Language doesn't stay the same over time. For example, lots of people say "gonna" instead of "going to," but we still write "going to," unless it's in some dialogue or in an informal circumstance. It's not something English speakers think about too much. In addition, words that used to be two words are now often spelled as one word. The word might go through a stage where a hyphen is used. Sometimes 2 different versions are both correct. A noun can become a verb and vice versa. Language is in constant evolution.
But let's talk about an Italian language phenomenon common, especially in central and southern Italy, but universal in some cases. It's about how to pronounce a consonant in a new word after the final vowel of the preceding word. This is called raddoppiamento fonosintattico (phonosyntactic doubling), also called rafforzamento fonosintattico (phonosyntactic reinforcement). Non-native speakers might not notice this as anything but simply part of the language, and we likely won't analyze it. We just try to repeat what we hear. We mention this as it might be helpful in understanding why certain words have a double letter in the middle of a word that seems to come from 2 separate words.
Examples of vocal doubling of the consonant can be as basic as the C in casa in a sentence such as Andiamo a casa (let's go home). It's often reinforced or almost doubled. If you listen carefully, you might hear it, but you also might not, unless someone shows you how it would sound without reinforcing that C. It's a nuance. If you learn Italian by listening and repeating, you don't need to worry about this at all. You might notice a difference in pronunciation among the various regions of Italy from north to south. The doubling phenomenon seems to increase as we travel southward.
Francesco, andiamo a casa.
Francesco, let's go home.
Caption 25, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP2 Rabbia - Part 5
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But sometimes this raddoppiamento fonosintattico (doubling a letter in speech), as it is called, makes its way, over time, into the written word, and we get what is called univerbazione or "univerbation," in other words, uniting two or more words into one word. In linguistic terms, it's "the diachronic process of forming a new single word from a fixed expression of several words." In English, we talk about "compound words." But in the case of Italian, the new word might be based on the sound of the letters that end the first word and begin the second one rather than just the meaning.
We have seen this in words such as daccapo instead of da capo (from the beginning), (see this lesson). Both are used.
We can presume that the adverb nemmeno was ne meno at one time but with the phenomenon of pronouncing one word after the other with a double or reinforced M, the spelling shifted to nemmeno.
Non ci voglio nemmeno pensare, nemmeno pensare.
I don't even want to think about it, not even to think about it.
Caption 88, Provaci ancora prof! S2E6 La strana ossessione - Part 15
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The list goes on and on. Language nerds might like to see this article (in Italian) about reinforced letters and univerbations in Italian.
Another classic example is soprattutto (above all). We always have to remember to double that (first) T. Originally, it was two words: sopra (above) and tutto (all). The T was doubled in speaking, and then over time, it began to be written with two T's combining into one word.
E, soprattutto, mi devo caricare delle storie degli altri, delle vite degli altri.
And, above all, I have to take on other people's stories, other people's lives.
Caption 55, Romanzo Italiano Lazio - Part 7
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Another example of radoppiamento fonosintattico, as well as univerbazione, is Oddio, which comes from Oh Dio! (oh God, oh my God). It expresses shock, agitation, or fright.
Oddio!
Oh my God!
Caption 21, La Ladra EP. 10 - Un ignobile ricatto - Part 9
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Sometimes oddio is not so strong and merits neither an exclamation point nor a capital letter at the beginning. Someone is having a memory lapse, that's all.
Gino Bresciano, oddio chi era Gino il Bresciano?
Gino the Brescian, oh God, who was Gino the Brescian?
Caption 30, Liberi tutti EP4 Ma la giacca la vuole tutta? - Part 6
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Which brings us to a recent episode of I Bastardi, where Renzo (an unsuspecting suspect) asks Detective Lojacono whether there is news about the case. Lojacono answers first with a no, and then corrects himself using oddio. He's neither shocked nor frightened. He is just re-thinking what he had said originally. The capital letter is likely because it is the beginning of the sentence.
C'è qualche novità? -No, nulla di importante. Oddio, abbiamo scoperto che Biagio aveva presentato all'ufficio brevetti una richiesta a suo nome, aveva anche versato tremila e settecento euro richiesti.
Is there some news? -No, nothing important. Or rather, we have discovered that Biagio had presented to the patent office, a request in his name, he had also paid the requested three thousand seven hundred euros.
Captions 39-43, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP4 Gelo - Part 22
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If we look up oddio in the Treccani dictionary, we see that in addition to "Oh God," another meaning is doubt or uncertainty. Yet another similar use is to correct or attenuate something said previously. So in the previous example, this definition would make more sense. Lojacono is correcting his "no, nothing important," since it is actually evidence about who might have killed Biagio and that is pretty important, contrary to what he said at first.
The 3 takeaways from this lesson are:
1) There are combinations of words that appear one way, (such as a casa) but are pronounced slightly differently because the consonant at the beginning of a word is doubled or reinforced. This is hard to detect for many of us and we don't have to worry about it. It's something we might start noticing at some point.
2) Sometimes, but not always, this doubling or reinforcement is reflected in the spelling of a word, in other words, uniting 2 words into 1. For example, in arrivederci (to seeing each other again) the R is doubled. But its relative expression a sentirci (to hear from each other again) has remained as two separate words. Interesting, right?
3) The exclamation oddio falls into both aforementioned categories and can mean something different from "Oh God" or "Oh my God." It's just something to be aware of, something that has come up in a recent Yabla video. We mentioned it because it provided the spark for this lesson.
Language nerds might like to see this article about the reinforced letters and univerbations in Italian.
Here are some examples of the expression Che c'entra (what does that have to do with it)? along with related expressions and alternate translations.
Note that in Italian, che c'entra can be posed and structured as question, but it's not always the case, especially in the middle of a sentence. It often connects to the rest of a sentence with a comma, such as in this first example. In English, it's clearer with a question mark. Sometimes che c'entra means the same as non c'entra niente.
Che c'entra, io sono il fratello.
What does that have to do with it? I'm her brother.
Caption 13, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP2 Come piante fra sassi - Part 6
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Here, cosa is used in place of che, but it means the same thing. Learn more in this lesson.
Ma questo cosa c'entra con la domanda che Le ho fatto?
But this, what does it have to do with the question I asked you?
Caption 72, Non è mai troppo tardi EP1 - Part 6
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Here, rather than "it" being the implied subject of the sentence, as in the previous examples, the subject is "that delinquent." We might also translate it as, "How is that delinquent involved in this story?"
Perché, cosa c'entra quel delinquente?
Why? What does that delinquent have to do with anything?
Caption 29, Il Commissario Manara S2EP11 - Uno strano incidente di caccia - Part 3
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Here, che c'entra is a way of saying, "So what?"
Ah ma', ma te [romanesco: mamma, ma ti] sei vista? Ma che c'entra, è una maschera di bellezza.
