In our previous lesson, we tackled a unique Italian grammar collision: using a reflexive verb inside an impersonal statement. This happens when two conditions meet: 1) We use a reflexive verb like vestirsi (to dress oneself), where si is part of the verb. 2) We want to speak impersonally ("people in general"), which also requires the subject si.
Other Ways to Say the Same Thing:
To help you see how this structure compares to other common subject pronouns and nouns, look at these alternative options:
Uno si veste a cipolla per fare trekking. (Using the singular pronoun uno (someone): "One dresses in layers...")
Una persona che va a fare trekking si veste a cipolla. (Using a singular noun una persona: (a person dresses...)
La gente, quando fa trekking, si veste a cipolla. (Using the collective singular noun la gente: "People dress...")
Le persone che fanno trekking si vestono a cipolla. (Using the plural noun le persone, which forces the verb into the plural si vestono).
Ci vestiamo a cipolla quando facciamo trekking. (Using the "we" form: "We dress ourselves in layers when we hike." Here, ci actually does mean "us"!).
Ci si veste a cipolla quando si fa trekking. (impersonal + reflexive combo: "People dress in layers when people/they go hiking.")
We closed the previous lesson with this example that uses 2 different kinds of impersonal forms. Let's examine this clip further.
The second boldface set of words: si mangiano pietanze is not a reflexive construction, but we can consider this si to be impersonal, since there is no mention of anyone specific. There is, however, a direct object: le pietanze (the dishes). The verb mangiare can take a direct object, for example, Mangio la pizza una volta alla settimana (I eat pizza once a week) or not: Si mangia (time to eat)! With the presence of a direct object we have to pay attention to whether the object is singular or plural. With a singular direct object, the verb will be in the singular.
Si mangia la pizza in pizzeria o a casa (Pizza can be eaten in a pizzeria or at home/One can eat pizza in pizzeria or at home).
But if the direct object is in the plural, the verb flips to the plural to agree with the plural object!
Si mangiano tanti tipi di pizza in quella pizzeria (many types of pizza can be eaten in that pizzeria/one can eat many types of pizza in that pizzeria).
➡️ If you have read Italian grammar books, you might know that when we are using a verb transitively, that is, with a direct object, the si is technically called the si-passivante, because it shifts the focus of the sentence, just as when we use the passive voice in English. The object pietanze (dishes) becomes a passive subject, and the phrase can be translated in the passive voice in English. When the direct object is in the singular, the si acts just like a si impersonale. We just have to remember that when we see a direct object in the plural, the verb has to agree with it. Having to remember what a si passivante is might just add confusion to an already tricky grammatical concept. Here's the example from the previous lesson, which we hope is clearer now. We've provided two different translations that work.
E come tanti altri italiani, il ventiquattro sera, verso le sette, ci si mette a cena, e si mangiano pietanze a base di pesce.
And like many other Italians, the evening of the twenty-fourth, around seven, one sits down to dinner, and one eats dishes with fish as their basis.
And like many other Italians, the evening of the twenty-fourth, around seven, people sit down to dinner, and dishes with fish as their basis are eaten.
Captions 5-8, Marika spiega La Vigilia di Natale
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And here is an example that contains 3 different ways we use the impersonal reflexive. We looked at the first 2 ways in the previous lesson, so pay close attention to the 3rd way.
Questa è la stanza in cui ci si rilassa, si legge, si fanno tante attività.
This is the room in which one relaxes, one reads, one does many things.
Captions 2-3, Marika spiega Il salone
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Here are two examples with a transitive use of the verb vedere. The object would be la città, a singular noun. But we could easily express this in the passive mood. Can the whole city be seen? So we can sense that whether there is a direct object or not, the si is impersonal. The only trap is that when the direct object is plural, we have to use the plural with the verb after si.
Si vede tutta la città?
Can one see the whole city?
Can the whole city be seen?
Caption 2, La compagnia del cigno S2 EP 2 - Part 13
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Here's another example where the object is in the plural, and so when we use an impersonal formula, the verb vedere has to be in the plural to agree with the noun. The translation is in the active mood, but we could also say, "The frescos from that time are still visible." The focus is on the frescoes, and so linguistically speaking, this is a si passivante, not impersonal. The English translations in the passive voice often sound stilted, so we often use active-voice translations, but the Italian way of using this impersonal construction with si-passivante is used all the time.
E si vedono ancora degli affreschi di allora.
And one still sees frescoes from that time.
Frescoes from that time are still seen.
Caption 14, Meraviglie EP. 1 - Part 14
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Here, the direct object is dischi (CDs) and comes first.
I dischi non si vendono più.
CDs are no longer selling.
Caption 51, Chi m'ha visto film - Part 2
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Here, the direct object comes first, and it's in the singular and so is the verb.
Ma l'appartamento si vende, Le interessa?
But the apartment is for sale. Are you interested?
Caption 65, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP5 Rione Serra Venerdì - Part 11
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One word we find very often in the si-formula with a direct object is parlare (to speak). Go into a city like Rome or Florence, and you might see signs that say: Qui si parla inglese (here, English is spoken). In our next example, the direct object is dialetto.
Che dialetto si parla a Milano?
What dialect do they speak in Milan?
What dialect is spoken in Milan?
Caption 37, L'Italia a tavola Interrogazione sulla Lombardia
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But if we want to talk about multiple dialects, we need to put the verb in the plural to agree with dialetti. As you can see, in English, it works in either the passive voice, or the active voice.
In Puglia si parlano tanti dialetti.
In Puglia, many dialects are spoken.
In Puglia, they speak many dialects.
Caption 32, L'Italia a tavola Interrogazione sulla Puglia
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Talking About People in General (the ci si formula)
When you want to talk about people in general and what they do, there are various options in Italian. Let's kick off the lesson with a common fact: Italians eat a lot of pasta.
We can say:
Gli italiani mangiano tanta pasta (Italians eat a lot of pasta).
In Italia, quasi tutti mangiano la pasta (in Italy, almost everyone eats pasta).
But we have another very popular option. Instead of specifying anyone in particular with nouns like "Italians" or "everyone," we can use a special formula to talk about what "people in general" do. We do this by placing the little word (also called a "particle") si right before a third-person singular verb. Here it is in action:
In Italia, si mangia tanta pasta.
Even though it translates to "In Italy, people eat a lot of pasta," this formula with si functions a bit like the English word "one" (as in, "one eats a lot of pasta in Italy"). The basic rule for this general si structure is that the verb stays in the third-person singular almost all the time (with some exceptions we'll get to later).
And if you are ever a guest in an Italian home, you will definitely hear someone call out:
"Si mangia!" It means "it's time to eat!" or "The food's on the table!"
Literally, it translates to "one eats," making it the ultimate everyday example of this structure in action.
Now we know that when we're talking about people in general performing an action, we can just put si in front of the third-person singular verb, such as si mangia (one eats/people eat) or si viaggia (one travels/people travel).
"Ormai si viaggia più spesso in aereo",
"These days, one travels more and more often by plane,"
Caption 32, Corso di italiano con Daniela La forma passiva - Part 3
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The Grammar Collision: When Reflexive Verbs Join the Party
So far, the verbs we've talked about have been, let's say, standard verbs. But what happens when the verb we want to use with a si formula is already a reflexive verb? That's when the "collision" happens.
That's because we also use this same particle, si, when conjugating reflexive verbs, those verbs in which the subject and the object are the same. ➡️ Learn about reflexive verbs in this lesson, and how to conjugate them in this lesson.
When we conjugate a verb like svegliarsi (to wake up), we need si.
Tutte le mattine si sveglia con il cuscino pieno di lacrime.
Every morning she wakes up with her pillow full of tears.
Caption 42, Volare - La grande storia di Domenico Modugno Ep. 2 - Part 15
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So when we have a conjugated reflexive verb where we need si AND an impersonal formula where we need si, we have a unique kind of grammar collision.
In other words:
1) We use a reflexive verb like vestirsi (to dress oneself), where si is part of the verb. For example: Di solito, una persona che fa trekking si veste a cipolla (usually, a person who goes hiking dresses in layers).
2) We want to speak impersonally ("people in general"), which also requires the subject si (as we illustrated earlier in the lesson).
In essence, we want to combine the impersonal subject with a reflexive verb. So we try it out: Di solito si si veste a cipolla...
