Captions 3-4, Marika commenta - L'ispettore Manara Parole ripetute
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When we're talking about romantic stories or soap operas, usually daytime TV fare, then we can use the term telenovela. The example is taken from a little sketch where Marika and Anna play two office workers gossiping while pretending to work.
Mi sembra proprio una telenovela.
It looks to me just like a soap opera.
Caption 27, Marika spiega - Pettegolezzi in ufficio con Anna
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Television in Italy was introduced in 1939, when the first experimental broadcasts began. However, this lasted for a very short time: When fascist Italy entered World War II in 1940, all transmissions were interrupted, and were resumed in earnest only nine years after the end of the conflict, on January 3rd, 1954.
One interesting feature of Italian television (RAI) from 1957 to 1977 was a series of short comedy sketches, many of which used live action but featured animation and puppetry as well. The name of the series was Carosello (carousel). You can view la sigla (theme song, title song, titles) for the years 1962-1974 on YouTube. Carosello was commercial in scope and each puntata (episode) lasted ten minutes, so they were actual stories (unthinkable today). They advertised pressure cookers, coffee, coffee pots, vacuum cleaners, brandy, and much more. The product would be revealed toward the end of the episode. The episodes often featured well-known actors and were beloved by viewers all over Italy (about 20 million viewers).
We have learned from the documentary about the Taviani brothers, who made some very famous films, that they discovered Lucio Dalla while filming an episode of Carosello he was acting in. Realizing how talented he was, they put him in one of their movies, I sovversivi (The Subversives). See trailer.
Lucio, eh, a quell'epoca non era un attore di cinema
Lucio [Dalla], uh, was not a movie actor at that time
e non, non era nemmeno un cantante,
and he wasn't, he wasn't a singer either.
lo diventò immediatamente dopo, si mise a cantare e col successo
He became one right afterwards. He started singing, and with the success
che tutti quanti noi sappiamo.
that we are all familiar with.
Noi lo incontrammo perché girammo un carosello,
We met him because we were filming a Carosello [TV commercial skit],
un carosello, una pubblicità.
a Carosello, a commercial.
Captions 21-26, Fratelli Taviani - La passione e l'utopia
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5) Can you replace the verbs in the passato remoto with verbs in the passato prossimo, trapassato prossimo or, where applicable, l'imperfetto?
1) Ti ho visto in TV [tivù].
2a) Vi ho visto in TV [tivù].
2b) Vi ho visti in TV [tivù].
3) La più grande.
3b) La più spaziosa.
4) I suoi agenti Le hanno già portato i bagagli.
5a) Lucio, eh, a quell'epoca non era un attore di cinema e non, non era nemmeno un cantante, lo è diventato immediatamente dopo, si è messo a cantare e col successo che tutti quanti noi sappiamo. Noi l'abbiamo incontrato perché giravamo un carosello, un carosello, una pubblicità.
5b) Lucio, eh, a quell'epoca non era un attore di cinema e non, non era nemmeno un cantante, lo era diventato immediatamente dopo, si era messo a cantare e col successo che tutti quanti noi sappiamo. Noi l'avevamo incontrato perché stavamo girando un carosello, un carosello, una pubblicità.
Either you've got it or you don't. In English you have talent or you don't have it. But in Italian, there is a special word for each end of the scale. Dotato or negato.
Il maestro dice che non ha mai visto nessuno più negato di me.
The teacher says he has never seen anyone less gifted than me.
Caption 41, Questione di Karma - Rai Cinema - Part 9
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So the speaker had to use the Italian comparative adverb più (more) before the adjective negato (not at all gifted). Whew! Talk about something not translating smoothly into English!
Negato is really a great word, though. It offers a great excuse when you want to get out of doing something you don't like to do.
Sono negato! Fallo tu.
I'm no good at this! You do it.
That isn't to say that we can't also talk about having or not having talent, as, for example, in a recent segment of Adriano Olivetti's story:
Adriano, tu hai così tanti talenti.
