When you buy something in a shop in Italy, one question you might get is whether you would like a bag. But if you think the only word for bag is un sacchetto (the diminutive of un sacco), you're mistaken. Of course, people will understand you if you ask for un sacchetto, but you might hear other words, as well. These can vary according to region or personal preference. So let's take a look.
First of all, let's look at sacco and sacchetto.
Ma che stai comprando un sacco di patate?
But what, are you buying a sack of potatoes?
Caption 47, Un Figlio a tutti i costi film - Part 12
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It's good to know that while un sacco can mean a literal sack — containing something like potatoes, potting soil, animal feed, charcoal, kindling, etc., the noun un sacco is commonly used in a figurative sense to mean "a whole lot." It's used for things as well as situations or feelings.
Ti ho appena fatto riparare e ho anche speso un sacco di soldi.
I just had you repaired and I even spent a bunch of money.
Captions 50-51, Provaci ancora prof! S3EP2 Doppio imprevisto - Part 3
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Io mi sto divertendo un sacco.
I'm having a lot of fun.
Caption 35, Provaci ancora prof! S3EP2 Doppio imprevisto - Part 22
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Ciao, scusami, io ho visto un sacco di gente.
Hi, excuse me, I've seen a whole lot of people.
Caption 1, Passeggiando per Roma per Roma - Part 2
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And now we come to sacchetto.
Ho pulito la pistola dalle impronte, l'ho messa in un sacchetto di plastica insieme al proiettile
I cleaned the handgun of fingerprints, I put it in a plastic bag together with the bullet,
Captions 22-23, Provaci ancora prof! S2E5 Vita da cani - Part 9
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In certain parts of Italy, such as Emilia-Romagna, un sacchetto is a paper bag, but una sportina is a plastic bag. And nowadays, bags are not free in supermarkets and many shops.
Here is another word for "bag," the kind of bag you will get in a shop or supermarket. It generally refers to a rather small bag.
Vuole una busta?
Do you want a bag?
Caption 16, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S2 EP1 Cuccioli - Part 7
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Busta is an interesting word because busta is also "envelope." But it also refers to a bag, either plastic or paper. If the bag is small, it might be referred to as una bustina. But bustina can also refer to a packet, such as for dried yeast, or tea bags: una bustina di tè.
Duecentocinquanta grammi di farina, io vi consiglio di usare lo zero, una bustina di lievito per dolci,
Two hundred and fifty grams of flour, I advise you to use "zero," one packet of baking powder for desserts,
Captions 1-3, La linea verticale EP8 - Part 7
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The noun borsa has various meanings, including handbag, bag, stock exchange (with a capital B), and scholarship (borsa di studio).
Dammi la mia borsa, subito. Non è tua, è di mamma.
Give me my bag, right now. It's not yours, it's Mom's.
Captions 50-51, Com'è umano lui Film - Part 29
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Instead of saying either valigia or bagaglio, it's common to use le borse, similarly to English.
Datemi le borse così me le porto in albergo. -Ah, sì, sì e il casco.
Give me your bags, that way I will take them to the hotel. -Ah, yes, yes, and the helmet.
Caption 69, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP4 Maltempo - Part 9
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Le borse can also mean, generally, all the shopping bags you bring home from the supermarket.
A man, instead of carrying a handbag, might carry un borsello. It's usually a tracolla (with a shoulder strap).
Se hai smarrito un borsello, l'abbiamo trovato noi, ma è vuoto. Se lo vuoi, te lo vieni a riprendere, sennò lo buttiamo.
If you lost a shoulder bag, we found it, but it's empty. If you want it, come and get it, otherwise, we'll throw it out.
Captions 42-43, Ma che ci faccio qui! Un film di Francesco Amato - Part 6
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When you do sports or go to the gym, you might have un borsone for your change of clothes.
Solo Massimo, l'autore del gol, se ne sta davanti alla sua macchina nel parcheggio a cercare nel borsone il caricabatterie.
Only Massimo, the author of the goal, is standing in front of his car in the parking lot, looking in his duffel bag for his battery charger.
Captions 63-65, Fulvio Benelli Crimine Infinito, romanzo - Part 3
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The closest cognate to "baggage" is bagaglio, so it's easy to remember.
Ma tutto qui il tuo bagaglio? No, no, no, il resto arriverà.
But is this all your luggage? No, no, no, the rest will come.
