my italian - learn italian online for free http://www.my-italian.com learn the Italian language with Italian culture Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:12:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 en Learn words and expressions about Epiphany in Italian http://www.my-italian.com/2009/01/05/learn-words-and-expressions-about-epiphany-in-italian/ http://www.my-italian.com/2009/01/05/learn-words-and-expressions-about-epiphany-in-italian/#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:00:41 +0000 admin http://www.my-italian.com/?p=468 The last of the twelve days of Christmas, Epifania (Epiphany) is important to Christians as it celebrates the arrival of i Re Magi (three kings or wise men) to see the baby Jesus. In Italy, an important messa (mass) is celebrated on this day (January 6th), with plenty of canzoni (songs) and wise men costumes for the children.

Outside the church, the 6th January is also an important day for children as it’s when the befana arrives. The befana is a figure from folklore with pre-Christian roots and is usually depicted as a friendly witch (strega) or old woman (la vecchia) carrying around la scopa (a broom). She is a bringer of gifts for children - filling their calze (stockings) with  caramelle (sweets) and cioccolatini (chocolates) if they have been bravi (good), or carbone (coal) if they have been cattivi (bad). You will often see black and white sweets in the shops for this reason.

The 6th January is a public holiday in Italy and is usually spent going out to watch the rogo (bonfire) created to burn the befana, symbolizing the end of the old year and the greeting of the new one. Many villages will have firework displays and even Miss Befana competitions!

Otherwise, for the more commercially-minded, the 6th January is usually the time when the saldi invernali (winter sales) start in Italy.

]]> http://www.my-italian.com/2009/01/05/learn-words-and-expressions-about-epiphany-in-italian/feed/ Italian supermarket opens chapel - a translation of a news article in Italian http://www.my-italian.com/2009/01/03/italian-supermarket-opens-chapel-a-translation-of-a-news-article-in-italian/ http://www.my-italian.com/2009/01/03/italian-supermarket-opens-chapel-a-translation-of-a-news-article-in-italian/#comments Sat, 03 Jan 2009 11:38:26 +0000 admin http://www.my-italian.com/?p=435 From the news, 30/12/2008 - only in Italy!

Indaffarati a fare la spesa, a volte i clienti dei supermercati non hanno tempo di andare in chiesa.
Così un centro commerciale di Tremestieri, nel Messinese, ha deciso di realizzare una cappella all’interno dell’ipermercato, in modo da permettere ai clienti di avere uno spazio dove raccogliersi in preghiera tra un acquisto e l’altro.
La struttura - prima del genere in Italia -  è stata presentata in una conferenza stampa alla quale ha partecipato anche il sindaco della città, Giuseppe Buzzanca.
Il presidente del Consorzio di Tremestieri, Maurizio Andronico, ha sottolineato che si tratta della prima iniziativa di questo genere in Italia. “Nella cappella - ha spiegato - i nostri clienti e i nostri dipendenti, potranno pregare e partecipare, se lo vorranno, anche alla Santa Messa”.
Per il sindaco di Messina “si tratta di un’iniziativa importante perché offre la possibilità, a chi vuole, di fermarsi per un momento di preghiera anche in un luogo di solito utilizzato per altri scopi”.
La cappella è stata benedetta dal parroco di Tremestieri, don Giuseppe Lonia, che ha lodato l’iniziativa “perché permette alle persone di trovare anche in un centro Commerciale un momento di riflessione e di silenzio. L’obiettivo è vivere la fede e portarla nella dimensione quotidiana dell’uomo”.
So busy doing the shopping, sometimes the customers of supermarkets don’t have time to go to church.
So a shopping centre of Tremestieri, near Messina, has decided to open a chapel inside its supermarket, in order to allow its clients to have an area where they can gather in prayer in between one purchase and another.
The structure - first of its kind in Italy -  was introduced at a press conference at which also the mayor of the city, Giuseppe Buzzanca, was present.
The president of the consortium of Tremestieri, Maurizio Andronico, has underlined the fact that this is the first initiative of its kind in Italy. “In the chapel”, he explained, ” our customers and staff can pray and take part, if they want, even in Mass”.
As for the mayor of Messina, “We’re talking about an important initiative because it offers the chance, to those who want it, to stop for a moment of prayer even in a place that is usually used for other reasons”.
The chapel has been blessed by the head of the parish of Tremestieri,don Giuseppe Lonia, who has applauded the initiative, “because it allows people to find, even in a shopping centre, a moment of thought and silence. Our aim is to live our faith and bring it into man’s daily dimension”.
]]> http://www.my-italian.com/2009/01/03/italian-supermarket-opens-chapel-a-translation-of-a-news-article-in-italian/feed/ Learn words about furniture in Italian http://www.my-italian.com/2009/01/01/learn-words-about-furniture-in-italian/ http://www.my-italian.com/2009/01/01/learn-words-about-furniture-in-italian/#comments Thu, 01 Jan 2009 14:33:48 +0000 admin http://www.my-italian.com/?p=450 Here are some common mobili (furniture) that you can see in Italian houses:

