Dietro is such an important word. It has its origin in the Latin "de retro." It's both an adverb and a preposition but it can also be a noun. It can be used in lots of different contexts.
In this lesson, we'd like to take a look at a relatively modern noun containing the word dietro: dietrologia, not to be confused with dietologia (the study of diets).
In the final segment of episode 4 of I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone the murderer turned out to be the son of a famous professor, rather than an ex-convict everyone assumed was the criminal. The TV news highlighted how shocking that was. The prosecutor comments to her boss on how ironic that is.
Their conversation goes like this:
La città si stupisce se uno come Renato Forgione commette un delitto, ma se lo commette uno come Varricchio rientra tutto nell'ordine normale delle cose. -Va be', dottoressa su, non facciamo dietrologia. -La conosciamo la stampa, no?
The city is stunned if someone like Renato Forgione commits a crime, but if someone like Varricchio commits it, it's all part of the normal order of things. -OK, Ma'am, come on, let's not look for hidden significance. We are acquainted with the press, right?
Captions 6-10, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP4 Gelo - Part 24
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Dietrologia is a word we haven't encountered in Yabla videos before and so we decided to delve a bit deeper to understand the term better. We learn, from an article (in Italian) about the evolution of translating the term "conspiracy theory" into Italian, that dietrologia was coined for the first time, in the April 10, 1974 issue of “Corriere della Sera” (p. 3), in an article by Luca Goldoni.
It means "the study of what's behind." This might be a good thing, but having been coined in the years following the assassination of JFK in 1963, in which there were a great many "conspiracy theories" about what "really" happened, it tends to have more to do with paranoia than with research.
There's a slang term: farsi delle pare (to be paranoid) that is closely related to fare dietrologia. In other words, "What is he or she really thinking?" "Who profits?"
Here's one idea of the term from an article that popped up from a search on the Internet. It's from this blogpost:
Italians have a word dietrologia — literally translated as “behindology.” It’s the art of looking behind the surface of things to find their meanings, the hidden meanings of things. The Italian dictionary defines dietrologia as the “critical analysis of events in an effort to detect, behind the apparent causes, true and hidden designs.”
In an article in The Economist, in a column called "Johnson," we find a similar explanation:
SPEAKING with a veteran foreign correspondent last week I learned an Italian term I hadn't known: dietrologia. The idea is that many Italians believe that the surface or official explanation for something can rarely be the real one. There's always something behind, or dietro, that surface. It's a great word.
See this definition in Italian from Treccani (in Italian).
In a future lesson, we will look at more ordinary ways to use dietro.
There is a city in southern Tuscany, in the narrow province of Livorno, called Cecina. It's near the sea and has a beach area called Marina di Cecina. The name Cecina likely comes from il fiume Cecina (the Cecina river) that flows through it to the sea. The name of the river likely comes from an Etruscan family from nearby Volterra, "Ceicna" (in Latin, "Caecina") mentioned in the first century AD. The family constructed the first villages in the Val di Cecina (the Cecina River Valley).
In fact, Cecina is one of the cities on la Costa degli Etruschi (the coast of the Etruscans), in Tuscany. An Etruscan civilization inhabited the area from the start of the 9th century BC and there are plenty of archeological sites to visit.
We mention Cecina (with the stress on the first syllable) because it's a good place to have on your radar if you visit Italy, but also because it is spelled the same way as la cecina, which is something else entirely! The kind of cecina you eat has its stress on the second syllable, not the first. It's just something you have to learn by hanging out in Pisa.
Tra sei mesi e una notte sarò a casa dei miei gonfio di cecina [toscano: pieno di torta di ceci] e vi sognerò tutti da lontano che mi salutate con la mano.
In six months and one night, I will be at home, at my parents, bulging from cecina [chickpea flatbread], and I will dream of all of you far away who wave to me with your hands.
Captions 20-22, Fino a qui tutto bene Film - Part 5
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This flatbread made from chickpeas is a specialty of Pisa and surrounding areas and is commonly eaten inside a piece of focaccia, also called schiacciata (in Tuscany). It's typically served with ground black pepper on top. It's fast food you can usually get wherever you get pizza a taglio (pizza by the slice).
La pizza [sic] abbiamo una Margherita con mozzarella e pomodoro, una Capricciosa con uovo, prosciutto, tonno, funghi e mozzarella, e una focaccia con bresaola, rucola e parmigiano,
For pizza we have a Margherita with mozzarella and tomato sauce, a Capricciosa with egg, ham, tuna fish, mushrooms and mozzarella, and a white pizza with dried beef, arugula and Parmesan cheese,
Captions 7-9, Una gita al lago - Part 4
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If you travel up the coast from Pisa to Carrara and points north, in other words, towards Liguria, the name cecina changes to la farinata. It's made of farina di ceci (chickpea flour), hence the name.
E... anche il chinotto, che è un particolare tipo di agrume che cresce soltanto, o quasi, in queste zone e anche la farinata.-Farinata di ceci? -Farinata è il nome di una specie di sfoglia la cui lavorazione è conosciuta fino in fondo solamente qui.
And... the myrtle-leaved orange too, which is a special type of citrus that grows solely, or nearly so, in this area, as well as “farinata.” Chickpea flour “farinata”? “Farinata” is the name of a kind of flatbread, and its preparation is known thoroughly only here.
Captions 56-61, L'Italia a tavola Interrogazione sulla Liguria
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Originating in Turkey, the chickpea plant grows low to the ground and goes rather unnoticed, but it seems to be cultivated quite profusely in Tuscany, where it is a favorite legume. Of course, anyone who likes Middle Eastern food knows how popular chickpeas are in those cuisines.
Fanno parte dei legumi i ceci, i piselli, i fagioli e le lenticchie.
In the legume group are chickpeas, peas, beans, and lentils.
Captions 18-21, Marika spiega La frutta e la verdura - Part 2
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Whether you want to visit Cecina, or have a quick lunch of cecina, you now know a bit more than you did before!
Here are some examples of the expression Che c'entra (what does that have to do with it)? along with related expressions and alternate translations.
Note that in Italian, che c'entra can be posed and structured as question, but it's not always the case, especially in the middle of a sentence. It often connects to the rest of a sentence with a comma, such as in this first example. In English, it's clearer with a question mark. Sometimes che c'entra means the same as non c'entra niente.
Che c'entra, io sono il fratello.
What does that have to do with it? I'm her brother.
Caption 13, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP2 Come piante fra sassi - Part 6
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Here, cosa is used in place of che, but it means the same thing. Learn more in this lesson.
Ma questo cosa c'entra con la domanda che Le ho fatto?
But this, what does it have to do with the question I asked you?
Caption 72, Non è mai troppo tardi EP1 - Part 6
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Here, rather than "it" being the implied subject of the sentence, as in the previous examples, the subject is "that delinquent." We might also translate it as, "How is that delinquent involved in this story?"
Perché, cosa c'entra quel delinquente?
Why? What does that delinquent have to do with anything?
Caption 29, Il Commissario Manara S2EP11 - Uno strano incidente di caccia - Part 3
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Here, che c'entra is a way of saying, "So what?"
Ah ma', ma te [romanesco: mamma, ma ti] sei vista? Ma che c'entra, è una maschera di bellezza.
