In this lesson, we'll take a look at a noun, a cognate in fact, that easy as it is to guess, can also create confusion sometimes, because it means a couple of different things. In English we distinguish among history, story, experience, and love affair. Italian relies on this one noun, la storia, to tell plenty of different stories!
We mention, for those interested, that in literature, we might also find istoria as a version of the word, and that la storia comes from the Greek "istoria" and the Latin "historia."
But let's talk about how people use la storia practically, in conversation. It's hard to get through a day without using this word in one way or another.
In the following example, it's clear we're talking about history.
Nella storia si sono usate le diverse chiavi per fare in modo
Historically, different clefs were used to make it so
che tutte le note si trovassero il più possibile dentro al pentagramma.
that all the notes would be, as much as possible, inside the staff.
Captions 18-19, A scuola di musica - con Alessio
Play Caption
1) Can you say the same thing turning storia into an adverb, as in the translation?
Here, too, it's clear. It's also clear because storia is used with no article, and it's singular.
Io quando sono in questi posti pieni di storia,
When I'm in these places so full of history,
faccio dei pensieri profondi.
I have profound thoughts.
Captions 2-3, Amiche - Filosofie
Play Caption
2) What if Anna (the speaker) was just talking about one specific place? What would she say?
Sometimes it's hard to know whether we're talking about history or stories, but it doesn't always matter. A translator has to make a choice, but the learner, reader, or listener doesn't. We're talking about past events, and if they are true, then we could also say, "history."
Voglio raccontarvi qualcosa di me,
I want to tell you something about myself,
della mia vita, della mia storia.
about my life, about my story.
Captions 13-14, Volare - La grande storia di Domenico Modugno
Play Caption
When it comes to romance, there are different ways to talk about a relationship. The most common way, and this doesn't really have an equivalent in English, is with the noun storia. Of course we can say "love story" in English, (and we can say storia d'amore in Italian) but we don't so much these days, and it is usually an important relationship in one's life. In fact, translators can have a hard time finding the right word for translating storia. The following clip is from the story of an opera, so an old-fashioned word like "romance" seemed appropriate.
Abbiamo riso, abbiamo parlato.
We laughed, we talked.
Ci siamo ricordati tutti i momenti belli della nostra storia.
We remembered all the beautiful moments of our romance.
Captions 16-17, Anna presenta - La Bohème di Puccini
Play Caption
Ho avuto anch'io una storia con una collega.
I also had a relationship with a colleague.
Caption 51, Il Commissario Manara - S2EP5 - Mondo sommerso
Play Caption
In the previous example, we might have said "affair" instead of relationship, or possibly "fling." But not knowing the details, it's hard to know what the appropriate word might be.
In the next example, however, Luca Manara calls the relationship una relazione, another common term for a romantic relationship, close in meaning to storia, but una storia is often short-term with a beginning and an end, whereas una relazione can give the idea of something ongoing. But as we can see, here the two terms seem to be fairly equivalent.
Prima le bugie sul tuo trasferimento qua,
First, the lies about your getting transferred here,
poi sulla tua relazione con Raimondi.
then about your relationship with Raimondi.
-La mia storia con Fabrizio non ti riguarda.
-My relationship with Fabrizio doesn't concern you.
Captions 15-17, Il Commissario Manara - S2EP8 - Fuori servizio
Play Caption
When a relationship is short or not very serious, we can use a suffix to modify the word storia.
Una storiella con un vigile urbano.
A fling with a traffic cop.
Caption 9, La Ladra - Ep. 3 - L'oro dello squalo
Play Caption
We can also use storiella or even storia to mean "fib" or "lie."
We can always count on the Luca Manara TV series to give us great examples of everyday conversation. Something to memorize is what you see in boldface below: Cos'è questa storia?
Allora, Manara, che cos'è questa storia del contadino fratello del Conte?
So, Manara, what's this story about the farmer-brother of the Count's?
Caption 15, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva
Play Caption
When you say it by itself, you can think: "What's going on?" "What is this?"
Storia can often just be translated with "thing." It's a word we use to cover a lot of ground: storia in Italian and "thing" in English.
Che c'hai?
What's the matter with you?
No, niente, 'sta [questa] storia di Lara che è nervosa per il matrimonio...
No, nothing. This thing with Lara who's anxious about the wedding...
Captions 2-3, Il Commissario Manara - S2EP1 - Matrimonio con delitto
Play Caption
You will likely have noticed that questa is often shortened to 'sta.
