Italiano With Jodina

For learners of Italian, or any language for that matter, listening to and singing along with children’s songs is an excellent way to pick up pronunciation, rhythm, and cadence of a language.

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Their simple melodies make these songs easy to master — in no time you’ll find yourself humming and singing them!

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The song “Ci Vuole un Fiore,” sung by Sergio Endrigo, is from the Italian children’s poem by Gianni Rodari. The tune has an eco-conscious, all-are-connected theme.

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Lyrics to “Ci Vuole un Fiore” (It Takes a Flower):

Le cose di ogni giorno raccontano segreti

Everyday things tell secrets

A chi le sa guardare ed ascoltare

To he who knows  how to look and listen

Per fare un tavolo ci vuole il legno

To make a table it takes wood

Per fare il legno ci vuole l’albero

To make the wood it takes the tree

Per fare l’albero ci vuole il seme

To make the tree it takes the seed

Per fare il seme ci vuole il frutto

To make the seed it takes the fruit

Per fare il frutto ci vuole il fiore

To make the fruit it takes the flower

Ci vuole un fiore, ci vuole un fiore

It takes a flower, it takes a flower

Per fare un tavolo ci vuole un fiore

To make a table it takes a flower

Per fare un tavolo ci vuole il legno

To make a table we need the wood

Per fare il legno ci vuole l’albero

To make the wood it takes the tree

Per fare l’albero ci vuole il seme

To make the tree it takes the seed

Per fare il seme ci vuole il frutto

To make the seed it takes the fruit

Per fare il frutto ci vuole il fiore

To make the fruit it takes the flower

Ci vuole un fiore, ci vuole un fiore

It takes a flower, it takes a flower

Per fare un tavolo ci vuole un fiore

To make a table it takes a flower

Per fare un fiore ci vuole un ramo

To make a flower it takes a branch

Per fare il ramo ci vuole l’albero

To make the branch it takes the tree

Per fare l’albero ci vuole il bosco

To make the tree we need the woods

Per fare il bosco ci vuole il monte

To make the woods it takes the mountain

Per fare il monte ci vuol la terra

To make the mountain it takes earth(land)

Per far la terra ci vuole un fiore

To make earth it takes a flower

Per fare tutto ci vuole un fiore

To make everything it takes a flower

Other related links:

1. Sergio Endrigo bio (in Italian)
2. Sergio Endrigo bio (inEnglish)
   
3. Gianni Rodari bio (in Italian)
4. Gianni Rodari bio (in English)

Yes, can you believe it??!  Even more Italian love songs !

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Ecco a few late entrants for the title “La più bella canzone d’amore”:

1. Notte di luna calante, recorded by Domenico Modugno (“Volare”) in 1960
2. Perdere l’amore, Massimo Ranieri, San Remo ’88
3. La cura, Franco Battiato ~~ I think this one is my favorite– so tender!

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Grazie agli amici che mi hanno mandato le sue canzoni d’amore preferite: Ninuzzo, DebP, Cugi, Ema, Claudio e Max.

E vabbene, mia amica told me that no compendium of  Italian love songs would e complete without these…

1. Ancora, Eduardo De Crescenza, big success at San Remo Festival 1981
2. Se io se lei, Biagio Antonacci {NB: I’ve always thought this was a sad song about a finished ‘story’, but she claims it’s v. romantic & has brought many couples together!} Here are the words, karaoke style, to this tune: Lyrics.
3. A te, Jovanotti (I absolutely *heart* Jovanotti!)

Thanks Deb P;-) !

Here some phrases you might like to use today to woo your valentine in italiano…
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• Ti amo. – I love you.  (Used only romantically)
• Amore mio – my love
• Ti voglio bene. – I love/care about you. (Used for all types of relationships: family, friends, lovers)
• Ti voglio benissimo! – I love/care about you very much!
• Sei buono come il pane. – You are as good as bread.
• I tuoi occhi brillano come le stelle. – Your eyes shine like stars.
• Sei bella come una rosa. – You are as beautiful as a rose.
• per sempre – forever

• per sempre tua/o – forever yours

• per sempre insieme – forever together

• Luce mia – my light

• Tesoro mio – my treasure

• Vita mia – my life

• Senza fine – never ending

• Pazza di te – crazy for you

• Anima mia – my soul

• Ti amo – I love you

• Amo solo te – I love only you

• Sei incredibile – You’re incredible

• Sei bellissima/o. – You’re beautiful.

• Sei la mia rosa. – You are my rose.

• Solo tua/o – only yours

• Solo tu – only you

• Vita mia – My life

• Per sempre – For ever

• Amore mio – My beloved

• Sei un dono. – You are a gift.

• Amore ti amo – I love you my love

• Ti adoro. – I adore you.

• Sei stupenda/o. – You’re fantastic.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day… 5 Italian Love Songs!