Adriano, you have so many talents.
Caption 22, Adriano Olivetti - La forza di un sogno Ep. 1 - Part 7
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Another way we can translate negato is "hopeless," because negato implies that one is never going to get better at something. He or she is lacking in the wherewithal to improve. Instead of a higher being bestowing a gift (the gift of talent) on someone, it has been denied him or her.
Ma, dottore non mi dice niente? -Le dico che Lei è negato.
But Doctor don't you have anything to say? -I'll tell you that you're hopeless.
Captions 43-44, Psicovip Il ballo - Ep 25
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And in fact, the verb negare means "to deny."
Senta, Lei è un bel tipo, io non lo posso negare,
Listen, you're a cute type, I can't deny it,
Caption 6, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 6
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In certain situations, it’s important to put one’s best foot forward, to make a good impression. In Italian, that’s fare bella figura, or simply, fare figura. For example:
Le sue scarpe sono costate poco, ma fanno figura.
Her shoes didn’t cost very much, but they make her look good (or, “they make a good impression”).
Fare bella figura (making a good impression) isn’t always possible though. Sometimes, without meaning to, you botch it and make a bad impression, or worse, are embarrassed by something you did or said. And that’s when you use brutta figura (bad impression). Just as bella is often left to our imagination, in this case, too, it’s common to leave off the brutta. To determine whether someone’s talking about a good or bad figura, pay close attention to the context, as well as to the speaker’s inflection and facial expression.
O mamma mia! Mamma mia, che figura che ho fatto.
Oh dear! Oh dear, what a bad impression I've made.
Caption 12, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 6
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In the following example, a couple is going to a birthday party and neither of them remembered to take the birthday present.
Ma guarda te che figura!
Look what a [bad] impression we'll make!
Ti rendi conto che siamo a mani vuote?
Do you realize we are empty-handed?
Che figura facciamo?
What kind of impression will we make?
Captions 18-20, Un Figlio a tutti i costi - film - Part 19
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Note: The fact that there’s no article here is normal for this idiom, but in some cases, an article or other modifier will be included for clarity or emphasis.
What about when someone puts you in an embarrassing situation, or makes you look like a fool? Ti fa fare brutta figura (he/she makes you make a bad impression).
In an episode of Medico in Famiglia, Maria has gone missing, and her parents call her supposed boyfriend to find out where she is. He’s not her boyfriend, though, so just imagine how embarrassed she is upon discovering they’d called him.
Mi avete fatto fare questa figura?
You made me make a bad impression? [Did you make me look stupid?]
Caption 62, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 - EP1 - Casa nuova
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Maria’s brother has a retort ready with a play on words. He uses a more neutral definition of figura (figure, person, appearance, impression):
Non hai fatto nessuna figura perché quello, a te, non ti vede proprio! -Eh, bambini...
You made no impression at all because that one doesn't even see you! -Uh, kids...
Captions 63-64, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 - EP1 - Casa nuova
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Another expression that’s used a lot in relational conversations comes from the verb figurare (to appear, to be, to show). This expression can be used as a sort of antidote to someone’s feeling as if they’re making or have made a brutta figura. It uses the reflexive form figurarsi (to imagine).
If you apologize for being late, or if you ask if you are disturbing someone, the response might likely be figurati! (of course not!). The person saying it is attempting to put you at ease, for example after you forgot a dinner date.
E tu lo trovi leale accettare un invito a cena e poi non presentarsi?
And do you find it loyal to accept a dinner invitation and then not come?
-Non ti ho avvertito?
-Didn't I let you know?
Scusami. Ci sei rimasto male?
Sorry. Did you feel hurt?
-Figurati, la cena era ottima.
-Of course not, the dinner was excellent.
Captions 6-9, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu - Part 3
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At the same time, it can mean something like “no way!” or “yeah, right!” or “don’t count on it!”:
C'hai paura?