Hey, Mom, but have you looked at yourself? But so what? It's a beauty mask.
Captions 16-17, La Ladra EP. 10 - Un ignobile ricatto - Part 4
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Here are some examples of different conjugations of this expression:
In this example, there is no question at all. And there is no che!
Magari c'entra con quella bambina.
Maybe it has something to do with that little girl.
Caption 60, Il Commissario Manara S2EP11 - Uno strano incidente di caccia - Part 9
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Here is an example of an affirmation in the negative first person singular.
Io con quella pistola non c'entro niente, ve lo giuro.
I have nothing to do with that handgun, I swear.
Caption 91, Provaci ancora prof! S2E5 Vita da cani - Part 13
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And here is a question in the first person singular followed by an affirmation in the second person singular.
E che c'entro io? -E be', c'entri.
And what do I have to do with it? -Well, you do have something to do with it.
Captions 12-13, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3 EP2 - Un nuovo medico in famiglia - Part 17
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Here is the same question, but the answer is said differently, with another question.
Ma io che c'entro? -Ma come che c'entri, Giorgio?
But what do I have to do with that? -But what do you mean, what do you have to do with it, Giorgio?
Captions 33-34, Moscati, l'amore che guarisce EP 2 - Part 5
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These examples use the imperfetto.
Figurati se non c'entrava lei.
No way she wasn't involved.
Caption 13, Provaci ancora prof! S2E4 L'amica americana - Part 25
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Ma che c'entravo io con quello che faceva mio padre?
But what did I have to do with what my father did?
Caption 38, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP2 Rabbia - Part 6
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We hope this little overview has given you a better understanding of this common Italian turn of phrase!
In this lesson, we look at prescindere, an interesting verb that can be used at least 3 different ways. It always involves a preposition, either after it, before it, or both. The basic meaning remains the same, but as you will see, it can be tricky to translate. We will look at all three ways, but let's keep in mind that the first way is the most complicated because we use the conjugated form of the verb. The other two ways use the infinitive, making it easier to figure out.
First, let's unpack this verb because it looks like it might be formed from another verb such as scindere, plus the prefix pre-, standing for "before." And yes! Scindere does exist! It means "to divide," "to separate," or, figuratively, "to differentiate" or "to distinguish." With this in mind, let's look at this "compound" verb that will become part of a phrasal verb.
What does the dictionary say about prescindere? One synonym for the verb prescindere is escludere (to exclude), in other words, to leave out or set aside.
Nasco uomo d'acqua, e il mio racconto non può prescindere da avvenimenti scanditi dal ritmo delle acque, con le sue nebbie, che si disperdono nelle pianure.
I was born a man of the water, and my story can't leave out events articulated by the rhythm of the water, with its fog, that gets lost in the plains.
Captions 14-16, L'arte della cucina Terre d'Acqua - Part 7
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We could also say "My story can't be separate from events..." My story can't be divorced from events..."
The funny thing about prescindere is that it is intransitive, so it doesn't take a direct object, but instead is (usually) followed by the preposition da (of, from). As we have seen in the past, the series about chef Gualtiero Marchesi has moments of fancy prose, and the previous citation is a great example. We note that the English verb "to prescind" does exist, but it's rare. We could even use it as a translation, but it might not be all that helpful to the learner. Language nerds might want to compare and contrast it with "to rescind," which we do use quite a bit, especially in legal contexts.
In the following example, a writer is talking about childhood using prescindere as a conjugated verb, with the preposition da following it. We have translated it in this case with "to be independent of" but it could also be "to be separate from," among other solutions.
Una delle cose più sorprendenti dei figli di solito è realizzare che i propri genitori hanno una vita che prescinde da loro, che li precede e, in parte, li esclude.
One of the most surprising things about children usually is realizing that their parents have a life, which is independent of them, which precedes them, and, in part, excludes them.
Captions 46-49, Romanzo Italiano Lazio - Part 6
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In everyday life, if you listen to Italians converse, you'll often hear prescindere with the preposition a just before it and da just after it: a prescindere da... and we will look at examples of this below. But it might be easier to understand a kind of synonym many Italians use to mean pretty much the same thing: indipendentemente da. That's a mouthful, but easier to understand.
Indipendentemente dal genere o dal numero, io uso sempre "cui", "cui", "cui", "cui", che è invariabile,
Regardless of the gender or the number, I always use "which," "which," "which," "which," which is invariable,
Captions 43-44, Corso di italiano con Daniela Pronomi relativi - Part 3
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Quindi, io posso scegliere una di queste forme indipendentemente... non ci [sic]... indipendentemente da tutto, non c'è una regola.
So, I can choose one of these forms, not taking into account... there's no... regardless of anything. There's no rule.
Captions 30-33, Corso di italiano con Daniela Superlativo assoluto - Part 2
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Let's look at some examples from Yabla videos to discover how a prescindere da is used in a sentence. We begin with Marika, who is speaking pretty casually.
Oggi, a prescindere da come sia iniziata questa cosa, Burano è famosa per questi colori bellissimi che continuano a essere usati.
Today, regardless of how this thing got started, Burano is famous for these very beautiful colors that continue to be used.
Captions 26-27, In giro per l'Italia Venezia - Part 9
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So one meaning of a prescindere (as well as indipendentemente) is "regardless." Good to know, but would you have guessed that without context? Did you notice that Marika used the subjunctive following it? That's what can make it tricky.
But we can also use a prescindere without its second preposition. It can mean something like "in any case," or "no matter what." In the following example, one of the Taviani brothers is talking to the other about setting up a scene on the set of their movie. The positioning is not so important because he is planning to do a close-up.
Va bene quasi a prescindere. Se facciamo un primo piano...
It's fine, almost no matter what. If we do a close-up...
Captions 52-53, Fratelli Taviani La passione e l'utopia - Part 25
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In this case we are leaving what might follow prescindere up to the listener or reader.
Let's say we're talking about a movie that was not well-made on some level, but you liked it anyway.
Mi è piaciuto il film a prescindere (I liked it anyway).
Let's say you have a hike planned for the next day, but the forecast says "rain." Rain or shine, you are going to show up.
Ci vengo a prescindere (I'm coming no matter what).
When we try to speak Italian, but our thoughts are in English, it's hard sometimes to find the right word as well as remembering or learning how to use it. This is often because in one language we'd use a verb and in the other, we'd use a noun plus a different verb.
An example that comes to mind is when you talk about someone hitting someone else. If we look up the verb "to hit," there are various choices, but the main one is perhaps colpire. If we look up colpire, there is a wide range of meanings, including figurative ones.
One word Italians use a lot is the noun uno schiaffo. The sound of it kind of fits the action. But how do we turn that into a verb? We don't say schiaffare for this. The verb schiaffare does exist but it's about flinging something somewhere. When we really need a verb that means "to slap," we can use schiaffeggiare. That's good to know, but knowing how to use schiaffo is perhaps more important, given its popularity. For example, out of thousands of videos on Yabla, there are quite a few with schiaffo and none with schiaffeggiare.
