Italian Lessons

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Lessons for topic Verbs

Non vuol dire (that doesn't mean anything)

Quick take: non vuol dire

 

There is un modo di dire (a turn of phrase) used in 2 different shows this week: It's non vuol dire. The missing word is niente: non vuol dire niente (that doesn't mean anything).

 

You might already know that when talking about the meaning of something, we use the modal verb volere (to want to) plus the verb dire (to say) in Italian. 

Cosa vuol dire la parola "pane" (What does the word "pane" mean)?

 

And in general, when asking what something means, we can say:

Cosa vuol dire (what does that mean)?
Che vuol dire (what does that mean)?

 

But even when making an affirmation such as: "That doesn't mean anything," or "That doesn't make a difference," Italians just say:

Non vuol dire (that doesn't mean [anything]).

 

In other words, they leave out  "niente." This expression is just something to keep in mind and be on the lookout for.


Here are the examples:

 

Provaci ancora, Prof!

In this scene, Renzo is commenting on the fact that Camilla has been hearing noises during the night and wakes Renzo up. 

E certo che c'è silenzio, amore, è notte. Eh, ma non vuol dire però. Ci son delle notti dove non c'è silenzio.

Of course there is silence, love. It's nighttime. Yeah, but that doesn't mean anything, however. There are nights when there is no silence.

Captions 35-37, Provaci ancora prof! S2E6 La strana ossessione - Part 4

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Liberi tutti!

Spy#1 Ma questa è quella di acqua e aceto.

But this is the water and vinegar lady.

Spy#2 Embè? È brutta?

-And so? Is she ugly?

Spy#1 Eh, acqua e aceto.

-Uh, water and vinegar.

Spy#2 E non vuol dire [niente].

-Well, that doesn't mean anything.

Captions 66-68, Liberi tutti EP4 Ma la giacca la vuole tutta? - Part 7

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So spy #1 recognizes the woman's voice as that of Iolde (the one who had offered Michele a drink of water and vinegar in a previous segment). Spy #2 asks if she (Iolde) is ugly. Spy #1 just says, "Water and vinegar" as if to say, "And that's all you need to know." But spy #2 says non vuol dire, as if to say, "That doesn't mean she is ugly." Or he might be saying, "So what? Even if she is ugly, that doesn't necessarily matter." 

 

We will add more examples to this lesson. If you come across an example, feel free to let us know and we'll add it. 

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Sconvolgere: another "S" prefix!

In a recent segment of Imma Tataranni, the verb sconvolgere came up, and was included in the vocabulary review as well.

Però poi, quello che ha scoperto l'ha sconvolta.

But then, what she discovered devastated her.

Caption 28, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP 4 Maltempo - Part 25

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Sconvolgere and its past participle sconvolto are very common words and for anyone speaking Italian on a daily basis, the sense is clear (and can change somewhat depending on the context). But translating the verb into English is a different story, and so one wonders if there isn't some cognate that would make it clearer. The fact is that many of the translations we use for sconvolto (the past participle of sconvolgere, often used as an adjective) have other cognates in Italian. We'll list a few of them here:

 

"shocked,"  — scioccato 

"devastated" — devastato

"disturbed" — disturbato or turbato

 

"To upset" might be the closest in meaning, but the idea of "upset" in English isn't always close enough to the strong emotion associated with lo sconvolgimento. We can often be upset, but not necessarily sconvolto. The adjective sconvolgente is used a lot to mean "upsetting" or "disturbing."

Ma senti, Amina che cosa ti ha detto di così sconvolgente?

But listen, what did Amina tell you that was so upsetting?

Caption 4, La Ladra EP. 11 - Un esame importante - Part 5

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For the noun lo sconvolgimento, there are other English words such as "turmoil" and "upheaval." 

 

So we thought it might be interesting to find out where sconvolgere comes from.

 

Our eyes and ears are drawn to the telltale S prefix which often indicates a relation with the word without its S and very often signals an opposing or negative meaning, or else it can add emphasis or strength to the word. Usually, the S signals a change with respect to the root word (if there is one). But what is the root word in this case?

 

A little research gives us the verb convolgere. Does it even exist? It doesn't appear in WordReference. But luckily, it appears in Wiktionary with source material from Treccani. Not surprisingly, convolgere comes from the Latin "convolvere." It's a literary term meaning avvolgere, ripiegare (qualcosa) su sé stesso, molte volte (to wrap, to fold something around itself, many times). 

And within convolgere is the prefix con (from the Latin "cum," meaning "with).

 

Aside: Let's not confuse it with coinvolgere, which has the prefix co and the prefix in-. This verb means "to involve."

 

So, digging a bit more, we get to the true root: volgere. And what a verb it is. Lots of nuances! But let's try to find the one that will then lead us to sconvolgere. Let's go with the Collins dictionary, which gives the synonym piegare verso (to bend towards). 

 

Let's try to visualize this verb: something folds or bends in a direction. If we add con, it wraps around itself many times and we get convolgere. Then, if we add an S, this whole wrapped-up thing turns topsy-turvy. In other words, an upheaval. The verb to upheave does exist, but we don't use it very often. 

 

This lesson has concerned itself with the meaning of sconvolgere. But there is another very common S-word related to volgere: svolgere, a very common verb meaning different things depending on whether it's used normally or reflexively. See this lesson about svolgere

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Getting over things, with superare, uscire, and reagire

When we are thinking in English, it's hard sometimes to find the right word in Italian because we likely use phrasal verbs and expressions in English, and turning those into the right word in Italian often results in being at a loss for words. That's why it's so important to listen and repeat, and when possible, have conversations with people in Italian, even if your Italian doesn't feel "good enough." The sooner you can start thinking in Italian, even simple Italian, the sooner you will come up with the right words in a given situation.

 

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When people talk about their problems, especially problems such as depression, an illness, or a relationship that has ended, there are certain words they use all the time, but which we might not come up with. Let's have a look. 

 

Superare

The verb superare is a very common verb for getting over something, getting through something, getting past something.

Quando si perde qualcuno, c'è il pericolo di chiudersi in se stessi e di non superare la situazione con il supporto degli altri.

When one loses someone, there's the danger of closing oneself in and not getting over the situation with the support of others.

Captions 40-42, Marika spiega Il verbo chiudere

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This same verb is used when passing a test  — superare un esame — or passing another car — superare una macchina — on the road. 

 

Uscire

Another way people talk about getting over something, is with uscire (to come out of it). Here is a guy with cancer talking to his wife.

Che sto reagendo bene. -Che stai reagendo bene? -Sì. Dici che ce la faccio a uscire da questa situazione?

That I am reacting well. -That you are reacting well? -Yes. Do you think I will manage to get/come out of this situation?

Captions 25-26, La linea verticale EP3 - Part 5

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Another way of saying that in English would be "Do you think I will manage to survive this situation, to overcome this situation, to get past this situation?" Let's also remember that uscire means "to exit," just as l'uscita means "the exit."

 

Reagire

If we go back to the previous example, we see Luigi and his wife use the verb reagire. It basically means "to react." This is a very common verb for when you have to deal with something, an illness, a loss, a break-up, a disappointment. In this case, they might be talking about the fact that the therapy is working. We can translate it with "to react," but reagire is also used for not being apathetic, for example.