But that does not cut it. It is not good Italian. To Italians, repeating si - si doesn't work. To make it sound better, Italian grammar requires always changing the first particle in a double-pronoun chain. Since the reflexive pronoun si is stuck tightly to the verb, it stays where it is, and it is actually the first si (the impersonal one) that changes to ci.
So this is the process:
⚠️ It's easy to confuse this grammatical ci with the word ci meaning "us." In fact, this is just one of the many ways we use ci in Italian! ➡️ For more on ci, see this lesson!
Real-World Examples from the Wild
Let’s look at how we use this ci-si trick with everyday verbs: divertirsi (to have fun), svegliarsi (to wake up), riposarsi (to rest), sentirsi (to feel).
A Dixieland ci si diverte con poco e nulla.
At Dixieland one has fun with next to nothing.
Caption 30, Dixiland La magia di Tribo
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E, no. -No, domani è domenica, ci si sveglia tardi, -E sì. -ci si riposa.
No. -No, tomorrow is Sunday, one wakes up late, -Yes. -one rests.
Captions 45-46, La compagnia del cigno S2 EP 2 - Part 11
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E... volevo chiederti, come ci si sente da sposati?
And... I wanted to ask you, how does one feel, married?
Captions 52-53, Sposami EP 5 - Part 16
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In this next example, the speaker is using the impersonal form to speak in general about modern life, using "one" in the third-person singular.
Note that the last 2 verbs are reflexive verbs: vestirsi (to dress) and pettinarsi (to style one's hair), so for the first 2 verbs — viaggiare (to travel) and parlare (to talk), there is just the impersonal si, and for the last 2, we find ci si, in other words, both the impersonal si transformed into ci and the reflexive si.
Perché qua sta cambiando un po' tutto. -Sì, e... Come si viaggia, come si parla, come ci si veste, come ci si pettina.
Because here, everything is kind of changing. -Yes, and... The way one travels, the way one talks, the way one dresses, the way one styles one's hair.
Captions 11-13, Volare - La grande storia di Domenico Modugno Ep. 1 - Part 23
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A Sneak Peek into the next lesson on this topic:
Here is an example using the verb mettersi (a very common reflexive form of mettere — to put), meaning to sit down/set oneself to a task. Pay close attention to the second half of this sentence:
E come tanti altri italiani, il ventiquattro sera, verso le sette, ci si mette a cena, e si mangiano pietanze a base di pesce.
And like many other Italians, the evening of the twenty-fourth, around seven, we sit down to dinner, and one eats dishes with fish as their basis.
Captions 5-8, Marika spiega La Vigilia di Natale
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Did you spot the twist? The phrase si mangiano refers to an object in the plural (le pietanze - the dishes), so the verb magically flips to the plural to agree with it! This takes some getting used to, and it brings us to our next big topic...
The Plural Object Trap: If people are acting on multiple objects, the verb unexpectedly flips to the plural!
Standard: Ci si prepara un caffè. (One prepares a coffee.)
The Trap: Ci si preparano tre caffè. (One prepares three coffees.)
When you are out in the wild watching Italian videos or chatting with locals, don't worry about memorizing heavy grammar terms. Just remember our two simple visual tricks:
The si-si fix: When a verb is reflexive and impersonal, change that first si to ci to keep things flowing smoothly (ci si veste).
The order rule: The front word (ci) means "people in general," and the back word (si) stays glued to the verb.
In our next lesson, we are going to dive deeper into that final example. We will unpack exactly why si mangia suddenly transforms into si mangiano when plural objects enter the room. Until then, keep your ears open for the ci-si trick. Alla prossima!
Thanks for reading. Write to us at [email protected]. We love to hear from you!
It's easy to get confused between two similar verbs, supportare and sopportare, especially since they both look similar to the English verb "to support." As a matter of fact, they also both come from the same Latin roots: the Latin prefix "sub-" (meaning "under" or "from below") combined with "portare" (meaning "to carry"). There are other Italian and Latin words with variant spellings, so that's not so unusual, but supportare and sopportare had different evolutions and now have different meanings.
Supportare is a cognate of the English "support," in both physical and figurative senses. It gives a sense of aid, and therefore, of something positive.
La Space Station è fornita di enormi pannelli solari, pannelli fotovoltaici che generano l'energia necessaria per supportare tutta l'infrastruttura e gli astronauti a bordo della stazione orbitale.
The Space Station is equipped with huge solar panels, photovoltaic panels, which generate the necessary energy to support the entire infrastructure and the astronauts aboard the orbital station.
Captions 67-71, Space to ground EP2 Energia dell'universo. Luce - Part 2
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Ma ci sono state anche tutte delle cose che sono nate per supportare le famiglie degli operai.
But there have also been all the things that were created to support the families of the workers.
Captions 76-78, Romanzo Italiano Campania - Part 3
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There is a noun form as well: il supporto
No, io volevo ri'... chiaramente ringraziare la dottoressa Piras per il supporto che ci ha dato durante tutto il nostro processo investigativo.
No, I wanted, of course, to thank Doctor Piras for the support she gave us during our entire investigative process.
Captions 7-9, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP1 I Bastardi - Part 26
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Here are some synonyms for supportare when it's physical or structural:
And here are synonyms when supportare has to do with people, ideas, projects, etc.
Although stemming from the same Latin root, sopportare has an entirely different meaning from supportare. The English word "to bear," with its different connotations, does provide some overlap, however.
Sopportare tends to express a sense of bearing something negative, enduring or tolerating an emotional burden, for example, but also a physical one.
Livietta è troppo piccola per sopportare il peso di un divorzio.
Livietta is too young to bear the burden of a divorce.
Caption 11, Provaci ancora prof! S1E3 - Una piccola bestia ferita - Part 19
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È quando torni dall'ufficio col muso lungo che proprio non ti sopporto.
It's when you come back from the office with a long face that I just can't stand you.
Captions 44-45, Com'è umano lui Film - Part 18
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Sopportare has some synonyms, some of which overlap with supportare. Read about one of them, reggere, in this lesson.
In everyday conversation, sopportare will likely be the verb we hear more often, especially in reference to relationships. But as English terminology gains standing in the Italian language, especially in the area of psychology and therapy, supporto is used more and more often, especially in contexts such as the following: support group = gruppo di supporto.
Insomma, il bastardo t'ha fatto un gruppo di supporto perché non suoni abbastanza bene.
So, basically, the bastard made a support group for you because you don't play well enough.
Captions 27-28, La compagnia del cigno S2 EP 2 - Part 3
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A common synonym for the noun il supporto is il sostegno.
Questo prodotto si caratterizza della fatica [sic: è caratterizzato dalla fatica] di molti uomini che hanno la capacità di trasformare scarti di produzione alimentare in un prodotto nobile, capace di dare sostegno al cammino dell'uomo.
This product is characterized by the efforts of many men who have the ability to transform food production waste products into a noble product, capable of giving support to man's stride.
Captions 13-16, L'Italia che piace Stile di vita - Part 4
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In English, we can talk about a support group, but we can also say someone is being supportive. In this case, too, we can use di supporto. Or we can say solidale.
Dobbiamo essere solidali.
Dobbiamo essere di supporto.
We have to be supportive.
Caption 56, Sposami EP 3 - Part 20
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Let's not overlook a very important adjective we use to describe a person or situation: insopportabile, used more often in its negative form. We have used "unbearable" as the English translation, but we can also use "obnoxious," "intolerable," "insufferable," and other similar adjectives.
Melissa è insopportabile,
Melissa is unbearable.
Caption 3, JAMS S1 EP1 - Part 4
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A positive form of the adjective exists as well. It's used a lot when referring to pain. Is it bearable? È sopportabile?
Ma vedi, il mondo è diviso in due categorie: quelli come te, che cercano di renderlo migliore, e quelli come me che cercano solo di renderlo sopportabile.
But you see, the world is divided into two categories: the ones like you, who try to make it better and the ones like me who just try to make it tolerable.
Captions 61-63, Il Commissario Manara S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena - Part 3
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We hope this lesson hasn't been too insopportabile. We just want to be di supporto, in other words, supportive.
Questions? Comments? Write to us at [email protected]. We love to hear from you!
Lasciare and partire both mean "to leave." So, what's the difference, if any?
