When we learn a language by ear, we don't always know what each individual word means. And for speaking and making ourselves understood, it doesn't really matter much of the time. In fact, we often learn chunks* of words that mean something specific, without knowing the individual words that make up that chunk*. We just learn what to say in a given situation, by repeating what we hear.

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But as we progress in a language, we sometimes like to know more. We wonder, "What does that really mean?" There is a time and a place for both strategies.

If we look at Yabla games, for instance, we can think about Parrot as just listening and repeating, and breaking up the captions into chunks to start speaking — not trying necessarily to repeat an entire caption, as sometimes they are just too long for that, and not necessarily understanding every word. We can just repeat a chunk and then go on to another chunk. Scribe is more about getting into the nitty-gritty of the language, looking at the structure of a sentence, figuring out how the language works. 

We can break up a phrase or chunk* into its parts: the noun, the verb, the preposition, the adjective, the pronoun, etc. This can be very useful for understanding how the grammar works, especially after we have already been able to speak the phrase or chunk in a single breath. Because if we get caught up in the meaning of each word right away, in other words, overthinking things, it may inhibit us from speaking smoothly and sounding natural. Our brains will get the better of us. 

*A chunk, or more accurately, a lexical chunk, is a pre-assembled, natural combination of words — rather than isolated words, which native speakers use as a single unit of meaning.

Here's an example of a chunk we use a lot. In fact, it's likely one of the first things we learn to say and understand in Italian. 

Cosa vuoi fare adesso, Sara? -Non lo so.

What do you want to do now, Sara? -I don't know.

Captions 66-67, La compagnia del cigno EP 5 - Part 11

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If we think about each word, we realize that there is an object pronoun in the Italian phrase: non ([I] don't) lo (it) so (I know), but not in the English "I don't know." There are variations on this chunk in both Italian and English, but this is the most common version. 

If we have studied a little grammar, we recognize or look up that so is the first person singular of the verb sapere. But when you learn the phrase for the first time, you might very well have no idea that the verb is sapere. And that's OK. You just know what it means in essence. You can start speaking Italian without really knowing how to conjugate verbs. Then, little by little, you put the pieces of the puzzle together. 

As we progress, we get used to the idea that it's not necessary to include the personal pronoun io (I) before a verb unless we need it for clarity. The negating word is non. And what about the word order? Non comes first! We put the object before the verb? Crazy. That's a lot of stuff to keep track of for one simple phrase you'll likely say and hear numerous times a day. 

So it's much easier and more natural to learn that non lo so simply means "I don't know." And the same goes for many other chunks of Italian we use every day. 

Non lo so is a full sentence, but it can also be considered to be a "chunk" to become an element in a longer sentence. Learning lexical chunks can help you think in Italian, which is what you want to do to become more and more fluent.

In this example, even though there is an object, lo is still present. 

Questo non lo so.

That I don't know.

Caption 80, Provaci ancora prof! S2E4 L'amica americana - Part 11

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Here, the pronoun is omitted. There is an object cosa (thing, what).  

Non so cosa dirti.

I don't know what to tell you.

Caption 2, Com'è umano lui Film - Part 22

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Here, too, lo seems superfluous, but that is how people talk! 

Non lo so se sono capace,

I don't know if I'm capable,

Caption 34, La compagnia del cigno S2 EP 2 - Part 7

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Here's an additional, longer chunk using the same basis. 

Non lo so e non lo voglio sapere.

I don't know, and I don't want to know.

Caption 29, La Ladra EP. 4 - Una magica bionda - Part 14

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In our next lesson, we will look at some common lexical chunks that you can put in your toolbox to then build on them. Thanks for reading! As always, send your comments and questions to [email protected]

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We have looked at the subjunctive mood (il congiuntivo) and how the conjunction che (that, which) triggers it on so many occasions.

But other conjunctions trigger the subjunctive, as well. Subordinating conjunctions (including che) are used to connect a dependent or subordinate clause (one that can't stand alone) to a main clause in different ways. They're called congiunzioni subordinanti in Italian and are categorized into groups such as concessive (of concession), temporali (of time), causali (of cause), finali (of purpose), etc. 

We will go through them one by one over the course of multiple lessons and provide examples from Yabla videos. Knowing the names of the various conjunction types is not the important thing, but recognizing their meaning and being able to use them when needed or desired will enhance your speaking and writing. As you learn more Italian, you will begin recognizing them and incorporating them into your speech and understanding. These conjunctions play a role in instructions, rules, and regulations, so it's a good idea to be familiar with them. 

