Marika outlines exceptions to the rules governing truncation, and provides many useful examples.

Marika's first of three lessons on truncation, where she compares elision to truncation. There are many useful examples, such as: mar, san, buon, ben, and signor.

Several Yabla users asked about elisions and contractions, and how, when, and where they're used. This is Marika's first of three videos on this essential topic.

Francesca and Daniela have fun demonstrating the different conjugations of the verb mangiare (to eat) in context. You'll have fun learning them!

Daniela and Francesca talk about the different meanings of "sentire" (to feel or to hear) and give us examples as they conjugate the verb in various tenses.

Marika and Daniela are chatting in Rome, with the Colosseum in the distance. The focus of their chat is the word chiedere (to ask) in its different conjugations.

We are at the beautiful botanical gardens of Rome. Marika and Anna are sitting on a bench talking. In their conversation they take us through the different conjugations of the verb pensare (to think).

Francesca finds a note on the windshield of her car. Her driving instructor has to explain that it's not a note, but a parking ticket.

Everything you need to know about buying a used car! Join Francesca as she talks to the dealer, and get up to speed on your automobile vocabulary.

Is the jar full or empty? Let's see what Francesco and the kids have to say about it.

Francesco goes about explaining philosophy to children using a jar. Philosophy is like magic, but while magic involves objects, philosophy involves ideas.

Anna and Marika are seated in an historic park, and reflect upon the meaning of life. In the end, they arrive at the conclusion that despite what's bad, life is marvelous and should be lived to its fullest.

A lady calls a travel agency for information about planning a trip to the Valley of the Temples [Valle dei Templi] in Agrigento and the agent offers a few recommendations.

Marika teaches us some other Italian sayings, regarding time; working on one's own, instead of being assisted; and even about people who drink too much, who might let down their guard, saying things they wouldn't say while sober.

In English, the difference between "until" and "as long as" is quite distinct, but in Italian, it's a little blurry because the presence of the negative word non (not) might change the meaning of a phrase or it might not. When the meaning is not altered by its presence, the word, in this case non (not), is "pleonastic." We're talking about finché and finche non.