Hey, Mom, but have you looked at yourself? But so what? It's a beauty mask.
Captions 16-17, La Ladra EP. 10 - Un ignobile ricatto - Part 4
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Here are some examples of different conjugations of this expression:
In this example, there is no question at all. And there is no che!
Magari c'entra con quella bambina.
Maybe it has something to do with that little girl.
Caption 60, Il Commissario Manara S2EP11 - Uno strano incidente di caccia - Part 9
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Here is an example of an affirmation in the negative first person singular.
Io con quella pistola non c'entro niente, ve lo giuro.
I have nothing to do with that handgun, I swear.
Caption 91, Provaci ancora prof! S2E5 Vita da cani - Part 13
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And here is a question in the first person singular followed by an affirmation in the second person singular.
E che c'entro io? -E be', c'entri.
And what do I have to do with it? -Well, you do have something to do with it.
Captions 12-13, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3 EP2 - Un nuovo medico in famiglia - Part 17
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Here is the same question, but the answer is said differently, with another question.
Ma io che c'entro? -Ma come che c'entri, Giorgio?
But what do I have to do with that? -But what do you mean, what do you have to do with it, Giorgio?
Captions 33-34, Moscati, l'amore che guarisce EP 2 - Part 5
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These examples use the imperfetto.
Figurati se non c'entrava lei.
No way she wasn't involved.
Caption 13, Provaci ancora prof! S2E4 L'amica americana - Part 25
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Ma che c'entravo io con quello che faceva mio padre?
But what did I have to do with what my father did?
Caption 38, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP2 Rabbia - Part 6
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We hope this little overview has given you a better understanding of this common Italian turn of phrase!
Although lattina and scatola can both mean "can," it's worth taking a look at the differences in usage between these two nouns.
Note we say in scatola to mean "canned," in other words, "in a can." We're talking about how these goods are packaged, not where they are at the moment.
E puoi trovare tutto quello che non ha una scadenza breve, come sale, pasta, olio, salsa di pomodoro, legumi in scatola, farine,
And you can find everything that doesn't have a short shelf life, like salt, pasta, oil, tomato sauce, canned beans and lentils, flour,
Captions 48-51, Vocaboliamo Supermercato - Part 4
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If, while I am cooking, I can't find the beans to add to my soup.
Dove sono i miei fagioli (where are my beans)?
The answer does not use in scatola in this case, but rather nella scatola. We're not talking about how they are packaged, we're talking about where the beans are.
I fagioli sono ancora nella scatola (the beans are still in the can).
—because I haven't taken them out yet.
Sometimes a can is small, such as those for tuna or cat food. In the example below, Marika tells us the tuna is canned (in scatola) to distinguish it from tonno fresco (fresh tuna). Then she mentions it being small and uses a diminutive: scatoletta.
Del tonno, semplice tonno in scatola sottolio. Questa è una scatoletta di duecentocinquanta grammi...
Some tuna, simple canned tuna, in oil. This is a small can of two hundred and fifty grams...
Captions 45-46, Marika spiega L'insalata di pasta - Part 1
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Although, as we mentioned above, una scatola can be a can, especially when referring to canned goods, it's also, or even primarily, "a box." In the next example, scatola means "box," We can imagine a box, such as a cereal box. But it could also be one of those round (or square) tins of butter cookies.
Quantità: "Abbiamo mangiato una scatola di biscotti in due".
Quantity: "We ate a box of cookies between us."
Caption 14, Marika spiega Preposizioni semplici - Part 2
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In this next example, la scatola is a large, oblong cardboard box that contains a wedding gown.
Quando lo metti nella scatola, lo devi stendere... -Permesso?
When you put it in the box, you have to lay it flat... -May I come in?
Caption 1, Sposami EP 5 - Part 10
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Scatola is a fairly generic term.
Non facevamo prima a prendere una scatola di cioccolatini?
Wouldn't it have been quicker for us to get a box of chocolates?
Caption 33, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP5 Lele, ti presento Irene - Part 2
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Speaking generically, we might use the noun scatola for a cardboard box, but we can also say una scatola di cartone, because cartone means cardboard. But sometimes, we just say un cartone to mean "a cardboard box."
The noun la lattina comes from la latta (the tin [the metal], the metal sheet). These days, una lattina is usually made of aluminum and is very lightweight compared to una scatola for beans or tuna. For items such as bulk olive oil, we can talk about una latta da 3 kg (a three-kilo can).
In this next example, the speaker uses the noun latta to let us know that the jingles on a tambourine used to be made from the top of a can, but especially that the can was made of metal, likely tin, since she is talking about earlier times.
E questo perché, eh, viene applicate... vengono applicati i sonagli, o cimbali, detti, eh... che una volta originariamente, pensate, erano proprio presi per... dalla latta per le sardine.
And that's because, uh, jingles, or so-called cymbals are attached, uh... that at one time, originally, imagine, they were actually taken for... from a tin for sardines.
Captions 8-10, Eleonora suona il Tamburello
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The upshot is that if you are looking for a soft drink or a beer, la lattina is the word you are looking for. If it's beans, then you'll want una scatola or una scatoletta if it's on the small side. And it's good to keep in mind that una scatola is not necessarily made of metal.
In a future lesson or video lesson, we'll discuss other types of containers.
Over the years, Italians have changed their eating habits. There are still people who do things the traditional way, especially for special occasions, but since lifestyles have changed, eating habits have changed, too.
It used to be that shops would close for the (long) lunch hour. There would have been time to go home to a full lunch and even a nap before going back to work. Those days are over for lots of Italians. The laws changed, and many shops have orario continuato (open all day), so lunch hours tend to be shorter.
Many bars (read: cafes) now serve not only panini and toast (grilled cheese), but often primi piatti (pasta dishes) or un piatto freddo (a cold lunch), as well. It's usually a pretty quick and inexpensive way to have lunch. A sign outside might say pranzi di lavoro (work lunch).
These quick lunches are in contrast to a full meal, which includes some or all of the following: antipasto (appetizer), primo (pasta, rice, or soup), secondo (meat, fish, or cold plate) with contorno (side dish, usually vegetables or salad), dolce o frutta (dessert or fruit), caffe (coffee), amaro (or something stronger such as grappa).
But what exactly is un amaro? The adjective amaro means "bitter." In herbal medicine, tinctures are a common remedy, made by infusing alcohol with specific medicinal herbs, which are often bitter. One example is tarassaco (dandelion) used as a spring tonic, good for stimulating the liver, helping to eliminate toxins.
L'amaro has its origins in herbal medicine, being produced in monasteries or pharmacies, and has become a noun meaning a mildly alcoholic beverage produced by macerating — in other words, soaking for a lengthy period — herbs, roots, flowers, bark, and or citrus rind in alcohol (of different types), adding sugar at some point, and letting it age for about a month. It's often thought of as being medicinal, aiding in digestion. But lots of people drink un amaro because they like it.
Un amaro is part of a larger category called i digestivi (alcoholic drinks meant to help you digest). Non-Italians often prefer an after-dinner drink or digestivo such as Limoncello to an actual amaro, as it is more attractive, cold, and more sweet/sour than bitter. And of course, there is even a larger category called i liquori (the liqueurs).