Some are more common than others, and you will hear them again and again in Yabla videos, as well as in everyday speech. Practicing them in Speak, Scribe, and Revo will reinforce your command of them and help them feel natural. To see more examples, do a search of your chosen conjunction on the "videos" page and they will be listed. Open the transcript if you need more context or complete sentences. 

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In this lesson, we will deal with some common conjunctions of concession. In English, these are words like "despite," "notwithstanding," "although," "even though," etc. In Italian, they are: benché, sebbene, malgrado che, nonostante, anche se (which doesn't necessarily take the subjunctive depending on the context).

Here's an explanation of what this kind of conjunction is about, in Italian and in English. 

Le congiunzioni concessive introducono un ostacolo che non impedisce l'azione principale.

Concessive conjunctions introduce an obstacle that doesn't impede the principal action. 

As we will see, some of the conjunctions we encounter already contain the conjunction che. And we can guess that at one time, they were separate words: bene che or se bene. Two of the conjunctions of concession contain the adverb bene (well). With benché, it's at the beginning, whereas with sebbene, it's in second place. Bene (well, good) is generally a positive or reinforcing word. That can help us understand that even though there is an obstacle in the subordinate clause, it doesn't prevent the main clause from being true. 

You might be wondering if benché and sebbene are interchangeable. They are indeed. And they both take the subjunctive. In the first example below, the verb in the subjunctive mood is avere (to have), and in the second example, it's essere (to be). 

benché (even though, although)

Ho fatto il matto anch'io, benché avessi quindici anni nel quarantacinque,

I went crazy too, even though I was fifteen years old in nineteen forty-five,

Captions 58-59, Vera e Giuliano Montaldo - Part 4

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sebbene

Ma prima nessuno, nessuno aveva visto questa meraviglia, neanche gli uomini preistorici perché, sebbene siano state trovate delle tracce, eh, di, della loro presenza in altri punti, in questi ambienti assolutamente no.

But before that, no one, no one had seen this wonder, not even prehistoric men because, although traces have been found, uh, of, of their presence in other spots, in these chambers, absolutely not.

Captions 5-9, Meraviglie S2EP1 - Part 7

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A way to express the same idea informally, and without needing the subjunctive, is with anche se (even if). 

Ci sono certe realtà che vanno raccontate, anche se fa male.

There are certain realities that need to be told, even if it hurts.

Captions 24-25, Liberi tutti EP7 Quanto vale una pera al Milanetto? - Part 6

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nonostante (despite, despite the fact that, notwithstanding)

A dodici anni ha composto la sua prima opera e nonostante fosse un genio, i suoi l'hanno obbligato a studiare da avvocato,

At the age of twelve, he composed his first work and even though he was a genius, his parents forced him to study to be a lawyer,

Captions 7-9, La compagnia del cigno S2 EP 2 - Part 7

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The handy thing about nonostante is that it can be followed by either a verb in the subjunctive mood or by a noun! It works similarly to "despite" in English. When followed by a noun, nonostante works like a preposition. 

Pochi sono venuti a trovarlo, nonostante tutto il bene che ha fatto.

Few came to visit him, despite all the good he did.

Captions 8-9, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP6 Dalla parte degli ultimi - Part 15

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malgrado (despite, in spite of)

Ecco le campane, oggi è domenica, e malgrado sia un giorno di festa, la città, ehm, si muove in questo momento, forse perché molti son' tornati dalle vacanze.

There go the bells, today is Sunday, and even though it is a non-work day, the city, uhm, is stirring right now, perhaps because many have come back from their holidays.

Captions 16-19, Rosalba al parco della donna gatto - Part 1

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Malgrado can also be followed by a noun.

Malgrado l'ora tarda, giovani dai quindici ai vent'anni hanno invaso la stazione Centrale

Despite the late hour, young people from fifteen to twenty years old invaded the Central Station

Captions 5-6, Guido Crepax Cercando Valentina - Part 3

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Malgrado and nonostante are pretty much interchangeable, but nonostante is more common, and malgrado can seem negative (from the presence of mal = evil), as well as being a bit more formal. These two concessive conjunctions are quite interesting, and we'll delve deeper into them in a future lesson.

Thanks for reading. We hope gathering conjunctions together can help you make sense of them. See also Daniela's video lessons about il congiuntivo and this one about subordinating conjunctions.

Write to us at [email protected] or leave a comment on the "videos" page. 

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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. 

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Venire - provenire (to come - to come from)

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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Vedere - provvedere (to see - to see to, to take care of)

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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Mettere - promettere (to put - to promise)

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).

Porre — proporre (to place - to propose)

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).

Trarre - protrarre (to pull, to draw - to prolong, to continue)

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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Muovere - promuovere (to move - to promote)

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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Seguire - proseguire (to follow - to continue)

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.

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