Sometimes the subject of a sentence can be a verb in the infinitive or an entire clause. Let's see how the verb piacere works in these cases, in both simple and perfect tenses.

Daniela tackles a verb that is tricky for English speakers: piacere (to delight, to please). Although when someone says mi piace, he or she is, in essence, saying "I like [it/him/her/them]," the verb piacere doesn't strictly mean "to like." Since, as you will see, this verb works so differently than "to like," we have used the verb "to delight" as a translation in some cases, not for its exact meaning, but in order to match the construction with that of piacere.

Italy is being pushed to its limits right now, but hope never dies. Even though people have to stay home, there is a feeling of solidarity and positivity. Marika describes some of the initiatives that have taken form.

Marika talks about how one can contract coronavirus, the symptoms, and the guidelines to avoid getting infected.

Everyone is talking about coronavirus. Marika addresses frequently asked questions about this recent, ongoing phenomenon.

Daniela gives us plenty of examples of how to use ne and ci, those tricky little particles that mean so many different things and which can be quite a challenge for English speakers.

Adriano shows us the place where the reception will take place. It will include dining and dancing, complete with deejay.

Daniela gives us some more examples of how the particle ci is used. Lots of times it's superfluous and could technically be omitted but hardly ever is.

Anna and Marika work in harmony to prepare the chicory timbale and put it in the oven to bake.

Daniela talks about an unusual but common way we use the particle ci. In this segment she discusses volerci (to need, to take) and metterci (to employ, to put in). In English we use "it takes" and "it takes me/you/us/him/her/them" with an impersonal "it," so translating might very well create more problems than it solves. To help you understand how these particular verbs work, we have attempted, where possible, to use alternate translations to illustrate the grammatical structure of the sentences Daniela uses as examples.

Italians love leafy-green vegetables, and especially in the south, there's the predilection for bitter greens, such as chicory. Chicory lends a special taste to this casserole dish, with scamorza [cheese] and cured ham that offset the mildly bitter taste of the chicory. Anna and Marika show us the ingredients and tools we need.

We learn even more about the particle ci. This short word can stand for a preposition (such as "on," "about," "with," or "to") + an indirect object.

Nobody in the class volunteers to talk about the Molise region, but by chance, Anna gets called on. And we get to learn all about this small region.

Ci is such a tiny word, but it has a lot of power. It can replace a direct object pronoun or an indirect pronoun + preposition, and means other things as well. You won't want to miss this lesson.

It's time to talk about particelle (particles). These short, two or three-letter words, such as ci and ne have many functions as well as meanings, and can even represent an indirect object pronoun plus its preposition. Particles can be freestanding or attached to a verb, depending on how the verb is conjugated (or not). Let's see how they work.