Actually, there is a big difference, especially in grammatical terms. Lasciare is a transitive verb, meaning it takes a direct object. You leave a place, a thing, a person. Other meanings are: "to abandon," "to leave behind," "to let," "to let go," or "to allow."
Tanto anche se mi cacciano non mi importa, mia madre vuole che lasci Milano.
In any case, if they kick me out, I don't care. My mother wants me to leave Milan.
Captions 5-6, La compagnia del cigno EP 6 - Part 10
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When forming compound tenses, the auxiliary verb avere (to have) is used.
Tu hai finalmente lasciato quel tuo inutile fidanzato, e tua madre ed io ne siamo stati felici per te.
You finally left that useless boyfriend of yours and your mother and I were happy about that for you.
Captions 65-67, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1 EP6 Buio - Part 11
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When you want someone to get off your back, either physically or figuratively, lasciare is a good verb to use.
Ma come ti... -Guarda che ti posso pagare... -Lasciami!... -te l'ho detto. Lasciami!
But how... -Look, I can pay you... -Let me go!... -I told you. Let me go!
Captions 24-25, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP5 Misericordia - Part 28
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But this expression can be expanded, too:
Ma come ti sei vestita? -Ehi, lasciami stare.
But how did you dress? -Hey, leave me be.
But how did you dress? -Hey, leave me alone.
Captions 40-41, La compagnia del cigno EP 5 - Part 15
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Lasciatemi stare!
Let (plural) me be!
Caption 13, La compagnia del cigno EP 6 - Part 10
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Here's another common way to say "leave me alone."
Lasciami in pace.
Leave me alone (literally, "leave me in peace").
Caption 80, Com'è umano lui Film - Part 30
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Of course, in English, when we say "leave me alone," we don't mean literally "alone," we mean, "stop bothering me," or "get off my back."
Attenzione! We can also use the reflexive form of lasciare: lasciarsi, which can either mean to let yourself do something, as in the following example:
La gente quando mangia, si lascia andare, non tiene difese e io la guardo.
When people eat, they let themselves go, they let their guard down and I observe them.
Captions 35-36, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP2 Rabbia - Part 4
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Note that when we use the reflexive form lasciarsi, we use the auxiliary essere (to be).
Da quando a Cappellini era morta la moglie, si era lasciato andare in un modo decisamente eccessivo.
Since Cappellini's wife died, he had let himself go in such a way [that was] decidedly excessive.
Captions 10-12, Provaci ancora prof! S2E3 Dietro la porta - Part 16
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We can use lasciarsi reciprocally, as when a couple breaks up.
No, ci siamo lasciati.
No, we broke up.
Caption 91, Provaci ancora prof! S3EP3 La terza vittima - Part 4
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Partire, on the other hand, is an intransitive verb. No direct object here.
Devo partire con lei.
I have to leave with her.
Caption 7, La compagnia del cigno EP 6 - Part 10
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Purtroppo martedì noi partiamo per Londra.
Unfortunately, on Tuesday we leave for London.
Caption 11, Sposami EP 3 - Part 6
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We use the verb partire to mean "to start," as in a car not starting:
Problemi, prof? -E sì, non parte.
Problems, Prof? -Yes, it [the car] won't start.
Captions 53-54, Provaci ancora prof! S3EP2 Doppio imprevisto - Part 3
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But we also use it when we want to start doing something, such as a race, a competition, a discussion, or when we start rehearsing a musical piece together.
Partiamo con gli assaggi dei vostri arancini.
We'll begin with tasting your rice balls.
Caption 2, JAMS S1 EP4 - Part 3
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We hope you have a better idea about the difference between lasciare and partire. This is a partial picture, as both of these verbs are used in various situations, with nuanced meanings. Write to us with your questions or comments. We love to hear from you: [email protected].
The verb cuocere is a normal ho-hum verb about cooking, but that is not all it has to offer.
Nel frattempo che la pasta si cuoce, cuociamo il pomodoro.
Meanwhile, while the pasta is cooking, we'll cook the tomatoes.
Caption 29, In cucina con Antonino Episodio 4: il coltivatore del pomodorino del
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When something is cooked, è cotto. It's worth noting that cuocere is an irregular verb. Check out its conjugation chart. An archaic version of cuocere is cocere, which allows the irregularities to make more sense. We might liken this verb to muovere (to move) in terms of conjugation, with its participle mosso.
If you like your meat well done, ben cotto is what you will ask the waiter for.
È ben cotto, come piace a te.
It's well-done, just like you like it.
Caption 70, Provaci ancora prof! S2E5 Vita da cani - Part 10
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Sì, perché deve essere cotto al punto giusto, ma stavamo parlando anche della cottura delle patate
Yes, because it must be cooked to perfection, but we were also talking about the cooking of the potatoes
Captions 49-50, JAMS S1 EP7 - Part 3
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When we talk about cottura, we often talk about tempo di cottura (cooking time), such as on a package of pasta. Every type of pasta has a different tempo di cottura. Or we talk about cooking method: il tipo di cottura.
Cuocere is a transitive verb. We cook something. But if we just cook, we can use the verb cucinare (to cook).
Insegnami a cucinare.
Teach me to cook.
Caption 27, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP3 I giardini della memoria - Part 22
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Who does the cooking? Il cuoco (the cook, the chef).
Mi piacerebbe diventare cuoco.
I'd like to become a chef.
Caption 20, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP6 Dalla parte degli ultimi - Part 18
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The verb cuocere can be used figuratively, too. Quando prendi una cotta, (when you get cooked), you are head over heels in love with someone or you have a crush on someone. Cuocere is "to cook." And we use the verb prendere (to take, to get), usually in its reflexive form.
Mi sa che qui qualcuno si è preso una cotta per te, eh.
I think that someone has a crush on you, huh.
Caption 60, JAMS S1 EP2 - Part 5
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È cotto marcio. -Totale.
He is cooked rotten [madly in love]. -Totally.
Captions 1-2, Provaci ancora prof! S3 EP2 Doppio imprevisto - Part 27
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Il cotto is a kind of tile, made of terracotta or earthenware. It is very popular in Italy for floors, both indoors and outdoors. Il cotto is also a regional, abbreviated way of referring to cooked ham — prosciutto cotto.
Let's not forget our S prefix. Scottare can mean to blanch something in water with its synonym, sbollentare. The verb "bollentare" without the s-prefix doesn't seem to exist, but we can see that sbollentare comes from bollire (to boil).
Seicento grammi di castagne sbollentate,
Six hundred grams of blanched chestnuts,
Caption 6, Ricette di Natale Il Monte Bianco
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Scottare can also mean "to burn," or "to sear." As an adjective, scotto means overcooked.
Quindi gli han fatto mangiare risotto freddo scotto? -Sì, sì.
So they made them eat cold, overcooked risotto? -Yes, yes.
Caption 12, Benvenuti in Galera Bollate, Milano - Part 10
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Sbollire, on the other hand, has to do with calming down. In English, we have the expression "Simmer down." Of course, if we are talking about cooking, then whatever was boiling has to cool down.
Ho creduto fosse meglio fargli sbollire la rabbia, tanto prima o poi mi avrebbe richiamata.
I thought it best to give him time to let him calm down his anger, as, sooner or later, he would have called me back.
Captions 13-14, Provaci ancora prof! S2EP2 Una mina vagante - Part 7
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There is also a kind of beef called la scottona, which is a young female bovine that has never been impregnated. She may be in heat, and that might be where the term scottona comes from (no one really knows).
Ad esempio la Fiorentina che è carne di vitello [sic: vitellone] o di scottona cotta alla brace o alla griglia.
For example, the Fiorentina (steak) which is veal [young beef] or young female bovine grilled or broiled.
Captions 49-50, L'Italia a tavola Interrogazione sulla Toscana
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A good expression with cuocere is lasciare cuocere nel suo brodo. Or, more properly, lasciare cuocere nel proprio brodo (to let someone cook in his own broth). It is used when you decide to let someone make their own decisions without interfering or influencing them (although often, you think they are not making the right decision). They'll make their own bed and lie in it. Or you might just be letting them think things over on their own.
We hope you now have a new way of looking at the humble verb cuocere. Have we forgotten any connections? Let us know at [email protected].
