Word of the Week
Written by admin on 25 February, 2009 – 1:30 pm -Sorry for the late post this week but I have been out of action for a few days.
Whilst reading I came across this week’s chosen word. It is a word not used very often these days (I have never heard it) but it might be of interest to some.
compare
godfather (to a child), witness (at a wedding), accomplice
Note: If I understood correctly it was only with the release of The Godfather that the term Padrino became popular (due to a mistranslation). Before the film Compare was commonly used.
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Word of the Week
Written by admin on 15 February, 2009 – 6:36 pm -
Another expression this week.
a ufo (variants include: uffo, uffa, aufo, a buffo, a ufa, auffa)
free, without paying
- vivere a ufo – to live off others
- un pranzo a ufo – a free lunch
This originates from the Latin expression ad usum fabricae (abbreviated AUF) meaning destined to be used in the factory. When the Catholic Church was constructing the Duomo in Milan it was necessary to transport marble blocks along the river from Lake Maggiore. To avoid paying the river toll the blocks were labelled AUF.
How many of you have heard this expression before?
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Word of the Week
Written by admin on 8 February, 2009 – 8:56 pm -
This week instead of a word I have chosen a useful phrase.
in bocca al lupo
good luck (lit. in the wolf’s mouth) or being more idiomatic break a leg
Apparently the correct reply to this is crepi (il lupo) which literally means die (the wolf). Otherwise you won’t have luck. Is that true? It might help explain a lot!!
Do you have any useful idioms to share with us?
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Word of the Week
Written by admin on 1 February, 2009 – 3:41 pm -
I have lived in Italy for over 3 years now but last week was the first time I heard this word used in conversation.
pan di Spagna m.
sponge cake
Unfortunately this type of cake is not very common here. How I crave it! I wonder which dishes Italians living abroad miss most?
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Word of the Week
Written by admin on 26 January, 2009 – 2:57 pm -bugia f. (pl. bugie)
lie, falsehood, candle holder
- dire bugie – to tell lies
- non raccontarmi bugie – don’t tell me lies
- bugiardo/a – liar
As usual feel free to add your own expressions in the comments section.
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Word of the Week
Written by admin on 19 January, 2009 – 10:05 am -
Last Wednesday I was sitting on the train waiting to depart, reading the free newspaper. This week’s chosen word appeared twice on the front page in different articles (see below). Then the capotreno announced that my train had broken down. Unfortunately as this is not a rare occurrence it was followed by more…
caos m
chaos, mess
- Alitalia, il decollo è nel caos – Alitalia, takeoff in chaos
- maestro unico, iscrizioni nel caos – single teacher (having one teacher for the students as opposed to several), enrollment in chaos
How strange to see Alitalia associated with chaos! Another good word to accompany caos is tilt. For example ‘Alitalia, il decollo è in tilt‘.
As usual feel free to add your own expressions in the comments section.
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Word of the Week
Written by admin on 12 January, 2009 – 9:42 am -
I was inspired by a book I saw entitled Come imbrogliare con Photoshop (I have the English version):
imbrogliare v.tr
to cheat, to deceive, to confuse
- Come imbrogliare con Photoshop – How to Cheat in Photoshop
- mi hanno imbrogliato! – they’ve cheated me!
As usual feel free to add your own expressions in the comments section.
By the way, I highly recommend How to Cheat in Photoshop by Steve Caplin.
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Word of the Week
Written by admin on 4 January, 2009 – 10:17 am -This week I have chosen one of the courses I had for San Silvestro (New Year’s Eve) whilst in Lucca, Tuscany (more about my visit in a later post):
cinghiale m. (pl. cinghiali)
wild boar / wild pig
I always get this word confused with cigno (swan) and cicogna (stork). Hopefully now I have solved my problem!
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Word of the Week
Written by admin on 29 December, 2008 – 10:53 am -Now we are ready to begin a new year the word I have chosen is:
anno m. (pl. anni)
year
- un anno dopo l’altro – year in year out / year after year
- di anno in anno – from year to year
- anno bisestile – leap year
- Ha dodici anni – He is 12 years old (lit. he has 12 years)
- anno luce – light year
- gli anni Venti – the twenties (1920s)
- Lei porta bene gli anni – she doesn’t look her age (lit. she carries the years well)
- ultimo dell’anno (San Silvestro) – New Year’s Eve
- Capodanno – New Year’s Day
- Felice anno nuovo! – Happy New Year!
Of course there are many more expressions. Feel free to add your own in the comments.
I wish you all a felice anno nuovo!
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Word of the Week
Written by admin on 22 December, 2008 – 3:14 pm -This week it is Christmas so the the word I have chosen is Natale!
Natale s.m
Christmas
- Buon Natale – Happy Christmas
- Albero di Natale – Christmas tree
- Biglietto di Natale – Christmas card
- Stella di Natale – Poinsettia
- Canto di Natale – Christmas carol
- Il giorno di Natale – Christmas Day
- La vigilia di Natale – Christmas Eve
- Babbo Natale – Father Christmas
- Auguri di buon Natale – Best wishes for Christmas
- Natale – Natale (a first name in Italy)
May I wish all my readers tanti auguri di buon Natale!
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