We turn to the verb dare (to give). You give someone a slap — dare uno schiaffo. A slap can be of various degrees, sometimes pretty mild. A woman might slap a man who tries to kiss her. It does the job but isn't necessarily violent. But lots of times uno schiaffo is much more serious and "giving a slap" doesn't really render the meaning. It's not always forceful enough. For Yabla videos, we usually translate dare uno schiaffo with "to give someone a slap," but it doesn't always fill the bill. Technically, uno schiaffo is understood to be given to someone's face, with one's open hand.
Let's look at a few examples from Yabla videos.
Ci voleva [calabrese: gli volevo] dare tanti schiaffi, se li meritava tutti li [calabrese: gli] schiaffi.
I wanted to give him a lot of slaps. He [would have] deserved all those slaps.
Captions 34-35, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP4 Gelo - Part 15
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In English we might have said, I wanted to hit him. He deserved to be beaten up, to be smacked around.
Se mi facevi cadere ti davo uno schiaffo, ti davo.
If you had made me fall, I'd have given you a smack, I would have.
Caption 1, Il Commissario Manara S2EP1 - Matrimonio con delitto - Part 13
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What would we say in English? Maybe "I'd have hit you." "I'd have smacked you."
Dare isn't the only verb available for coupling with schiaffo.
We can also use the verb tirare (to throw, to pull, etc) to give it more emphasis:
Le hai fatto una scenata al pub, le hai anche tirato uno schiaffo.
You made a scene over her at the pub, you also slapped her.
Captions 8-9, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP4 Gelo - Part 5
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Prendere a schiaffi (to slap around) is another variation, with the verb prendere (to take).
Senti un po', ma tu prendi a schiaffi tutti i tuoi ex compagni di corso, oppure è un trattamento speciale?
Listen up, do you slap all your former classmates around, or is it some special treatment?
Captions 4-5, Il Commissario Manara S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto - Part 5
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We can also add a modifier to make uno schiaffo into something more serious, with schiaffone.
L'altra mattina stavo in cucina mangiandomi un panino, è entrata, mi ha dato uno schiaffone,
The other morning, I was in the kitchen eating a sandwich. She came in, she gave me a hard slap,
Captions 53-54, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP3 Un cugino in fuga - Part 7
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As we know, Italians love to use the number 2 to mean "some." And with schiaffo, too, it can be very effective.
Ce vorrebbero du sganassoni, ce vorrebbero [romanesco: ci vorrebbero due schiaffi]. -Cattivo.
He needs two smacks, he does. -Mean.
Caption 52, Un Figlio a tutti i costi film - Part 1
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So the upshot is to remember that in Italian, when slaps, smacks, or cuffs are called for, we give them by way of the verb dare (to give). As we can see, dare is a very powerful verb. Schiaffo does translate with slap, but it can be a bit more general. It's a great word to know!
A good remedy for assimilating phrases like dare uno schiaffo and its variations on it is to watch movies and TV shows (for example, on Yabla) where there's plenty of dialogue. Watch, listen, repeat, and then converse in Italian, even if it means talking to yourself in the mirror! Reading comic books in Italian is a good idea, too.
In future lessons, we'll look at other ways of hitting someone (or rather, talking about it), just because sometimes we need to understand these things, not because we are in favor of violence in any form. We are not!
Here is an expression that is an admonishment not to be lazy. In English, we put this idea into words with the expression: The early bird catches the worm. So in Italian, it's a negative statement and in English, it's a positive statement.
"Chi dorme non piglia pesci". Sì, perché se noi dormiamo pr... molto probabilmente perderemmo parecchie occasioni.
"He who sleeps will not catch any fish". [The early bird catches the worm.] Yes, because if we sleep pr... we would very probably miss many opportunities.
Captions 47-49, Marika spiega Proverbi italiani - Part 1
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You might have noticed right away that while in English "fish" is a collective noun and is the same in the singular and the plural, in Italian, the plural of pesce is pesci.
Pescatori (fishermen) are noted for getting up early to take advantage of the increased activity of fish around dawn. If you sleep instead of getting up, the fishermen will have caught the best fish and there might not be anything left for you.
The verb dormire means "to sleep" and in this case, "to sleep in" or "to sleep late."
Pigliare is another way of saying prendere (to take, to catch). Pigliare is more common in the south but is likely familiar to most Italians.
Si piglia tutto [sic: tutti] i profumi e i sapori della...
It takes on all the scents and the flavors of the...
Caption 44, In cucina con Antonino Episodio 5: il coltivatore del "Limone di Sorrento IGP"
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So it's important not to sleep late or procrastinate when something important is at stake. If you don't act, you might not get what you want.
Quick take: non vuol dire
There is un modo di dire (a turn of phrase) that's handy to know: It's non vuol dire. The missing word is niente: non vuol dire niente (that doesn't mean anything).
You might already know that when talking about the meaning of something, we use the modal verb volere (to want to) plus the verb dire (to say) in Italian.
Cosa vuol dire la parola "pane" (What does the word "pane" mean)?
And in general, when asking what something means, we can say:
Cosa vuol dire (what does that mean)?
Che vuol dire (what does that mean)?
But even when making an affirmation such as: "That doesn't mean anything," or "That doesn't make a difference," Italians just say:
Non vuol dire (that doesn't mean [anything]).
In other words, they leave out "niente." This expression is just something to keep in mind and be on the lookout for.
Here are a couple of examples:
In this scene, Renzo is commenting on the fact that Camilla has been hearing noises during the night and wakes Renzo up.
E certo che c'è silenzio, amore, è notte. Eh, ma non vuol dire però. Ci son delle notti dove non c'è silenzio.
Of course there is silence, love. It's nighttime. Yeah, but that doesn't mean anything, however. There are nights when there is no silence.
Captions 35-37, Provaci ancora prof! S2E6 La strana ossessione - Part 4
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Spy#1 Ma questa è quella di acqua e aceto.
But this is the water and vinegar lady.
Spy#2 Embè? È brutta?
-And so? Is she ugly?
Spy#1 Eh, acqua e aceto.
-Uh, water and vinegar.
Spy#2 E non vuol dire [niente].
-Well, that doesn't mean anything.
Captions 66-68, Liberi tutti EP4 Ma la giacca la vuole tutta? - Part 7
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So spy #1 recognizes the woman's voice as that of Iolde (the one who had offered Michele a drink of water and vinegar in a previous segment). Spy #2 asks if she (Iolde) is ugly. Spy #1 just says, "Water and vinegar" as if to say, "And that's all you need to know." But spy #2 says non vuol dire, as if to say, "That doesn't mean she is ugly." Or he might be saying, "So what? Even if she is ugly, that doesn't necessarily matter."
