In this lesson, Marika explains, with examples from Yabla videos, two words that always puzzle learners: mica and manco. The first part is all about mica. Here's what you need to know!

"Manco" is a bit more complicated than "mica" because it's often used with irony. It's also used with the impersonal third person, making it rather tricky to translate. But remembering that it means neanche (not even) can help.

The word pure has several meanings, from "also" to "even," to "although." Marika explains them and gives us some examples in context.

Here's more about the popular word pure. It can express encouragement, resignation, or be superfluous. Pure is often truncated to pur when it combines with other particles to mean something particular.

In this new episode of "Marika explains", we clarify the use of allocutive pronouns, that is, the pronouns used to address an interlocutor. Let's start with "tu" (you).

In this second part, Marika explains the use of "Lei". We'll see in which contexts it is used and which verbal form should be employed.

In this final part dedicated to allocutive pronouns, Marika explains the origin of "Voi" and how it is used. At the end, she also provides a summary of all the forms seen so far to clarify any doubts.

Marino shows us how to make "maccaronara" or "spaghetti alla chitarra" (guitar spaghetti), from scratch. This special kind of pasta is from Avellino, near Naples.

Nineteen-year-old Martina tells us about herself. Her dreams have changed over the years, and she now has some concrete, long-term, and clearcut goals.

Massimo Ranieri has never stopped being popular in Italy. Here he sings a song about a man who thought he had found love, but then lost it.

Maurizio is a young student from the province of Pescara, going to school (university) in Rome. He tells us a little bit about himself, and his life in Rome. This is an excellent opportunity to compare how Italian treats tenses with respect to English, especially the English present perfect, and present continuous.

Massimiliano is a musician, and together with his friend Stefano, and the mascot Cuba, he's trying to introduce the group to record labels. In addition to talking about his dream, he talks about Garbatella, the neighborhood where he was born, and which he wants never to leave.

This song is one side of a phone call made to someone after meeting her at a party. But is there anyone on the other end?

As you can see from the video, Max Gazzè seems to be singing to a mannequin. The song is from the album Maximilian, and was published in 2016.

Me Ne Frego [I don't give a damn], was one of the mottoes of Fascism, coming originally from the writings of Gabriele d'Annunzio and employed by storm troops during World War One as a war cry for courage and daring, with the meaning, "I don't mind dying for freedom." The motto gives the title to this documentary about the influences of Italian Fascism on the Italian language. It was produced by the Istituto Luce Cinecittà, with materials from the historical Luce archives, and narrates the obscure attempt by the Fascist regime to create a new and unique language, a new “Italian” that fit the dogma of the dictatorship.