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Caso means "case," but countless other things as well

Caso seems like an easy cognate, and it is, indeed, especially when we say something like in ogni caso (in any case). 

In ogni caso, è una cosa veramente molto tipica.

In any case, it's a really typical thing.

Caption 40, Anna e Marika Un Ristorante a Trastevere

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Or, caso can mean "case," as in a criminal case.

Quindi voi o risolvete il caso in due giorni, o io sono costretto a togliervelo.

So either you solve the case in two days, or I will be forced to take it away from you.

Captions 80-81, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP1 I Bastardi - Part 21

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But we also find the word caso meaning "chance" or "fate." That's when things start getting a little fuzzy.

Signora, per caso vendete questo tipo di palle di vetro?

Ma'am, by chance do you sell glass balls of this type?

Caption 23, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP1 I Bastardi - Part 23

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Here, we could say, "As chance would have it..."

E guarda caso sembra raffigurare le tre generazioni:

And strangely enough, it seems to represent the three generations:

Caption 14, A Marsala Salvo Agria

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Caso can refer to "the circumstances," so when we say: È il caso, we mean that "circumstances call for something."

Però forse è il caso di farci un salto, eh?

But, maybe we should hop on over there, huh?

Caption 84, Il Commissario Manara S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena - Part 4

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In English, sometimes we just use "should." 

 

We often use this expression in the negative. Non è il caso... This means something is not called for. It's not the right thing to do, best to avoid it. Sometimes non è il caso can mean, "Don't bother," or "It's not necessary." 

 

Grazie, grazie, ma non è il caso. -Sarebbe meraviglioso, bellissimo!

Thanks, thanks, but it wouldn't be right. -It would be marvelous, great!

Caption 97, Il Commissario Manara S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo - Part 4

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That's not all, but we'll pick up this topic again in another lesson. Thanks for reading!

Finding Yourself with Trovarsi

When we look at a video about a place, the speaker often uses the verb trovare in its reflexive form trovarsi. Using trovarsi in this fashion might be hard to wrap our minds around, so let’s back up to the normal verb for a moment. Trovare means “to find” and is transitive, meaning it can take a direct object.

Per suo marito ha trovato una cintura marrone.

For her husband she found a brown belt.

Caption 39, Corso di italiano con Daniela - I colori - Part 3

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We can use the verb with ourself as an object much as we do in English:

Io non sono affatto sicuro di me, e non mi sono mai trovato in una situazione come questa, va bene?

I'm not sure of myself at all, and I've never found myself in a situation like this, all right?

Captions 9-10, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP11 - Beato tra le donne - Part 4

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If Luca Manara spoke English, he’d probably say “I’ve never been in a situation like this before, OK?” He would have simply used the verb “to be.” But Italians often use trovarsi, so it’s a good verb to understand. Of course, if you do use the verb essere, people will understand you anyway menomale (luckily)!

 

But then it gets a bit more peculiar. Here is Arianna telling us where she is: where she finds herself. She wasn’t lost; she’s just giving us her location.

Eccomi. Qui mi trovo vicino alla stazione Santa Maria Novella, in Piazza Santa Maria Novella.

Here I am. Here I am near the Santa Maria Novella Train Station in Piazza Santa Maria Novella.

Captions 25-26, In giro per l'Italia - Firenze - Part 3

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Instead of just saying: sono vicino alla stazione (I am near the station), she is referring to her geographical or physical position in that moment with trovarsi. It’s a little more specific than simply using the verb essere (to be).

 

In the previous example, trovarsi refers to a person, but trovarsi can also refer to an object, a place. English gets specific in a similar way by using “to be located,” “to be situated.”

 

When Marika plays the professoressa (teacher), she uses trovarsi to interrogate poor Anna. She just wants to know where Sardinia is.

Dove si trova questa regione?

Where is this region situated?

Caption 21, L'Italia a tavola - Interrogazione sulla Sardegna

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Il porto di Maratea è un porto turistico. Si trova vicino alle isole Eolie, alla Sicilia, a Capri, all'i... a Sorrento.

The port of Maratea is a tourist seaport. It's situated near the Aeolian Islands, Sicily, Capri, the... Sorrento.

Captions 23-24, Antonio - Maratea, il porto

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It’s also very common to use trovarsi to describe feelings or conditions. This is a bit tricky.

Abito in campagna, e senza macchina, mi trovo in difficoltà.
I live in the country, and without a car, it's hard. I have trouble. 

 

Non mi trovo bene con questo telefonino.
I don’t like this phone. I don’t feel comfortable with this phone.

 

Ma per ora mi trovo bene qua, vediamo.

Well, for now, I'm happy here, we'll see.

Caption 97, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo - Part 2

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Ah, a proposito, come ti trovi da Ada?

Ah, by the way, how do you like it over at Ada's?

Caption 90, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo - Part 4

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Trovarsi can also be used reciprocally.

Ci troviamo da Letizia alle otto.
Let’s meet up [with each other] at Letizia’s place at eight.

 

For more on reflexive and reciprocal verbs, see Marika's lesson about reflexive and reciprocal verbs, and the written lesson Understanding the Reciprocal Reflexive Form.

 

The more you watch and listen to Italian, either on Yabla or in real life, the more you will notice trovarsi in all of its shadings. It’s a very popular verb!

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Another Look at Insomma

The useful but tricky filler word insomma crops up again in some recent episodes of Commissario Manara and L’oro di Scampia.

We discussed insomma in a previous lesson, but here it is again, so it’s worth looking at, since it is such a popular word with several different meanings. For more about insomma and other filler words, read What to Say While You’re Thinking of What to Say!

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In this segment of L’oro di Scampia, Toni is off to the Olympics with his father. His mom wants to be encouraging:

 

Comunque vada avete già vinto.

However it goes, you've already won.

E insomma. -E perché?

Not really. -And why?

Perché, Teresa? Il secondo non se lo ricorda nessuno.

Why, Teresa? The runner-up isn't remembered by anyone.

Captions 27-29, L'oro di Scampia - film

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Toni's mom is being encouraging, but he and his father are being more realistic.

So in this case, insomma is negative, as if to say, “I don’t think so,” or even “yeah, right.” It’s a way of disagreeing without actually coming out and saying so. Raising one's eyebrows and shaking one's head slightly seem to be partnered with this one-word expression.

 

In the following example there’s another instance where insomma means something negative—without the speaker coming out and saying that something is terrible. In this week’s segment of Commissario Manara, Lara is asking Luca’s sister how she likes staying at Ada’s hotel.

 

Ah, a proposito, come ti trovi da Ada?

Ah, by the way, how is it over at Ada's?

Ma insomma...

Well, nothing special...

diciamo che mi sono adattata nella stanza di Luca, ma russa.

let's say I've adjusted to being in Luca's room, but he snores.

Captions 90-93, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo

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But sometimes insomma means something completely different: “in short,” “to sum up,” “in other words,” “all in all,” or “what I really mean to say is...” Manara is asking questions, but instead of listing all the possibilities, he says insomma, to put them all together, figuratively, to get right to the point.

 

Forse Lei può aiutarci.

Maybe you can help us.

Sa se aveva nemici... insomma, sa qualcosa?

Do you know if she had enemies... in short, do you know anything?

Captions 34-35, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP10 - Un morto di troppo

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Insomma, (to conclude), we hope this helps you understand insomma a bit better!

Vocabulary

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