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Addressing people in Italian

As we have seen and heard in Yabla videos, addressing people in Italian isn't always easy to figure out. Let's try to make some sense out of it.

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In I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone, for example, Lojacono always introduces himself as ispettore (detective) Lojacono, not commissario (inspector), but some people call him commissario, just in case. The following exchange highlights the tendency of many people (often of an older generation) to address someone with a higher rank than the person actually has. That way, they feel they can avoid offending the person.  

Rosa Cannavacciolo in Marino, commissario bello. -No, ispettore, sempre ispettore sono.

Rosa Cannavacciolo in Marino, kind Inspector. -No. Detective. I am still a detective.

Captions 41-42, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP 3 Vicini - Part 3

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This often means addressing someone as dottore (doctor) or dottoressa (female doctor). The idea is that you can't go wrong that way.

 

While ispettore or commissario are often used by themselves, we find that questore (commissioner) will likely have signor before it. That's just the way it works. 

Buonasera, signor questore.

Good evening, Commissioner, sir.

Caption 10, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP1 I Bastardi - Part 28

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As Marika tells us in her video about different professions:

Ciao. Il termine "dottore" viene da "dotto", che vuole dire sapiente. Puoi diventare dottore se hai studiato tanto e hai ottenuto una laurea.

Hi. The term "doctor" comes from "dotto," which means "learned." You can become a doctor if you have studied a great deal and you have attained a degree.

Captions 3-6, Marika spiega Medico o dottore?

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In a workplace where people are formal, the boss is often addressed as dottore or dottoressa, whether or not he or she has a degree. It's a sign of respect. In the following example, the speaker is a secretary or an assistant and she is speaking to her boss, who is a notary. 

Ci dica, dottore.

What is it, sir?

Caption 36, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP1 I Bastardi - Part 19

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Again, in I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone, we have a female DA. People address her as dottoressa, because they assume that she has a degree and because she has a position that warrants respect. In Italy, once you have your university degree, called un dottorato, you can be called dottore or dottoressa

Cosa prende, dottoressa? -Un caffè.

What will you have, Ma'am? -A coffee.

Caption 6, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP1 I Bastardi - Part 8

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It's always tricky to translate these forms of address because they are so different from English usage. In the previous example, we opted for "Ma'am." But we could imagine Lojacono saying, "What will you have, DA Piras?" 

 

If you are dealing with a professional, it is customary (in many cases) to use their professional title in addressing them. Daniela talks about this in her video lessons about writing formal letters and emails. The same can hold true when addressing someone in person. 

 

Allora, se il destinatario possiede un titolo riconosciuto, e quindi è importante scriverlo, possiamo sostituire "signor" e "signora" con il titolo.

So, if the recipient has a recognized qualification, and therefore it is important to write it, we can replace "Mister" and "Missus" with the title.

Captions 1-4, Corso di italiano con Daniela Lettera formale - Part 3

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If the person is an architect, for example, you can say architetto instead of signore

Architetto, Lei abita qua?

Architect, do you live here?

Caption 12, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP1 I Bastardi - Part 13

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Of course, if you don't know he is an architetto, then signore will do fine, or signor and his last name. 

 

But this also exhibits the Italian tendency to avoid using names when addressing someone. Sometimes you don't know someone's name, so you use signore, signora, or signorina according to gender and presumed age group. 

 

When the person being addressed is a young man, we can use giovanotto in a semi-formal way. It's perhaps used more by older folks. Younger folks might just say, ragazzo or ragazzino.

Giovanotto, ma che stiamo facendo? Il cinema?

Young man, what are we doing? Making a movie?

Caption 28, Il Commissario Manara S2EP9 - L'amica ritrovata - Part 3

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For a young woman or girl, signorina is the way to go. When in doubt, signorina is more flattering than signora.

Lei, signorina, ha un grande talento.

You, Miss, have great talent.