 

In the example below, the woman speaking to Michele believes he had been assaulted in prison before being sentenced to living in the commune called Il Nido (the nest). She assumes he has been feeling traumatized.

Michele, ma è una cosa bellissima che tu voglia reagire.

Michele, but it's such a wonderful thing that you want to react [to spring back].

Caption 3, Liberi tutti EP3 Quanto è libero un fringuello? - Part 1

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Reagire, in this sense, is the opposite of letting oneself go, getting depressed, or closing oneself off. 

 

You might say to a friend who is having trouble overcoming something:

Devi reagire (you have to do something) (you have to snap out of it), (you have to get out of your funk)!

 

These are just a few words we can use when talking about getting well, or getting over something. Have you found words you have heard but don't quite understand? Let us know at newsletter@yabla.com or write a comment on the videos page

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3 verbs that end in -are

Three interesting verbs found in this week's videos are:

gonfiare

rosicare

ignorare

 

 

All three have very literal translations, but they have nuances, too, that are important to know for anyone looking to get comfortable speaking Italian.

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Gonfiare (to inflate)

 

The adjective gonfio comes from the verb gonfiare (to inflate). So we can talk about pumping up our tires, or blowing up a balloon.

"Andare a gonfie vele" significa che tutto procede al meglio.

"Going with full sails" [full steam ahead] means that everything is proceeding well.

Caption 27, Marika spiega Espressioni legate al mare e al mondo nautico - Part 2

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We can imagine a full sail puffing out and looking swollen.

 

There is a reflexive form as well, so when we get a bruise, sometimes it swells — Si gonfia.

Poi l'universo ha cominciato a gonfiarsi, a gonfiarsi come un palloncino.

Then the universe began to inflate, to inflate like a balloon.

Captions 3-4, Illuminate Margherita Hack - Part 10

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We can use the past participle as an adjective with pallone to mean "hot air balloon," figuratively speaking.

Ma che infame, mentitore, pallone gonfiato, pieno di sé.

You are wicked, a liar, a hot-air balloon, full of yourself.

Caption 55, Il Commissario Manara S1EP9 - Morte in paradiso - Part 7

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Cioè, tu hai permesso a quel pallone gonfiato di usare la mia cucina per fare la sua torta?

That is, you allowed that hot-air balloon to use my kitchen to make his cake?

Caption 18, La Ladra EP. 1 - Le cose cambiano - Part 3

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Translating is not an exact science, so we're not talking about the kind of serene mongolfiera (hot air balloon) we see floating over the countryside, but rather someone who is full of him/herself and hot air (instead of substance). Un pallone is "a big ball" (also a soccer ball), so it can also refer to someone's head if we're thinking about the shape, but un palloncino is "a balloon," so un pallone could also be a big balloon, like one of those hot air balloons. We can talk about someone spouting hot air, so although a direct translation doesn't exactly do the trick, now you get the idea! You undoubtedly know someone who is un pallone gonfiato.

 

Rosicare (to gnaw)

 

This verb can be used in reference to animals, such as a dog gnawing at a bone, but it's used with people, too, when they are envious. Here's a little scene from JAMS where someone tends to be a sore loser. Once again, it is a bit tough to translate precisely. That's why we wrote a lesson about it. 

No! -E mamma mia, non rosicare sempre! Abbiamo perso, no "non rosicare"! -E va be', abbiamo perso correttamente, però. -Non va bene.

No! -For heaven's sake, don't always let it gnaw at you! We lost, not "Don't let it gnaw!" -OK, so what? We lost fair and square, though. -It's not OK.

Captions 11-13, JAMS S1 EP 3 - Part 5

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Ignorare

 

Ignorare is a very interesting verb, together with the adjective, ignorante, that comes from it. It is a partially true cognate, but not totally, and that is why we are mentioning it here. 

 

One meaning of ignorare is "to ignore," in other words, to neglect to take into consideration. But its other meaning is "not to know." There's a big difference between the two! So in the following passage, it's not totally clear which it is. 

Farà male? -Vuoi la verità? Sì. -Anna. E così mi ignori la primissima regola di questo mestiere.

Will it hurt? -Do you want the truth? Yes. -Anna. And so you ignore the very first rule of this profession on me.

Captions 3-5, La linea verticale EP8 - Part 2

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In this next example, the meaning clearly has to do with not being schooled, with not knowing how to read and write, for example.

Sarò anche una povera vecchia contadina ignorante,

I might even be an old, ignorant farm woman,

Caption 25, Il Commissario Manara S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo - Part 7

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But ignorante is widely used to mean something similar to maleducato — being a boor or a lout. We can see how it is combined with other similar insults here.

Prepotente, zotico, ignorante!

Arrogant, boorish, rude!

Caption 3, La Ladra EP. 6 - Nero di rabbia - Part 6

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Can you use these words to describe someone you know or someone you've seen in televisione or al cinema

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Tiptoeing into the participio presente

When you have spoken a language all your life (and are not a language nerd), there are certain things you just don't think about. 

 

When you learn a new language, certain things are tricky, such as, for example, the Italian way of skipping the pronoun when it's not essential. Italians don't have to think about it. The verb conjugation gives you the information you need. If you have studied Latin, that's not so strange. But if you come from English, it's a challenging concept to be able to grasp.

 

And then there are tenses. Not all languages think of tenses in the same way. For instance, English speakers might have trouble with il passato remoto because it doesn't exist in English as distinct from the simple past. And we might translate it the same way as we translate a different tense, such as the imperfetto or the passato prossimo.

 

This brings us to a tense or mood that is a bit strange to English speakers. We generally feel pretty familiar with the past participle of a verb that can be used either as part of a compound tense or as an adjective. It's used in a similar way in English.

 

È uscito dall'ospedale, però è ancora un po' confuso.

He's out of the hospital but he's still kind of confused.

Caption 41, Il Commissario Manara S2EP2 - L'addio di Lara - Part 7

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No, m'hanno licenziato loro, perché ho confuso il mangime delle anguille con il veleno per topi.

No, they fired me, because I mistook rat poison for eel feed.

Captions 51-52, Sei mai stata sulla Luna? film - Part 19

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The present participle is something else altogether. Most of the time, we will see the participio presente (which has the -ante or -ente ending) used as an adjective or a noun. We don't think about it much because the word has entered general usage as an adjective or noun. We can identify it as a participio presente because we can replace it with che and the conjugated verb form to reach the same meaning.

 

Let's look at a couple of words in this category.

 

A present participle functioning as an adjective:

interessante (che interessa) - interesting (that interests)

promettente (che promette) - promising (that promises)

 

Perché un suo abitante, Martino Piccione, giovane chitarrista promettente, è sparito nel nulla senza lasciare traccia.

Because one of its inhabitants, Martino Piccione — young, promising guitarist — has vanished into thin air, without leaving a trace.

Captions 4-6, Chi m'ha visto film - Part 15

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Note that in English, these adjectives often have the -ing ending. 