What, are you scared?
Paura io? Ma figurati.
Scared, me? Don't count on it.
Captions 44-46, Il Commissario Manara S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu - Part 17
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Learning suggestion:
Watch and listen to the Yabla videos where these expressions are present (do a search of both figura and figurati). Hide the translation. Listen for the inflection. Is the speaker trying to put someone at ease, or being ironic? When no adjective is present for describing the figura, which do you think it is?
Meanwhile, imagine a situation—invent a dialogue. Here’s something to get you started.
Ti ho fatto fare brutta figura? -Ma figurati, ho fatto la figura dello scemo tutto da solo.
Did I embarrass you? -Of course not, I came off as an idiot all by myself.
Devo dire che quegli orecchini da due soldi fanno figura! -Grazie, ma questa giacca vecchissima, che figura fa? -Beh, per me, fai sempre una bellissima figura.
I gotta say, those cheap earrings happen to look really nice! -Thanks, but this super old jacket, how does that make me look? -Well, to me, you always look great!
Che figura! Quando sono arrivata alla cassa, non avevo abbastanza soldi per pagare.
How embarrassing! When I got to the check out, I didn’t have enough money to pay.
Il capo mi darà un aumento, sicuro! -Figurati!
The boss is going to give me a raise, for sure! -Yeah, right. (or, “Don’t count on it!”)
Divertitevi! (Have fun!)
In Italian, as in any language, there’s more than one way to say sì (yes). As we’ll see, there are situations in which it’s more to the point to use words like certo (certainly), va bene (OK), senz’altro (definitely), or come no (of course). Even just changing the number of times we say sì, along with our tone of voice, can change its effect. Said just once, it can be rather dry, or, depending on how it is said, it can leave a little room for doubt. Said twice, sì sì (the first one higher pitched than the second), it indicates that the speaker is sure of his answer. But attenzione, this double sì sì can also imply irony! Three times, repeated rapidly, really emphasizes that there’s no question, no doubt: Of course it’s yes.
Ma posso prendere anche la metropolitana?
But can I also take the subway?
Sì, sì, sì, dura settantacinque minuti
Yes, yes, yes, it lasts seventy-five minutes
e puoi fare una corsa autobus e una corsa metro.
and you can take one bus ride and one subway ride.
Captions 18-20, Passeggiando per Roma - per Roma
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When you want to say "OK" (meaning "yes"), va bene* fits the bill.
Ti va di andare a prendere un caffè?
You feel like going to get a coffee?
... -Ehm, va bene.
... -Uh, OK.
Captions 36-39, Passeggiando per Roma - per Roma
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Senz’altro is a strong yes and leaves no room for doubt.
E un'altra cosa, potrebbe trovarmi una sistemazione per stasera?
And another thing, could you find me an accommodation for tonight?
-Senz'altro dottore, ci penso io.
-Definitely, Doctor, I'll take care of it.
Captions 42-43, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 4
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In fact, senz’altro is also used to mean "without a doubt" or "undoubtedly" and can replace sicuramente (surely).
Hanno senz’altro dimenticato l’appuntamento.
They undoubtedly forgot the appointment.
In conversation, sì (or its equivalents) will often be preceded or followed by the non-word eh, which is used to reinforce the word, like in sì eh! (yeah, really!). Other words that can precede these yes words to give them more importance are e (and) and ma (but).
Che peccato! -Eh sì, che peccato.
What a shame! -Oh yes, a shame.
Captions 25-26, Francesca - alla guida
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E certo. Che faccio, riesco, mi metto la cravatta e torno?
Sure. What do I do, go out, put on a tie and come back?
Caption 15, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 6
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Me la vuole dare questa stanza?
Well, you want to give me this room?
-Ma certo che gliela do questa stanza.
-But of course I'll give you this room.
Captions 24-25, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 6
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Use d’accordo (agreed) to say yes to an invitation.
Andiamo al cinema insieme? -D’accordo.
