Three interesting verbs found in this week's videos are:
gonfiare
rosicare
ignorare
All three have very literal translations, but they have nuances, too, that are important to know for anyone looking to get comfortable speaking Italian.
The adjective gonfio comes from the verb gonfiare (to inflate). So we can talk about pumping up our tires, or blowing up a balloon.
"Andare a gonfie vele" significa che tutto procede al meglio.
"Going with full sails" [full steam ahead] means that everything is proceeding well.
Caption 27, Marika spiega Espressioni legate al mare e al mondo nautico - Part 2
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We can imagine a full sail puffing out and looking swollen.
There is a reflexive form as well, so when we get a bruise, sometimes it swells — Si gonfia.
Poi l'universo ha cominciato a gonfiarsi, a gonfiarsi come un palloncino.
Then the universe began to inflate, to inflate like a balloon.
Captions 3-4, Illuminate Margherita Hack - Part 10
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We can use the past participle as an adjective with pallone to mean "hot air balloon," figuratively speaking.
Ma che infame, mentitore, pallone gonfiato, pieno di sé.
You are wicked, a liar, a hot-air balloon, full of yourself.
Caption 55, Il Commissario Manara S1EP9 - Morte in paradiso - Part 7
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Cioè, tu hai permesso a quel pallone gonfiato di usare la mia cucina per fare la sua torta?
That is, you allowed that hot-air balloon to use my kitchen to make his cake?
Caption 18, La Ladra EP. 1 - Le cose cambiano - Part 3
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Translating is not an exact science, so we're not talking about the kind of serene mongolfiera (hot air balloon) we see floating over the countryside, but rather someone who is full of him/herself and hot air (instead of substance). Un pallone is "a big ball" (also a soccer ball), so it can also refer to someone's head if we're thinking about the shape, but un palloncino is "a balloon," so un pallone could also be a big balloon, like one of those hot air balloons. We can talk about someone spouting hot air, so although a direct translation doesn't exactly do the trick, now you get the idea! You undoubtedly know someone who is un pallone gonfiato.
This verb can be used in reference to animals, such as a dog gnawing at a bone, but it's used with people, too, when they are envious. Here's a little scene from JAMS where someone tends to be a sore loser. Once again, it is a bit tough to translate precisely. That's why we wrote a lesson about it.
No! -E mamma mia, non rosicare sempre! Abbiamo perso, no "non rosicare"! -E va be', abbiamo perso correttamente, però. -Non va bene.
No! -For heaven's sake, don't always let it gnaw at you! We lost, not "Don't let it gnaw!" -OK, so what? We lost fair and square, though. -It's not OK.
Captions 11-13, JAMS S1 EP 3 - Part 5
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Ignorare is a very interesting verb, together with the adjective, ignorante, that comes from it. It is a partially true cognate, but not totally, and that is why we are mentioning it here.
One meaning of ignorare is "to ignore," in other words, to neglect to take into consideration. But its other meaning is "not to know." There's a big difference between the two! So in the following passage, it's not totally clear which it is.
Farà male? -Vuoi la verità? Sì. -Anna. E così mi ignori la primissima regola di questo mestiere.
Will it hurt? -Do you want the truth? Yes. -Anna. And so you ignore the very first rule of this profession on me.
Captions 3-5, La linea verticale EP8 - Part 2
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In this next example, the meaning clearly has to do with not being schooled, with not knowing how to read and write, for example.
Sarò anche una povera vecchia contadina ignorante,
I might even be an old, ignorant farm woman,
Caption 25, Il Commissario Manara S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo - Part 7
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But ignorante is widely used to mean something similar to maleducato — being a boor or a lout. We can see how it is combined with other similar insults here.
Prepotente, zotico, ignorante!
Arrogant, boorish, rude!
Caption 3, La Ladra EP. 6 - Nero di rabbia - Part 6
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Can you use these words to describe someone you know or someone you've seen in televisione or al cinema?