We will add more examples to this lesson. If you come across an example, feel free to let us know and we'll add it.
This expression refers to when you're hyper, psyched, nervous, excited, revved up, buzzing, or in high gear... You can choose how to visualize it, according to the situation.
E va be', mi è successo di tutto. -No, perché sembri un po' su di giri, ecco.
Well OK, a lot happened to me. -No, because you seem a little revved up, that's it.
Captions 19-20, La Ladra EP. 10 - Un ignobile ricatto - Part 8
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In the previous example, we can see from the context (if we watch the video), that the person who is revved up is revved up in a good way. Eva (the one su di giri) had just had a romantic encounter with Dante and she was on cloud nine, but also very excited.
But in this next example, Nicola is talking about what he has to do in his job as a cop. He often has to visit homes where couples or family members are fighting. The expression is the same, but its nature is different.
Certo, entrare il quel momento dentro casa di queste persone, voi capie'... voi capite che, eh... gli umori sono abbastanza a terra, la rabbia è su di giri
Of course, entering at that moment into the home of these people, you understand... you understand that moods are way low, anger is wound up,
Captions 36-38, Nicola Agliastro Poliziotto
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In this next example, Manrico wants to seduce a woman, and thinks of "getting her going" with a drink.
Cocktailino [sic] per mandarla su di giri, eh? Cenetta, vino rosso...
Little cocktail to get her revved up, huh? Little dinner, red wine...
Captions 64-65, Sposami EP 5 - Part 16
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Now that we have seen a few practical examples of this little expression, let's unpack it.
We're including the verb essere (to be) in the expression, but often it's not included, or another verb is used, such as mandare (to send) as in one of the examples above.
Then we have su which is a preposition meaning "on" but it's also an adverb meaning "upwards" or "up" and that is how it is used here, and often refers to one's mood or state.
Di is a preposition meaning, primarily, "of."
Then we get to the important word: giri. It's the plural of giro, which is a rotation, or, in a mechanical sense, a revolution. That's where "revved up" comes from. More revolutions in less time!
On a car, the tachometer is called il contagiri (the tachometer or rev counter). To keep with the meaning of giri, we have used "revved up" as the translation. But there are so many other ways to interpret the expression, and this "motor" reference might not be appropriate in many situations!
Sometimes, su di giri describes one's heart beating fast (for whatever reason). Sometimes it's about not being able to stop talking, pacing, or tapping one's foot or pencil. It can be about not being able to calm down.
It might be a reason too skip that second cup of coffee.
No, grazie, sono un po' su di giri (no thanks, I'm already a bit wound up).
Are you old enough to remember hit singles? In other words, 45 rpms. This means 45 revolutions per minute on a turntable or record player, as we used to call it. In Italian, it's 45 giri.
Il quarantacinque giri più venduto di Italia è "In ginocchio da te" di Gianni Morandi.
The forty-five that sold the most copies in Italy is "On my Knees Before You" by Gianni Morandi.
Caption 57, L'Eredità -Quiz TV La sfida dei sei. Puntata 2 - Part 8
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The noun giro is a favorite of Italians and can mean so many things. See this lesson for some examples. If you do a search of the noun giro and its plural giri, and diminutives such as un giretto, you will get a sense of the variety of nuances connected to this word. And let's not forget the phrasal adverb in giro which has its own collection of nuances.
We'll also mention the verb girare (to turn, to go around). The verb, too, has a great many meanings and nuances, so check it out.
Let's talk about a little expression that is useful in various situations. It's made up of just three words but it is easily expanded, since sometimes you just want a phrase to stand out in some way by adding words. The expression is Che ne so.
Let's unpack it.
Che can mean "that" or "what." In this case, it's "what," as when it is part of a question.
Ne is a particle that can stand for several things, such as "about it," "of it," "from it" and more. If ne is unfamiliar to you, or you don't know how to use it comfortably, check out Marika's lessons about this particella.
So is the first person singular of the verb sapere (to know).
As you have likely discovered, Italians, rather than just saying the equivalent of "I know," usually say "I know it:" Lo so, or when it's negative, non lo so (I don't know it). But in today's expression, lo (just plain "it") is replaced by ne (about it).
Since the expression is short, the personal pronoun io (I) is often added for emphasis. It doesn't add anything grammatically, but it makes it more personal. In addition, it is often preceded by e (and). Even though e means "and," it's often the equivalent of "so." Sometimes it doesn't really mean anything.
Che ne so io? or Io, che ne so? The pronoun io can go either at the beginning or the end of the expression. This is the equivalent of "How should I know?" "What do I know?" "How would I know?" The following example is one of the most common versions of this expression. Italians don't always think of this expression as being a true question so they don't necessarily use a question mark.
Addò [dove] sta Saverio? -E che ne so.
Where's Saverio? -How do I know?
Captions 14-15, Ma che ci faccio qui! Un film di Francesco Amato - Part 10
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Pasquale, chi è tutta questa gente? -E che ne so, dotto' [dottore]? Qua pare tutti i poveri di Napoli,
Pasquale, who are all these people? -And how should I know, Doc? Here it seems like all the poor people of Naples
Captions 6-7, Moscati, l'amore che guarisce EP 2 - Part 12
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Lojacono is looking for one of the residents of an apartment building and asks the local busybody:
Sa mica se Giacomo Scognamiglio è in casa? -E che ne so, Commissa'?
You don't happen to know if Giacomo Scognamiglio is home? -And how should I know, Chief?
Captions 67-68, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP 3 Vicini - Part 7
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In the following example, Marcello, who is not a very smart guy, but is trying his best, suggests taking a selfie together with the policemen who come to check on Michele (the father of his girlfriend) who is under house arrest.
Oh, ma che so o famo [romanesco: ce lo facciamo] un selfie insieme?
Oh, I don't know, shall we take a selfie together?
Caption 20, Liberi tutti EP3 Quanto è libero un fringuello? - Part 6
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Instead of adding a word, he removes one: ne. It's colloquial and likely Romanesco, and lots of people say it this way. Che so?
Even though we have explained each word, the expression is often merely a way of saying "I don't know," especially when you are making a suggestion, as Marcello is doing. Some people might use the word magari in the same kind of situation. It's just an intercalare (a filler word or expression). Here's an example.
Perché, diciamo... -comunque devono sostenere il peso. -Devono sostenere il peso, più che altro devono fare, che ne so, la stessa cosa per un'ora.
Because, let's say... -anyway they have to support the weight. -They have to support the weight, more than that, they have to, I don't know, do the same thing for an hour.
Captions 50-51, Francesca Cavalli - Part 2
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Here, Che ne so is paired with magari for making a suggestion.
Che ne so, magari stasera a cena? -Può darsi.
I don't know, maybe tonight for dinner? -Maybe.