Tourists traveling around Italy might be familiar with bright yellow limoncello made from lemon rind (not lemon juice, as you might imagine). The same process is used for an orange liqueur called, appropriately, arancello, since arancia is the word for "orange." In fact, Yabla has a video with the recipe for arancello. The important thing is to have fruit that hasn't been sprayed, since it's the rind you use.
Il prodotto finale sarà questo: l'arancello siciliano, fatto con bucce di arance biologiche.
The final product will be this: Sicilian arancello, made with the rinds of organic oranges.
Captions 49-50, Adriano L'arancello di Marina
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Limoncello and arancello are usually served from the freezer. They don't freeze because of the alcohol, but remain very cold.
One famous after-dinner drink is "Strega" (strega means "witch" as in "witch's brew"). It's made in Benevento, Campania, and involves about 70 different herbs and spices, among them: cannella (cinnamon), ginepro (juniper), menta (mint), zafferano (saffron), and more. It’s the saffron that gives Strega its characteristic yellow color.
You may have heard about the Premio Strega for literature in some of Yabla videos. The name of this literary award comes from the company that produces Strega, whose owner helped create this award in the 1940s. Learn more about the Strega award here, with a list of all the winners over the years. Maybe you'll find a book in Italian you want to read!
In the following example, a Strega award winner tells a story about taking someone's suggestion seriously (to drink plenty of Strega).
"Mi raccomando, bevi tanto Strega, bevi tanto Strega, festeggiamo bevendo tanto Strega".
"Please, drink a lot of Strega [digestive bitters] drink lots of Strega, let's celebrate by drinking lots of Strega."
Captions 33-35, Romanzo Italiano Lazio - Part 10
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Although this type of digestive liquore is made in many different countries, amaro is a word used uniquely in Italy.
One famous brand of amaro is L'amaro del Capo. Marika mentions it in her tour of a typical Italian supermarket.
Qui trovi una vasta scelta di liquori nazionali, come il Limoncello e L'amaro del Capo.
Here, you will find a vast selection of national liqueurs, like Limoncello and L'amaro del Capo [digestive bitters from Calabria].
Captions 11-12, Vocaboliamo Supermercato - Part 5
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Some people make their own amaro. If you have a walnut tree (un noce), for example, the still-green hulls can be used to make nocino. A homemade liqueur can make a great Christmas present.
When you want something alcoholic after the coffee you have after a meal, it can be called a "coffee killer": un ammazzacaffè.
It's not necessarily un amaro and might be something stronger such as grappa.
Va be', che, che, che, che fa? -Ah, alle venti ha cenato alla trattoria Da Mimmo's. Spaghetti, cotoletta. -Caffè e ammazzacaffè, commissario.
OK, what, what, what, what does he do? -Ah, at eight P.M. he had dinner at Mimmo's eatery. Spaghetti, breaded cutlet. -Coffee and coffee killer [after-dinner drink], Commissioner.
Captions 43-44, Il Commissario Manara S1EP12 - Le verità nascoste - Part 5
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Whether you drink alcoholic beverages or not, it's good to know what they are, especially when being entertained or going to dinner in Italy.
We've talked about the verb correre before (check out this lesson). It's a verb that means a great many things so you'll want to be familiar with it. But in this lesson, we want to talk about correre meaning "to run," "to race," and "to rush."
Correre can be a bit confusing in the context of sports.
Correre can mean "to run." Some people say fare footing, but footing has gone out of style, for the most part.
Sì, tu invece sveglia all'alba, a correre... -Certo. -Scusa, non hai sempre detto che sono patetici quelli che fanno footing a una certa età?
Yes, but you, up at dawn, running... -Of course. -Excuse me, haven't you always said that those who go running at a certain age are pathetic?
Captions 37-39, Provaci ancora prof! S2E3 Dietro la porta - Part 1
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When I say, vado a correre, that usually means "I'm going running (on foot)."
Someone might ask you where you were:
Dov'eri? -A correre.
Where were you? -Out running.
So it's good to keep in mind that you need the preposition a before the verb in the infinitive.
Correre can also refer to bicycle racing. Lots of people ride bikes, but when you are part of a racing team, even an amateur racing team, you are un corridore or, if you are a female, una corridora or una corritrice.
If you just ride a bike for fun or sport but you don't compete, you'll usually call yourself un ciclista or una ciclista.
Monte Pellegrino è anche un luogo d'incontro di molti sportivi, specie i ciclisti, che amano le ripide salite e discese.
Monte Pellegrino is also a place for sportsmen to get together, especially cyclists, who love the steep climbs and descents.
Captions 20-21, Adriano Monte Pellegrino
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Or you can say something like, Mi piace andare in bici.
Andare in bicicletta è veramente divertente.
Riding a bike is really fun.
Caption 31, In giro per l'Italia Lucca - Part 3
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It's common, when referring to a bike ride, to say fare un giro in bici/bicicletta (to go for a bike ride).
Faccio un giro in bici (I'm going for a bike ride).
Poter andare a fare un giro in bicicletta dove mi pare a me [sic], mi piace tanto.
To be able to go for a ride on my bike wherever I want, I like that a lot.
Caption 21, Fuori era primavera Viaggio nell'Italia del lockdown - Part 16
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Correre can also refer to rushing around without having anything to do with bicycles or running.
Dove corri, Pisane'? -Tengo [napoletano: ho] da fare.
Where are you rushing off to, Pisane'? -I have stuff to do.
Captions 34-35, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP4 Gelo - Part 13
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The noun form is la corsa. It can be a race of any kind.
E per gli amanti delle camminate, ogni sabato mattina alle nove c'è la possibilità di partecipare al "Park Run", la corsa che si svolge sulle mura di Lucca.
And for those who love to walk, every Saturday morning at nine, there's the possibility of participating in "Park Run," the race that happens on the walls of Lucca.
Captions 39-42, In giro per l'Italia Lucca - Part 4
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E si vede un'incredibile scena di corsa di carri,
And you see an incredible chariot race scene,
Caption 9, Meraviglie EP. 4 - Part 12
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Another word for race is gara, which can also mean "competition."
La gara più importante era una corsa tra cavalli.
The most important competition was a horse race.
Caption 29, In giro per l'Italia Roma Piazza Navona
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You can also use the noun la corsa when you have raced around trying to get stuff done.
Ho fatto una corsa (I came in a hurry/I ran around).
Or you can say this a different way.
Sono di corsa (I am pressed for time).
As you can see, correre, together with its related words, is very useful in many contexts!
Thanks for reading!
In a recent lesson, we talked about carri (carts). But most carts get around on wheels, so let's make that our next topic. The basic word for "wheel" is ruota, from the Latin "rota." As with other words with "uo," such as uomo (man), cuore (heart), and uovo (egg), Tuscans tend to omit the "u" when speaking, so the words become omo, core, and ovo.
Ma scusa, tu la ruota di scorta non ce l'hai?
But excuse me, don't you have a spare tire?
Caption 37, La Ladra EP. 2 - Viva le spose - Part 11
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Interestingly, when talking about a spare tire, we use la ruota, the word for "wheel," but when talking about the tire as opposed to the wheel, the informal word is la gomma or, more properly, il pneumatico.
