There is an amazing variety of fresh and dried pasta shapes and sizes in Italy, referred to as formati (shapes and sizes). Their names have to do with their surface (smooth, rough, grooved), their size, expressed with a suffix, such as -one, -etto, -ino, etc, and/or what they resemble. Marika makes some sense of the vast assortment of pasta found in Italian supermarkets.

There are different kinds of flour used to make pasta. "Flour" is a generic term but it's not always accurate. Marika explains it all.

Marika divides the types of pasta into different categories and explains their characteristics, ranging from ingredients to shelf life, to cooking time, and consistency.

Who doesn't love pasta? Marika talks about this extremely popular Italian food: the history, where it's produced, and how to cook it.

Here's more about the popular word pure. It can express encouragement, resignation, or be superfluous. Pure is often truncated to pur when it combines with other particles to mean something particular.

The word pure has several meanings, from "also" to "even," to "although." Marika explains them and gives us some examples in context.

"Manco" is a bit more complicated than "mica" because it's often used with irony. It's also used with the impersonal third person, making it rather tricky to translate. But remembering that it means neanche (not even) can help.

In this lesson, Marika explains, with examples from Yabla videos, two words that always puzzle learners: mica and manco. The first part is all about mica. Here's what you need to know!

Marika provides the terminology you'll need if you shop online using an Italian website.

After you have filled your shopping cart, it's time to go to the checkout counter. Marika describes the different registers and the various ways to pay.

Visiting a supermarket in a foreign country is such an interesting window into the living habits of a populace. For example, you may be surprised to discover how huge the bottled water section is in just about any Italian supermarket. Discover the other sections with Marika.

Marika continues to describe what you will find in the various departments or sections of an Italian supermarket.

Supermarkets are divided into departments or sections. Marika takes us around the produce section as well as the seafood and meat counters.

You're going to the supermarket, but you need a few things first, like a list and somewhere to put the groceries. Marika has the answers.

If you go to Italy, you will want to know where to go to buy the things you need. Marika is here to tell you all about i supermercati (supermarkets) and other stores.