You might have heard Italians saying, "D'accordo" to mean "OK," or "all right," in your travels, in movies and TV shows, or elsewhere. Depending on the context and inflection, it can be posed as a question:
D'accordo?
All right?
Caption 29, Provaci ancora prof! S2E5 Vita da cani - Part 8
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Or it can be a statement of agreement.
D'accordo.
All right.
Caption 73, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP2 Rabbia - Part 20
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There are various ways to use d'accordo and its main noun, accordo (agreement). We've mentioned some of them in this lesson.
But there is also a verb form, accordare. One common use of this verb is in music. It means "to tune," such as the strings of a musical instrument.
Ah, perfetto. -Accordare la chitarra. -Sì.
Ah, perfect. -To tune a guitar. -Yes.
Caption 67, L'Eredità -Quiz TV La sfida dei sei. Puntata 2 - Part 10
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You might have heard Daniela use accordare when talking about "agreement" between various parts of speech.
Chiaramente, se il soggetto è plurale il verbo va accordato anche alla terza persona plurale.
Clearly, if the subject is plural the verb has to agree in the third person plural, as well.
Captions 3-4, Corso di italiano con Daniela La forma passiva - Part 3
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It's very common to use mettersi d'accordo to come to an agreement or essere d'accordo to agree or to be in agreement:
Dai, ti sei messa d'accordo con Polio e Faber per farmi uno scherzo
Come on, you ganged up with Polio and Faber to play a joke on me,
Caption 15, Com'è umano lui Film - Part 10
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Sono d'accordo con te.
I agree with you.
Caption 9, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP5 Misericordia - Part 25
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But it's also possible to use the reflexive verb accordarsi.
Gli sposi devono accordarsi su un piccolo particolare della formula, nessun problema.
The bride and groom have to come to an agreement about a little detail for their vows, no problem.
Caption 19, Sposami EP 5 - Part 21
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Finally, accordare can also mean "to grant." In this case, it's transitive.
Ma, veramente, commissario, ha preso un giorno di permesso. Ma gliel'ha accordato Lei, prima di partire.
But actually, Commissioner, she took a personal day. But you granted it to her, before leaving.
Captions 5-6, Il Commissario Manara S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena - Part 2
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Permesso accordato.
Permission granted.
Caption 106, Provaci ancora prof! S3 EP2 Doppio imprevisto - Part 20
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Thanks for reading. Send your questions and comments to [email protected] or use the comments section of the video you happen to be watching.
In English, we usually think of baptism as being carried out in a church, with water. The cognate is used in Italian too, in this same context.
I testimoni, perché? È un battesimo, mica è un matrimonio.
The witnesses, why? It's a baptism, not a wedding.
Caption 11, Il Commissario Manara S2EP7 - Alta società - Part 4
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Già, perché Galileo è nato a Pisa, era un pisano. È stato battezzato nel Battistero,
Right, because Galileo was born in Pisa, he was a Pisan. He was baptized in the Baptistery —
Captions 5-6, Meraviglie EP. 4 - Part 10
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But Italians use the verb battezzare (to baptize) figuratively, too, in various contexts. Let's look at a few examples that come up in Yabla videos. Battezzare means "to give a name."
È un piatto nuovo e l'ho battezzato "l'amour retrouvé" [francese: l'amore ritrovato].
It's a new dish and I christened it, "l'amour retrouvé" [French: recovered love].
Caption 47, La Ladra EP. 10 - Un ignobile ricatto - Part 12
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Il furto a casa Parascandolo, sai come l'abbiamo battezzato?
The theft at Parascandolo's house, do you know what we named it?
Captions 63-64, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1 EP6 Buio - Part 8
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Eproprio questo forte vento ha dato il nome, ha battezzato questo incredibile sistema di ambienti sotterranei, e infatti questa è la Grotta Grande del Vento.
And precisely this strong wind gave a name to, it "baptized" this incredible network of subterranean chambers, and in fact, this is the Great Cave of the Wind.
Captions 21-24, Meraviglie S2EP1 - Part 4
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Abbiamo battezzato le note, abbiamo dato il nome alle sette note.
We've "baptized" the notes, we've given a name to the seven notes.
Captions 58-59, A scuola di musica con Alessio - Part 1
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Thanks for reading. Write to us at [email protected]. We love to hear from you!
In Italian, there are two words that mean "to wait:" aspettare, which we use most of the time, and attendere, which means the same thing but is used primarily in formal situations and in particular contexts, such as on the phone.
We've already had a lesson about the verb aspettare and its nuances. In this lesson, we will look at examples of the verb attendere, as well as the noun form l'attesa. Attendere is often a command using the infinitive of the verb. See this lesson about using the infinitive form of a verb to give a command.
Marinella? -Servizio di segreteria telefonica. Attendere, prego.
Marinella? -Answering service. Wait, please.
Captions 1-3, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP3 Vicini - Part 6
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You might also hear attenda in linea (hold the line), where the imperative form is used.
Both aspettare and attendere can be transitive (taking a direct object) or intransitive verbs. Note that in English, we use a preposition — "to wait for" while the two Italian verbs can be transitive with no preposition needed.
Aspetto il treno (I'm waiting for the train).
In the following example, aspettare could have been used in place of attendere.
Come ogni volta, ad attenderlo c'è Peppino, l'amico di mille battaglie.
As always, there's Peppino waiting for him, his friend in a thousand battles.
Captions 21-22, Chi m'ha visto film - Part 19
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And when someone (or a machine) puts you on hold, you are in attesa (waiting).
E poi ci sarebbe un nuovo cliente in attesa.
And then there would be a new client waiting.
Caption 86, Provaci ancora prof! S3 EP2 Doppio imprevisto - Part 4
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When you are waiting for an appointment or for a train, you'll likely sit in la sala di attesa (the waiting room).
It might not seem so, but the adjective attendibile comes from the same root, attendere. It describes something worth considering.
No, c'è un'ipotesi più attendibile. -Sentiamo.
No, there's a more plausible theory. -Let's hear it.
Caption 30, Il Commissario Manara S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi - Part 10
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Aspettare has a related noun form: aspettativa. One specific meaning is "leave of absence," for example, from a job.
La preside mi ha detto che hai inoltrato la domanda di aspettativa al dipartimento.
The principal told me that you had forwarded the request for a leave of absence to the department.
Caption 49, Provaci ancora prof! S1E2 - Un amore pericoloso - Part 12
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The same noun, primarily used in the plural, can mean "expectations." Here, we can connect it to the reflexive verb form aspettarsi (to expect).
Il reso è una procedura per restituire un prodotto che non soddisfa le tue aspettative.
The return is a procedure for returning a product that does not meet your expectations.
Captions 51-52, Vocaboliamo Acquisti online
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It's good to be familiar with both verbs! There may be more related words we haven't mentioned here, so feel free to let us know if you come across any.
Thanks for reading. You can write to us at [email protected].
When you fall in love with a person, an idea, an animal, a pair of shoes, a dress, or anything, really, Italians have a great expression for that: un colpo di fulmine. Literally, it's a lightning bolt, but it also contains the noun colpo, associated with the verb colpire (to strike).
Sì, ho capito subito di piacergli e anche lui a me piaceva moltissimo. È stato un colpo di fulmine!
Yes, I knew immediately that he liked me, and I too liked him a great deal. It was a lightening bolt [love at first sight]!
Captions 21-23, Anna presenta La Bohème di Puccini - Part 1
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Colpo has various connotations, which is why we are devoting a lesson to this word. In police stories, it's about a shot from a firearm.
Le hanno sparato a bruciapelo, un colpo al cuore, è morta quasi subito.
They shot her at point blank range, a shot to the heart. She died almost immediately.
Captions 52-54, Provaci ancora prof! S3 EP2 Doppio imprevisto - Part 1
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The verb colpire can be used in the same context. Colpire can imply shooting at something, but it can also mean "to hit."
E certo, erano anni che mi allenavo a sparare. E be', ma una cosa è colpire una sagoma e una cosa è ammazzare un uomo, no?
Of course, I had been training to shoot for years. Well, but it's one thing to fire at/hit a target and another to kill a man, right?
Captions 19-21, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP2 Rabbia - Part 18
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Colpire can imply a shot from a gun, but it can be from anything else, too.