Comunque, se non era per una gomma, io vi avrei raggiunti.
Anyway, if it hadn't been for a tire, I would have caught up with you.
Caption 13, Provaci ancora prof! S1E4 - La mia compagna di banco - Part 10
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Quanto volete guadagnare? E per cosa? Per mettere il fotovoltaico in campagna? Eh? Per comprare pneumatici dalle prestazioni più brillanti?
How much do you want to make on it? And for what? To put solar panels in the countryside? Huh? To buy better performing tires?
Captions 37-39, La linea verticale EP 6 - Part 1
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When the wheels are smaller, there are different variants.
In the lesson aboutt il carro, the word for "wheelchair" was la carrozzella but it is also called una sedia a rotelle.
Se io non stavo sulla sedia a rotelle, tu me lo davi lo stesso questo bacio? -No.
If I weren't in a wheelchair, you, would you still have given me that kiss? -No.
Captions 29-30, Sposami EP 2 - Part 20
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In this next example, we are talking about a little shopping cart to pull along. Its wheels are small.
Puoi scegliere tra un cestino da tenere in mano e uno un po' più grande che è dotato di rotelle.
You can choose between a hand-held basket and one a little larger that's equipped with wheels.
Captions 32-33, Vocaboliamo Supermercato - Part 2
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Another context in which we use rotelle is rollerskating: il pattinaggio a rotelle.
While rotella is already a diminutive of ruota, we can go even smaller:
Allora, metti la rotellina su due.
Well, put the dial on "two."
Caption 16, La Ladra EP. 3 - L'oro dello squalo - Part 11
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Note that the diminutives mostly derive from the Tuscan or Latin form: rota.
Let's not forget the important verb ruotare! It can mean either "to revolve" or "to rotate."
Tutta Firenze ruota intorno a questa piazza con il Duomo, con la cupola, con il campanile, progettato da Giotto nel Trecento.
All of Florence revolves around this square with the Duomo, with the dome, with the bell tower, designed by Giotto in the fourteenth century.
Captions 31-33, Meraviglie EP. 3 - Part 10
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If you ever have to drive or ride a bike in Italy, you will want to know about traffic circles: le rotatorie. In some regions, they use the word la rotonda.
Lì svolti di nuovo a destra, fai una rotatoria -mmh. -continui sulla sinistra e troverai un supermarket.
There you turn right again, go around the traffic circle -hmm. -stay on the left, and you will see a supermarket.
Captions 37-39, Milena e Mattia L'incontro
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It might be helpful to think of the English words "rotate" and "rotation" when trying to come up with la ruota and ruotare.
Thanks for reading. If you see additional variants of ruota, let us know and we will add them to this lesson. Write to us at newsletter@yabla.com.
Since the wheel was invented, carts have been used for transporting goods. But carts and similar vehicles come in all shapes and sizes and are used for so many different things, so it's natural for there to be variants depending on the size and function.
The basic noun in Italian is carro. Its definition in Italian is this:
Veicolo a trazione animale o meccanica, costituito da un piano sostenuto da due o quattro ruote, usato per il trasporto di materiali e merci.
Vehicle that is mechanical or pulled by animals, constisting of a flat bed supported by two or four wheels, used to transport materials and goods.
The noun carro by itself generally indicates a rather large-sized cart. But what it's used for is usually in the form of a second noun used as an adjective, an adjective, or as an alteration of the word carro.
Carro is used together with a modifier describing its function:
Ho capito la situazione, ma non... chiama il carro attrezzi, il soccorso stradale, qualcosa.
I understand the situation, but I can't... call the tow truck, the roadside assistance, something.
Captions 38-39, Provaci ancora prof! S2E5 Vita da cani - Part 4
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Essentially, you are loading a car on a big "cart" equipped to do that. It's attrezzato (equipped) with gli attrezzi (equipment).
In a parade or procession, called una sfilata, un corteo, un corteo storico, or una processione, the floats are called i carri.
Come vedi c'è il carro di Santa Rosalia e al posto della Santa... -E lui lì sopra.
As you can see, there's the Saint Rosalia [patron saint of Palermo] float and in place of the Saint... -And him on top of it.
Captions 25-26, Dottor Pitrè e le sue storie - Part 2
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For a funeral procession, as well, the noun carro is used. Even today, with a motorized hearse, the same term is employed.
Sarà mica un carro funebre?
It wouldn't be a hearse, would it?
Caption 64, Provaci ancora prof! S1E2 - Un amore pericoloso - Part 12
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Literally, "the armed cart."
Me lo dici che premio è? Un carro armato vero, nuovo nuovo.
Will you tell me what the prize is? A real tank, brand new.
Captions 20-21, Trailer La vita è bella - Roberto Benigni
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We can use diminutive suffixes to indicate a smaller carro.
È su un carretto trainato forse da una pecora, comunque da un ovino ed è un momento felice, anche se per molti esperti, si tratta di un viaggio simbolico verso l'aldilà, il regno dei morti.
He is on a cart drawn by perhaps a sheep, in any case by an ovine and it is a happy moment, even if for many experts, it involves a symbolic journey to the afterlife, the kingdom of the dead.
Captions 53-55, Meraviglie EP. 2 - Part 6
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The constellations we call "the Big Dipper" and "the Little Dipper" are called respectively il Grande carro and il Piccolo carro in Italian.
There are small carts, too, for transporting things by hand.
Un carrello can be the kind you use at the supermarket, but it can be any kind of cart, trolley, or dolly for transporting relatively small items.
Una rana in servizio non dovrebbe spingere il carrello delle clienti.
A frog on duty shouldn't push the customers' carts.
Captions 65-66, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3EP4 Lo stagno del ranocchio - Part 6
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Be'? Che state a fa' co' 'ste carriole?
Well? What are you doing with these wheelbarrows?
Caption 2, Spot pubblicitario TIM Tribù
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A wheelbarrow with only 2 wheels might be called una carretta, but this word might also refer to a wreck of a car, a jalopy.
Signore? Sono qua, nella carrozza. Dico a Voi.
Sir? I am here, in the carriage. I'm talking to you.
Captions 32-33, Caravaggio EP1 - Part 9
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But the car of a train might also be called un vagone, an Italianized version of "wagon."
Ferma solo a Guidonia, Firenze, Genova e c'è un vagone ristorante per bambini belli che mangiano tutta la pappa.
It stops only in Guidonia, Florence, Genoa, and there is a dining car for nice children who eat all their mush.
Captions 16-18, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP3 Un cugino in fuga - Part 2
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La carrozzella in this day and age usually refers to a wheelchair, but once, it referred to a buggy.
Qua, tolto il figlio con la madre in carrozzella non s'è visto nessuno.
Here, apart from the son with his mother in a wheelchair, I didn't see anyone.
Caption 15, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP3 I giardini della memoria - Part 15
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Una carrozzina may refer to a baby carriage, but some people use it to mean "wheelchair." It's important to consider the context!
La carrozzeria is the chassis of a car, as well as the place where a chassis is repaired.
I fanalini della macchina rotti, le ruote bucate. -Fanalini della macchina rotti. -Per non parlare della carrozzeria.
The taillights of my car broken, the tires slashed. -Taillights broken. -Not to mention the body.