Caption 93, Il Commissario Manara S1EP8 - Morte di un buttero - Part 2
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Although the expression is commonly used in the first person, it can also be a valid question to someone else, and is more literal in this case.
Eh, quando un uomo si innamora, si dimentica di tutto. -Tu che ne sai? -Così dicono tutti.
Uh, when a man falls in love, he forgets everything. -What do you know? -That's what everyone says.
Captions 38-39, Moscati, l'amore che guarisce EP1 - Part 11
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When you are thinking of what to cook for dinner, what to watch on TV, where to go on a Sunday afternoon, or what to give a friend as a birthday present, try suggesting it in Italian, and throw in a little "che ne so" as you would "I don't know." Have fun with it!
When you hear the common Italian expression metterci una croce sopra (to put a cross on it) you might very likely think of a cross in a cemetery, and that would make sense. You are closing the door on something, burying it, so it's dead to you, you're putting it behind you. But a little research tells us that the origin of the expression is something else entirely.
But first, let's mention a couple of variants of the expression. Many or most expressions change over time or according to region, and this one is no exception. In the following example, the verb fare (to make) is used in place of mettere (to put), but the substance doesn't change.
Per quanto riguarda Parigi, meglio... meglio farci una croce sopra.
Regarding Paris, it's better... it's better to make a cross on it [to cross it off].
Captions 21-22, Volare - La grande storia di Domenico Modugno Ep. 1 - Part 29
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And here, too, it can be fare una croce sopra or farci una croce sopra. The ci stands for "on it" and reinforces the preposition sopra (on / on top of). And in English, we can cross something off a list, or we can cross something out, by putting an X on it, for example. In other words, we use the verb "to cross out" or "to cross off," or we can mark something with an X. But we don't use the noun "cross" for this.
We visited this Italian language website for more information and learned that, although many people do think of a cross in a cemetery when hearing the above-mentioned expression, it actually comes from the field of ragioneria or accounting. In earlier times, before spreadsheets, when it seemed very unlikely that a client would pay up, the accountant would put an X in the margin to call attention to the fact that this money would never be recovered. So when you put an X next to something, you know it is futile, so you just put it behind you.
The cemetery image is not irrelevant however because, interestingly, there is another, very similar expression in Italian, which does have to do with gravestones and cemeteries. The meaning is almost identical, at least nowadays. Una pietra is "a stone," and here it refers to a tombstone or gravestone.
Quindi, perché non ci mettiamo una bella pietra sopra e ripartiamo da zero, eh?
So, why don't we put it behind us and start over from scratch, huh?
Caption 75, Il Commissario Manara S1EP5 - Il Raggio Verde - Part 2
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Vabbè, su quella ormai ci ho messo una pietra sopra.
OK, I've already turned the page on that by now.
Caption 50, Sposami EP 3 - Part 7
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Some graves have crosses, some graves have stones, and some have both. As we see in the translations, there are various ways to say the same thing, depending on the context.
When talking about the old year that just ended, some of us might want to put a cross or tombstone on it. Others might have had a great year! Whatever kind of year you had in 2023, we hope 2024 brings happiness and all things good!
The Italian expression featured in this mini-lesson is something people say when two people get together as a couple, when someone finds a new job, or when a business starts up... things like that. They say:
Se son rose, fioriranno (if they are roses, they'll bloom).
It's a poetic way of saying "Time will tell," or, "The proof of the pudding is in the eating."
Se son rose fioriranno presto.
If they're roses, they'll bloom soon.
Caption 34, La Ladra EP. 3 - L'oro dello squalo - Part 8
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Let's remember that while "rose" is singular in English, rose, in Italian, is the plural of rosa.
Quando questa rosa sarà appassita, io sparirò.
When this rose wilts, I will disappear.
Captions 36-37, La Ladra EP. 11 - Un esame importante - Part 11
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Let's note that rosa is also a color, corresponding to "pink." It's one of those colors that doesn't change in number and gender when used as an adjective, as opposed to nero (black), bianco (white), grigio (grey), and verde (green), among others, which do have to agree with the noun they modify. When rosa the color is used as a noun, it's a masculine noun because the noun colore (color) is masculine. Il colore, un colore.
I pantaloni rosa, il foulard beige, le scarpe blu... sempre lo stesso. OK?
The pink pants, the beige scarf, the blue shoes... always the same, OK?
Captions 33-34, Corso di italiano con Daniela I colori - Part 1
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If this is new to you, check out Daniela's lessons about colors.
Rosa is also a name.
First of all, last week, the lesson was about the participio presente (present participle). Guarda caso (it just so happens) that this week, there is a perfect example of the present participle in the segment of Liberi tutti. It's not quite an expression, but for the purposes of this lesson, we think it can pass.
Sedicente
The breakfast conversation is partially about a guy who calls himself a prince. Riccardo uses the adjective sedicente. We bring it up because it is a perfect example of the present participle used as an adjective. Remember the rule? We can replace it with che and the conjugated verb. In this case, the caption is:
C'è questo sedicente Ciro, Principe di Filicudi, che rivendica tutto il Nido.
There is this self-styled Ciro, Prince of Filicudi, who is laying claim to the entire Nest.
Captions 58-59, Liberi tutti EP2 Ci vivresti on un posto così? - Part 1
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We can translate it with "self-styled" or "so-called," depending on the context.
We just thought it was kind of fun to see this example after having talked about it so recently. We will be adding it to last week's lesson as an update.
Palle
There's another expression from the same video. This one is rather vulgar, but it's used often enough that it's good to understand what it means, even if you choose not to use it (a good choice, especially in polite company).
Di solito a quest'ora vi girano le palle almeno fino alle nove e oggi, stamattina, Fedez. E proprio perché ci girano le palle, parlavamo di Fedez.
Usually at this time your balls are spinning [you're pissed off] until at least nine o'clock and today, this morning, Fedez. And precisely because our balls are spinning, we were talking about Fedez.
Captions 39-41, Liberi tutti EP2 Ci vivresti on un posto così? - Part 1
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Girare means to turn or to spin. This expression is typically used when you are generally in a bad mood because of something that has happened.
It can get more personal with the verb rompere (to break). When someone made you mad and you can't stand it any longer, you can talk about the balls breaking. It can also be translated with "to bother."
Invece di fermare gli spacciatori, vengono a rompere le palle a noi.
Instead of arresting the drug dealers, they come and break our balls.
Caption 4, Provaci ancora prof! S1E1 - Il regalo di Babbo Natale - Part 14
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A ball-breaker is un rompipalle. The more polite version is rompiscatole (box-breaker). It can refer to someone who keeps at you, and doesn't let you alone.
As you may have noticed in other videos, Italians use images of male private parts in a whole range of expressions.
For more about using palle, especially in arguments, see this lesson.
Here, we are talking about balls. Usually, there are two, but when talking about something being boring or annoying, sometimes just one is used.