Dieci anni fa un fulmine ha colpito l'aereo su cui viaggiavo e da allora non ho più volato.
Ten years ago, lightning struck the plane I was traveling on and since then I haven't flown.
Captions 29-30, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP1 I Bastardi - Part 21
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Colpire is often used figuratively, just as the verb "to strike" is used in English.
La cosa che mi ha colpito di più, sa qual è?
The thing that struck me the most, you know what it is?
Caption 23, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 1 EP3 Un cugino in fuga - Part 4
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Prendere un colpo (to take a hit) is used when something strikes you emotionally or psychologically in a violent way. It's a reference to un attacco al cuore (a heart attack).
Gianmaria, mi hai fatto prendere un colpo.
Gianmaria, you startled me (you almost gave me a heart attack).
Caption 9, JAMS EP6 - Part 3
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Check out this lesson that mentions using colpo when impressing someone, with fare colpo (to make a splash, to make a huge impression).
We hope this lesson encourages you to use the verb colpire and the noun il colpo. For lots of examples of how Italians use these words, do a search on the videos page, and start scrolling!
Thanks for reading. You can write to us at [email protected].
Recognizing and using reflexive verbs can be tricky in Italian. There are other lessons on Yabla that cover some aspects of reflexive verbs, but in this lesson, we'll try to make some sense of using reflexive verbs in compound tenses. This is a head-scratcher for many learners.
Let's back up just a bit.
If you are using the present indicative tense, you can conjugate the reflexive verb itself. As soon as you do this, the reflexive ending is separated from the root verb.
Let's take the reflexive verb domandarsi. The ordinary verb is domandare (to ask), and the reflexive domandarsi is "to ask oneself/to wonder." As you can see in the example below, the reflexive object comes first and then the conjugated part of the verb.
E allora mi domando: "ma come è possibile?".
And so I ask myself: "But how is it possible?"
Captions 11-12, Sposami EP 5 - Part 20
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This can work with the imperfetto, too.
In mezzo a tutta quella neve mi domandavo se ce l'avrei fatta a diventare un artista.
In the midst of all that snow I wondered if I could have made it to becoming an artist.
Captions 34-35, Volare - La grande storia di Domenico Modugno Ep. 1 - Part 30
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But if I am telling you what I was thinking about yesterday, I will likely use the passato prossimo. If I am using the normal version of the verb domandare, I use the auxiliary avere (to have) as an auxiliary. Here, in the third-person singular.
E poi mi ha domandato: "Ma che la politica a te piace?"
And then she asked me: "But do you like politics?"
Caption 47, Illuminate Margherita Hack - Part 2
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But if the verb is used reflexively, the object is the same as the subject and we switch to the auxiliary essere (to be). This might be a tricky rule to remember, but if you listen carefully to speech in Yabla videos (and do Scribe), it will gradually become natural for you to use the auxiliary essere. So much of learning is repeating or imitating what you hear.
Mi sono domandato se ce l'avrei fatta.
If I am a woman speaking, then I say,
Mi sono domandata se ce l'avrei fatta.
Let's go a step further. If I want to use a modal verb, such as dovere (to have to), potere (to be able to), or volere (to want to), then the modal verb is the conjugated verb in the phrase. Here, we are in the present tense, no compound tense.
E forse ti devi chiedere che cosa vuoi davvero.
Yeah, maybe you should ask yourself what you really want.
Caption 71, Il Commissario Manara S2EP2 - L'addio di Lara - Part 10
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L'importante è che gli ingredienti siano buoni e poi non si può sbagliare.
The important thing is for the ingredients to be good and then one can't go wrong.
Captions 15-16, In cucina con Arianna la panzanella - Part 2
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The ordinary verb sbagliare can be used with the auxiliary avere in a compound tense.
Ho sbagliato, ma non intendo ripetere l'errore.
I made a mistake, but I don't intend to repeat the error.
Caption 60, Sposami EP 5 - Part 2
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But I can say pretty much the same thing using the reflexive verb, and here, in a compound tense such as the passato prossimo, I need the auxiliary essere (to be).
Niente, non manca niente, mi sono sbagliata.
Nothing, nothing is missing, I made a mistake (I was mistaken).
Caption 41, Sposami EP 6 - Part 10
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However, if I add a modal verb, then the reflexive particle attaches itself to the auxiliary verb essere. The modal verb is the conjugated one. This is a little tricky!
Devo essermi sbagliato, avevo letto "agenzia immobiliare".
I must be mistaken. I had read "real estate agency."
Caption 22, Sei mai stata sulla Luna? film - Part 9
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Keep listening and you'll begin hearing these reflexive constructions as very natural. Playing the Scribe game, or even Speak will take you to the next level in terms of understanding how reflexive work, especially if you repeat them whenever possible. And remember, we are here to answer your questions if you don't get it, if you get confused. We are humans!
Thanks for reading.
We all struggle with lots of things in different ways. In Italian, there's a combination of two words we commonly use for this: fare fatica. Literally, it's "to make effort or exertion." It can mean "to make an effort," but "to struggle" is closer to the idea. Lots of times you make an effort because you are trying hard, and that's when we can use impegnarsi (to make an effort). It's easy to get confused.
Let's look at some examples from Yabla videos of fare fatica. In our first example, the meaning is literal. The speaker has Covid-19!
Faccio fatica ad alzarmi dal letto.
I have a hard time getting out of bed.
Caption 15, Fuori era primavera Viaggio nell'Italia del lockdown - Part 4
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The meaning can be mental, too.
Fai anche fatica a trovare anche [sic] lavoro.
You also struggle to find work, too.
Caption 17, Benvenuti in Galera Bollate, Milano - Part 17
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When you are trying to understand someone, but you fail or almost, you can say.
Faccio fatica a capire il tuo inglese. Parliamo italiano (I'm having a hard time understanding your English. Let's speak Italian).
When you exert yourself, you can also use the verb faticare (to toil, to labor).
So you could also say,
Fatico a capire il tuo inglese (I struggle to understand your English).
Il bisnonno credo che lavorasse sulle navi ospedale, durante la guerra, e loro avevano un orto a Procida per cui campavano delle cose dell'orto e hanno faticato sempre a mettere insieme il pranzo.
I think her great-grandfather worked on hospital ships, during the war, and they had a vegetable garden in Procida so they lived on things from the vegetable garden and they always struggled to pull lunch together.
Captions 7-10, Vera e Giuliano Montaldo - Part 5
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When you are just trying hard or working hard, then the reflexive verb impegnarsi works well.
Hai visto che quando ti impegni le cose le sai fare?
You see that when you make an effort, you are able to do things?
Caption 10, Sposami EP 2 - Part 17
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Impegnarsi can also mean to commit, such as when you promise to do something.
La ditta Soleri si era impegnata a comprarlo, per almeno cinque anni.
The Soleri company had committed to buying it, for at least five years.
Caption 15, Il Commissario Manara S2EP6 - Sotto tiro - Part 3
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When we use impegno as a noun, it can mean a commitment, as something you have committed to doing, or it can mean you have a prior commitment, such as an appointment or errand.
No, domani avrei un impegno.
No, tomorrow, I have a commitment.
Caption 54, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP 4 Maltempo - Part 6
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As in any language, there are different ways to say the same thing, or something similar. Keep your eyes and ears open so you can expand your vocabulary, and choose just the right word when the time comes.
Prendere la palla al balzo. Let's look at this common Italian expression, which could do with a bit of explaining. First, the individual words: Prendere is a verb meaning "to take" or "to catch." La palla is "the ball" (implying a ball used in sports, such as basketball or tennis). Al balzo means "on the bounce" or "as it bounces up." We can visualize someone who bounces the ball, and you catch it as it comes up from the ground or floor.
The expression is used in casual and semi-formal speech, often to describe the action of reacting quickly to an advantageous opportunity. It's similar to "seizing the moment" or "seizing the day," common translations of the Latin phrase "carpe diem." In other words, when chance comes your way, go for it.
In our first example, Imma only uses the first part of the expression, and omits the "ball" metaphor while retaining the "bounce," or "rebound" metaphor.
Ma Vaccaro prende al balzo l'idea e decide che il ricatto lo farà lui.
But Vaccaro grabs the idea on the rebound and decides that he's the one who will blackmail him.