Captions 42-43, Provaci ancora prof! S2E5 Vita da cani - Part 20
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The person who repairs the chassis of a vehicle is called il carrozziere.
Va bene, allora parlo un attimo col carrozziere.
All right. So I'll have a quick word with the body shop guy.
Caption 16, Provaci ancora prof! S1E3 - Una piccola bestia ferita - Part 14
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There are undoubtedly more words stemming from il carro, and feel free to let us know, so we can add them to this lesson!
In this lesson, we look at prescindere, an interesting verb that can be used at least 3 different ways. It always involves a preposition, either after it, before it, or both. The basic meaning remains the same, but as you will see, it can be tricky to translate. We will look at all three ways, but let's keep in mind that the first way is the most complicated because we use the conjugated form of the verb. The other two ways use the infinitive, making it easier to figure out.
First, let's unpack this verb because it looks like it might be formed from another verb such as scindere, plus the prefix pre-, standing for "before." And yes! Scindere does exist! It means "to divide," "to separate," or, figuratively, "to differentiate" or "to distinguish." With this in mind, let's look at this "compound" verb that will become part of a phrasal verb.
What does the dictionary say about prescindere? One synonym for the verb prescindere is escludere (to exclude), in other words, to leave out or set aside.
Nasco uomo d'acqua, e il mio racconto non può prescindere da avvenimenti scanditi dal ritmo delle acque, con le sue nebbie, che si disperdono nelle pianure.
I was born a man of the water, and my story can't leave out events articulated by the rhythm of the water, with its fog, that gets lost in the plains.
Captions 14-16, L'arte della cucina Terre d'Acqua - Part 7
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We could also say "My story can't be separate from events..." My story can't be divorced from events..."
The funny thing about prescindere is that it is intransitive, so it doesn't take a direct object, but instead is (usually) followed by the preposition da (of, from). As we have seen in the past, the series about chef Gualtiero Marchesi has moments of fancy prose, and the previous citation is a great example. We note that the English verb "to prescind" does exist, but it's rare. We could even use it as a translation, but it might not be all that helpful to the learner. Language nerds might want to compare and contrast it with "to rescind," which we do use quite a bit, especially in legal contexts.
In the following example, a writer is talking about childhood using prescindere as a conjugated verb, with the preposition da following it. We have translated it in this case with "to be independent of" but it could also be "to be separate from," among other solutions.
Una delle cose più sorprendenti dei figli di solito è realizzare che i propri genitori hanno una vita che prescinde da loro, che li precede e, in parte, li esclude.
One of the most surprising things about children usually is realizing that their parents have a life, which is independent of them, which precedes them, and, in part, excludes them.
Captions 46-49, Romanzo Italiano Lazio - Part 6
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In everyday life, if you listen to Italians converse, you'll often hear prescindere with the preposition a just before it and da just after it: a prescindere da... and we will look at examples of this below. But it might be easier to understand a kind of synonym many Italians use to mean pretty much the same thing: indipendentemente da. That's a mouthful, but easier to understand.
Indipendentemente dal genere o dal numero, io uso sempre "cui", "cui", "cui", "cui", che è invariabile,
Regardless of the gender or the number, I always use "which," "which," "which," "which," which is invariable,
Captions 43-44, Corso di italiano con Daniela Pronomi relativi - Part 3
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Quindi, io posso scegliere una di queste forme indipendentemente... non ci [sic]... indipendentemente da tutto, non c'è una regola.
So, I can choose one of these forms, not taking into account... there's no... regardless of anything. There's no rule.
Captions 30-33, Corso di italiano con Daniela Superlativo assoluto - Part 2
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Let's look at some examples from Yabla videos to discover how a prescindere da is used in a sentence. We begin with Marika, who is speaking pretty casually.
Oggi, a prescindere da come sia iniziata questa cosa, Burano è famosa per questi colori bellissimi che continuano a essere usati.
Today, regardless of how this thing got started, Burano is famous for these very beautiful colors that continue to be used.
Captions 26-27, In giro per l'Italia Venezia - Part 9
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So one meaning of a prescindere (as well as indipendentemente) is "regardless." Good to know, but would you have guessed that without context? Did you notice that Marika used the subjunctive following it? That's what can make it tricky.
But we can also use a prescindere without its second preposition. It can mean something like "in any case," or "no matter what." In the following example, one of the Taviani brothers is talking to the other about setting up a scene on the set of their movie. The positioning is not so important because he is planning to do a close-up.
Va bene quasi a prescindere. Se facciamo un primo piano...
It's fine, almost no matter what. If we do a close-up...
Captions 52-53, Fratelli Taviani La passione e l'utopia - Part 25
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In this case we are leaving what might follow prescindere up to the listener or reader.
Let's say we're talking about a movie that was not well-made on some level, but you liked it anyway.
Mi è piaciuto il film a prescindere (I liked it anyway).
Let's say you have a hike planned for the next day, but the forecast says "rain." Rain or shine, you are going to show up.
Ci vengo a prescindere (I'm coming no matter what).
When we try to speak Italian, but our thoughts are in English, it's hard sometimes to find the right word as well as remembering or learning how to use it. This is often because in one language we'd use a verb and in the other, we'd use a noun plus a different verb.
An example that comes to mind is when you talk about someone hitting someone else. If we look up the verb "to hit," there are various choices, but the main one is perhaps colpire. If we look up colpire, there is a wide range of meanings, including figurative ones.
One word Italians use a lot is the noun uno schiaffo. The sound of it kind of fits the action. But how do we turn that into a verb? We don't say schiaffare for this. The verb schiaffare does exist but it's about flinging something somewhere. When we really need a verb that means "to slap," we can use schiaffeggiare. That's good to know, but knowing how to use schiaffo is perhaps more important, given its popularity. For example, out of thousands of videos on Yabla, there are quite a few with schiaffo and none with schiaffeggiare.
We turn to the verb dare (to give). You give someone a slap — dare uno schiaffo. A slap can be of various degrees, sometimes pretty mild. A woman might slap a man who tries to kiss her. It does the job but isn't necessarily violent. But lots of times uno schiaffo is much more serious and "giving a slap" doesn't really render the meaning. It's not always forceful enough. For Yabla videos, we usually translate dare uno schiaffo with "to give someone a slap," but it doesn't always fill the bill. Technically, uno schiaffo is understood to be given to someone's face, with one's open hand.
Let's look at a few examples from Yabla videos.
Ci voleva [calabrese: gli volevo] dare tanti schiaffi, se li meritava tutti li [calabrese: gli] schiaffi.
I wanted to give him a lot of slaps. He [would have] deserved all those slaps.
Captions 34-35, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP4 Gelo - Part 15
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In English we might have said, I wanted to hit him. He deserved to be beaten up, to be smacked around.
Se mi facevi cadere ti davo uno schiaffo, ti davo.
If you had made me fall, I'd have given you a smack, I would have.
Caption 1, Il Commissario Manara S2EP1 - Matrimonio con delitto - Part 13
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What would we say in English? Maybe "I'd have hit you." "I'd have smacked you."
Dare isn't the only verb available for coupling with schiaffo.