 

A present participle functioning as a noun:

il cantante ([la persona] che canta]) - the singer ([the person] who sings)

la sorgente (che sorge) - the source

l'abitante (che abita) - the inhabitant (the person who inhabits)

 

The tricky thing is that the -ing ending in English is also used to translate Italian words that have an -ando or -endo ending. These endings have to do with the presente progressivo (the present continuous or progressive).

 

Here's the example that prompted one of our viewers to ask about this:

Possiamo trovare il cerro, che è l'albero dominante il bosco,

We can find the turkey oak, which is the tree prevailing over the forest,

Caption 47, In giro per l'Italia La Valle del Sorbo

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We could say che è l'albero che domina il bosco.

 

Hopefully, you get the idea. You don't need to dwell on this, as you will get along fine without using the present participle as a verb most of the time. But when we come across it in a video, we need to know how to translate it (it was tricky!) and some people are just plain curious!

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The verb aspettare and its nuances

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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Waiting with aspettare

 

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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Expectations with aspettarsi

 

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. 

 

The nuance

 

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!

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2 basic verbs: essere (to be) and avere (to have)

In this lesson, we're going to look at two of the most common verbs in the Italian language: essere (to be) and avere (to have). They are both irregular verbs so they merit some special attention.

 

Here's how we conjugate essere (to be):

Io sono (I am)

Tu sei (you are)

Lei è (you are - polite form)

Lui è (he/it is)

Lei è (she/it is)

Noi siamo (we are)

Voi siete (you are plural)

Loro sono (they are)

 

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And here is how to conjugate avere (to have):

Ho (I have)

Hai (you have)

Ha (he, she, it has)

Abbiamo (we have)

Avete  (you [plural] have)

Hanno (they have)

 

And here's an example of how they sound, in the first person singular:

Ciao, io sono Anna e ho quasi trent'anni. -Ciao, io sono Marika e ho trentasei anni.

Hi, I'm Anna and I am almost thirty years old. -Hi, I'm Marika and I am thirty-six years old.

Captions 1-2, Amiche Anna e Marika raccontano...

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There are some things to notice right away. If we look at the translation, we see that when we talk about age, the Italian verb is avere (to have) but in English the verb is "to be." That's a quirk. In Italian, you have an age and in English, you are an age. 

 

The second thing we might notice is that we see an h in the word ho, but we don't hear it. Yup, most of the time, the H is silent in Italian. It has an effect on other letters when following them, but at the beginning of a word, it's silent.

 

The third thing we notice is that Anna doesn't say io ho quasi trent' anni. Neither does Marika. That's because it's common and correct to leave out the personal pronoun because the conjugation of the verb already indicates who we're talking about. It's not always the case, but it is something to get used to and it happens with all verbs!

 

As you watch this video, you'll see that sometimes the personal pronoun is present, but it's often absent! Here's an example. Anna is clearly talking about Thomas, so she doesn't have to say lui è italiano. She can say è italiano.

Il mio fidanzato si chiama Thomas, ma è italiano.

My boyfriend's name is Thomas, but he's Italian.

Caption 20, Amiche Anna e Marika raccontano...

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They are still talking about Thomas, so Marika doesn't need the personal pronoun lui.

Ah, è proprio di Roma, alla fine.

Oh, he's really from Rome, in the end.

Caption 23, Amiche Anna e Marika raccontano...

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Here, Marika doesn't say the equivalent of "it." It's implied from the third-person singular conjugation of the verb essere (to be).

E quindi non è proprio la vacanza scelta da me,

And so, it's not a real holiday chosen by me,

Caption 12, Amiche Anna e Marika raccontano...

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Here's an example of the second person singular of essere (to be):

Mamma mia quanto sei bella.

Wow, you're so beautiful.

Caption 45, Volare - La grande storia di Domenico Modugno Ep. 1 - Part 27

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Here's an example of the second-person singular of avere (to have): 

Quanti anni hai? -Ventuno.

How old are you? -Twenty-one.

Caption 8, Amiche sulla spiaggia

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Here's an example of the second-person plural of essere:

Voi siete davvero un gruppo molto bello.

You are, really, a very nice group.

Caption 17, Anna e Marika Il verbo essere - Part 1

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And here's an example of the second-person plural of the verb avere:

...per riciclare al meglio la frutta che avete in casa

...to best recycle the fruit you have at home

Caption 92, Andromeda Marmellata anti spreco - Part 2

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Here's an example of the first-person plural of essere:

Non riesco ancora a crederci, siamo i primi al mondo!

I still can't believe it. We're the first in the world!

Caption 6, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep.2 - Part 23

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And here's an example of the first person plural of avere:

Noi abbiamo amici da tutto il mondo.

We have friends from all over the world.

Caption 9, Adriano Matrimonio con Anita - Part 3

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And to finish, here's an example of the third-person plural of essere and avere:

Il flauto, il violino spesso... sono talmente acuti che vanno al di sopra del pentagramma.

The flute, the violin, often... are so high that they go above the staff.

Caption 33, A scuola di musica con Alessio - Part 3

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Molti di loro dormono con gli animali accanto al letto per riscaldarsi e non hanno neanche le scarpe per andare a lavorare, ma sorridono.

Many of them sleep with the animals next to the bed to warm up and they don't even have shoes to go to work, but they smile.

Captions 36-38, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep.2 - Part 12

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Both essere and avere are used as helping verbs, so it's pretty important to learn them. Hope this lesson has helped!

 

Write to us with your questions. We answer!

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Nouns and verbs that go together

In Italian, as in other languages, sometimes a verb uses the same root as a noun that's related or vice versa. We don't always know which came first, the verb or the noun, but the good news is that there are plenty of verbs like this and they are pretty easy to learn.

 

The words we discuss in this lesson originally have to do with plants. So let's learn the Italian word for "plant" right off the bat. It's an easy one. 

 

Pianta - piantare

La pianta is the noun and piantare is the verb. 

E poi, domenica aveva in progetto di piantare il nuovo vigneto al podere dei Sassi.

And then, Sunday he had planned to plant a new vineyard at the Sassi farm.

Caption 34, Il Commissario Manara S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva - Part 1

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Ehm, in questi vasi sono state piantate delle piante molto belle.

Um, in these pots, very beautiful plants have been planted.

Caption 20, In giro per l'Italia Mazara Del Vallo - Sicilia - Part 3

 Play Caption

 

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As we will see with seminare, further on in this lesson, piantare can also be used figuratively. It often means to stop or quit doing something like complaining or lying. It's a strong word to use when you are fed up with how someone is behaving. 

La devi piantare di mentire.

You have to quit lying.

Caption 5, Provaci ancora prof! S1E4 - La mia compagna di banco - Part 21

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In the previous example, the speaker wanted to include the verb dovere (to have to) but otherwise could have just said, Piantala (quit it)! It's as if he wanted to say, "You have to quit it with the lying."

 

There's more! If you get dropped by a friend or hired help, piantare can be a useful verb.

Pia, la mia colf, mi ha piantato. Dice che non vuole vivere in campagna.

Pia, my nanny, ditched me. She says that she doesn't want to live in the country.

Caption 21, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP1 - Casa nuova - Part 5

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Seme - seminare

Another noun that goes nicely with its verb is il seme (the seed). 