]]> http://www.my-italian.com/2009/01/01/learn-words-about-furniture-in-italian/feed/ Learn words and expressions about New Year’s Eve in Italian http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/31/learn-words-and-expressions-about-new-years-eve-in-italian/ http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/31/learn-words-and-expressions-about-new-years-eve-in-italian/#comments Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:47:06 +0000 admin http://www.my-italian.com/?p=430 The Italian New Year period is called Capodanno, literally ‘head of the year’. It is celebrated in much the same way as the rest of the world, although there are a number of quaint traditions to follow.
The night of the 31st usually kicks off with the cenone (big feast) where you can load up on a wide variety of dishes. One of the courses is usually zampone (a very greasy yet surprisingly tasty pig’s trotter)and lenticchie (lentils), eaten for their resemblance to coins, and supposedly bringing you good fortune in the year to come. For the same reason you may also see melagrane (pomegranite) and uva (grapes).
At midnight there will be the usual baci (kisses) and auguri (good luck greetings), plus many displays of fuochi artificiali (fireworks) and the accompanying botti (firecrackers) in the streets, historically used to ward off evil spirits.
Another more recent tradition is to vestire biancheria intima di colore rosso (wear red underwear), presumably to bring fertility. A more antique custom was to gettare dalla finestra oggetti vecchi (throw old objects out the window) symbolizing the idea of out with the old and in with the new. Linked to this are the creation of buoni propositi (New Year’s resolutions).

]]> http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/31/learn-words-and-expressions-about-new-years-eve-in-italian/feed/ Learn the Italian version of the classic song White Christmas http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/25/learn-the-italian-version-of-the-classic-song-white-christmas/ http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/25/learn-the-italian-version-of-the-classic-song-white-christmas/#comments Thu, 25 Dec 2008 10:45:17 +0000 admin http://www.my-italian.com/?p=418 Col bianco tuo candor, neve,
sai dar la gioia ad ogni cuor
E’ Natale ancora, la grande festa
che sa tutti conquistar
Un canto vien dal ciel lento
e con la neve dona a noi
un Natale pieno d’amor
un Natale di felicità.
I’m dreaming of a White Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten
and children listen
to hear sleighbells in the snow
E viene giù dal ciel, lento
un dolce canto ammaliator
dalle stelle fino a quaggiu
e natale, non soffrire piu
mai piu, mai piu
With your white purity, snow,
You know how to give joy to every heart
It’s Christmas again, the great celebration
That can win over everyone
A slow song comes from the sky
And with the snow gives us
A christmas full of love
a christmas of happiness
I’m dreaming of a White Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten
and children listen
to hear sleighbells in the snow
And from the heavens, slowly
comes a sweet soothing song
from the stars to right down here
It’s Christmas, suffer no more
never again, never again

]]> http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/25/learn-the-italian-version-of-the-classic-song-white-christmas/feed/ Learn words and expressions about Christmas in Italian http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/20/learn-words-and-expressions-about-christmas-in-italian/ http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/20/learn-words-and-expressions-about-christmas-in-italian/#comments Sat, 20 Dec 2008 09:19:47 +0000 admin http://www.my-italian.com/?p=382

The streets are lit up, the shops are teaming, ‘jingle bells’ is everywhere… we can only conclude that arriva natale (Christmas is coming)!