Caption 11, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep. 1 - Part 16

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Let's remember that language is in constant evolution. It also changes according to the region. If you are traveling in Italy, you need to keep your eyes and ears open to see how people handle addressing you and others.

 

If you have watched La linea verticale, you will have noticed that patients and their family members often call the surgeon, the specialist, or any lead doctor, professore,  while in English, we address all doctors as "Doctor."  Professore is higher up in the hierarchy than dottore. And to get into the nitty-gritty, there are occasions when we will capitalize someone's title, to give them even more importance. In Italian, this is called maiuscola di rispetto o reverenziale  (capitalization out of respect or reverence). So sometimes professore will merit a capital letter and become Professore

Buongiorno, Professore. -Come stai? -Bene, Professore, però non sento le gambe.

Hello, Doctor. -How are you? -Fine, Doctor, but I don't feel my legs.

Captions 42-44, La linea verticale EP4 - Part 5

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In certain situations, there is a mix of familiar and formal. In a business, you might call your boss dottore, but pair it with his first name. Dottor Nino, for example, or dottoressa Cecilia. The same goes for signor and signora. Lots of times, you don't know someone's last name, so you can still address them formally, by using their first name: signor Giorgio, signora Letizia, or signorina Giulia.


We have addressed the question of forms of address in past lessons, so check out these lessons:

 

How to address your teacher in Italian

Getting someone's attention in Italian: ascoltare and sentire 

The dottore is in

 

In a future lesson, we'll get into specifics about addressing people with certain jobs. 

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Words and Phrases to Know in La Ladra

In this lesson, we are going to take one segment of an episode of a TV series we are offering on Yabla and explore some of the expressions and vocabulary that could do with a little explaining. Whether you are a Yabla Italian subscriber or not, you will want to be familiar with these words and expressions.

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Già

If we look at the word già, we see it primarily means "already."

 

Eh... già che ci sei, guarda che ora è.

Eh... while you're at it, look at what time it is.

Caption 17, Acqua in bocca - Rapimento e riscatto

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Già che ci sei is a very common expression, and it was translated with an equivalent English expression. If we want to be more word-for-word, another way to translate this could be:

Since you are already there, could you see what time it is?

 

But già is also used as reinforcement. It can mean "indeed," or "right," or even "yeah," when "yeah" is confirming something someone else said.

 

E così Lei è nata ad Atene.

So, you were born in Athens.

-Eh già, ma me ne sono andata appena adolescente.

-That's right, but I left as soon as I became a teenager.

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

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It can be preceded by eh, or ah, again, fillers or interjections.

 

Volevo dedicarmi un po' alla mia vera passione,

I wanted to devote myself a bit to my true passion,

fotografando l'Italia.

photographing Italy.

Ah, già, Lei è fotografa.

Ah, right, you are a photographer.

Captions 53-55, Adriano Olivetti - La forza di un sogno Ep. 1

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Il soggetto

At a certain point, Eva is talking to a guy at the group home about the owner of the place they are renting from. He says:

 

Se lo hai conosciuto, avrai capito il soggetto.

If you have met him, you will have figured out the individual.

Caption 26, La Ladra - EP. 12 - Come ai vecchi tempi

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The guy Eva is talking to uses the noun soggetto. He means, "You have realized what kind of person/character you are dealing with." Well, in fact, soggetto is a great cognate, because it does often refer to a subject. And just think of the American TV series Criminal Minds where they use the term "unsub" (unidentified subject) to mean a criminal type they are looking for. 

 

1) Can you think of another way to say "Se lo hai conosciuto, avrai capito il soggetto" using a more modern and colloquial noun in place of soggetto?

 

Attenzione: When we want to say "Don't change the subject!" we do not use soggetto. We use argomento.

Non cambiare argomento!

 

If you watch movies on Yabla, they often include the titles and credits. In this case, il soggetto refers to the idea of the story or the story. In fact, the Taviani brothers, when pitching a film story to a producer, got this as a response.

