When you fall in love with a person, an idea, an animal, a pair of shoes, a dress, or anything, really, Italians have a great expression for that: un colpo di fulmine. Literally, it's a lightning bolt, but it also contains the noun colpo, associated with the verb colpire (to strike).
Sì, ho capito subito di piacergli e anche lui a me piaceva moltissimo. È stato un colpo di fulmine!
Yes, I knew immediately that he liked me, and I too liked him a great deal. It was a lightening bolt [love at first sight]!
Captions 21-23, Anna presenta La Bohème di Puccini - Part 1
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Colpo has various connotations, which is why we are devoting a lesson to this word. In police stories, it's about a shot from a firearm.
Le hanno sparato a bruciapelo, un colpo al cuore, è morta quasi subito.
They shot her at point blank range, a shot to the heart. She died almost immediately.
Captions 52-54, Provaci ancora prof! S3 EP2 Doppio imprevisto - Part 1
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The verb colpire can be used in the same context. Colpire can imply shooting at something, but it can also mean "to hit."
E certo, erano anni che mi allenavo a sparare. E be', ma una cosa è colpire una sagoma e una cosa è ammazzare un uomo, no?
Of course, I had been training to shoot for years. Well, but it's one thing to fire at/hit a target and another to kill a man, right?
Captions 19-21, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP2 Rabbia - Part 18
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Colpire can imply a shot from a gun, but it can be from anything else, too.
Dieci anni fa un fulmine ha colpito l'aereo su cui viaggiavo e da allora non ho più volato.
Ten years ago, lightning struck the plane I was traveling on and since then I haven't flown.
Captions 29-30, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP1 I Bastardi - Part 21
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Colpire is often used figuratively, just as the verb "to strike" is used in English.
La cosa che mi ha colpito di più, sa qual è?
The thing that struck me the most, you know what it is?
Caption 23, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP3 Un cugino in fuga - Part 4
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Prendere un colpo (to take a hit) is used when something strikes you emotionally or psychologically in a violent way. It's a reference to un attacco al cuore (a heart attack).
Gianmaria, mi hai fatto prendere un colpo.
Gianmaria, you startled me (you almost gave me a heart attack).
Caption 9, JAMS EP6 - Part 3
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Check out this lesson that mentions using colpo when impressing someone, with fare colpo (to make a splash, to make a huge impression).
We hope this lesson encourages you to use the verb colpire and the noun il colpo. For lots of examples of how Italians use these words, do a search on the videos page, and start scrolling!
Thanks for reading. You can write to us at [email protected].
Adriano provides us with a useful Italian word: legare (to tie). In talking about his favorite restaurant in Dublin, he uses the verb form, legare (to tie):
Sono molti i fattori che mi legano a questo ristorante.
There are many factors that tie me to this restaurant.
Caption 24, Adriano - Pizzeria Pinocchio
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He’s speaking metaphorically, just as in the following example, where he uses the adjective/past participle legato.
Quando ero piccolo, ero molto legato alla figura di Pinocchio.
When I was little, I was very tied to the figure of Pinocchio.
Caption 38, Adriano - Pizzeria Pinocchio
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In Italian, the verb legare can imply feeling connected to something or someone as in the above examples, or it can be about simply tying or fastening something.
Ora, io non l'ho legato,
Now, I haven't fastened him in,
ma naturalmente va sempre legato.
but naturally he should always be fastened.
Caption 23, Anna presenta - Attrezzature per un neonato
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We’re talking about a kind of seat belt here.
And in the following example, we’re talking about a leash for a dog and tying an animal to a secure post.
Va be', sì, insomma, l'avevo legato qui fuori a un vaso,
OK, yes, in other words, I'd tied him to a flower pot out here,
ma evidentemente...
but evidently...
Caption 35, La Ladra - Ep. 1 - Le cose cambiano
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Things can be tied in a non-physical way, by association.
Comunque qualcosa legato all'incendio, no?
In any case, something tied to the fire, right?
Caption 48, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP11 - Beato tra le donne
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When two people are very close, we can use the verb legare in its past participle form, which functions here as an adjective. Another translation might be "bound to each other."
È che io e Matilde eravamo molto legati anche se il nostro matrimonio era finito da molto tempo.
It's that Matilde and I were very close even if our marriage had been over for a long time.
Captions 93-94, Provaci ancora prof! S3 EP2 Doppio imprevisto - Part 1
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There's more to say about legare so stay tuned.
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