We can also use the verb tirare (to throw, to pull, etc) to give it more emphasis:
Le hai fatto una scenata al pub, le hai anche tirato uno schiaffo.
You made a scene over her at the pub, you also slapped her.
Captions 8-9, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP4 Gelo - Part 5
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Prendere a schiaffi (to slap around) is another variation, with the verb prendere (to take).
Senti un po', ma tu prendi a schiaffi tutti i tuoi ex compagni di corso, oppure è un trattamento speciale?
Listen up, do you slap all your former classmates around, or is it some special treatment?
Captions 4-5, Il Commissario Manara S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 5
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We can also add a modifier to make uno schiaffo into something more serious, with schiaffone.
L'altra mattina stavo in cucina mangiandomi un panino, è entrata, mi ha dato uno schiaffone,
The other morning, I was in the kitchen eating a sandwich. She came in, she gave me a hard slap,
Captions 53-54, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP3 Un cugino in fuga - Part 7
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As we know, Italians love to use the number 2 to mean "some." And with schiaffo, too, it can be very effective.
Ce vorrebbero du sganassoni, ce vorrebbero [romanesco: ci vorrebbero due schiaffi]. -Cattivo.
He needs two smacks, he does. -Mean.
Caption 52, Un Figlio a tutti i costi film - Part 1
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So the upshot is to remember that in Italian, when slaps, smacks, or cuffs are called for, we give them by way of the verb dare (to give). As we can see, dare is a very powerful verb. Schiaffo does translate with slap, but it can be a bit more general. It's a great word to know!
A good remedy for assimilating phrases like dare uno schiaffo and its variations on it is to watch movies and TV shows (for example, on Yabla) where there's plenty of dialogue. Watch, listen, repeat, and then converse in Italian, even if it means talking to yourself in the mirror! Reading comic books in Italian is a good idea, too.
In future lessons, we'll look at other ways of hitting someone (or rather, talking about it), just because sometimes we need to understand these things, not because we are in favor of violence in any form. We are not!
Did you know there are different ways to say "that" in Italian?
*One is with quello/quella/quelli/quelle when you are pointing something out, as in "this" and "that." It can be an adjective or a pronoun.
E quindi cade una quantità d'acqua superiore a quella che può essere sopportata da un determinato luogo,
And therefore a quantity of water falls that is superior to that which a given place can absorb,
Captions 46-47, Marika spiega Il clima e i suoi eventi - Part 3
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*Then we have the conjunction che, which can be translated as "that," "which," or "who."
Ali, ti ho già detto che non voglio parlarne.
Ali, I already told you that I don't want to talk about it.
Caption 62, JAMS EP 6 - Part 5
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*But there is also ciò and we use it when we say something like, "That which is born from flesh is flesh, and that which is born from the Spirit is spirit" (from the Bible). In English, using "that" this way might be kind of outdated, and in Italian, it may not be used as much as quello, but it is used in certain contexts.
These days, we don't use the outdated "that which" very much. We often replace it with "what."
Questo oceano rappresenta la distanza tra ciò che dici e ciò che fai.
This ocean represents the distance between what you say and what you do.
Captions 35-36, Marika spiega Espressioni legate al mare e al mondo nautico - Part 4
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And in the case of the common expression tutto ciò, we just translate it as "everything."
Silicio, ferro, manganese, sono alcuni degli elementi che rendono saporito e pregiato tutto ciò che cresce su questo nero territorio.
Silicon, iron, manganese are some of the elements that make flavorful and valuable everything that grows in this black territory.
Captions 24-26, Pomodori Vulcanici Pomodori del Vesuvio - Part 3
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In fact, in an interview with Pierpaolo Pasolini, recently posted on Yabla, he uses ciò repeatedly, so it jumped out from the page and we wanted to share it with you.
Appena apre bocca, contesta qualcosa al conformismo, a, a ciò che è ufficiale, a ciò che è statale, a ciò che è nazionale, a ciò che, insomma, va bene per tutti.
As soon as he opens his mouth, he challenges something of conformism, to, to what is official, to what is governmental, to what is national, to what, in short, is fine with everyone.
Captions 3-6, La super storia Via Pasolini - Part 4
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Ciò is often used in the compound conjunction perciò (for that reason, because of that, so, thus).
Perciò quando i soggetti sono diversi, questo potrebbe portare un po' di confusione.
So when the subjects are different, this could bring about a bit of confusion.
Captions 25-26, Corso di italiano con Daniela 3) Proposizioni subordinate finali - Part 2
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If you would like us to dive deeper into using one or more of these ways of saying "that," let us know by writing to newsletter@yabla.com.
In every language, there are words that are used as "filler." In English, we have "so," "you know," and "I mean," among others, as common filler words. A very common filler-type conjunction in Italian is cioè, so let's get familiar with it.
Cioè is made up of two words, ciò and è. Ciò means "that" (see this lesson about ways to translate "that") and è means "is," in other words, the third person singular of the verb essere (to be). Sometimes, it works to simply translate cioè "word for word," with "that is."
Ah, io ero venuta a cercare Michele, il quale lavora, cioè lavorava per il Professor Lenni.
Ah, I had come to look for Michele, who works, that is, used to work for Professor Lenni.
Captions 19-20, Il Commissario Manara S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 2
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However, it's used in so many contexts that "that is" doesn't do the trick in all cases. Alternative translations are "in other words," "that is to say," "I mean," or even "you know," depending on the context. And there are surely others!
Cioè is often used as a one-word question. It's a way of saying, without actually forming a question, "What do you mean?"
Ho giocato da solo. -Cioè?
I went solo. -Meaning?
Captions 15-16, La Ladra EP. 12 - Come ai vecchi tempi - Part 4
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L'italiano, praticamente, è una lingua soltanto letteraria per molti secoli, cioè fino a, praticamente, a dieci o vent'anni fa.
Italian, practically, has been solely a literary language for many centuries, that is to say, until, practically, until ten or twenty years ago.
Captions 1-2, La super storia Via Pasolini - Part 3
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E non devono essere arance normali, cioè, devono essere arance biologiche, non trattate chimicamente.
And they mustn't be normal oranges, in other words, they have to be organic oranges, not treated chemically.
Captions 15-16, Adriano L'arancello di Marina
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E infatti m'han' detto: "vogliamo un bianco e nero molto contrastato", sia per dare forza, insomma, a quello che, che, che accade, sia per distinguere i, questi due momenti che si vivono nel film, cioè la, tutta la preparazione allo spettacolo e poi lo spettacolo in sé.
And in fact, they told me, "We want a very contrasted black and white," both to give strength, basically, to what, what, what is happening, and to distinguish the, these two moments that are experienced in the movie, in other words the, all the preparations for the show and then the show itself.
Captions 3-6, Fratelli Taviani La passione e l'utopia - Part 17
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Come è possibile che questi stanno girando, [attore] queste due persone non litigano, non litigano mai. Cioè, io di solito ho delle idee che non condivido,
How is it possible that these guys are filming, [actor] these two people don't argue, they never argue. I mean, I usually have ideas that I don't share,
Captions 38-40, Fratelli Taviani La passione e l'utopia - Part 24
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Cioè is definitely a word to become familiar with. Listen to people use it (in real-life conversations or Yabla videos) and soon you will be including it in your conversation at just the right moment.
