Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
While the hopeful actors are waiting at the gates of Cinecittà for a bit part, a famous actor drives out and causes a stir. Back at the convent, Domenico sings a song about a cricket in love with the moon. If you want to hear the whole song sung by Modugno, check it out here.
Difficulty: Beginner
Italy
There are plenty of Italians living in Germany. Cettina from Sicily interviews Alfonso, also from Sicily, as it turns out. Here are some easy questions and answers for when you meet someone for the first time.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Italy
If you have never been tested for Covid-19, Giuditta and Marino give a good description of the process. And their youngest son had to be very brave.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
The Taviani brothers talk about their movie The Elective Affinities, based on a novel by Goethe. Central to the film is the conflict between reason and passion, nature and the idea of utopia, as the love stories of two couples unfold.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
Domenico does his audition in front of the movie camera. Then he has to figure out how to make enough money to pay for his room and board. His new friend Riccardo gives him a couple of important tips.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Italy
Coronavirus affects people in different ways. Marino and Giuditta share their experiences and recount what they did on their own, to try to get better.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
Although their films weren't overtly political, the Taviani brothers saw and heard what was "in the air" in Italy, and somehow captured some the essence of it, without even being aware of it.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
Domenico goes to the Experimental Center where there is a sea of candidates waiting their turns to go in and take the entrance exam. He meets a friendly guy named Riccardo Pazzaglia. He also meets a girl who is rather nervous and feeling insecure.
Difficulty: Beginner
Italy
Giuditta and Marino give us details about what life was like in isolation. Challenging for sure, but with some good aspects, too!
Difficulty: Beginner
Italy
Although the si passivante (passivizing si) is a kind of si impersonale, it has some very specific differences. Daniela explains them and provides some examples.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
The political vision of the Taviani brothers comes through in their movies, especially Allonsanfàn. The choices they made in the story were simply a reflection of their thinking at the time, not because the movies themselves were affiliated with a particular political party.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Italy
Ancient culture merged with "modern" culture, especially after Constantine created the new capital of the Roman Empire, Constantinople. Near Matera in Basilicata, even caves built into the rock face became churches. The frescoes on those walls are quite stunning.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Italy
Domenico gets on the pilgrimage bus to Rome and entertains his fellow passengers with a song. Don Antonio might have made different song choices... At the convent where the pilgrims are staying, Domenico makes friends with Father Mello.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Italy
After summing up about the passive voice, Daniela goes on to talk about some other related constructions. It's important to remember that the passive is formed with transitive verbs only. But when we don't have a named subject or agent, we have a few other ways to make a sentence passive-like. One way uses the famous particella (particle) si. Si is used for so many things in Italian that it is bound to create confusion for learners, even advanced learners. Don't worry, part 3 of the lesson will explain further. Another way uses the verb andare (to go) to indicate something that must be done. Here too, the stress is on the action, not the subject or agent.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Italy
What symptoms did Giuditta and Marino have? And how did they handle their family duties?
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