E poi da questo seme che pianti nasce, come per miracolo, una verdura, un pomodoro, ehm, del peperone.

and then from this seed that you plant, like a miracle, a vegetable, a tomato, uhm, a pepper comes up.

Captions 10-11, Professore Antonio L'orto del Vesuvio

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We often use the verb piantare (to plant), as in the previous example, because it's generic for putting something in the ground, and it can apply to both seeds and plants, but the more accurate word to use, especially when talking about seeds for crops, is seminare (to sow).

 

The verb is seminare (to sow).

E usiamo i semi. Questa idea mi piace. Eccoli qui, Mirò, sono pronti da seminare.

And we'll use the seeds. I like this idea. Here they are, Mirò. They're ready to plant/sow.

Captions 42-44, Gatto Mirò EP 10 Piantiamo un albero

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In a segment of Provaci ancora, Prof!, Camilla is driving when her daughter, Livietta, sees that a car has been following them for a while. Camilla gives her daughter instructions to tenersi forte (to hold on tight) while she tries to lose the other car. She uses the colloquial term, seminare. Think of someone sowing seeds by tossing them or throwing them. 

 

Perché c'è una macchina che ci segue, saranno almeno dieci minuti. -Tieniti forte perché cerco di seminarla adesso.

Because there's a car following us, it must be at least ten minutes. -Hold on tight because I'm going to try to lose it now.

Captions 5-7, Provaci ancora prof! S1E3 - Una piccola bestia ferita - Part 20

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And again, in another episode, Camilla is being followed and it is her daughter who notices that. 

Evvai, mamma! Li hai seminati!

Go, Mommy! You lost them!

Caption 66, Provaci ancora prof! S2E4 L'amica americana - Part 19

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Disseminare

A verb related to seminare is disseminare. This is used to mean "to spread out,"  or "to distribute," "to broadcast."

Smembra il cadavere e lo dissemina in punti che sono tutti riconducibili a Lei, signor Romaniello.

He dismembers the corpse and he spreads it around in places that can be traced to you, Mister Romaniello.

Captions 32-33, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1EP1 L'estate del dito - Part 27

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Here, too, we can imagine someone holding a basket full of seeds that get sown in the field by tossing them out by the handful, scattering them, broadcasting them, so that they get spread out, they get well-distributed. 

 

Can you think of other verbs and nouns that go together?

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Let's Explain the Expression andare incontro a

When you meet someone halfway on a deal, or you go towards someone who is coming towards you, say, on the street, we often use the turn of phrase: andare incontro a

 

Andare is "to go" and incontro in this case is an adverb (or preposition) meaning "toward." 

Mi puoi venire incontro?

Can you meet me halfway?        

 

Using this turn of phrase can be a little confusing, but here are the elements:

a verb of motion, which is usually andare (to go) or venire (to come). It might even be correre (to run).

the adverb or preposition incontro meaning "toward"

the preposition a (to)

an indirect object noun or pronoun

 

Let's look at some Yabla examples of how we can use andare incontro a.

 

The word order can change and often the indirect object comes first, as in the following examples. In this case, the preposition a is included or implied in the indirect pronoun. 

Ti vengo incontro (I'll meet you halfway).

 

È successo che stavo pulendo il locale e...

What happened is that I was cleaning the bar and...

poi l'ho sentita e gli [sic: le] sono andato incontro,

then I heard her and I went towards her,

ma non c'è stato verso di farla ragionare.

but there was no way to get her to reason.

Captions 2-4, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore - S1EP1 L'estate del dito

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La notte, Roma, le sue luci e tu che mi vieni incontro.

The night, Rome, its lights and you coming towards me.

Captions 1-2, La Ladra - EP. 12 - Come ai vecchi tempi

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In the following example, the verb correre (to run) is used instead of andare (to go) or venire (to come), but it works the same way.

 

Attori, tecnici, comparse gli corrono incontro.

Actors, technicians, extras run towards them.

Caption 16, Vivere - Un'avventura di Vittorio De Sica - Part 10

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If, rather than a pronoun, I use a noun (la difficoltà) as an object, as in the next examples, then I will need the proposition a.

 

Vado incontro a tante difficoltà.
(I'm going to run into plenty of difficulties).

 

Io vado incontro al mio destino

I go towards my destiny

Caption 21, Niccolò Fabi - Lontano da me

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Io e Sua Eminenza cercheremo una soluzione

His Eminence and I will look for a solution

quanto possibile per venire incontro

as far as possible to meet you half way

a quello che Lei mi ha chiesto.

for what you have asked me.

Captions 29-31, Vivere - Un'avventura di Vittorio De Sica - Part 9

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In the next example, it's a bit different, because Nora is using the first person plural to make things sound more collaborative, but the meaning is clear. She wants a discount.

 

Senta, io so che Lei è un professionista, una brava persona,

Listen, I know that you are a professional, a good person,

quindi non possiamo venirci incontro un pochino sul prezzo?

so can't we meet halfway a bit on the price?

Captions 25-26, Sposami - EP 4 - Part 14

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Another reason andare incontro a can cause confusion is that l'incontro exists as a noun (the encounter) and incontrare means "to meet" or "to encounter." The first person singular of incontrare is incontro (I encounter, I meet). For more on these meanings, see this lesson: Close Encounters with Incontro.  

 

In addition, in is a preposition all on its own meaning "to" or "in." Contro is a preposition meaning "against."

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Why is mi piace so hard to figure out?

One of the hardest things in Italian, at least for beginners, is trying to figure out how mi piace means "I like." How does it fit? Which word means "I" and which word means "to like"? These are great questions, and we explore some answers below, but if you want to just start speaking in Italian, don't worry about the grammar and the exact translation. Just start rolling it around on your tongue and in your brain. Mi piace.

 

Mi piace.

"Mi piace" (I like it).

Caption 10, Corso di italiano con Daniela - Mi piace

 Play Caption

 

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Why this advice? Because the answer to these is a little complicated and it can be daunting. It's more important to start speaking right away. If we get a tiny bit of Italian under our belts, we will feel a little more confident about learning a little grammar. In fact, you will need a little grammar as soon as we start using the plural, when we talk about people other than ourselves and items that are more than one. If you are already comfortable with saying mi piace, go ahead and skip this part.

 

Let's get started:

To say, "I like it," you don't have to think about fitting in the pronoun "it." It's good enough just to say mi piace

 

Mi... piace.

"Mi... piace."

Caption 2, Corso di italiano con Daniela - Mi piace

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Mi piace.

"Mi piace" (I like it).

Caption 10, Corso di italiano con Daniela - Mi piace

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If you just learn to say mi piace when you like something, you are already speaking Italian! The more you say it, the more it will feel natural. There are going to be things you don't like, too, so let's look at how to form the negative. It's easy.

 

Negative:

If you don't like something, then you can say non mi piace (I don't like it). So, in contrast to English, we put the negative part first: non, which basically means "not." The rest of the phrase stays the same. Mi piace, non mi piace (I like it, I don't like it).

 

Ah, a proposito c'è un pane che proprio non mi piace

Ah, by the way there's a bread that really don't like

che è quello Toscano perché è senza sale.

which is the Tuscan kind because it's without salt.