Of course, you can search this word yourself, to check out other examples of cioè. Which English translation to use is not set in stone and you can disagree with (and challenge) our translations. But the important thing is to get a feel for cioè, for when and how it is used.
Here is an expression that is an admonishment not to be lazy. In English, we put this idea into words with the expression: The early bird catches the worm. So in Italian, it's a negative statement and in English, it's a positive statement.
"Chi dorme non piglia pesci". Sì, perché se noi dormiamo pr... molto probabilmente perderemmo parecchie occasioni.
"He who sleeps will not catch any fish". [The early bird catches the worm.] Yes, because if we sleep pr... we would very probably miss many opportunities.
Captions 47-49, Marika spiega Proverbi italiani - Part 1
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You might have noticed right away that while in English "fish" is a collective noun and is the same in the singular and the plural, in Italian, the plural of pesce is pesci.
Pescatori (fishermen) are noted for getting up early to take advantage of the increased activity of fish around dawn. If you sleep instead of getting up, the fishermen will have caught the best fish and there might not be anything left for you.
The verb dormire means "to sleep" and in this case, "to sleep in" or "to sleep late."
Pigliare is another way of saying prendere (to take, to catch). Pigliare is more common in the south but is likely familiar to most Italians.
Si piglia tutto [sic: tutti] i profumi e i sapori della...
It takes on all the scents and the flavors of the...
Caption 44, In cucina con Antonino Episodio 5: il coltivatore del "Limone di Sorrento IGP"
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So it's important not to sleep late or procrastinate when something important is at stake. If you don't act, you might not get what you want.
You might already know the adjective raro and the adverb raramente. These are true cognates of "rare" and "rarely" in English.
But there is another way to say this. Let's look at a couple of passages from a recent segment of Provaci ancora prof!
Semmai, ogni tanto prendere qualche sonnifero per dormire, ma insomma, raramente.
If anything, every now and then he takes some sleeping pills to sleep, but well, rarely.
Captions 35-36, Provaci ancora prof! S2E6 La strana ossessione - Part 5
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Camilla is talking to the doctor upstairs about sleeping pills. She pretends it's about Renzo.
Se proprio è una nottataccia due, ma, insomma, di rado, come Le ho detto.
If it's really a bad night, two, but, well, rarely, as I told you.
Captions 42-43, Provaci ancora prof! S2E6 La strana ossessione - Part 5
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He takes up her wording to comment:
Gli impedisca di prenderli, signora, anche di rado.
Stop him from taking them ma'am, even rarely.
Captions 44-45, Provaci ancora prof! S2E6 La strana ossessione - Part 5
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Interestingly, the adjective rado is used to mean "sparse," especially when talking about physical distance, such as, for example, between plants in a garden. In the present context, we are talking about distancing in time.
Here's another example of di rado. Yabla offers a documentary, produced by RAI about the important Italian post-war chef, Gualtiero Marchesi, who died in 2017. He was a pioneer of modern Italian cuisine. The documentary, which appeared in episodes on Italian TV, opens with what must be a passage from his own writings, narrated by someone who spee
Qui sono cresciuto, tra queste terre e queste acque. Tornando, ahimè sempre più di rado, mi sembra di riconoscere scorci e luoghi come se poco o nulla fosse cambiato.
I grew up here, in the midst of these lands and these waters. Coming back more and more infrequently, alas, I think I recognize views and places, as if little or nothing had changed.
Captions 12-15, L'arte della cucina Terre d'Acqua - Part 1
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And the adjective rado calls to mind the verb radere (to shave). It's also the first-person singular of this irregular verb.
Quick take: non vuol dire
There is un modo di dire (a turn of phrase) that's handy to know: It's non vuol dire. The missing word is niente: non vuol dire niente (that doesn't mean anything).
You might already know that when talking about the meaning of something, we use the modal verb volere (to want to) plus the verb dire (to say) in Italian.
Cosa vuol dire la parola "pane" (What does the word "pane" mean)?
And in general, when asking what something means, we can say:
Cosa vuol dire (what does that mean)?
Che vuol dire (what does that mean)?
But even when making an affirmation such as: "That doesn't mean anything," or "That doesn't make a difference," Italians just say:
Non vuol dire (that doesn't mean [anything]).
In other words, they leave out "niente." This expression is just something to keep in mind and be on the lookout for.
Here are a couple of examples:
In this scene, Renzo is commenting on the fact that Camilla has been hearing noises during the night and wakes Renzo up.
E certo che c'è silenzio, amore, è notte. Eh, ma non vuol dire però. Ci son delle notti dove non c'è silenzio.
Of course there is silence, love. It's nighttime. Yeah, but that doesn't mean anything, however. There are nights when there is no silence.
Captions 35-37, Provaci ancora prof! S2E6 La strana ossessione - Part 4
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Spy#1 Ma questa è quella di acqua e aceto.
But this is the water and vinegar lady.
Spy#2 Embè? È brutta?
-And so? Is she ugly?
Spy#1 Eh, acqua e aceto.
-Uh, water and vinegar.
Spy#2 E non vuol dire [niente].
-Well, that doesn't mean anything.
Captions 66-68, Liberi tutti EP4 Ma la giacca la vuole tutta? - Part 7
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So spy #1 recognizes the woman's voice as that of Iolde (the one who had offered Michele a drink of water and vinegar in a previous segment). Spy #2 asks if she (Iolde) is ugly. Spy #1 just says, "Water and vinegar" as if to say, "And that's all you need to know." But spy #2 says non vuol dire, as if to say, "That doesn't mean she is ugly." Or he might be saying, "So what? Even if she is ugly, that doesn't necessarily matter."
We will add more examples to this lesson. If you come across an example, feel free to let us know and we'll add it.
La Ciociaria is mentioned in Pier Paolo Pasolini's poem: 10 Giugno from 1962, and in the documentary about him. La Ciociaria is not the name of a road, as we discussed in another lesson, but rather the name commonly used, in modern times, for some impoverished territories southeast of Rome, without defined geographical limits. It corresponds, roughly, to the area around Frosinone, to the southeast of Rome.
Le mattine su Roma,
Sulla Ciociaria, sul mondo
The mornings over Rome
Over the Ciociaria [area near Frosinone], over the world
Captions 10-11, La super storia Via Pasolini - Part 1
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The name ciociaria comes from the kind of humble footwear shepherds would wear, called cioce as seen in this 1883 painting of a shepherd boy wearing cioce by Antonio Mancini.
From Wikipedia:
The footwear called ciocie (the singular is ciocia) are made with large leather soles, tied to the leg by straps (strenghe or curiole) bound between the ankle and the knee. Rather than socks, a large piece of loose cloth (pezza, pl. pezze) was placed around the feet, ankles, and calves under the ciocie.
Calling someone un ciociaro or una ciociara was considered derogatory.
_-_Antonio_Mancini.jpg)
Some might remember the famous 1960 movie with Sophia Loren called La Ciociara. It is based on a 1957 novel by Alberto Moravia.
Here is a short clip from the movie:
There was a remake in 1989 in the form of a TV mini-series. Sophia Loren stars again.