Captions 30-31, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP1 L'estate del dito - Part 27
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Another version of this Italian expression is cogliere la palla al balzo. All that changes is the verb, from prendere (to take, to catch) to cogliere (to seize, to grab).
Quello non è per colpa mia. Però hai colto la palla al balzo.
That wasn't my fault. However, you seized the opportunity.
Captions 38-39, Il Commissario Manara S2EP12 - La donna senza volto - Part 15
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Let's look at other related words with the same root balz-
The verb balzare means "to jump" or "to leap," or, in the case of a ball, "to bounce."
A closely connected verb is rimbalzare (to bounce, to ricochet).
Here, we have an example of 2 verbs (in the passato remoto) rimbalzare and balzare.
La palla rimbalzò a terra, balzò in alto e cadde in uno stagno.
The ball bounced on the ground, bounced up and fell into a pond.
Caption 7, Ti racconto una fiaba Il Principe Ranocchio - Part 1
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The noun il balzo means "the leap," "the jump," "the spring," or "the bounce."
Ogni santo giorno ho una gran voglia di saltare
Con un balzo in sella e cominciare a pedalare
Every blessed day I have a great urge to jump
with a spring into the saddle and start to pedal
Captions 7-8, Radici nel Cemento La Bicicletta
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A closely connected noun is il rimbalzo (the rebound).
Maggiore è il rimbalzo e più grande è la capacità dei materiali di resistere agli impatti.
The greater the rebound and the greater the ability of the materials to withstand impacts.
Captions 43-44, Space to ground EP1 Life on Mars - Esplorazione - Part 3
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Di rimbalzo is "on the rebound."
Next time you take advantage of the right moment, you can say, Ho preso la palla al balzo!
You asked, we'll try to answer! Are there differences between scordare and dimenticare, both of which mean "to forget?" If so, what's the difference? That is the question we'll set out to answer in this lesson. Yabla videos should provide us with plenty of examples to see and hear.
There is a long article (in Italian) on the website of L'Accademia della Crusca, but the upshot is: La scelta dell’uno o dell’altro è dovuta a ragioni e abitudini linguistiche personali, di contesto o di gusto, in parte legate alla regione di provenienza (the choice of one or the other is due to personal linguistic reasons and habits, context, and taste, partly tied to the region one is from).
So, in a way, we could say, "We're done here." But let's explore a bit further.
In our previous lesson about the song Quando sarai piccola, we discussed the etymology of the two verbs in question. Even though etymology does not define the current use of a word, it can be meaningful and help remember the verbs themselves. Knowing that dimenticare comes from mente (mind) and scordare comes from cuore (heart) is an enrichment for those who care.
Philosopher and historian Benedetto Croce felt this difference: Croce scriveva in Conversazioni critiche (1950-1951, p. 69):
L’italiano rammentare (e dimenticare) si riferiscono piuttosto alla mente, e il ricordare (e scordare), si riferiscono piuttosto al cuore".
The Italian rammentare (and dimenticare) refer rather to the mind, and ricordare (and scordare), refer rather, to the heart.
Some Italians do feel there's a difference, as you can see in this forum discussion. It may be felt in certain regions or in certain (older) generations. In our previous lesson, we did mention that dimenticare was more neutral and scordare more personal. That is the opinion expressed in various sources, but certainly, L'Accademia della Crusca says it best. They both work just fine.
Now that we have no particular concerns about meaning, we can move on to using the verbs.
In this first example, the infinitive form of the verb is used as a sort of imperative.
Non dimenticare di prendere lo scontrino dopo aver pagato.
Don't forget to take the receipt after having paid.
Caption 52, Vocaboliamo Supermercato - Part 6
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When we want to use the verb as a plain, transitive verb, dimenticare is a solid choice, and the easiest.
Alle volte dimentico che sei un uomo, con dei bei baffi.
Sometimes I forget you're a man, with a nice moustache.
Captions 50-51, La compagnia del cigno S2 EP 2 - Part 4
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Even in compound tenses, where we have the participle, we use the auxiliary avere (to have). In the following example, the important element is la luce (the light).
Eh, hai dimenticato la luce in bagno.
Hey, you forgot the light in the bathroom.
Caption 71, Provaci ancora prof! S3EP1 - Due americane a Roma - Part 17
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There are also more complicated ways to use dimenticare (and scordare) in compound tenses with and without pronouns, but we'll look at them in a future lesson. See this lesson about remembering and forgetting in Italian.
E non lo scorderò mai.
And I'll never forget it.
Caption 18, Acqua in bocca La pizza Margherita - Ep 7
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Scordare takes the auxiliary avere when used in a straightforward construction as below.
Ho scordato gli agrumi.
I forgot the citrus fruit.
Caption 11, La Ladra EP. 11 - Un esame importante - Part 1
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But it is very common to hear scordare (or scordarsi) in a compound tense in its reflexive or pronominal form.
Non mi dire che ti sei scordato la banconota da cinquecento.
Don't tell me that you forgot the five-hundred banknote.
Caption 50, La Ladra EP. 11 - Un esame importante - Part 6
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And there is a great expression using this verb. It's the equivalent of "Forget about it." "You wish!" "No way!"
Se stai cercando di farmi cambiare idea sul fatto che ti voglio sposare, scordatelo. Chiaro?
If you're trying to make me change my mind about wanting to marry you, forget about it. Clear?
Caption 29, Il Commissario Manara S2EP1 - Matrimonio con delitto - Part 15
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Note: In scordatelo, the stress is on the first syllable.
🎻 Keep in mind that in music, scordare also means to be or to go out of tune.
La corda di mi del mio violino si è scordata, la devo riaccordare prima di cominciare a suonare (the e string on my violin is out of tune, I have to tune it again before starting to play).
Here we have the verb accordare (to tune) from the noun la corda (the string). But when someone is singing out of tune, or when referring to poor intonazione (intonation), the verb is stonare with stonato being the adjective.
Thanks for reading. Write to us at [email protected]
Over time, we've looked at various Italian prefixes and here is one more: pro-. We often don't think about it because pro- can simply be part of a word. But in many cases, there is a good chance the root exists as a word on its own. In a recent video on Yabla, the verb provenire came up. A reader asked: "What's the difference between venire and provenire?" Great question.
The answer is that provenire (while technically an action verb) has to do with the origin of something, whereas venire is an action, a movement in the direction of the speaker, writer, or interlocutor. In English, we do have the noun "provenance," from the Latin meaning "to come forth," but we usually translate provenire as "to come from," or "to originate from." So if we think of the prefix pro- meaning "forward" or "forth," it might help us remember these words.
Penso che non ho tempo per fare la badante a nessuno, quindi tu organizza gli incontri e io vedo se riesco a venire.
I think I don't have time to be a babysitter for anyone, so you organize the meetings and I'll see if I can come.
Captions 56-57, La compagnia del cigno S2 EP 2 - Part 2
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Ora stanno cercando di capire da dove provengono...
Now they are trying to figure out where they come from...
Caption 49, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP6 Dalla parte degli ultimi - Part 22
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E be', non fargli vedere il tuo libretto degli esami perché...
Well, don't let her see your exam record because...
Caption 27, Com'è umano lui Film - Part 6
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We can now see the connection between "provide" and provvedere, but we can also see the word vedere (to see), and so it makes sense to translate provvedere as "to see to." It can also be "to take care of."
Lo so, ho avuto tanto da fare. Domani provvedo, va bene?
I know. I have had a lot to do. Tomorrow I will see to it, all right?
Caption 39, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP1 I Bastardi - Part 17
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Sei capace di studiare, sacrificarti, passare le notti insonni, mettere tutta la tua vita a servizio della musica, sei capace?
Are you capable of studying, sacrificing yourself, spending sleepless nights, putting your whole life at the service of music, are you capable?
Captions 31-33, La compagnia del cigno S2 EP 2 - Part 7
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Ma Lei mi deve promettere una cosa.
But you have to promise me one thing:
Caption 23, Moscati, l'amore che guarisce EP1 - Part 18
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The noun form is la promessa (the promise).
Dobbiamo porre nella teglia il pollo con le patate a spicchi,
In the pan, we have to place the chicken with the potato wedges,
Captions 6-7, JAMS S1 EP7 - Part 3
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Porre can also be reflexive, with a more figurative meaning of considering something.
