Over time, we've looked at various Italian prefixes and here is one more: pro-. We often don't think about it because pro- can simply be part of a word. But in many cases, there is a good chance the root exists as a word on its own. In a recent video on Yabla, the verb provenire came up. A reader asked: "What's the difference between venire and provenire?" Great question.
The answer is that provenire (while technically an action verb) has to do with the origin of something, whereas venire is an action, a movement in the direction of the speaker, writer, or interlocutor. In English, we do have the noun "provenance," from the Latin meaning "to come forth," but we usually translate provenire as "to come from," or "to originate from." So if we think of the prefix pro- meaning "forward" or "forth," it might help us remember these words.
Penso che non ho tempo per fare la badante a nessuno, quindi tu organizza gli incontri e io vedo se riesco a venire.
I think I don't have time to be a babysitter for anyone, so you organize the meetings and I'll see if I can come.
Captions 56-57, La compagnia del cigno S2 EP 2 - Part 2
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Ora stanno cercando di capire da dove provengono...
Now they are trying to figure out where they come from...
Caption 49, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP6 Dalla parte degli ultimi - Part 22
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E be', non fargli vedere il tuo libretto degli esami perché...
Well, don't let her see your exam record because...
Caption 27, Com'è umano lui Film - Part 6
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We can now see the connection between "provide" and provvedere, but we can also see the word vedere (to see), and so it makes sense to translate provvedere as "to see to." It can also be "to take care of."
Lo so, ho avuto tanto da fare. Domani provvedo, va bene?
I know. I have had a lot to do. Tomorrow I will see to it, all right?
Caption 39, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP1 I Bastardi - Part 17
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Sei capace di studiare, sacrificarti, passare le notti insonni, mettere tutta la tua vita a servizio della musica, sei capace?
Are you capable of studying, sacrificing yourself, spending sleepless nights, putting your whole life at the service of music, are you capable?
Captions 31-33, La compagnia del cigno S2 EP 2 - Part 7
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Ma Lei mi deve promettere una cosa.
But you have to promise me one thing:
Caption 23, Moscati, l'amore che guarisce EP1 - Part 18
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The noun form is la promessa (the promise).
Dobbiamo porre nella teglia il pollo con le patate a spicchi,
In the pan, we have to place the chicken with the potato wedges,
Captions 6-7, JAMS S1 EP7 - Part 3
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Porre can also be reflexive, with a more figurative meaning of considering something.
Seconda cosa, visto che una è partita e l'altra si è fidanzata, io non mi pongo il problema, capito?
Second of all, since one is gone and the other is engaged, I don't consider the problem, you understand?
Captions 5-7, Il Commissario Manara S2EP11 - Uno strano incidente di caccia - Part 11
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Proporre is to put forth, as with an idea.
Bene. Cosa propone?
Good. What do you propose?
Caption 43, Il Commissario Manara S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi - Part 10
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The noun form is la proposta (the proposal, the suggestion).
Although trarre is another word for tirare (to pull) it's frequently used in a figurative sense, as in drawing a conclusion or gaining an advantage.
Ma stavolta proprio il senso di colpa gli ha fatto trarre delle conclusioni affrettate,
But this time his guilty conscience made him draw hasty conclusions,
Captions 73-74, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP 4 Maltempo - Part 20
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Protrarre is used to refer to prolonging something over time.
La costruzione della Fortezza di Fenestrelle, iniziata nel millesettecentoventotto, si protrarrà per centoventi anni.
The construction of the Fenestrelle Fortress, begun in seventeen hundred and twenty-eight, would continue on for a hundred and twenty years.
Captions 14-16, Meraviglie EP. 5 - Part 4
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The reflexive form of the verb muovere is used here: muoversi.
Non ti muovere.
Don't move.
Caption 47, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP4 Gelo - Part 13
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When you move forward in school, from one grade to the next, the verb is promuovere. It can be used as well, just as in English, when you promote someone or something, giving them publicity.
Com'è andata? -Mi hanno promosso.
How did it go? -They promoted me.
Caption 2, Non è mai troppo tardi EP 2 - Part 23
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We talk about these verbs in this lesson.
The prefix pro- can also mean "entirely" — interamente. In the case of prosciutto (cured ham), it has to do with salting and drying: pro - asciutto (dry). The verb is prosciugare, to dry entirely. Prosciogliere is "to dissolve completely."