We've talked various times about the noun il conto. It can refer to "the bill" or "the account," but it's also used in expressions such as per conto di..., or to put it in more personal terms, per conto mio/suo.
What's perhaps important to remember is that it has two distinct (but related meanings). It can mean "of one's own."
Nilde, tu c'hai già mille problemi per conto tuo, il ristorante, Enrica fra i piedi, lascia perdere.
Nilde, you already have a ton of problems of your own, the restaurant, Enrica on your back, forget about it.
Captions 10-11, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3EP4 Lo stagno del ranocchio - Part 5
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Perché la mi' figliola [mia figlia] c'ha già tanti problemi per conto suo.
Because my daughter has enough problems of her own.
Caption 37, Il Commissario Manara S1EP9 - Morte in paradiso - Part 7
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But it also means "on one's own."
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 be on her own, 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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Poi, se ne andarono ognuno per conto suo [sic: proprio].
Then they went away, each on his own.
Caption 33, Ti racconto una fiaba I tre porcellini - Part 1
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You will have to rely on the context to help decide what per conto means in each case.
Let's look at 4 more ways to use the noun il conto in everyday conversation. The first two involve prepositions:
When we do something on someone's behalf, we use per conto di.
La leggenda racconta di miniere dove a scavare erano dei nani
The legend tells of mines where dwarfs were excavating
per conto del re Laurino.
on behalf of the king Laurin.
Captions 23-24, Meraviglie - EP. 5 - Part 10
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Oltre a questo lavoro giornalistico più specifico,
Besides this more specific journalistic job,
lavoro anche come, come responsabile di uffici stampa
I also work as head of press offices
per conto di varie realtà.
on behalf of various organizations.
Captions 1-3, Francesca Vitalini - Fare la giornalista pubblicista
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An expression we might see in a contract about power of attorney is:
agire in nome e per conto di (to act in the name of and on behalf of)
This expression can also mean "of one's own" and is used quite frequently as in the following example.
Perché la mi' figliola [mia figlia] c'ha già tanti problemi per conto suo.
Because my daughter has enough problems of her own.
Caption 37, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP9 - Morte in paradiso
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It can also mean on one's own:
Non faccio in tempo a venire a casa per pranzo. Mangio per conto mio.
I don't have time to come home for lunch. I'll eat on my own.
If we use the preposition su (on) then it can mean "about." We usually use it in reference to people.
No, io devo smentire delle cattiverie che girano sul mio conto.
No, I have to prove wrong the maliciousness that's circulating about me.
Caption 11, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto
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Anche se ultimamente si dicono un sacco di cose sul suo conto...
Even though lately they've said a lot of things about her...
Caption 30, Il Commissario Manara - S2EP1 - Matrimonio con delitto
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These next examples involve a verb plus conto:
Mah, la libertà è una grossa parola,
Well, freedom is a strong word,
perché bisogna sempre tener conto
because we always have to take into account
delle persone che abbiamo intorno.
the people we're surrounded by.
Captions 22-23, Che tempo che fa - Monica Bellucci
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Here's an example using the particle ne (about it, of it) as well. It takes the place of di qualcosa (about/of something):
Tu vedrai che i giudici ne terranno conto, ascoltami.
You will see that the judges will take it into account, listen to me.
Caption 23, Il Commissario Manara - S2EP3 - Delitto tra le lenzuola
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When someone is telling you to listen to how things add up, or how things fit together, they might say:
Fai conto... (take this into consideration, do the math..., let's see... figure this in...)
Like many expressions, there are some people who use this expression regularly, and others who never use it. It can be added into a sentence as is, on its own. Instead of doing the math oneself, the speaker is having you participate. It's a modo di dire.
Ci vogliono, fai conto, tre ore per andare da Pisa a Bologna in macchina.
It will take — you should count — three hours to go from Pisa to Bologna by car.
Cammina, cammina. Sai quanti chilometri faccio io al giorno?
Yeah, walk. You know how many kilometers I do per day?
-Quanti? -Fai conto tre pedinamenti, per dire, eh.