 

"Se in tre frasi riuscite a dirmelo, funziona.

"If you can tell me in three sentences, it works.

Se non è in tre frasi, guardate, cambiate subito soggetto

If it's not in three sentences, look, change the story right away

perché vuol di' [dire] che non funziona".

because it means it doesn't work."

Captions 51-53, Fratelli Taviani - La passione e l'utopia

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Però

We have learned that però means "however," "though," or "but." Most of the time it does.

 

Però un lato umano ce l'ha:

But he does have a human side:

è ancora innamoratissimo della defunta moglie.

He is still very much in love with his deceased wife.

Captions 27-28, La Ladra - EP.12 - Come ai vecchi tempi

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2) È ancora innamoratissimo della moglie. Can you put this in the negative? (He is no longer in love with his wife).

 

But it's also something people say to mean, "Wow!" When you find out some news that's perhaps a bit surprising or shocking, or you are impressed by something (one way or another), one reaction can be Ah, però!

 

Peccato che i parenti della defunta moglie

Too bad that the deceased wife's relatives

l'abbiano accusato di essersi intestato tutti i beni di famiglia.

accused him of having put all the family's assets in his name.

-Ah, però!

-Wow!

Captions 29-31, La Ladra - EP.12 - Come ai vecchi tempi

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You can even leave out Ah and just say Però!

 

È stata una delle esperienze più intense della mia vita.

It was one of the most intense experiences of my life.

Però! Vieni.

Wow! Come here.

Captions 5-6, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto

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In rotta

 

Siamo in rotta.

We're on the outs.

Caption 50, La Ladra - EP. 12 - Come ai vecchi tempi

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Rotta comes, in this case, from rottura (rupture), or from the verb rompere (to break). So another way to say this in Italian would be avere rotto i rapporti con qualcuno (to have broken off a relationship with someone). But most likely if you look for in rotta in a dictionary, it will be translated as "en route," since rotta also means "route!" So check out the context before deciding what you think something means.

 

Come si fa? 

We mention this expression because it uses the impersonal si, and it uses a different adverb than we would use in English to express the same question.

Cosa vuole, Gina, fosse per me quei bambini li difendere con le armi.

What do you want, Gina, if it were up to me to defend those children with weapons.

What do you want, Gina? If it were up to me, those kids, I'd defend them with weapons.

 

Cosa vuole, Gina, fosse per me quei bambini

What do you want, Gina? If it were up to me, those kids,

li difendere con le armi.

I'd defend them with weapons.

Ma come si fa? La legge è dalla parte del proprietario.

But what can we/one do? The law is on the side of the owner.

Captions 56-58, La Ladra - EP.12 - Come ai vecchi tempi

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3) Instead of using the impersonal — come si fa? — can you say something similar in the first person plural?

 

Of course, come si fa? also means "how does one do that?" and in this case come matches up with "how." But more often than not, this expression is used to mean "what can you (or one) do?" It's just something to be aware of and watch out for, especially since it's an expression people use a whole lot! Keep in mind that the impersonal can also be translated with the passive voice in English: What can be done?

 

If you like (or don't like) these lessons focused on one video or segment, please let us know

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"Extra credit"

1) Se lo hai conosciuto, avrai capito il tipo.​

2) Non è più innamorato della moglie.

3) Come facciamo?

"Get Lost" in Italian

A new movie featured on Yabla employs a verb we don't see very often except in particular military or work situations. The use of this verb has inspired us to talk about what we say in Italian when we leave a place, or want someone else to.

 

Congedare (formal, uncommon in normal, everday conversation)

Congedare is "to invite somebody to leave": The reflexive form congedarsi is "to ask for and obtain permission to leave."  In the following example, a waiter is hanging around a bit too long at the table he is serving. One of the two women having drinks is basically asking him to beat it.

 

Congedati.

Take your leave.

-E certo... Con permesso.

-Of course... Please excuse me.