Thanks for reading. We hope you've gotten the idea of the prefix pro-. If you think of other words with this prefix, please let us know, and we'll add them to the lesson.
When traveling, it's good to have a handle on the words we might need when getting around a new place. But depending on where we are and who we are talking with, we might hear different names for the same thing.
The word for "train" is easy. It's il treno.
Where do we catch or meet a train? Alla stazione. That's a good cognate, too. So already these two words, il treno and la stazione are essential to have in your toolkit.
One important question you might want to ask is: Dov'è la stazione (where is the train station)? Or you can keep it even simpler:
Allora, dico: "scusi, per la stazione?" Semplicissimo.
So, I say, "Excuse me, for the station?" Very simple.
Caption 18, Corso di italiano con Daniela Chiedere informazioni - Part 1
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We don't always need to speak in full sentences, and when we do try, we can easily stumble. You can even just say: La stazione?
When we're talking about the railroad in general, however, we usually say la ferrovia. The rails are made of iron, and ferro means "iron." Via is "way" or "road," so it makes sense.
Il ponte della ferrovia,
The railroad bridge,
Caption 45, Rosalba al parco della donna gatto - Part 1
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Ferrovia isn't too hard to pronounce, but when we turn it into an adjective, it's a bit trickier.
...e la ricevuta di un biglietto ferroviario di sola andata Bologna-Roma.
...and the receipt for a train ticket, one way, Bologna to Rome.
Captions 16-17, Provaci ancora prof! S2E5 Vita da cani - Part 6
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There are 3 different terms people use when they refer to a bus. The easiest one is autobus, as it contains the word "bus" we recognize.
L'autobus often refers to local transportation within a city, but it's also used generally, especially by young people.
Da qui partono gli autobus, tra l'altro, per gli aeroporti di Pisa e di Firenze...
From here, the buses leave for the Pisa and Florence airports, among other places...
Caption 47, In giro per l'Italia Firenze - Part 3
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La corriera is a term that's a bit outdated (and it was used for stagecoaches in earlier times), but if you are talking to someone of a certain age, or if you are in a remote village, corriera is a term they might use.
Mi scusi, la corriera per Milano?
Excuse me, the bus for Milan?
Caption 31, Il Commissario Manara S1EP12 - Le verità nascoste - Part 9
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Attenzione! Let's also mention that both la corriera (the bus) and il corriere (the courier) have the same origins. In earlier times, a stagecoach would carry passengers but also letters and packages. Nowadays, la corriera carries passengers and il corriere carries packages. We can detect the verb correre in the term, which hints at speed.
Usually, with la stazione, it is pretty clear you are talking about the train station, but if you are asking for the bus station, you will want to specify that. Il pullman, is a word you'll likely recognize from English.
È arrivata zia, è alla stazione dei pullman.
My aunt has arrived. She's at the bus station.
Caption 48, Il Commissario Manara S2EP11 - Uno strano incidente di caccia - Part 11
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Note that la corriera is feminine and il pullman is masculine. Often, these two terms indicate buses that go long distances, from city to city (like Greyhound in the U.S).
When there is a proper bus station, you can buy your biglietto (ticket) at la biglietteria, but more and more, there are self-service machines where you can pay in cash or by credit card. In some places, however, you have to buy your ticket at the bar or dal tabaccaio (at the tobacconist's).
Some cities have had trams since the 19th century. In some cities, they were once in vogue, then went out of vogue, but are coming back. Whoever is interested in an overview of the tramways in Italy can consult this Wikipedia article. It's called il tram in Italian (so that's easy!). It runs on rails and is (now) electric.
Bene, una volta arrivati a Napoli, prendete il tram che vi porta al porto.
Good, once you've arrived in Naples, you'll get a tram that will take you to the harbor.
Caption 28, Marika spiega I veicoli
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Other cities have a kind of bus that's powered electrically, from above. It's called il filobus (the trolley bus). Il filo is the word for "the wire".
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Here are the words we discussed in this lesson. In a future lesson, we'll dive deeper into travel vocabulary, as this list is only partial.
l'autobus (the city bus)
la corriera (the bus, the coach)
il corriere (the courier)
il pullman (the bus, the long-distance bus)
il treno (the train)
la ferrovia (the railroad)
il biglietto (the ticket)
la stazione (the station)
il filobus (the trolley bus)
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