Captions 23-24, Anna e Marika - Il pane

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Try looking around the space you are in right now. What do you like? What don't you like? Give your answer in Italian. Mi piace, non mi piace. Possible items to think of or point to:

a color

a work of art

a composer

a photo

a house

a car

a band

an actor

a city

If you don't know what something is called in Italian, just point to it.

 

Here are some examples to get you started. One important thing: Use items in the singular or collective nouns. When we begin referring to multiple items or people, the verb changes. We'll get to that, but not right now!

 

Some suggestions:

il colore verde (the color green)

l'opera lirica (opera)

Venezia (Venice)

il mare (the sea)

leggere (reading)

il riso (rice)

il cinema (the movies)

 

Questions:

What if you want to ask someone else if they like something?

To ask a friend if they like something, then it's ti piace? We're just changing the object pronoun to the second-person singular, ti.

Ask an imaginary friend about these things. Just make sure to keep the thing you are asking about in the singular. Note that Italians usually put a definite article before the noun. 

 

Il riso ti piace (do you like rice)?

la pizza

la musical classica (classical music)

l'opera lirica (opera)

questa casa (this house)

la birra (beer)

l'acqua frizzante (sparkling water)

viaggiare (traveling)

il calcio (soccer)

 

We have provided some possible solutions at the bottom of the page.

 

Daniela gives a video lesson about mi piace, so check it out if you aren't comfortable using it yet. She explains things in Italian, but she gestures and uses a blackboard, and of course, there are captions in both Italian and English, so you are covered. Sometimes this video is a free demo, so check it out even if you are not a subscriber to Yabla! If you don't see it, let us know.

 

Grammar time — the tough stuff

Now, we'll focus on how mi piace works, from a grammatical point of view.

 

Truth be told, one of the weird things about Italian, from an English point of view, is that there is no real translation for "I like." The "piace" part of mi piace is actually the third-person singular conjugation of the verb piacere (to please, to be pleasing). Why is that? We'll try to explain it here.

 

Some essentials:

1) The mi in mi piace is an object pronoun, not a subject pronoun so it doesn't mean "I." In English, "I" is a subject pronoun. 

Mi can be a direct object pronoun meaning "me." In this case it can take a transitive verb such as chiamare (to call): mi chiami (you'll call me)? Ti chiamo (I'll call you). 

But mi can also be an indirect object meaning "to me." In fact, when mi is an indirect object, it is a kind of contraction that means a me (to me). So, another way to say mi piace is a me piace. It means the same thing and puts some emphasis on the person doing the liking, not the thing that is liked.

2) The verb piacere doesn't really mean "to like" but that's the verb Italians use to express liking something. As mentioned above, it means "to please," "to be pleasing," or "to delight."  The subject,  in other words, whatever is "performing the action," is the thing that is liked, the thing that is pleasing (such as pizza or the color pink), not the person who likes it. This is tough to grasp.

3) The English verb "to like" is transitive, but the Italian verb piacere is intransitive. In other words, it can't take a direct object. It takes an indirect object and needs a preposition (usually a [to])! So translating directly, word for word, just won't work. In point number 4, we talk about the verb amare (to love) which is transitive just like the verb "to love," so it is easier to grasp.

4) In English, "to love" is a transitive verb. Unlike piacere — an intransitive verb, the verb amare (to love) is transitive, so this makes amare easier to grasp and to use. So yes, you can say, Amo la pizza (I love pizza) and you would be able to understand the grammar. Io amo la pizza. (Just remember that we can leave off the personal pronoun — in this case io [I] — because the conjugation already indicates the person.) But you can't say piaccio la pizza. It makes no sense. Piaccio needs an indirect object, that is, an object + preposition. I can say piaccio al mio ragazzo (my boyfriend likes me. I am pleasing/attractive to my boyfriend).

5) To sum up, the subject of the sentence is the thing that is doing the pleasing, in this case la pizza (the pizza). Mi piace la pizza. La pizza (the pizza) is the thing that is pleasing to me. It's the subject of the sentence. So when we say mi piace, we are saying something to the effect of "it is pleasing to me." We would never say that in English, but it can help understand how the verb piacere works. Mi piace la pizza. 

 

Now let's examine a short conversation from a TV series in which the verb piacere is used various times. Perhaps this back-and-forth will help make it feel more natural.

 

The show in question is Un medico in famiglia. Lele (a guy) is a doctor and a widower with three kids. Some people are trying to get him to start dating and so he finally does go out with a woman named Irene. After his date, he discusses things with his sister-in-law, Alice. She is trying to put herself in his shoes...


Alice:

E invece adesso ci pensi (but now you are thinking about it):
Mi piace? Me ne sto innamorando (do I like her? Am I falling in love)?
Guarda che capita anche a me. (look, it happens to me, too).
Ma Irene almeno ti piace (but do you at least like her/is she at least pleasing to you)?
 

Lele:

Più o meno (more or less)


Alice:

E tu a lei piaci (and does she like you/are you pleasing to her)?

Lele:

Credo di sì (I think so).
 


Here, you can listen and watch. Just click on "Play Caption."

 

E invece adesso ci pensi.

But now you are thinking about it.

Mi piace? Me ne sto innamorando?

Do I like her? Am I falling in love?

Captions 27-28, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 - EP5 Lele, ti presento Irene

 Play Caption

 

Guarda che capita anche a me.

Look, it happens to me, too.

-Ma Irene almeno ti piace?

-But do you like Irene?

-Più o meno.

-More or less.

Captions 29-31, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 - EP5 Lele, ti presento Irene

 Play Caption

 

Here, Alice is asking Lele if he thinks he is pleasing to Irene, in other words, if Lele thinks Irene likes him.

 

E tu a lei piaci?

And does she like you?

Credo di sì.

I think so.

Captions 34-35, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 - EP5 Lele, ti presento Irene

 Play Caption

 

Possible questions and answers to our list of examples:

Note: As you will see, the word order doesn't matter. You can begin with the item (the subject) or the indirect object and verb: mi piace/non mi piace/ti piace.

 

il riso (rice) - Il riso ti piace (do you like rice)? Mi piace! Mi piace il riso. Il riso mi piace. Il riso non mi piace. Non mi piace il riso.

la pizza - Ti piace la pizza? La pizza ti piace? Mi piace la pizza. Non mi piace la pizza. 

la musica classica (classical music) -  Ti piace la musica classica? Non mi piace la musica classica.

l'opera lirica (opera) - L'opera lirica ti piace o no? Mi piace l'opera lirica.

questa casa (this house) - Questa casa non mi piace. Ti piace questa casa?

la birra (beer) - Ti piace la birra? Mi piace la birra.

l'acqua frizzante (sparkling water) - L'acqua frizzante ti piace o non ti piace? Non mi piace l'acqua frizzante. 

viaggiare (traveling) - Ti piace viaggiare? Sì, mi piace viaggiare. Mi piace molto. 

il calcio (soccer) - Non mi piace il calcio. 

 

In the next lesson in this series, we will build on these questions and answers and look at multiple items to like or not.

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Dividere and Condividere

What's the difference between dividere and condividere?

 

The short answer is that dividere means to "divide" and condividere means "to share." Dividere is a true cognate and is pretty obvious.

