We've looked at breath and breathing in Italian from different angles. Now let's talk about the absence of breathing. Here, too, we can look at it from a couple of different angles.
We recognize this word because it's used in English, too, often referring to sleep apnea. It refers to a temporary suspension of breathing. This can be intentional (as in diving with no oxygen tank):
Questa è la costa dei suoi grandi record di apnea, a meno quarantacinque metri nel sessanta,
This is the coast of his great free diving records, to minus forty-five meters in nineteen sixty,
Captions 10-11, Linea Blu Sicilia - Part 19
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Or it can be unintentional (as in sleep apnea or shortness of breath).
Il respiro corto, la difficoltà a respirare, a parlare, tipo apnea, era presente nel diciotto virgola sei per cento dei casi.
Shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing and speaking, as in apnea, are present in eighteen point six percent of the cases.
Captions 37-38, COVID-19 Domande frequenti - Part 2
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The noun affanno (breathlessness) is a great word with its double f and double n, especially if you know what it feels like to be out of breath. But it can also be used figuratively to describe that state of anxiety one has, also called "stress," like when you have to run around doing 10 things at once, and you're on a time crunch.
Stavo sempre a cercare lavoro, sempre di corsa, sempre in affanno
I was always hunting for work, always in a rush, always out of breath,
Captions 39-40, Volare - La grande storia di Domenico Modugno Ep. 1 - Part 10
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We have the adjective version, too: affannato
Let's just keep in mind that the word "stress" has become part of Italian colloquial vocabulary. lo stress, stressare, stressato.
We already talked about this adjective, but let's have a closer look.
e la vista mozzafiato della città
and the breathtaking view of the city
Caption 20, Villa Medici L'arca della bellezza - Part 7
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If we take apart this wonderful adjective, we get mozzare (to cut off) and fiato (breath). So if your breath is cut off, it's taken away. And let's not forget about another use of mozzare. It's part of one of our favorite Italian dairy products, la mozzarella.
There's a Yabla video in which Marika and Anna go to a place in Rome where they actually make mozzarella, to find out how it's made. Check it out!
la pasta filata viene appunto mozzata, o a mano o a macchina,
The spun paste is, just that, cut off, by hand or by machine,
Caption 6, Anna e Marika La mozzarella di bufala - La produzione e i tagli - Part 2
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Have we missed any words having to do with breath and breathing? Let us know at newsletter@yabla.com.
In part 1, we looked at the noun il fiato (the breath).
Respiro is another word for "breath." But first came the verb respirare (to breathe). It came from the Latin spirare (to breathe). In fact, we can see the logic in the prefix re-. You breathe in and out and repeat it as long as you live. In Italian, spirare (to expire) can indicate the last breath you take before you die (no more repeating it!), and in fact, in English, "to expire" is another way to say "to die."
Il respiro corto, la difficoltà a respirare,
Shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing
a parlare, tipo apnea,
and speaking, as in apnea,
era presente nel diciotto virgola sei per cento dei casi.
are present in eighteen point six percent of the cases.
Captions 37-38, COVID-19 - Domande frequenti
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Il respiro means "the breath," but this noun is also used figuratively. It can mean "breathing room," or when you finally have a moment to yourself.
No, Sergio, è il primo giorno che ho un po' di respiro,
No, Sergio, it's the first day I've had a bit of a breather,
però oggi le guardo, promesso. -Mm.
but today I'll look at them, I promise. -Hm.
Captions 24-25, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP8 - Morte di un buttero
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Even more figuratively, respiro is used to mean the scale or scope of something, especially when it's large-scale.
Un festival ad ampio respiro is a festival that covers lots of different kinds of things
Respiro can also mean "spirit" or "atmosphere."
Questa breve guida alternativa vuole rendere accessibile il respiro della città eterna
This brief alternative guide wishes to render the spirit of the Eternal City accessible
a chi del turismo di plastica ne ha abbastanza
to those who've had enough of plastic tourism
Captions 13-14, I Love Roma - guida della città
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The adjective form respiratorio is just like the English "respiratory."
Il nuovo coronavirus è un virus respiratorio
The novel coronavirus is a respiratory virus
Caption 5, COVID-19 - Domande frequenti
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When we talk about the act of breathing, we use la respirazione.
Santo, per migliorare la qualità del sonno
Santo, to improve the quality of one's sleep,
basterebbe fare ogni sera un esercizio di respirazione
one simply needs to do breathing exercises every night
prima di addormentarsi. Vero o falso?
before going to sleep. True or false?
Captions 14-16, L'Eredità -Quiz TV - La sfida dei sei. Puntata 1
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What about breathing in and breathing out?
We use inspirare and espirare.
Inspirando percepiamo il fianco destro che si espande, si allunga, si stira.
Inhaling we perceive the right side expanding, lengthening, stretching.
Ed espirando osserviamo come il corpo tende a scendere sul fianco sinistro.
And exhaling we observe how the body tends to get lower on the left side.
Captions 10-11, Corso di Yoga - Ardhakatichacrasana
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Italian also uses the verbs inalare (to inhale) and esalare (to exhale). The noun connected with these verbs is alito, yet another word for "breath!" But this is not the act of breathing. It is rather the breath itself. If someone has bad breath, it's l'alito cattivo.
Hai un alito da far schifo da quando fumi.
You have disgusting breath from all your smoking.
Caption 21, Dafne - Film
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There have been several new words to assimilate in this lesson. But we'd like to mention a word that is similar to one of the words above, but means something completely different and might cause confusion.
You might want to use inspirare to mean "to inspire," and there would be a certain logic in that, but the Italian word, although similar, is different, lacking the n. We need to use ispirare.
Questo film è ispirato alla vita di Adriano Olivetti,
This film was inspired by the life of Adriano Olivetti,
Caption 67, Adriano Olivetti - La forza di un sogno Ep.2
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There is more to say about breathing, including when we can't breathe! But it will be for another lesson.
Meanwhile, go ahead and check out part 1 if you haven't read it yet.
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