Era una palla (it was a real bore).
Provolone
In this week's episode of Sposami, Melody describes Manrico as un provolone. It's kind of a cute double-entendre. You might have heard of the cheese provola or provolone.
Certe volte è tenero, è delicato. Poi, all'improvviso, si trasforma in un, in un provolone che pensa a una cosa sola.
Certain times he is tender, he is gentle. Then, all of a sudden, he is transformed into a, into a playboy who thinks of one thing only.
Captions 54-56, Sposami EP 6 - Part 7
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But nested in the word provola or provolone is the verb provare. It means "to try," but it also means, especially as part of the compound verb provarci, to hit on someone, to flirt heavily. Check out our lesson about provarci. Un provolone hits on any and all women (typically).
We see the word che meaning "that" or "which" all the time in sentences. It's a very common conjunction.
Ad Ercolano, c'è un pomodoro che è diventato simbolo di un'importante voglia di cambiamento.
In Ercolano, there is a tomato that has become a symbol of an important desire for change.
Captions 21-22, Pomodori Vulcanici Pomodori del Vesuvio - Part 7
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But che does more. Here is a lesson about using che to say things with simplicity, a great asset when you're just learning. It helps make conversation. Here, it means "how."
Che carino, Però adesso devo scappare, altrimenti mio fratello mi uccide.
How sweet. But now I have to run, otherwise my brother will kill me.
Caption 29, Il Commissario Manara S2EP9 - L'amica ritrovata - Part 11
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Che can also mean "what." See this lesson.
Scusa, ma io che ci faccio qui? Non conto niente.
Sorry, but what am I doing here? I don't count for anything.
Caption 3, Moscati, l'amore che guarisce EP1 - Part 2
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In our featured expression che ne so?, che basically stands for "what." We can often translate che ne so as "What do I know?" Sometimes we might translate it as, "How should I know?" It's often a rhetorical question.
Nilde, ma che mangia il bambino la mattina? -Ma che ne so?
Nilde, but what does the child eat in the morning? -How should I know?
Captions 2-3, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3 EP1: Ciao famiglia - Part 3
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We've taken care of che. But what about that little word ne? Ne is a particle, called una particella in Italian, and if we look ne up in the dictionary we see it means several things. But mostly, it encompasses both a preposition and the indirect object pronoun "it" or "them." See this lesson about ne.
As mentioned in the lesson, we often don't even notice the word ne because it's so short and because we are not looking for it if we're thinking in English. Once you start thinking in Italian, it will become easier to use and notice. Italians will be very tolerant and understand you anyway, even if you don't use it, so don't worry about it too much. But learning an expression with ne will already make you sound more fluent.
In our expression, ne means "about it." The tricky thing is that we don't bother with "about it" in English, but in Italian, not always, but in general, we will hear that little ne in there.
Che ne so? What do I know [about it]?
Finally, we get to so, which is simply the first person singular of the verb sapere (to know).
You might have already learned how to say "I know" and "I don't know" in Italian. Italians add the direct object pronoun lo ("it" or "that").
Sì, lo so (yes I know [that].
Non lo so (I don't know [that]).
But che ne so can also be used in the middle of a sentence, as we would use "I don't know." It's a kind of filler phrase. We can leave it out and the meaning doesn't change much.
perché, diciamo... -comunque devono sostenere il peso. -Devono sostenere il peso, più che altro devono fare, che ne so, la stessa cosa per un'ora.
because, let's say... -anyway they have to support the weight. -They have to support the weight, more than that, they have to, I don't know, do the same thing for an hour.
Captions 50-51, Francesca Cavalli - Part 2
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Ma tu ti devi aggiornare, sarai rimasto sicuramente, che ne so, ai Pooh.
But you have to get up to date. You must have remained, I don't know, at Pooh.
Caption 66, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP5 Lele, ti presento Irene - Part 2
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Allora, due colleghi decidono di scambiarsi il posto, firmano un modulo, e se non ci sono problemi, ma gravi, eh, tipo, che ne so, uno deve essere sotto inchiesta.
So, two colleagues decide to switch places, they sign a form, and if there are no problems, but serious huh, like, I don't know, one [of them] has to be under investigation.
Captions 38-40, Il Commissario Manara S1EP8 - Morte di un buttero - Part 12
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Dice, chissà se c'ha un lenzuolo da piegare, se ti manca... che ne so? C'è un tubo che perde acqua...
Saying, who knows if she has some sheets to fold, if you're out of... I don't know... There's a pipe that leaks...
Captions 39-40, Il Commissario Manara S2EP8 - Fuori servizio - Part 1
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For more about particles ci and ne, see Daniela's video lessons (in Italian).
In this video, Marika explains the particle ne.
When someone states the obvious, or you want to express the fact that it's obvious or should be, there are different things you can say, depending on the situation and intention. In this lesson, we'll take a look at one way, with the verb vedere (to see). In English, there are informal ways we do this, for example with "duh..." often when we have stated the obvious and then realize it. We might also say, "Hello!" or "You're darn right!" when someone else says something that should be clear already.
In this first example, the chief of police tells his detective to do what he has to do. Lojacono, the detective, is of course already planning to do what he has to do. No one could stop him.
Va be', Lojacono, fai quello che devi fare. -E vorrei vedere.
OK, Lojacono, do what you have to do. -I'd like to see [somebody stop me].
Captions 78-79, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP 3 Vicini - Part 5
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In this next example, Inspector Manara has already figured some things out about a murder, so when his detective gives him a report, he is not at all surprised.
Sulle lenzuola non sono state rinvenute tracce organiche. -Vorrei vedere.
On the sheets, no organic traces were found. -Surprise, surprise.
Captions 37-38, Il Commissario Manara S2EP3 - Delitto tra le lenzuola - Part 5
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The doctor's colleague is not very tolerant towards a poor kid who ended up taking drugs. She has a high opinion of herself.
Anch'io non sono mica cresciuta a Paperopoli, però se hai un obiettivo e un po' di forza di volontà, non ci caschi. -Non tutti hanno la tua forza. -Vorrei vedere.
I didn't grow up in Duckburg either, but if you have a goal and a bit of willpower, you won't end up there. -Not everyone has your strength. -You bet they don't (you're darn right).
Captions 13-15, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP3 Un cugino in fuga - Part 12
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But of course, we can also just say è ovvio or ovvio (it's obvious).
Ovvio che piacciono [piacciano] a tua figlia, è uno dei gruppi rock più famosi.
It's obvious that your daughter likes them. It's one of the most famous rock groups.
Caption 64, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP5 Lele, ti presento Irene - Part 2
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But it could have been expressed with vorrei vedere too.
Vorrei vedere se non piacessero a tua figlia, è uno dei gruppi rock più famosi.
To make it even stronger, we could insert anche:
Vorrei anche vedere se non piacessero a tua figlia, è uno dei gruppi rock più famosi.