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I took a survey of my friends’ fave Italian love songs… Here are 5 of them:

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Anema e core (Soul & Heart), classic Neapolitan song, sung by Pino Daniele

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1. Fiore di maggio, by fabio concato (more recent recording here)
2. Alba chiara, di Vasco Rossi
3. Buonanotte fiorellino, Francesco De Gregori
4. Un amore cosi grande, Mario del Monaco

Ciao!

Well, Valentine’s day is nearly upon us… many have mixed feelings about this day, myself included. (Is it just another ‘Hallmark’ day to boost the sales of trinkets… or is there more to it??) Whichever side of the fence you stand on, you still might want to make a ‘bella figura’ [means to ‘look good’ or make a ‘good appearance’] with that someone special… and if that is the case, why not do it in style?

If you go to byki.com you can look the part of Don Giovanni/Giovanna by sending **for free** an online Italian Valentine Card — true, there’s only one choice of card, but it IS gratis, not to mention pretty stylish.

Enjoy, and whatever you do this 14th, remember, the day after is the 15th… and then it’s all over until next year… 02/14/2011!

Scioglilingua is the Italian term for tongue twister.

The actual meaning is closer to ‘tongue loosener’ than ‘twister’.

Today’s scioglilingua is among the best-known in the Italian language.  It looks easy enough, but it is quite challenging even for native speakers of Italian to say it fast and well.  Make sure to stress the double “t” in ‘sotto’ becuase, unlike their English counterpart, Italian double consonants are doubly emphasized… just stretch out the sound a little longer than with single consonants.

Hello again! 😀

This is part 5 of my 5-part series on ways to speed up your learning curve.

The following excellent ideas are the result of a challenge I posed to my students:

“Come up with entertaining & enriching ways to bring more Italian language and culture into your everyday lives between classes.”

The Result:

“50 Ways to Accelerate Your Learning Curve”

Try a few and enjoy ~ for that is the true spirit in which to learn a new language!

And now, the final 10 items ~ Buon divertimento!

40. Use polite Italian phrases (i.e., grazie, prego, per favore) and greetings (Buon giorno, buona sera, ciao, etc).
41. Make and review flashcards ~ use those little spaces of ‘dead time’… when waiting for the kids, the bus, the doctor, the light to turn green!
42. Study Italian language text books.
43. Talk with relatives in Italy ~ don’t have any? Talk to someone else’s relatives!
44. Write your shopping lists in Italian.
45. Go to Italian festivals, i.e., Festa Italiana, A Taste of Italy, Italian film festivals.
46. Get and watch the “Visions of Italy” DVDs.
47. Listen to Italian music on satellite radio (Siriusly Sinatra).
48. Listen to and learn Italian nursery rhymes (search for them on YouTube.com).
49. Watch a wide variety of Italian TV channels on the web on “La rai in diretta sul web”—Fantastico & FREE!
50. Sharpen your ear:  Lots more Italian TV and films to watch online at REWWWOLUTION.TV Also FREE!

Welcome back! 🙂

Here we are at part 4 of a 5-part series on ways to speed up your rate of learning.

The great ideas that follow are the result of a challenge I posed to my students:

“Come up with entertaining & enriching ways to bring more Italian language and culture into your everyday lives between classes.”

The Result:

“50 Ways to Accelerate Your Learning Curve”

Try a few,  enjoy ~ for that is the true spirit in which to learn a new language!

Here are the next 10 items:

1. Visit Italy.
2. Find a friend/family member who also wants to learn or speaks Italian and talk to each other daily.
3. Talk to yourself–using Italian words and phrases learned in Jodina’s class.
4. Move to Italy where you are completely immersed in the language!
5. Watch how-to-learn-Italian DVDs.
6. Read Italian children’s books (find them at local libraries, with English translations).
7. Ask questions.
8. Find Italian friends to talk to on Face book.
9. Listen to Italian music on computer/internet, E.g., RadioItalyLive.com.
10. Use polite Italian phrases (i.e., grazie, prego, per favore) and greetings.

Welcome back! 🙂

This is Part 3 of a 5-part series on ideas and ways to amp up your speed of learning. (Aumentare la tua velocità di apprendimento)

I challenged my students to come up with entertaining and enriching ways to bring more Italian language and culture into their everyday lives in between classes.

The Result:

“50 Ways to Accelerate Your Learning Curve”

Try a few,  enjoy ~ for that is the true spirit in which to learn a new language!

21. Become familiar with Italian wine.
22. Read about famous Italian persons.
23. Tell others about things Italian.
24. Take Italian lessons/classes.
25. Practice Daily.
26. Arrange with a “phone buddy” to talk in Italian everyday, even if nothing more than greetings and “small talk” to begin with.
27. Use your Mp3 player to listen to language courses as you exercise or walk. Sample a free trial at www.bbc.co.uk/languages.steps/italian/.
28. Listen to Italian music or language CDs/tapes while cooking.
29. Use your CD player in the car to listen to Italian music.
30. Enroll in the Yahoo Italian group – read the emails, translating those that are entirely in Italian with an online translator.