Seconda cosa, visto che una è partita e l'altra si è fidanzata, io non mi pongo il problema, capito?
Second of all, since one is gone and the other is engaged, I don't consider the problem, you understand?
Captions 5-7, Il Commissario Manara S2EP11 - Uno strano incidente di caccia - Part 11
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Proporre is to put forth, as with an idea.
Bene. Cosa propone?
Good. What do you propose?
Caption 43, Il Commissario Manara S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi - Part 10
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The noun form is la proposta (the proposal, the suggestion).
Although trarre is another word for tirare (to pull) it's frequently used in a figurative sense, as in drawing a conclusion or gaining an advantage.
Ma stavolta proprio il senso di colpa gli ha fatto trarre delle conclusioni affrettate,
But this time his guilty conscience made him draw hasty conclusions,
Captions 73-74, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP 4 Maltempo - Part 20
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Protrarre is used to refer to prolonging something over time.
La costruzione della Fortezza di Fenestrelle, iniziata nel millesettecentoventotto, si protrarrà per centoventi anni.
The construction of the Fenestrelle Fortress, begun in seventeen hundred and twenty-eight, would continue on for a hundred and twenty years.
Captions 14-16, Meraviglie EP. 5 - Part 4
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The reflexive form of the verb muovere is used here: muoversi.
Non ti muovere.
Don't move.
Caption 47, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone S1EP4 Gelo - Part 13
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When you move forward in school, from one grade to the next, the verb is promuovere. It can be used as well, just as in English, when you promote someone or something, giving them publicity.
Com'è andata? -Mi hanno promosso.
How did it go? -They promoted me.
Caption 2, Non è mai troppo tardi EP 2 - Part 23
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We talk about these verbs in this lesson.
The prefix pro- can also mean "entirely" — interamente. In the case of prosciutto (cured ham), it has to do with salting and drying: pro - asciutto (dry). The verb is prosciugare, to dry entirely. Prosciogliere is "to dissolve completely."
Thanks for reading. We hope you've gotten the idea of the prefix pro-. If you think of other words with this prefix, please let us know, and we'll add them to the lesson.
In this lesson, we're going to talk about two verbs that have to do with getting from one place to another, at least in their simple, literal meaning. Arrivare is the verb whose meaning we can guess most easily, since it has an English cognate, "to arrive."
We also might recognize the noun form in its plural: gli arrivi. We see this on signs at train stations and airports and can guess it means "arrivals." The opposite is partenze (departures).
Ah, il mio volo arriva un'ora dopo il tuo. Aspettami agli arrivi, eh.
Ah, my flight arrives one hour later than yours. Wait for me at "arrivals," huh.
Captions 60-61, Sei mai stata sulla Luna? film - Part 2
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While the basic meaning of arriving somewhere is pretty clear, Italians also use the verb arrivare in a slightly different way, which is good to know about. It's used in the present tense to mean one's arrival is imminent. In English, we use the future tense: "I'll/we'll be right there."
Sì, arriviamo. Arrivo. Arrivo.
Yes, we'll be right there. I'll be right there. I'm coming.
Captions 28-29, Il Commissario Manara S2EP8 - Fuori servizio - Part 1
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Used in the present progressive or continuous, it means "I'm on my way."
Sto arrivando, apparecchia per due.
I'm on my way, set the table for two.
Caption 62, Il Commissario Manara S2EP3 - Delitto tra le lenzuola - Part 11
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This can be frustrating for the person waiting because it is very vague, sometimes purposely so. Sometimes the person hasn't left yet. It would be clearer to say:
Sto partendo (I'm leaving).
Arrivo tra una mezz'ora (I'll arrive in a half an hour).
Giungere has to do with completion. It comes from a Latin word meaning "to unite." An attentive reader might think of the English words, "junction," "conjunction," and even "to join." In fact, the Italian verb congiungere means "to join," or "to connect."
"Vedere la luce" vuol dire nascere e, in senso figurativo, significa giungere a compimento di qualcosa.
"To see the light [of day]" means being born and, in a figurative sense, it means reaching the completion of something.
Captions 81-82, Marika spiega Il verbo vedere - Part 1
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È giunto il momento di lasciare questo luogo, un luogo meraviglioso.
The time has come to leave this place, a wonderful place.
Captions 1-2, Meraviglie EP. 5 - Part 11
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In the previous two examples, the verb arrivare could have been used, but giungere is more archaic and more formal, as well as being more specific in referring to a destination or goal.
On the other hand, we also have the verb raggiungere, which is used very often to mean "to join," "to catch up with," "to reach." It's transitive, therefore taking a direct object, whereas giungere needs the preposition a (to).
Non è facile raggiungere Borgo Sansepolcro.
It is not easy to reach Borgo Sansepolcro.
Caption 4, La pittura più bella del mondo La Resurrezione di Piero della Francesca - Part 1
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Sì, tu vai. Io ti raggiungo tra una mezz'ora.
Yes. You go. I'll join you in a half an hour.
Caption 40, Questione di Karma Rai Cinema - Part 12
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When raggiungere means "to join," it is usually directed towards a person as in the previous example. Join can't always be translated as raggiungere.
If you want to talk about catching up with someone, raggiungere can work.
Vai avanti tu, che io ti raggiungo.
You go on ahead, I'll catch up with you.
Caption 31, Ma che ci faccio qui! Un film di Francesco Amato - Part 8
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If you do a search of raggiungere (or any of its conjugations), you will find plenty of examples on the videos page. It is a verb you will want in your toolbox.
In a previous lesson, we talked about forming the passive voice with the verb venire (to come) instead of the usual verb essere (to be). We mentioned that it is similar to using "get" in English (although using "get" this way is frowned upon by some grammar experts).
In this lesson, we'll talk about another verb used to form the passive. This time we use the verb andare (to go) and although the procedure is roughly the same as for venire and essere, the context and purpose, as well as the meaning, are slightly different.
We use andare to form the passive voice when something has to be done, must be done. Whereas with venire, we might be talking about something done regularly, or about how something is carried out, here, with andare, we're talking about obligation. And, we can think of it as often referring to something in the future. Again, the verb andare (in its passive voice role) is always in the third person and is followed (perhaps with an adverb in between) by the past participle of a transitive verb.
One of the most common verbs to put in the passive voice with andare is the verb fare (to do). Because there are always so many things we have to do or should have done! In this first example, Andromeda could also have used venire to say, "this is how it is done," but she evidently wanted to stress that ice cream has to be made with fresh ingredients, because they are ingredients that can go bad (dairy products and eggs).
Il gelato è un prodotto molto nutriente, va fatto con ingredienti freschi, freschissimi.
Ice cream is a very nutritious product; it has to be made with fresh, very fresh ingredients.
Captions 6-7, Andromeda in - Storia del gelato - Part 2
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Prova a verificare se ci sono persone che possiedono serpenti da quelle parti. Vanno denunciati, mi pare, no?
Try to see if there are people who possess snakes around those parts. They should be reported, I think, right?
Captions 78-80, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP5 Rione Serra Venerdì - Part 7
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Here, the meaning is clear. Zamagna is a doctor who had to remove some tumors.
Zamagna sa quello che fa. Se l'ha fatto, vuol dire che andava fatto.
Zamagna knows what he is doing. If he did it, it means it had to be done.
Captions 31-32, La linea verticale EP3 - Part 3
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The next example features the conditional form of andare, which indicates uncertainty. So in this case, it's not strongly obligatory.
E, capisco signora, vede, eh... questa cucina andrebbe rifatta tutta da capo.
And, I understand, Ma'am, you see, uh... this kitchen should be done over from scratch.
Captions 31-32, Un medico in famiglia Stagione 3 S3EP4 Lo stagno del ranocchio - Part 7
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Let's keep in mind that to form the negative, we just put non before the verb andare.
Una porta chiusa non la puoi aprire, perché dietro chissà cosa sta facendo il personale medico, che non va disturbato per nessuna ragione.
You can't open a closed door, because behind it, who knows what the medical personnel is doing, who mustn't be disturbed for any reason.
Captions 62-64, La linea verticale EP 5 - Part 4
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There are different ways to translate these passive phrases, but the main thing is to get a sense of when venire and andare work better than essere in expressing meaning and tone. And we hope you feel better prepared to understand when you are encountering these unusual passive forms.