We can combine two very common verbs into one expression that means "to get busy" or "to work hard." The expression is darsi da fare. We can detect a reflexive ending on the verb dare (to give) with darsi. If we think about it in the first person, it's, "I give myself." What do I give myself? Da fare (stuff to do).
If I am busy and can't talk to you right now, I might say, Ho da fare (I have stuff to do, I am busy).
Ho detto: "Senta, scusi, eh... io c'ho [ho] da fare, è tardissimo, -Mh.
I said, "Listen, I'm sorry, uh... I'm busy, it's really late," -hmm.
Caption 48, Francesca e Marika Gestualità
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But if you are giving yourself stuff to do, with the verb dare (to give) it's more active.
Mi do da fare (I keep myself busy, I work hard).
If we are talking about someone else who works hard in general, we might say:
Si dà da fare (he/she works hard).
Note the accent we place on the third person singular of the verb dare to distinguish it from da, the preposition meaning "of," "to," or "from."
We also use this expression in a command form when we want someone to get to work, to do something, or to get something done.
Datti da fare! (Get to work!, Do something! Get on it!)
Datti da fare pure tu.
You get on it, too.
Caption 13, Provaci ancora prof! S2E4 L'amica americana - Part 16
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If we are talking to more than one person, it's:
Datevi da fare.
We might be talking to a group we are included in, we'll say:
Diamoci da fare (let's get to work, let's get busy).
If we are being polite or formal to one person, it's:
Si dia da fare.
If we want to be polite to more than one person, we need to go into the third person plural:
Si diano da fare.
Tip: Note that when we are using the polite form, it's the same as the subjunctive third person (check out the conjugation chart). We can mostly get by fine without using this polite form, unless we are working in a place where our Italian-speaking employees are people we address formally.
To conclude, da fare can be part of a longer phrase such as Ho tantissime cose da fare (I have lots of things to do), but da fare can be used by itself to just mean "stuff to do."
When you meet someone halfway on a deal, or you go towards someone who is coming towards you, say, on the street, we often use the turn of phrase: andare incontro a.
Andare is "to go" and incontro in this case is an adverb (or preposition) meaning "toward."
Mi puoi venire incontro?
Can you meet me halfway?
Using this turn of phrase can be a little confusing, but here are the elements:
a verb of motion, which is usually andare (to go) or venire (to come). It might even be correre (to run).
the adverb or preposition incontro meaning "toward"
the preposition a (to)
an indirect object noun or pronoun
Let's look at some Yabla examples of how we can use andare incontro a.
The word order can change and often the indirect object comes first, as in the following examples. In this case, the preposition a is included or implied in the indirect pronoun.
Ti vengo incontro (I'll meet you halfway).
È successo che stavo pulendo il locale e...
What happened is that I was cleaning the bar and...
poi l'ho sentita e gli [sic: le] sono andato incontro,
then I heard her and I went towards her,
ma non c'è stato verso di farla ragionare.
but there was no way to get her to reason.
Captions 2-4, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore - S1EP1 L'estate del dito
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La notte, Roma, le sue luci e tu che mi vieni incontro.
The night, Rome, its lights and you coming towards me.
Captions 1-2, La Ladra - EP. 12 - Come ai vecchi tempi
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In the following example, the verb correre (to run) is used instead of andare (to go) or venire (to come), but it works the same way.
Attori, tecnici, comparse gli corrono incontro.
Actors, technicians, extras run towards them.
Caption 16, Vivere - Un'avventura di Vittorio De Sica - Part 10
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If, rather than a pronoun, I use a noun (la difficoltà) as an object, as in the next examples, then I will need the proposition a.
Vado incontro a tante difficoltà.
(I'm going to run into plenty of difficulties).
Io vado incontro al mio destino
I go towards my destiny
Caption 21, Niccolò Fabi - Lontano da me
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Io e Sua Eminenza cercheremo una soluzione
His Eminence and I will look for a solution
quanto possibile per venire incontro
as far as possible to meet you half way
a quello che Lei mi ha chiesto.
for what you have asked me.
Captions 29-31, Vivere - Un'avventura di Vittorio De Sica - Part 9
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In the next example, it's a bit different, because Nora is using the first person plural to make things sound more collaborative, but the meaning is clear. She wants a discount.
Senta, io so che Lei è un professionista, una brava persona,
Listen, I know that you are a professional, a good person,
quindi non possiamo venirci incontro un pochino sul prezzo?
so can't we meet halfway a bit on the price?
Captions 25-26, Sposami - EP 4 - Part 14
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Another reason andare incontro a can cause confusion is that l'incontro exists as a noun (the encounter) and incontrare means "to meet" or "to encounter." The first person singular of incontrare is incontro (I encounter, I meet). For more on these meanings, see this lesson: Close Encounters with Incontro.
In addition, in is a preposition all on its own meaning "to" or "in." Contro is a preposition meaning "against."
Era ora. If we unpack it, we can see we have the imperfetto (simple past tense) of the verb essere (to be). And then we have ora. It means "hour" or "time" if we put an article in front of it, but it is also an adverb, meaning "now." In the case of the expression, there is no article and so it's not exactly clear which part of speech is meant. It doesn't really matter, because it's an expression that never changes.
Note that in Italian, it's always in the past tense, the imperfetto to be precise. In English, on the other hand, we can say it in the past or the present, or we can leave the verb out altogether. To form this expression in English, we do add the word "about." "It's about time," or "It was about time," or just, "About time!" We might also say, "High time."
Era ora is a great expression and easy to use. There is always an imaginary exclamation point after it. When someone arrives late, it is something to say, but it's a veiled reprimand (meaning, "you're late!"), depending on one's tone and facial expression, so it should be used with care when directed at a person. It can also refer to a situation, such as a delayed train or delivery.
We have hunted through Yabla videos to find some examples you can watch and listen to.
Eccomi qua.
Here I am.
-Ce l'hai fatta. Era ora, Mirò!
-You did it. It was about time, Mirò!
Sono contenta che tu sia tornato giù.
I'm glad you came back down.
Captions 70-73, Gatto Mirò - EP6 Buon compleanno
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Ragazzi, ho portato le birre.
Guys, I've brought the beers.
-Era ora!
-It was about time!
Meno male che qualcuno ha pensato di portare da bere,
Good thing that someone thought of bringing something to drink,
sembrava la festa delle medie! -Ecco qua.
it seemed like a junior high school party. -Here you go.
Captions 9-12, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP12 - Le verità nascoste
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Manara is very late for his dinner at Toscani's house. That's why Toscani says, when he opens the door:
Era ora, eh!
About time, huh!
Che è?
What is it?
Ma che stai a fa' [che fai]?
But what are you doing?
-Con permesso? Permesso?
-Allow me to come in, may I?