Captions 18-19, Il Commissario Manara S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 3
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Some English speakers use the French word "valise" for "suitcase." "Valise" is a cognate of valigia.
Aiutami a chiudere 'sta [questa] valigia, va'.
Help me shut this suitcase, come on.
Caption 47, Volare - La grande storia di Domenico Modugno Ep. 1 - Part 4
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Una valigetta could be a small suitcase, but it commonly refers to a briefcase.
Sei riuscita a vedere che c'è nella valigetta? Un mucchio di soldi. Dobbiamo agire al più presto, OK?
Did you manage to see what's in the briefcase? A bunch of money. We have to act as soon as possible, OK?
Captions 40-41, La Ladra EP. 8 - Il momento giusto - Part 6
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Thanks for reading. Perhaps we've given you more than you wanted or needed to know about bags, but you can pick the words you think you might need. If you search a word on the videos page and look at the list of instances of it, you'll get a feel for how these words are used in Italian. Write to us at [email protected].
Italian and English share the image of the "nose" to speak figuratively about different behaviors or attitudes.
Take a look at Marika's video about various expressions having to do with il naso (the nose).
Oggi parliamo di quelle espressioni che hanno a che fare con il naso.
Today, let's talk about those expressions that have to do with the nose.
Captions 4-5, Marika spiega Espressioni con naso
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We'll take a look at some of these expressions further in this lesson.
First of all, how do we say "nosy" in Italian? One way is to use the verb ficcare "to stick in..." Being nosy is when you stick your nose into situations where you probably shouldn't.
No, perché se so che hai ricominciato a curiosare, a ficcare il naso dentro delitti, omicidi... ah!
No, because if I find out that you have started poking around, sticking your nose into crimes, homicides... ow!
Captions 29-30, Provaci ancora prof! S2EP1 - La finestra sulla scuola - Part 16
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We can compress this expression into a noun/adjective as well.
Allora, lei è una che fa finta di starsene per conto suo, ma poi te la ritrovi sempre fra i piedi, una grandissima ficcanaso.
So, she is someone who pretends to mind her own business, but then you always find her underfoot, hugely nosy.
Captions 45-47, Provaci ancora prof! S1E4 - La mia compagna di banco - Part 30
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In the previous example, ficcanaso was used as a noun, as we can see by its indefinite article. But it can also be used as an adjective to describe someone.
And we use the same noun, ficcanaso, in both the singular and the plural.
A me i ficcanaso un mi so' [non mi sono] mai garbati [piaciuti].
Me, snoopers, I've never liked.
Caption 30, Il Commissario Manara S1EP2 - Vendemmia tardiva - Part 8
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Ficcare is commonly used in this expression, but not only. You'll find some examples on WordReference. Ficcare is somewhat similar to infilare or inserire, but it implies an action lacking in grace.
Let's look at a very common expression used to describe someone who is snobbish or stuck up.
When we talk about someone with la puzza sotto al naso (the stink below one's nose), we're talking about someone who is haughty, with one's nose in the air, or a snob.
Be', quando facevo il liceo, c'era una classe dove c'era un sacco di figlie di professionisti, molte con la puzza sotto il naso.
Well, when I went to high school, there was a class where there were a bunch of professionals' daughters, lots of them with a stink under their noses [their noses in the air].
Captions 15-17, Illuminate Margherita Hack - Part 6
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The English word snob has made its way into the Italian language, as an adjective meaning "snobbish," but the longer expression is extremely common.
Finally, a way to say something is based on one's intuition rather than precise information, is a naso (by one's nose), or a lume di naso (by the light of one's nose). They both can mean something like "an impression," "a gut reaction," "a gut feeling," or "off the top of one's head," "by the looks of things." So basically, you're making an educated guess, using your intuition.
E ti è sembrata sincera? A lume di naso, no.
And did she seem sincere to you? Intuitively [by the light of my nose], no.
Captions 23-24, Provaci ancora prof! S3 EP2 Doppio imprevisto - Part 22
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We can use a naso when we're talking about measurements we are guessing at without knowing precise numbers, like the size of a room. Another way to translate this, depending on the context, is "by the seat of one's pants."
There are certainly other expressions using the nose or the sense of smell, but this is a good start. Let us know if you come across other expressions with the nose that might be interesting, and we'll add them to the lesson. Write to us at [email protected].
Thanks for reading. Next month, we will look at a similar expression to a naso, having to do with approximation, so stay tuned!
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