Captions 77-78, Sei mai stata sulla luna? - film

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In the following example from a movie about Adriano Olivetti (of typewriter fame), Karen had been in the military, so it was natural for her to use the verb congedarsi.

 

E come mai è in Italia?

And how come you're in Italy?

-Mi sono congedata.

-I asked to be discharged.

Volevo dedicarmi un po' alla mia vera passione,

I wanted to devote myself a bit to my true passion,

fotografando l'Italia.

photographing Italy.

Captions 51-54, Adriano Olivetti - La forza di un sogno Ep. 1 - Part 16

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Licenziare, licenziarsi

If she had resigned from a normal job, she might have said the following, using the reflexive, and therefore the auxiliary essere (to be).

Mi sono licenziata (I quit my job).

 

If she had been fired, it would have been transitive, not reflexive: Note the use of the auxiliary verb avere (to have).

Mi hanno licenziato (they fired me -- I was fired).

Mi hanno licenziata (they fired me -- I was fired [and I am a woman]).

 

Noun form of congedare: il congedo

The noun form congedo is a bit more common than the verb form, especially in reference to a leave of absence or, as in the following example, maternity leave.

 

E voglio

And I want

che le donne in maternità abbiano un anno intero di congedo.

for women who are pregnant to have a whole year of maternity leave.

Captions 27-28, Adriano Olivetti - La forza di un sogno Ep. 1 - Part 10

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Another word for congedo is aspettativa.

 

La preside mi ha detto che hai inoltrato la domanda di aspettativa al dipartimento.

The principal told me that you had forwarded the request for a leave of absence to the department.

Caption 49, Provaci Ancora Prof! - S1E2 - Un amore pericoloso

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Sending someone away with no regard or need for being polite is also common. You can say it with good intentions in the appropriate context, as in the following example:

 

Sono due giorni che ti porti dietro 'sta [questa] febbre.

It's been two days that you've been carrying around this fever.

-Con questa bella esperienza del camion-frigorifero sicuramente ti è salita,

-With the lovely experience of the refrigerator truck, it's surely risen,

quindi vattene a casa, ci penso io.

so get yourself home, I'll take care of it.

Captions 38-40, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva

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Vattene is also a way to get rid of someone in a more aggressive, emotional way.

 

No, sei un bugiardo! Vattene!

No, you're a liar! Get out of here!

Se mi dai il tempo di... -Non ti voglio più vedere.

If you give me the time to... -I don't want to see you again.

Captions 102-103, Questione di Karma - Rai Cinema

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Often vattene is expanded to become even stronger: Vattene via! (Go away! Get lost!)

 

Taking vattene apart

Let's take vattene apart. (Va-[t]te-ne): vai is the informal imperative of the verb andare, but it is often shortened to va'. We could say vai via, but vattene adds 2 more elements. It personalizes it with a sort of reflexive te (you, yourself). In addition, it implies that you should leave the place you are in.  That's where the particle ne comes in, to mean "from here." The double T allows you to practically spit the words out and can really get the message across.

 

The infinitive form: andarsene

This compound verb in the infinitive would be andarsene: With it's connected object pronoun and particle, it's also called a verbo pronominale (pronominal verb — having to do with pronouns). Read about pronominal verbs here.

 

Andarsene vuol dire andare via da qualche luogo.

"To leave" means "to go away from some venue."

Che maleducato il tuo amico, se n'è andato senza neanche salutarmi.

"How rude your friend is, he went off without even saying goodbye."

Andarsene ha anche il significato di morire.

"To leave" also has the meaning of dying.

Captions 30-33, Marika spiega - Il verbo andare

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And if I am the one leaving, I'll conjugate andarsene in the first person singular:

Me ne vado (I'm leaving [this place], I'll leave).

 

These are only some of the ways we leave or tell someone to leave. But please don't leave, cari amici di Yabla. Stay tuned for the next lesson!

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Vocabulary