The Christmas period starts properly with the decoration of the albero di natale (Christmas tree), not forgetting the all important stella (star) or angioletto (little angel) on the top. Under the tree in many houses you will also find a detailed presepe (nativity scene) with figurines of Gesù Bambino and i Re Magi (the wise men).

The first important date is the 24th December, la vigilia (Christmas Eve), when most people gather with their family for a large dinner based around fish or boiled meat dishes, depending on the region. Then comes the wait for babbo natale (Father Christmas) as children sit expectantly in front of the camino (chimney/fire place), listening out for the sound of la slitta (sleigh) and le renne (reindeer). Many children will get a head start on the rest of us, as regali (presents) are often opened at midnight.
Obviously, la vigilia is not complete without a visit to la messa di natale (a christmas church service)

Christmas day is much like the rest of the Christian world - a day of food and family and the traditional game of briscola (a popular card game). At some point the panettone (big bread shaped cake) will be cracked open along with a bottle of spumante. And then to bed to sleep off the excess!

Santo Stefano (26th December) is often spent outdoors, visiting  mercatini di natale (Christmas markets) or generally wandering the town trying to digest the previous days’ food.

Auguri di buon natale!

]]> http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/20/learn-words-and-expressions-about-christmas-in-italian/feed/ How to pronounce consonants in Italian http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/17/how-to-pronounce-consonants-in-italian/ http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/17/how-to-pronounce-consonants-in-italian/#comments Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:46:09 +0000 admin http://www.my-italian.com/?p=319 Italian consonants are relatively easy to pronounce as they follow simple rules and there are no irregularities in spelling as there are in English.

The following consonants are pronounced as you would expect them to be:

b, d, f, l, m, n, p, s, q, t, v, x

However, these consonants are a little different:

c - is pronounced ‘k‘ if followed by a, he, hi, o, u. eg camera (room), colazione (breakfast), chiesa (church)
c - Is pronounced ‘ch‘ if followed by e, i.  eg cinzano, cena (dinner)
g - is pronounced as a hard ‘g’ if followed by a, he, hi, o, u. eg gara (race), gheppardo (leopard)
g - is pronounced j if followed by e, i eg giapponese (japanese) or gentile (kind)
h - is always silent
j - is pronounced ‘y‘
r - is always pronounced and doesn’t disappear when in between vowels as in English
z - is pronounced  ‘tz‘
k - doesn’t exist in Italian except in foreign imported words
w - doesn’t exist in Italian except in foreign imported words
y - doesn’t exist in Italian except in foreign imported words

Combinations of certain consonants:
gl - becomes ‘lly‘ as in famiglia
gn - becomes ‘ny‘ as in gnocchi
sc - becomes ‘sh‘ when followed by e or i eg sciarpa (scarf)