Another expression to memorize, and this is used in English too, so it should be pretty straightforward.
Ne mangiasse almeno una di queste mele,
If he would only eat at least one of these apples,
tutti i giorni la stessa storia.
every day, it's the same story.
Captions 4-5, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP9 - Morte in paradiso
Play Caption
È sempre la stessa storia (It's always the same old story)!
Let's not forget that storia can just mean story as in telling a story, a fairy-tale, a fable, or reading a bed-time story.
La morale di questa storia ci dice che l'unione fa la forza.
The moral of this story tells us that unity is what gives strength [united we stand, divided we fall].
Caption 33, Adriano - Fiaba - Part 1
Play Caption
As usual, there is more to this story than we have mentioned in this lesson. As Gualtiero Marchesi said at the end of his episodes about gastronomia (gourmet cooking and food in general):
Ah, ma questa è un'altra storia.
Ah, but that's another story.
Quella della prossima puntata.
The one in the next episode.
Captions 43-44, L'arte della cucina - Terre d'Acqua
Play Caption
So stay tuned!
1) Storicamente si sono usate le diverse chiavi per fare in modo che tutte le note si trovassero il più possibile dentro al pentagramma.
2) Io quando sono in questo posto pieno di storia, faccio dei pensieri profondi.
When you arrive in a new country, one of the first challenges is to find your way around. Asking directions is one thing. Understanding them is another!
A destra (to the right) and a sinistra (to the left) are pretty basic, but when someone starts saying in fondo (at the end, in the end, at the bottom), there may be some confusion as to exactly what’s meant.
Fondo has to do with distance and depth. Let’s first look at its literal, physical meaning.
Ha bisogno di qualcosa?
Do you need anything?
Sì, sì, un bagno.
Yes, yes, a bathroom.
È in fondo a destra. -Scusi.
It's at the end of the hall, to the right. -Excuse me.
Captions 40-42, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi
Play Caption
The above is a very typical answer to the question, “Where is the restroom?”
In fondo may indicate the furthest point (at the end) or the lowest point, as in in fondo alle scale (at the bottom of the stairs). If you’re late for a movie, you will probably sit in fondo (at the back).
Fondo often has to do with long distance, as in sci di fondo (cross-country skiing). A long-distance bicycle race will be il gran fondo. Note that the word profondo (deep) contains the root fondo! A very low bass singer will be a basso profondo.
Ed ecco davanti a noi, nel blu profondo,
And here, in front of us, in the deep blue,
una forma scura come quella di un grosso pesce adagiato sul fondo.
a dark form shaped like a big fish lying on the bottom.
Captions 38-39, Linea Blu - Sicilia
Play Caption
Italians often use piatti fondi (soup plates) for eating pasta or brodo (broth). They’re deep enough to hold liquids.
Note that fondo is used both as a noun and as an adjective! Un fondo can be a fund, it can be a storage area, it can be a backdrop or background. It can be a piece of land. In makeup, fondotinta is your makeup base or foundation.
Turning now to concepts rather than physical things, fondo, preceded by the preposition a (to, at, in), takes on the idea of “in depth,” or “thorough.”
In bagno, è molto importante pulire a fondo.
In the bathroom it's very important to clean thoroughly.
Caption 34, Marika spiega - Le pulizie di primavera
Play Caption
If you think about getting “to the bottom” of things, a fondo makes sense.
If you want to go all the way, vai fino in fondo (you go all the way), both literally and figuratively.
In fondo is used to mean “in the end,” or “after all is said and done,” or “deep down.”
Per questo preferisco i gatti.
That's why I prefer cats.
E poi, i gatti in fondo hanno sempre sette vite.
And then, after all, they always have seven lives.
Captions 30-31, Escursione - Un picnic in campagna
Play Caption
Then there’s a popular expression in fondo in fondo (deep down) used primarily in talking about people:
Insomma, sai che ti dico, zia?
All in all, you know what I have to say, Aunt?
Che come commissario, in fondo in fondo, non è poi così male...
That as a commissioner, deep down, he's not really so bad...
Captions 11-12, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu
Play Caption
It wouldn’t hurt to approfondire (to go into things more thoroughly, more deeply) a bit regarding the word fondo. There are plenty of examples in Yabla videos, and there are plenty of examples on WordReference.com. Remember that context is key! In fondo in fondo, è una parola molto utile! (All in all, it’s a very useful word!)
Spanish
French
German
Chinese
English
English 
Español
Français
Deutsch
Italiano