P.S. One of our readers found two more examples of using andare in forming the passive voice.
Piccolo, questa è tutta roba che va portata al commissariato,
Piccolo, this is all stuff that should be taken to headquarters,
Caption 17, Provaci ancora prof! S2E5 Vita da cani - Part 23
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Torre, il casale va tenuto sotto controllo,
Torre, the farmhouse must be kept under surveillance
Caption 31, Provaci ancora prof! S2E5 Vita da cani - Part 23
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In English, we form the passive voice using the verb "to be" plus the preposition "by" and the past participle of the action (transitive) verb. That is true in Italian too. We use the verb essere (to be), the preposition da, and the past participle of the transitive verb.
Here is an example:
Londra. È stato venduto a un'asta di gioielli da Christie's.
London. It was sold at a jewelry auction at Christie's.
Caption 2, La Ladra EP. 12 - Come ai vecchi tempi - Part 4
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See this lesson for an overview of the passive voice in Italian.
But there are other ways of forming the passive voice in Italian and it can be a bit confusing. If we think of using "get" in English (informally), it might be a bit less confusing. For example:
The paper gets delivered every morning at six.
We could also say:
The paper is delivered every morning at six.
Using "get" makes the sentence feel more active, while having a passive construction. We don't really need to know who delivers the paper so the passive voice is handy in this case. There is no apparent agent or doer.
In Italian, in addition to using the verb essere, we can form the passive voice with the "auxiliary" verb venire (to come). In fact, it is often considered to be more formal than using essere. But, as with "get," it's also a more active way of using the passive voice.
It's easy to forget this kind of passive construction because venire is also a common action verb. When we use it in the passive voice, as an auxiliary, it doesn't really mean "to come." At least, not if we are translating. If we translate it with "get," it might be easier to grasp as part of the passive construction.
While it's useful to know the grammar, the best thing is to listen or read and repeat. Hearing venire used in everyday (passive) contexts will help you assimilate it and then get accustomed to using it when appropriate. Let's look at some examples.
Keep in mind that:
1) the passive voice has to do with transitive verbs,
2) using venire as a passive auxiliary works only with simple tenses of the "action verb," not compound ones,
3) when using venire, there is usually no agent, called complemento d'agente, no doer.
4) venire is often used instead of essere to avoid confusion (we'll look at some examples further down on the page).
Ed è proprio per la sua fattura [che] non viene chiamata "farina", ma "semola".
And it is precisely because of its processing [that] it's not called "flour," but "semolina."
Captions 14-15, Vocaboliamo La pasta - Part 3
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L'ispettore Ginko è figlio di un giudice che viene arrestato per corruzione.
Inspector Ginko is the son of a judge who is arrested for corruption.
Captions 18-19, Fumettology Diabolik - Part 5
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In this next example, the verb venire is in the future tense.
Domani verrà convocato Giulio Bruno, eh.
Tomorrow, Giulio Bruno will be summoned, huh.
Caption 60, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP3 I giardini della memoria - Part 19
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Of course, venire is also an action verb, so we might find the same future tense used with no participle after it. In the following example, it really does mean "to come" and is not forming any passive voice.
Stamattina mi ha telefonato Franco, mio figlio, ha detto che verrà a trovarmi a Natale.
This morning, Franco called me, my son, he said he will come and see me at Christmas.
Captions 62-63, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP4 Gelo - Part 16
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Here, we have venire in the third person plural of venire.
Di solito questi luoghi diventano musei, dove gli antichi attrezzi vengono appesi alle pareti come vestigia di un passato remoto e obsoleto,
Usually, these places become museums, where old tools are hung on the walls as vestiges of a remote and obsolete past,
Captions 27-29, Formaggi D'autore - Part 5
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If, instead of using the verb venire, we use the verb essere to form the passive, it won't be wrong, but it might be confusing. If we use essere we can imagine the tools already hanging on the wall: gli attrezzi sono appesi alle pareti (the tools are hanging on the walls and appesi answers the question "where"), but with venire, we can picture the action of hanging the tools on the wall.
Here is a final example where the verb venire is in the imperfetto.
È vero che Suo fratello a scuola veniva chiamato Cenerentola?
Is it true that your brother was called Cinderella at school?
Caption 6, Imma Tataranni Sostituto procuratore S1 EP3 I giardini della memoria - Part 26
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Further exploration:
For each of these examples in the passive voice, try replacing the verb venire with essere. They might work equally well. Try using "get" instead of "to be" in English. Try transforming the passive phrases into active ones.
Finally, in the video tab, do a search of various conjugations of venire and see if you can distinguish the examples that have to do with the passive voice (hint: look for a past participle following it). It's kind of fun.
In a future lesson, we will discuss another "auxiliary" verb we can use to form the passive voice: andare (to go). It works much the same way as venire but has a different feel to it as well as a different function.
We've talked about the verb correre before (check out this lesson). It's a verb that means a great many things so you'll want to be familiar with it. But in this lesson, we want to talk about correre meaning "to run," "to race," and "to rush."
Correre can be a bit confusing in the context of sports.
Correre can mean "to run." Some people say fare footing, but footing has gone out of style, for the most part.
Sì, tu invece sveglia all'alba, a correre... -Certo. -Scusa, non hai sempre detto che sono patetici quelli che fanno footing a una certa età?
Yes, but you, up at dawn, running... -Of course. -Excuse me, haven't you always said that those who go running at a certain age are pathetic?
Captions 37-39, Provaci ancora prof! S2E3 Dietro la porta - Part 1
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When I say, vado a correre, that usually means "I'm going running (on foot)."
Someone might ask you where you were:
Dov'eri? -A correre.
Where were you? -Out running.
So it's good to keep in mind that you need the preposition a before the verb in the infinitive.
Correre can also refer to bicycle racing. Lots of people ride bikes, but when you are part of a racing team, even an amateur racing team, you are un corridore or, if you are a female, una corridora or una corritrice.
If you just ride a bike for fun or sport but you don't compete, you'll usually call yourself un ciclista or una ciclista.
Monte Pellegrino è anche un luogo d'incontro di molti sportivi, specie i ciclisti, che amano le ripide salite e discese.
Monte Pellegrino is also a place for sportsmen to get together, especially cyclists, who love the steep climbs and descents.
Captions 20-21, Adriano Monte Pellegrino
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Or you can say something like, Mi piace andare in bici.
Andare in bicicletta è veramente divertente.
Riding a bike is really fun.
Caption 31, In giro per l'Italia Lucca - Part 3
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It's common, when referring to a bike ride, to say fare un giro in bici/bicicletta (to go for a bike ride).
Faccio un giro in bici (I'm going for a bike ride).
Poter andare a fare un giro in bicicletta dove mi pare a me [sic], mi piace tanto.
To be able to go for a ride on my bike wherever I want, I like that a lot.
Caption 21, Fuori era primavera Viaggio nell'Italia del lockdown - Part 16
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Correre can also refer to rushing around without having anything to do with bicycles or running.
Dove corri, Pisane'? -Tengo [napoletano: ho] da fare.
Where are you rushing off to, Pisane'? -I have stuff to do.
Captions 34-35, I Bastardi di Pizzofalcone EP4 Gelo - Part 13
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The noun form is la corsa. It can be a race of any kind.
E per gli amanti delle camminate, ogni sabato mattina alle nove c'è la possibilità di partecipare al "Park Run", la corsa che si svolge sulle mura di Lucca.
And for those who love to walk, every Saturday morning at nine, there's the possibility of participating in "Park Run," the race that happens on the walls of Lucca.
Captions 39-42, In giro per l'Italia Lucca - Part 4
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E si vede un'incredibile scena di corsa di carri,
And you see an incredible chariot race scene,
Caption 9, Meraviglie EP. 4 - Part 12
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Another word for race is gara, which can also mean "competition."
La gara più importante era una corsa tra cavalli.
The most important competition was a horse race.
Caption 29, In giro per l'Italia Roma Piazza Navona
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You can also use the noun la corsa when you have raced around trying to get stuff done.
Ho fatto una corsa (I came in a hurry/I ran around).
Or you can say this a different way.
Sono di corsa (I am pressed for time).
As you can see, correre, together with its related words, is very useful in many contexts!
Thanks for reading!
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