]]> http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/17/how-to-pronounce-consonants-in-italian/feed/ A translation of an Italian gnocchi recipe http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/15/a-translation-of-an-italian-gnocchi-recipe/ http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/15/a-translation-of-an-italian-gnocchi-recipe/#comments Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:47:08 +0000 admin http://www.my-italian.com/?p=394 Ingredienti:
300g farina
1kg patate
1 uova
sale (quanto basta)
Preparazione:
La prima cosa da fare è preparare le patate: lavatele e, senza sbucciarle, mettetele in una pentola con dell’acqua salata e lasciatele bollire.
Ancora calde, sbucciatele, schiacciatele e mettetele su un piano di lavoro ben infarinato.
Aggiungete un pizzico di sale, la farina e impastate fino ad ottenere un composto compatto ma allo stesso tempo soffice.
A questo punto aggiungete un uovo e continuate ad impastare.
Quindi, dividete l’impasto in tanti filoni dello spessore di 2-3 centimetri e iniziate a tagliare i vostri gnocchi riponendoli su una superficie o un vassoio infarinato.
Per finire, praticate le caratteristiche rigature degli gnocchi facendo scivolare ogni gnocco sulla forchetta e schiacciando un pò, ma non troppo.
Lasciate riposare i vostri gnocchi per 15 minuti, dopodichè fateli cuocere in una pentola abbastanza grande con l’acqua salata e scolateli quando saliranno a galla.
Condite i vostri gnocchi con il condimento che più vi piace e mangiate.
Gli gnocchi possono essere preparati in diversi colori e gusti, semplicemente aggiungendo alcuni ingredienti come un cucchiaino di salsa di pomodoro, di spinaci lessi ben strizzati, o zucca.
Ingredients:
300g flour
1kg potatoes
1 egg
Salt (to taste)
Preparation:
The first thing to do is prepare the potatoes: wash them and, without peeling them, put them in a pan wth salted water and leave them to boil.
Still hot, peel them, mash them and put them on a well-floured working surface.
Add a pinch of salt, the flour and knead it all until you get a compact but soft dough.
At this point add an egg and continue to knead.
Then, divide the dough into lengths about 2-3cm thick and start to cut your gnocchi shapes, putting them onto a floured surface or tray.
To finish, make the characteristic lines of the gnocchi by sliding each one onto a fork and pressing a little, but not too much.
Leave your gnocchi to rest for 15 minutes, then boil them in a large enough pan of salted water and drain them when they rise to the surface.
Serve your gnocchi with a favourite pasta sauce and eat.
Gnocchi can be prepared in various colours and flavours, simply adding ingredients such as a teaspoon of tomato paste, well-chopped boiled spinach, or pumpkin.

]]> http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/15/a-translation-of-an-italian-gnocchi-recipe/feed/ Learn words and expressions about clothes in Italian http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/14/learn-words-and-expressions-about-clothes-in-italian/ http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/14/learn-words-and-expressions-about-clothes-in-italian/#comments Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:13:48 +0000 admin http://www.my-italian.com/?p=360 There’s no denying it - when it comes to i vestiti (clothes) the Italians know what they are doing! La moda (fashion) is one of Italy’s biggest exports and the average person on the street usually looks like they have just stepped out of Vogue.

Here are some things the average Italian has in their armadio (wardrobe):

]]> http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/14/learn-words-and-expressions-about-clothes-in-italian/feed/ Learn words and phrases about health in Italian http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/13/learn-words-and-phrases-about-health-in-italian/ http://www.my-italian.com/2008/12/13/learn-words-and-phrases-about-health-in-italian/#comments Sat, 13 Dec 2008 19:51:07 +0000 admin http://www.my-italian.com/?p=375 Italians have a different approach to la salute (health) than in many other countries. To say they are knowledgeable would be an understatement. Not only do most people know what the correct temperatura del corpo (body temperature) should be, they even know what their own temperature is on any given day. A slight variation to the norm is always a good reason to stay at home! And when an Italian decides to visit their medico di base (family doctor/GP), it’s often more for a confirmation than a diagnosi (diagnosis) - they probably already know what’s wrong with them.

This knowledge of all things medical is probably passed down through the family via the famous rimedi di nonna (granny’s remedies), with tips for the cura of anything from il mal di gola (sore throat) to una caviglia slogata (a sprained ankle) and everything in between. A word of warning, however - never ask for un consiglio (advice) at large family gatherings. The arguments over conflicting tips will fa girare la testa (make your head spin)!

So Italians take their health very seriously, which probably explains why they have one of the highest life expectancies in the world. The slightest raffredore (cold) sends them running to the farmacia (chemist’s) to stock up on pillole (tablets) and other types of medicina (medicine). More serious problems may need a visit to a specialista (specialist) and possibly a trip to ospedale (hospital). And for accidents un ambulanza (an ambulance) is always ready to whisk you off to pronto soccorso (casualty/emergency room).

So don’t panic if you find yourself needing un medico (a doctor) while visiting Italy - you will definitely be in mani sicure (safe hands)!

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