 

Davide doveva solo sposare Federica e dopo la sua morte,

Davide had only to marry Federica and after her death,

avremmo dovuto dividere l'eredità a metà.

we would have had to split the inheritance in two.

Captions 6-7, Il Commissario Manara - S2EP7 - Alta società

 Play Caption

 

Condividere adds the prefix/preposition con (with), so that makes a certain amount of sense as well. To divide up something with someone.

 

Voglio... saluto con tanto affetto

I want to... I say farewell with great affection to

Ines, Laura, Sara, Enzo e Norbert

Ines, Laura, Sara, Enzo, and Norbert

per aver condiviso con me e la famiglia gran parte della mia vita.

for having shared with me and the family the greater part of my life.

Captions 25-27, Ennio Morricone - ''Io sono morto, vado via senza disturbare''

 Play Caption

 

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But with the verb "to share" in English, we also share information with someone. We don't keep it to ourselves. But we are not dividing it up. The same nuance exists in Italian.

 

Lei avrebbe dovuto condividere con me ogni scoperta,

You should have shared every discovery with me,

e invece non l'ha fatto.

but you didn't do that.

Caption 20, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto

 Play Caption

 

Condividere also means to agree on something, to have the same opinion as someone else. Even in English, we can use the word "share." "I share (or I don't share) your view."

 

"Non condivido ciò che dici,

"I don't agree with what you say,

ma sarei disposto a dare la vita

but I would willingly give my life

affinché tu possa dirlo".

so that you could say it."

Captions 19-21, In giro per l'Italia - Mazara Del Vallo - Sicilia

 Play Caption

 

But what is interesting is that if we do a search of the verb dividere in Yabla videos, we discover that it is often synonymous with condividere, or rather, there are plenty of cases where it means "to share." Sometimes, in order to share something, you have to divide it up, so using dividere can often be clear enough. If we look at the dictionary definition of dividere, "to share" is included. So we just have to keep in mind that a short answer isn't always good enough.

 

This question came up because, in a recent episode of Non è mai troppo tardi, we translated dividere as "to share," not "to divide."

 

The context: Alberto Manzi has become a TV personality, so people stop him on the street, and he is happy to talk to them and sign autographs. But his wife Ida is not so thrilled and she resents having to share him with so many other people. 

 

Con quanti dobbiamo dividerti ancora?

With how many more do we have to share you?

Caption 70, Non è mai troppo tardi - EP 2

 Play Caption

 

We can imagine a large pie to be divided up into slices. How big is Ida's slice of the pie? We can also note that she uses the preposition con. So it's pretty clear what she means. But do people also use con with condividere? Could she have said, Con quanti dobbiamo condividerti ancora? Probably, but it might have sounded a bit redundant and awkward. For sure, sometimes condividere and con are used together.

 

E quindi siamo partiti per una, circa, una quindicina di giorni

And so we left for fifteen days or so

e abbiamo vissuto in famiglia

and we stayed with families

e abbiamo praticamente condiviso con loro la loro vita quotidiana.

and we basically shared with them their daily life.

Captions 16-18, Professioni e mestieri - Erica - archeologa

 Play Caption

 

We hope this has cleared up any doubts you might have had about the verbs dividere and condividere. Let us know at newsletter@yabla.com

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Quiz on Essere or Stare ?

For this lesson, it's a good idea to have an idea about the difference between essere and stare, keeping in mind that sometimes, they are interchangeable.

 

Have a look at these lessons, first, if you need some reminders because we're going to do a little quiz, where we provide some lines from Yabla videos where the verb is missing. It will be either stare or essere in some conjugation (links to conjugation charts are in this sentence). See if you can sense which one to use. Answers will be at the bottom of the page, but try not to cheat.

 

1) Da oggi, per molti giorni, io _______ il vostro maestro (From today, for many days, I will be your teacher).

2) Adriano _____ male e io voglio stargli vicino (Adriano isn't well and I want to stay at his side).

3) Questa ___________ la stanza di mio fratello Alberto (this was my brother Alberto's room).

4) Come ________, dottor Barale (how are you, Mister Barale)?

5) Be', capita quando il gessetto alle volte _____ troppo lungo... (Well, it happens sometimes when the chalk is too long...)

6) Così, mentre ______ per morire, invoca il nome della sua amata, Aida (and so, while he is about to die, he invokes the name of his beloved, Aida)...

7) _______ bene io e lei (she and I go well together).

8) Ti _________ aspettando per mangiare la torta (we're waiting for you to eat the cake).

9)  ______ calmi (calm down).

10) Che belli che ______ (how beautiful you are)!

 

Let's not forget that the verb stare is used when we form the equivalent of the present progressive or continuous, as in the following example:

 

Stiamo parlando del caso, non di me.

We're talking about the case, not about me.

Caption 17, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone - EP1 I Bastardi

 Play Caption

 

Answers:

1) Da oggi, per molti giorni, io sarò il vostro maestro (From today, for many days, I will be your teacher).

2) Adriano sta male e io voglio stargli vicino (Adriano isn't well and I want to stay at his side).

3) Questa era la stanza di mio fratello Alberto (this was my brother Alberto's room).

4) Come sta, dottor Barale (How are you, Mister Barale)?

5) Be', capita quando il gessetto alle volte è troppo lungo... (Well, it happens sometimes when the chalk is too long...)

6) Così, mentre sta per morire, invoca il nome della sua amata, Aida (and so, while he is about to die, he invokes the name of his beloved, Aida)...

7) Stiamo bene io e lei (she and I go well together).

8) Ti stiamo aspettando per mangiare la torta (we're waiting for you to eat the cake).

9) State calmi (calm down).

10) Che belli che siete (how beautiful you are)!

 

Come sta, dottor Barale?

How are you, Mister Barale?

Caption 30, Adriano Olivetti - La forza di un sogno Ep. 1

 Play Caption

 

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Andarsene: yet another important pronominal verb

We have talked about pronominal verbs before, and we have mentioned our featured pronominal verb andarsene in a lesson about telling someone to "get lost." But let's delve deeper.

 

Perhaps if we talk about pronominal verbs often enough, they will be less daunting, and they will start making more sense. Andarsene (to leave, to take one's leave) is perhaps even more common than farcela, which we have talked about very recently, but they are both high up on the list of pronominal verbs to know and love. So let's dive in!

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Andarsene: Let's unpack it

Andarsene has as its main verb, the irregular verb andare (to go). But instead of just going, we add on some particles that make it mean something more. We make it personal with se (oneself), and we imply we are leaving a place, person, or situation, or, we could say, "going away from a place, person or situation" with the particle ne. In this context, ne is a pronoun representing an indirect object with its preposition, all in one! 

Se uno sta bene in un posto, embè, deve avere una ragione forte per andarsene, se no...

If one's happy in a place, well, they have to have a really good reason for leaving it, otherwise...

Captions 33-34, Il Commissario Manara S1EP12 - Le verità nascoste - Part 8

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Let's also mention that in a way, andarsene (to leave, to go away from a place) is the opposite of going somewhere — to a place. When we go somewhere, we can use the particle ci (to, in, or at that place) as an indirect pronoun including the preposition. In English, "there" stands for "to/at/in that place."