This is an 1889 painting by Enrique Simonet called Ciociara
There is a new documentary on Yabla about poet and filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini. It opens with some lines from a 1962 poem:
Giro per la Tuscolana come un pazzo
Per l'Appia come un cane senza padrone
I wander along the Tuscolana like a madman
Along the Appian like a dog without an owner
Captions 7-8, Via Pasolini La super storia - Part 1
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Italians and people who live in Rome know exactly what Pasolini was referring to in these lines, but viewers might not know and will be curious to find out.
La via Appia, or Via Appia Antica, known in English as the Appian Way, is one of the oldest and most important Roman roads of the ancient republic. It connected Rome with Capua to the south, and later with Brindisi in Puglia. The road was named after Appius Claudius Caecus who was responsible for building the first part of it around 312 BC. A new road with the same name was constructed in the 16th century: La via Appia Nuova.
The via Tuscolana, or la Tuscolana, is less well-known, perhaps because it wasn't built by the Romans. It was built in medieval times and connected Rome with Tuscolo, now called Frascati. In Rome, it intersects with la via Appia and then runs parallel to it. There is a quartiere (district) named for it, called Tuscolano, and la Tuscolana also happens to run through Cinecittà on the outskirts of Rome.
The Italian noun via means several things, such as "street," "road," or "way." It can also be used figuratively to mean "way" or "pathway." When referring to roads, Italians often leave out "via" and just use la (the article of the feminine noun via) plus the actual name of the road. So via Appia becomes l'Appia. Via Tuscolana becomes la Tuscolana. In English, it's traditional to use the noun "way," to translate via, so we have "Appian Way." Roads can be named for where they go or after someone famous, or someone, such as in the case of some Roman roads, who headed the building project. In other cases, the name has a different source, as we shall see.
There are other old Roman roads featured in Yabla videos, so let's have a look, just for fun.
L'Aurelia is one of the oldest Roman roads and goes up the coast from Rome, all the way to Mentone, on the border of Italy and France. It was built around 241 BC under the supervision of Gaius Aurelius Cotta (hence the name).
Purtroppo l'abbiamo trovata dietro una piazzola sull'Aurelia.
Unfortunately, we found her behind a rest area on the Aurelia.
Caption 54, Il Commissario Manara S2EP12 - La donna senza volto - Part 5
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This road (as many other old roads) has undergone many changes since Roman times, and is now also called Strada Statale 1, usually abbreviated to SS 1. Strada Statale stands for "state (national) road." In many places, it is bordered with pine trees, and is quite beautiful, but narrow. Newer, wider stretches of road have been built parallel to it (and with access to it) in parts of Italy, keeping basically the same name (Aurelia and the number 1). This can cause confusion, especially since the road follows the coast and is very popular with tourists. Locals often call the new road simply, la variante (the variant or bypass).
The Via Salaria owes its name to the Latin word for "salt," since it was the route the Sabines (ancient Italic population) would take to carry salt from the marshes at the mouth of the river Tiber. It is referred to as La Salaria, but its official name is Strada Statale 4 Via Salaria (SS4) and is now a modern state highway that maintains the old road's name and runs on the same route from Rome to the Adriatic Sea, another ancient source of salt.
La Salaria, il salario, il sale è la più antica moneta del mondo.
The Salaria [Roman road], the salary, salt is the oldest currency in the world.
Caption 4, La rotta delle spezie di Franco Calafatti Il sale - Part 1
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This road went from Rome to the ancient port city of Ostia on the coast. Later, the marshlands near it were reclaimed and a new neighborhood (Ostia, now part of Rome) was built toward the end of the 19th century.
E dove sarebbe avvenuto questo scambio di cappotti? In quale ristorante? Al Biondo Tevere. È sull'Ostiense. -Ah, lo conosco benissimo. Fanno un'amatriciana...
And where did this swapping of coats occur? In what restaurant? At the Biondo Tevere. It's on the Ostiense. -Ah, I know it well. They make a [great] Amatriciana...
Captions 49-51, Provaci ancora prof! S2E5 Vita da cani - Part 9
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Did you notice the name of the restaurant in the previous example? Al Biondo Tevere refers to the river the restaurant looks out upon: il Tevere (the Tiber). It's called Biondo (blond) because at one time, at least, the river's color was yellowish, owing to the sand and limestone mixed in with the water. It just so happens that Anna and Marika had lunch at that very restaurant and made a video for Yabla to prove it. They even interviewed the owner.
Sì, perché siamo ovviamente a Roma, su via Ostiense, una via molto antica di Roma. E qua sotto c'è il fiume Tevere.
Yes, because obviously we're in Rome, on the via Ostiense, a very old Roman road. And there below is the river Tiber.
Captions 17-19, Anna e Marika Trattoria Al Biondo Tevere - Part 1
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We've enjoyed finding these examples of roads around Rome, and we hope you have enjoyed reading about them and playing the examples. We'll be adding other roads to the list as we find them.
We've talked about words that change when an "S" prefix is added, but let's take a closer look at this particular way of altering words. The resulting words are called parole alterate in Italian because the word also exists in its unaltered state, or at least it once did.
While the addition of an S at the beginning of the word often negates it, or gives it an opposite meaning, it's not always the case. Sometimes it adds strength or some other quality, and sometimes it doesn't really change anything but is just a variant. We'll try to cover the common ways the S prefix changes words in this and subsequent lessons, but let's go back to the prefix itself: S.
You might be wondering where this S prefix comes from? An early source is "ex-" in Latin. Another is the Italian prefix dis-.
Sometimes dis- and s- are both used interchangeably. For instance, some people use the verb disfare and some people say sfare. They both mean "to undo." Fare means "to make" or "to do." This is a case where the S confers a contrasting or negative meaning to the word.
Era quella che faceva la coperta di giorno e la disfaceva la notte.
She [Penelope] was the one who made the cover during the day and took it apart during the night.
Captions 49-50, Sposami EP 4 - Part 22
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Another word like this is dispiacere. Some people say mi dispiace, but some say mi spiace. See the long list of examples of spiace here. And here is the list of instances of dispiace in Yabla videos. They mean the same thing. And they are both alterations of the verb piacere (to please).
Mi spiace, sono in ritardo. -Va bene...
I'm sorry, I am late. -All right...
Caption 59, Provaci ancora prof! S2EP2 Una mina vagante - Part 22
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Ti dispiace se parliamo dopo? -No, no, no.
Do you mind if we talk later? -No, no, no.
Caption 34, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep.2 - Part 4
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The verb dispiacere has different nuances of meanings, which we have discussed in other lessons: How to say you're sorry in Italian and To mind or not to mind with dispiacere.
As a negation or the opposite of the root word, there are countless examples. Here is just one:
Certo che Luca è un ragazzo fortunato ad avere un'amica come te!
Luca sure is a lucky guy to have a friend like you!
Caption 23, Il Commissario Manara S1EP7 - Sogni di Vetro - Part 8
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Poverino, proprio sfortunato.
Poor thing, really unlucky.
Caption 11, La Ladra EP. 4 - Una magica bionda - Part 8
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The S prefix is used with verbs, adjectives, and nouns. But let's keep in mind that lots of words start with S naturally, at their root.
In the next lesson, we will trace a verb with an S prefix back to its origins to see how it evolved.
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