Daniela explains three situations in which the remote past may be used and gives us examples of each situation. But don't worry, this tense is not mandatory and Daniela suggests the passato prossimo (present perfect) as a valid alternative. Note: The passato prossimo is constructed like the English present perfect tense (with a helping verb and past participle), but is used more like the English past simple.

Daniela explains how to conjugate the remote past of the verbs avere (to have) and prendere (to take).

Daniela discusses the verbs finire [to finish] and essere [to be] in the remote past tense.

Daniela starts her four-part series on the passato remoto [remote or absolute past] verb tense. This tense is broadly used in the south of Italy, and infrequently in the north.

Daniela shows us how to conjugate the imperfect tense of the following irregular verbs: dire (to say), fare (to make, to do), bere (to drink), condurre (to drive), and porre (to pose). She gives us a helpful tip for remembering how.

Anna and Marika form the Calabrian ricotta balls and cook them in tomato sauce. The ricotta balls can also be fried and served without sauce.

All the ingredients are ready, and Anna and Marika go to work, making the ricotta ball mixture. They share with us a common saying about prezzemolo (parsley).

Daniela discusses how the imperfect is used to describe actions in the past that are happening contemporaneously.

How much is too much? Marika explains about quantity, and shares some common idioms about quantity and degree that can come in very handy.

Anna and Marika provide the list of necessary ingredients for this Calabrese specialty. This recipe calls for sheep's milk ricotta. When you go to buy ricotta in Italy, storekeepers will ask if you want cow, sheep, or goat ricotta. You can also specify a mix.

Daniela concentrates on the modal verbs essere [to be] and avere [to have] in the imperfect tense.

Daniela discusses the imperfect tense for verbs ending in -are, -ere, and -ire.

Daniela continues her lesson on necessity or need, providing examples with an impersonal subject. In English the impersonal can be expressed with "one" in the third person: "one needs," or by using the passive voice:"Something needs to be done." And in informal speech, we might use "you" or "we.": "you need to..."

Daniela, in the first part of a two-part series, shows us how to express need in a personal way with the noun bisogno [need].

It may come as a relief to see that Italian adverbs of manner are similar to English ones. But when Marika starts giving us some [very useful] idiomatic adverbial phrases using adjectives, it's slightly more complicated.