Hanno suonato alla porta. Ci vado io (the doorbell rang. -I'll go [there]).

It's easy to get mixed up between ne and ci

 

Conjugating andarsene

When we conjugate andarsene, we split the verb in different ways, depending on the conjugation. 

 

When you simply want to say, "I'm leaving [this place]" you can say:

Me ne vado (I'm leaving).

It's the equivalent of vado via (I'm leaving, I'm going away).

 

When no modal verb is involved, we generally have the person, the place (from this place) and then the verb in third place, conjugated. The same goes for other persons:

 

Alle otto se ne vanno a casa e non escono più, come le galline.

At eight o'clock they leave and go home and don't go out again, like hens.

Caption 40, Il Commissario Manara S1EP3 - Rapsodia in Blu - Part 12

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Andarsene with modal verbs

However, if we use a modal verb such as potere (to be able to) or volere (to want to), dovere (to have to), then we conjugate the modal verb and the pronominal verb remains in the infinitive, although the particles may be separate from it.

Ecco perché io non me ne voglio andare.

That's why I don't want to leave here.

Caption 5, Basilicata Turistica Non me ne voglio andare - Part 1

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It's also possible (when there is a modal verb) to mix the parts of the pronominal verb up differently and say:

Ecco perché non voglio andarmene (that's why I don't want to leave here).

 

In the following example, we have 2 different conjugations. The first one is one word, a command, with the verb root first: the imperative of andare, va', then the person, te, and then our "place" particle, ne. In the second sentence, the modal verb dovere (to have to) is used. 

Ricotta! -Oh, vattene! Te ne devi andare!

Ricotta! -Oh, get out of here. You have to leave!

Caption 47, Non è mai troppo tardi EP 2 - Part 7

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Compound tenses

Let's remember that the verb andare takes essere (to be) as an auxiliary verb for compound tenses such as the passato prossimo, which conjugates like the present perfect in English. We conjugate the auxiliary verb and the root verb is in its past participle form.

Finalmente se ne sono andati.

Finally, they've gone.

Caption 15, Acqua in bocca Allarme gita - Ep 9

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Practice:

Try thinking of people you know, or can imagine, and combinations of people. 1) They might be leaving a theater or a party... one by one, in couples, all of them 2) They never seem to leave but you would like them to. 3) They have all left. We'll need the passato prossimo for that. Have they left together or in dribs and drabs? Let us know how you do.

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Using the verb prevedere

Let's look at a word that in one sense is not too difficult to figure out, but which has meanings that are a bit more elusive, too.

We're looking at the past participle of the verb prevedere  (to foresee). 

È la nostra capacità di intuire e di prevedere alcuni eventi del futuro.

It is our ability to intuit and predict some events of the future.

Captions 45-46, Marika spiega I cinque sensi - Part 3

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If we take prevedere apart, we see the prefix pre and the verb vedere (to see). One way to translate prevedere is with "to foresee" or "to forecast." In fact, the weather forecast is often called le previsioni, using the noun form la visione (the vision).

 

So one thing to remember is that the English word "predict," as we see in the example above, might seem to call for the Italian verb predire. It does exist but prevedere is used more often for this in general speech.

 

More often than not, the past participle previsto is used to mean "expected," as in the series La linea verticale, where Luigi gets more organs removed in surgery than had been planned on, or expected. 

Anche se credo che t'abbia tolto un po' più roba del previsto.

Even though I believe he took out a bit more stuff than expected.

Caption 9, La linea verticale EP 2 - Part 5

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"Presto" e "subito" indicano che l'evento si è svolto, si svolge o si dovrà svolgere in pochissimo tempo, prima del previsto.

“Presto”[soon] and “subito”[immediately] indicate that the event has taken place, is taking place, or will take place very soon, earlier than expected.

Captions 50-52, Marika spiega Gli avverbi - Avverbi di tempo

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Sometimes previsto can stand in for "included." Is breakfast included? Italians often use the word previsto

Il servizio in camera è previsto solo per i primi venticinque anni.

Room service is only included for the first twenty-five years.

Caption 5, Il Commissario Manara S2EP2 - L'addio di Lara - Part 1

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And there is another way previsto is used in general speech. It has more to do with law, and means "dictated by law."

[Direzione Generale Cinema. L'opera è stata realizzata anche grazie ] [all'utilizzo del credito d'imposta italiano previsto dalla legge duecentoventi/duemilasedici]

[General Cinema Direction. The show was made thanks also] [to the use of the Italian tax credit provided for by law two hundred and twenty / two thousand and sixteen]

Captions 70-71, JAMS S1 EP 1 - Part 6

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So we need the context to let us know exactly what previsto means in each case.

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How to use the verb muovere (to move)

We can detect the cognate "to move" in the verb muovere. In English, "to move" can be either transitive or intransitive.

 

Transitive verb

We can move a piece of furniture from one place to another, or we can be the ones to move on our own. In Italian, however, muovere is basically transitive, in its natural, non-reflexive form.

Per me la cosa più bella è recitare e muovere i pupi.

For me the best thing is reciting and moving the marionettes.

Caption 56, Dottor Pitrè e le sue storie - Part 11

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Non riesco a muovere la gamba (I can't move my leg)!

 

Intransitive verb with reflexive si

When it's intransitive, it is primarily used in its reflexive form. 

Il nostro uomo sta per muoversi.

Our man is about to move.

Caption 23, Provaci ancora prof! S1E3 - Una piccola bestia ferita - Part 23

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In addition to merely moving around in space, muoversi  is used a lot to mean "to get going," "to get moving" (also figuratively), or "to get some exercise."

Ti vuoi muovere? -Arrivo!

You want to get moving? -I'm coming!

Caption 25, Provaci ancora prof! S1E1 - Il regalo di Babbo Natale - Part 11

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Non ti muovere o sparo!

Don't move or I'll shoot!

Caption 28, Un Figlio a tutti i costi film - Part 6

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Lui ha detto: "Io da qui non mi muovo."

He said, "I am not budging from here."

Caption 10, Fuori era primavera Viaggio nell'Italia del lockdown - Part 14

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Past participle as adjective: mosso

The verb muovere has an irregular conjugation, and the past participle is used quite often as an adjective.

 

When the sea is rough, it's il mare mosso

Non lo vedo più. -Perché il mare è un po' mosso.

I can't see him anymore. -Because the sea is a bit rough.

Caption 50, PIMPA S3 EP12 L'amica Onda

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When your hair is a bit wavy or not combed neatly, we use the past participle mossi. Let's remember that, in Italian, we use the plural capelli, even though in English, hair is a collective noun. 

Aveva dei capelli mossi  (she/he had wavy hair). 

 

Expression of urgency or impatience

When you want someone to hurry up, you can say, muoviti  (hurry up, get moving)!

 

Oh, cammina, muoviti. -Aspetta.

Hey, get going, move it. -Wait up.

Caption 11, Chi m'ha visto film - Part 14

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Noun form la mossa

There is a noun form that comes from the past participle, and that is la mossa (the move). When you make the right move, fai la mossa giusta.

 

When you need to get a move on, it's darsi una mossa (literally, to give oneself a move).

Allora ragazzi, bisogna che ci diamo una mossa.