Shall we go to the movies together? -Sure.
Sometimes you wouldn’t dream of saying no, so you say the literal equivalent of "how not?":
Posso farmi un panino?
May I make myself a sandwich?
-Come no, io ricomincio a suonare.
-Of course, I'll start playing again.
Captions 23-24, Escursione - Un picnic in campagna
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Come no is also used to contradict a false negative statement:
La Francia non è in Europa. -Come no!
France is not in Europe. -Yes, it is!
And that’s the story on sì. There are, senz’altro, still more ways to say sì, but this can get you started. As you go about your day, think positive! Say yes! Say it in Italiano and say it in as many ways as you can.
* More about va bene in: Corso di italiano con Daniela - Chiedere "Come va?"
P.S. You can’t always know your mind. So if you’re not sure you want to say yes, or you just don’t know the answer, have Arianna tell you what to say both in Italian and in Italian body language! Arianna spiega - I gesti degli Italiani - Part 2
Most of us know what arrivederci means: “goodbye,” or literally, “until we see each other again.” Ci in this case means “us” or “to us” or “each other.” Take a look at how ci works in this evocative hymn to one of our most precious resources, water:
Ci ricorda qualcosa che abbiamo dimenticato.
It reminds us of something that we have forgotten.
Caption 22, Inno all'acqua - un bene prezioso da difendere
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When we like something, it gets "turned around" in Italian:
Ci piace molto questo posto!
We like this place a lot! [Literally: This place pleases us a lot!]
Sometimes ci gets attached to a verb, like here, where Commissioner Manara has just arrived at the crime scene and is dispatching his team to question a cyclist:
Perché non vai a sentire cos'ha da dirci? [Another way to say this would be: Perché non vai a sentire cosa ci ha da dire?]
Why don't you go and listen to what he has to tell us?
Caption 14, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva - Part 2
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Ci is often used in reflexive constructions, which are more common in Italian than in English.
Noi ci troviamo in Campania...
We are [we find ourselves] in Campania...
Caption 16, Giovanna spiega - La passata di pomodori
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In all the above examples, ci is the plural of mi (me, to me, myself). But the word ci can also mean “there,” expressing place, presence, or existence. It’s frequently hidden in a contraction, thus not alway easy to recognize. On his first day of work, Commissioner Manara checks into a pensione (small, family-run hotel) and asks the receptionist:
Il televisore c'è in camera?
Is there a TV in the room?
-Eh, certo che c'è.
-Eh, of course there is.
Captions 30-31, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 6
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He walks in on his colleagues who are gossiping about him:
Che c'è, assemblea c'è?
What's up, is there an assembly?
Caption 42, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 8
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In the above examples, c’è stands for ci è (there is), just like ci sono means “there are.” But, as we can see, it also means “is there?”—it’s the inflection (or punctuation if it’s written) that tells you whether it’s a question or a statement. (Learn more here and here.)
If I care whether you understand something or not, I will ask:
Ci sei?
Do you get it? Are you with me? [Literally: Are you there?]
If I don’t care so much, I might say:
Chi c’è c’è, chi non c’è non c’è.
If you're with me you're with me; if you're not, you’re not. [Literally, “whoever is there is there; whoever isn’t there, isn’t there.”]
There! Ci is pretty easy when you get the hang of it! (Tip: Do a search for ci in the Yabla videos to instantly see lots of different examples in context.) Stay tuned for Part 2 of this lesson, where we’ll find out how ci worms its way into all sorts of other situations!
Learning tip:
Make a shopping list, even just mentally, and as you do, ask yourself if you have those items in the fridge or in the cupboard. For singular things, or collective nouns, you will use c’è and for countable items in the plural, you will use ci sono. To get started:
C’è del formaggio? No, non c’è. (Is there any cheese? No, there isn’t.)
Ci sono delle uova? Si, ci sono. (Are there any eggs? Yes, there are.)
Ci sei?
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