-How many? -Figure three tails, to give you an idea, huh.
Captions 14-15, Il Commissario Manara - S2EP6 - Sotto tiro
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Fare conto can also be used with che (that) to make a more complex sentence.
Fai conto che io faccio tanti kilometri al giorno.
Take into account that I do three kilometers per day.
Fare conto doesn't necessarily have to do with numbers or counting. It can also mean "to assume that" or even "to pretend that" in certain contexts and in this case it takes the subjunctive.
Fai conto che io sia tua madre (anche se sono la zia), e devi fare quello che dico io.
Think of me as your mother (even though I am your aunt) and you have to do as I say.
We hope these ways for using il conto will be useful to you. Maybe you will hear them used in a movie, or when an Italian is explaining something to you. Now you know!
Can you think of other ways this noun is used? Let us know at newsletter@yabla.com.
Strappare (to tear, to yank, to rip) is an interesting Italian verb, with a useful, related noun uno strappo (the act of ripping up) that goes hand in hand with it.
Sembrerebbe un tuo capello.
It seems like one of your hairs.
Va be', dai, strappami il capello, forza. Strappa 'sto capello.
OK, come on, pull out a hair, come on. Yank this strand out.
Dai, ai!
Come on, ow!
Captions 37-40, Il Commissario Manara - S2EP3 - Delitto tra le lenzuola
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The previous example is literal and you can easily visualize the act. The following example could be literal, but not necessarily. It describes a somewhat violent act, but this grandfather might be speaking figuratively.
Insomma, mi hanno strappato via la mia nipotina dalle braccia.
In short, they tore my little granddaughter from my arms.
Caption 84, Un medico in famiglia - S1 EP1 - Casa nuova
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Even when we're talking about hair, strappare can be used figuratively.
Guarda, mi strappo i capelli da, proprio...
Look, I'm really tearing my hair out from, right...
Caption 24, L'Eredità -Quiz TV - La sfida dei sei. Puntata 1
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In this week's segment of La Ladra, there is a wonderful Italian expression with the noun strappo.
Ma sono vegetariano.
But I am a vegetarian.
Ma non fai mai uno strappo alla regola?
But don't you ever make an exception to the rule?
Qualche volta.
Sometimes.
E... allora potresti venire nel mio ristorante, naturalmente saresti mio ospite.
And... so you could come to my restaurant, you'll be my guest, naturally.
Con piacere.
With pleasure.
Captions 61-64, La Ladra - EP. 8 - Il momento giusto
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Did you hear the percussive T, the well-articulated R, and the double, percussive P? It's a fun word to say. Remember that in Italian a double P sounds different from a single P. To hear the difference, go back to the examples about hair. There's a double P in strappare, or strappo, but there is a single P in capello or capelli. Tricky!
Strappare (to tear, to rip, to yank) is very close to rompere (to break) or even spezzare (to break, to snap, to split). So fare uno strappo alle regole, means "to break a rule," "to make an exception."
Another expression with the same noun — strappo — is dare uno strappo (to give [someone] a lift).
Ti do uno strappo a casa?
Shall I give you a lift home?
Caption 51, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP9 - Morte in paradiso
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The more conventional word would be un passaggio. Read more about passaggio here.
Practice:
Here are some situations in which you might want to use the verb strappare or the noun strappo:
You want someone to tear off a page from their notebook or pad. Mi strappi una pagina? (Would you tear off a page for me?)
You want someone to give you a lift home. Mi dai uno strappo? (Will you give me a lift?)
You hardly ever eat ice cream, but today, you'll make an exception. Faccio uno strappo alla regola. Mangerò un gelato! (I'll make an exception. I'm going to have ice cream!)
You are very frustrated with listening to someone complain. Quando comincia con certi discorsi mi viene voglia di strapparmi i capelli. (When he/she starts up with that story, I get the urge to tear my hair out.)
Try fitting in these new words to your Italian practice. Send in your suggestions and we'll correct them or comment on them.
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