Captions 28-31, Il Commissario Manara - S2EP1 - Matrimonio con delitto
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Manara, being Manara, has grabbed the wine off the table, gone back to the door, and come in a second time (saying Permesso), pretending he has brought the bottle.
Here, the police went through all the bags of the bus passengers and it took a while.
Questo è l'ultimo e l'ispezione dei bagagli è finita.
This is the last one, and the inspection of the luggage is complete.
-I ragazzi hanno avuto le loro borse?
-Do the guys all have their bags?
-Tutti andati pure. Prego.
-They've all gone, too. Please.
-Era ora anche, eh.
-It was about time, too, huh.
Captions 47-50, Il Commissario Manara - S2EP9 - L'amica ritrovata
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Eva goes to see her favorite counterfeiter after a long absence.
La ladra più bella del mondo!
The most beautiful thief in the world!
Era ora che te [ti] facevi rivede [rivedere].
It was high time you reappeared.
Sono passati tanti anni!
Many years have passed!
Captions 48-50, La Ladra - EP. 1 - Le cose cambiano
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A friend chastising another for not going out enough.
Che c'è che non va?
What's wrong?
Niente, una storia con un uomo
Nothing, a relationship with a man
che rischia di diventare importante.
that's in danger of becoming important.
-Be', era ora, no?
-Well, it was about time, wasn't it?
Captions 45-47, La Ladra - EP. 8 - Il momento giusto
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A relationship had been hampered by some psychological problems.
Fine dell'Edipo. -Era ora.
My Oedipus complex is over. -About time.
Caption 9, La Ladra - EP. 12 - Come ai vecchi tempi
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Camilla's car has a hard time starting. When the motor finally turns over, era ora (it was about time)!
Forza, dai, dai, dai, ci siamo, ci siamo.
Come on, come on, come on, come on, we're there, we're there.
-Sì, ci siamo. -Ma quanno 'a cambi qua stufa [romanesco: ma quando lo cambi quel rudere]?
-Yes, we made it. -But when are you going to trade in that jalopy?
-Fatto, ecco.
-Done, there we go.
-Era ora. -Sei stato fortissimo.
-About time. -You were great.
Captions 27-30, Provaci ancora prof! - S2EP1 - La finestra sulla scuola
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Era ora is a way of saying "finally!" And sometimes both expressions can be used together.
Be', hanno fatto la pace.
Well, they made up.
Era ora, finalmente.
It was about time, finally.
Captions 68-69, Provaci ancora prof! - S2EP2 Una mina vagante
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Although Era ora works fine on its own, and that is the scope of this lesson, it can also be part of a sentence and will generally be followed by che, in which case we need the subjunctive.
Era ora che mi telefonassi (it was about time you called me).
We have seen before that Italians use the number 2 or sometimes the number 4 to indicate "a small number" or a small amount.
È qua, siete fortunato, è proprio qua a due passi.
It's here, you're lucky, it's right here, a couple of steps away [very close by].
Caption 6, Moscati, l'amore che guarisce - EP1 - Part 20
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Faccio due passi.
I'm going to step out/I'm going to take a walk.
Caption 26, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone - EP1 I Bastardi - Part 22
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We use due passi when we want to suggest taking a little walk with someone, often to talk about something private while walking.
Facciamo due passi (shall we take a walk)?
Due spaghetti indicates a simple, humble meal featuring pasta. It can also indicate a plate of spaghetti.
Let's remember that in Italian, spaghetti is the plural of spaghetto, a certain shape of pasta, resembling string. In fact, the name of the pasta comes from the noun lo spago, the word for "twine." Literally, due spaghetti is "two spaghetti strands." But obviously, two is just a symbolic amount meaning "some."
Due chiacchiere, expressed in the plural, is a chat, with the idea that it will be brief. It also implies that it will be rather informal.
Va bene, allora voglio fare due chiacchiere con quella cameriera.
All right, then I want to have two chats [a little chat] with that waitress.
Caption 6, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP8 - Morte di un buttero - Part 13
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In this case, the number is accurate, because whoever is using this expression is referring to balls or testicles (which usually come in twos). But the figurative meaning is that something is a pain in the ass or a real bore. It's colloquial, and not for polite conversation, but it is common enough that we thought it was important to mention it here.
Che due palle means, "what a pain," "what a bummer," "this sucks," or "this is so boring."
Questa proprio du' palle, nun poi capi' [romanesco: due palle, non puoi capire].
This lady is a real pain in the ass, you can't imagine.
Caption 41, Un Figlio a tutti i costi - film - Part 18
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Sì? -Me so' [romanesco: mi sono] fatto du' [romanesco: due] palle così.
Yes? -I was bored out of my mind.
Caption 37, Volare - La grande storia di Domenico Modugno - Ep. 1 - Part 17
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In this lesson, we have considered the number two as an adjective before certain nouns, combinations that are particularly common, but we can use the number 2, when referring to any countable noun, just about. It can mean "a few," "some," or "not too many," so keep your eyes open for the number 2 and think about whether it is literal or figurative...
And of course, if you think of other expressions or word combinations with the number 2, we are happy to expand our library of examples, especially if you find them in Yabla videos. Write to us at newsletter@yabla.com or as a comment in the video you find the example in.
When we are judging the merits of what someone is saying, one thing we might say, when it's just a bunch of baloney, is:
Tutto fumo, niente arrosto.
Literally, this means, "all smoke, no roast." A roast refers to meat, so there is also no meat on the bones, although that is a different metaphor.
There are various ways to express this in English, for example:
All talk and no action.
All talk and no walk.
All talk and no trousers.All smoke and no fire. (added by 89 year-old reader)
The basic idea is that il fumo (the smoke) has an odor that might take on the aroma of un arrosto (a roast) on the spit or in the oven, and might seem at first like there is something underneath it, something good to eat, but it actually has no substance. You can't eat the smoke.
Another, more literal way of saying this in Italian is: È tutta apparenza e niente sostanza (it's all appearance, but no substance).
Of course, Italians love food, and un arrosto is one of those items that is traditional fare for il pranzo della domenica (Sunday dinner). For those who like to eat meat, it smells divine as it is cooking.
Oggi [mi ha] promesso arrosto di maiale con patate.
Today she promised me pork roast with potatoes.
Caption 3, Questione di Karma - Rai Cinema
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Fumo (smoke) is used in Italian, much as we use it in English, when something goes up in smoke.
Avrebbe rovinato tutto,
He would have ruined everything,
avrebbe mandato in fumo il mio sogno.
he would have made my dream go up in smoke.
Captions 52-53, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP9 - Morte in paradiso
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Allora va tutto in fumo.
So it will all go up in smoke.
Caption 32, La Ladra - EP. 2 - Viva le spose
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Don't let your Italian studies go up in smoke!
Let's keep in mind, as well, that fumo is also the first person singular of the verb fumare (to smoke).
Non fumo (I don't smoke).
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