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.

Michela talks about adjectives that describe a person's personality.

The verb fare (to do, to make) is used in lots of expressions. Marika talks about some of the most common ones.

Michela goes over some common personal adjectives. In English adjectives generally don't change according to gender, but with blond (m), blonde (f), brown-haired (m), brunette (f) they do change.

Marika has more tips on how to divide syllables and some fun practice words, too.

By popular request, Marika has a great lesson on dividing words into syllables.

The adjective forms learned in the earlier two lessons are used for a wider selection of nationalities.

Gualtiero Marchesi describes both his old and the new versions of Pollo Kiev (Chicken Kiev). Relatively simple and tasty, especially if you like butter!

Marika has a nice group of Italian idiomatic expressions using the verb prendere (to take).

Where are you from? Michela explains how to answer the question in Italian, whether you're a man or a woman or in a group.

Being a man of culture as well as an expert chef, Gualtiero Marchesi has found himself being inspired by artists. He talks of dripping food onto a platter, much as Jackson Pollock would drip paint onto a canvas.

There are plenty of idiomatic expressions connected with certain verbs. Marika tells us about expressions with dire (to say).

Italian cuisine in the fifties reflected both the economic prospering, and the cultural growth of a population that had also begun opening up to new horizons through the birth of tourism.

Michela's lesson on nationality also concerns intonation, which is so important in signaling a question.

In many languages, animals are used to describe human characteristics, but not every language uses the same animal for the same characteristic! Marika shares with us the Italian point of view.