So, guys, we need to get a move on.

Caption 20, Concorso internazionale di cortometraggio A corto di idee - Part 1

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Datti una mossa, dai (get a move on, come on)!

 

When you move to a new house

Of course in English, we use the verb "to move" when we go to live in a different apartment or house. You may be wondering how to say that in Italian. Transitive or intransitive? None of the above!

 

The verb is traslocare, or, much more common, fare trasloco. Think of it as "translocation!" or "translocate," a cross between "transfer" and "relocate."

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Fare (to do, to make), a top Italian verb

We always say that the verb fare means "to make" or "to do."  But the truth is that fare is used in all sorts of contexts to mean all sorts of things. In our weekly newsletters, we like to point out interesting words or expressions in the week's videos, which range from 5 to 9 new videos. This week there were plenty of instances of fare, so we focused on some of them in the newsletter. Here in the lesson, we do basically the same thing, but we give you video examples so you can hear and see the context for yourself. And maybe you will want to go and watch the entire video, or even better, subscribe if you haven't yet!

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Fare meaning "to act like."

As we mentioned above, the verb fare can mean "to make" or "to do." But it is also often used to mean "to act like." In English, we might simply use the verb "to be."

Ma non fare lo scemo, dai!

But don't be an idiot, come on!

Caption 27, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP3 Un cugino in fuga - Part 8

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Fare meaning "to let"

Fare is often used to mean "to let."

Mi può fare avere un piatto di minestra?

Can you let me have a bowl of soup?

Caption 3, Non è mai troppo tardi EP1 - Part 18

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The director of the reformatory was being polite. Here, the English verb could have been "to have" as in "have someone bring me a bowl of soup." Or it might even be "to make," as in, Fammi portare un piatto di minestra (make someone bring me some soup) or "to get" as in, "Get someone to bring me some soup." See the lesson Making It Happen about this very common use. 

 

Fare with adverbs of time

Here, fare is used with adverbs of time, for example: Facciamo tardi (we'll be late). Facciamo presto (we'll be quick).

Professo', però se andiamo così facciamo notte.

Professor, but if we keep going like this, we'll go into the night.

Caption 15, Non è mai troppo tardi EP1 - Part 18

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Fare sì che

The previous example was from a conversation. This next one is from an interview. It's a bit trickier and uses the subjunctive after che (that).

Questo rapporto ha fatto sì che una volta terminato l'intervento sul Polittico, l'attenzione si sia spostata sulla Resurrezione.

This relationship meant that once the work on the polyptych was finished, the focus would have shifted to the Resurrection.

Captions 17-19, La pittura più bella del mondo La Resurrezione di Piero della Francesca - Part 3

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The literal translation of this might be "to make it so" or "to assure."

 

Lascia fare

We may have heard the expression lascia stare (leave it alone, leave him/her alone, leave him/her/it be), but we also sometimes hear lascia fare. They are similar in meaning but they employ two different verbs. In English, we would say, "let him/her be" or "leave him/her alone." Sometimes, it can mean "let him do what he's going to do," but not always. 

Lascia fare, non gli da [dare] retta.

Let them be, don't listen to them.

Caption 36, La linea verticale EP 2 - Part 5

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Fare: "to do" or "to be"

Below is a common question asked of young people:

Cosa vuoi fare da grande?  -Mi piacerebbe fare l'attrice o avere un lavoro sempre in quell'ambito.

What do you want to do/be when you grow up?  -I would like to be an actor or to have a job in that area.

Captions 59-61, Le Interviste I liceali - Part 1

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And here is a conjugated version:

E da grande farò il maestro.

And when I grow up, I'm going to be a teacher.

Caption 11, Non è mai troppo tardi EP1 - Part 18

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Here, at least in the question, fare is the equivalent of both "to do" and "to be." We have to pay attention to the context to know which it is, but we also see that fare can be used in so many contexts that perhaps we don't have to worry about it too much. Just listen, repeat, and assimilate!

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Being fixated in Italian

There are lots of ways to talk about being obsessed with something or someone, being fixated or having a thing about or for something, or being "into" something. "Obsession" is a pretty strong word, so we often like to use softer, more positive terms. In Italian, too, there are various words we can use. In this lesson, we will explore just one way Italians commonly talk about being intensely interested in something. It uses the verb fissare which, in this context, may be translated as "to fixate," even though that might not be the word we would choose in many cases.

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Past participle as adjective

If you look at the link we have provided, you will see that there are quite a few meanings for the verb fissare. We'll address those in another lesson.

 

Keep in mind that sometimes we translate fissare with "fixate" because it's a cognate that works, making the Italian word easy to understand. But in English, we have lots of other ways to express the same thing. "Fixated" can come across as being a negative thing in English, but Italians use the word pretty casually. Let's also keep in mind that, as in English, we're using the past participle as a sort of adjective.

 

Anche Lei fissato con la cucina italiana?

You're also fixated with Italian cuisine?

Caption 44, La Ladra EP. 1 - Le cose cambiano - Part 13

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We might not use the term "fixated" but we can understand it well enough. We might sooner say someone obsesses over something, such as "Oh, you obsess over Italian cooking, too?"

 

Papà era fissato.

Dad was obsessed.

Caption 3, La Tempesta film - Part 10

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Sometimes, as in the previous example, we're really talking about an obsession, but sometimes it's about being set in one's ways. We might recognize a character flaw in a light-hearted way. In the example below, Marika and Anna are talking about the Italian tradition of having bread at a meal when there is already a wheat-based carbohydrate in the form of pasta. Italians love to scrape the remaining pasta sauce off their plate with a piece of bread. They call this fare la scarpetta (to make a little shoe). 

Comunque... -Siamo un po' fissati. Quello della scarpetta è... Sì, è un rito, quasi.

Anyway... -We're a little fixated. The "little shoe" thing is... Yes, it's almost a ritual.

Captions 48-50, Anna e Marika Un Ristorante a Trastevere

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So even though we have translated it as "fixated," we'd more likely say that Italians love  to sop up the sauce with a piece of bread. 

 

Reflexive verb

Fissare is also used reflexively. In this case, it's not being used as an adjective but rather as a verb, as if to say, "to become fixated," or "to get obsessed." 

Mio marito si è fissato con Jacques Brel

My husband has become obsessed with Jacques Brel

Caption 55, La Ladra EP. 9 - L'amico sconosciuto - Part 10

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Noun form

We can also use the noun form la fissa, the equivalent of "fixation."

Joy ha sempre avuto la fissa per la cucina.

Joy has always had a thing for cooking.

Caption 60, JAMS S1 EP 1 - Part 1

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Which preposition?

You might ask, "What preposition do I use after fissato, fissata, fissate, or fissati?" Because, as in English, we do use a preposition when there is an object. So in this context, fissare is an intransitive verb.

 

In Italian, there seem to be two main ones: con (with) or per (for). When we use la fissa or una fissa we'll likely choose per (for). Keep your eyes and ears open to see how Italians handle this. Often, as we have seen, there is no object at all. 

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Anticipare and Anticipo

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.

 

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Anticipare (to move up)

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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L'anticipo

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). 

 

In anticipo 

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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Con anticipo

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.

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