The weatherâs a little nuts this time of year, so itâs the perfect moment to learn a couple of Italian weather- and spring-related proverbs!
1. Una rondine non fa primavera. (One swallow doesnât mean itâs spring.)
đSignificato / Meaning:
Una rondine
Questo proverbio molto popolare viene spesso utilizzato come monito, sia per evidenziare che lâapparire di una rondine nel cielo non deve far dedurre che la primavera sia arrivata; sia, in senso piĂš generale, che un evento isolato, non è sufficiente per tirare le conclusioni.
đTraduzione / Translation:
This very popular proverb is often used as a warning, both to highlight that the appearance of a swallow in the sky should not lead to the deduction that spring has arrived; neither, in a more general sense, is one isolated event enough to draw conclusions.
2. Se marzo entra come un leone, esce come un agnello. (If March comes in like a lion, it goes out like a lamb.)
đSignificato / Meaning:
il cielo di marzo
Il detto âse marzo entra come un leone, esce come un agnelloâ ha le radici nellâessenza stessa del mese, che comincia con il tempo invernale âferoceâ per poi passare al clima piĂš mite della primavera.
Meteorologicamente non è invece vero che se marzo inizia in modo burrascoso, finirà per forza con un meteo mite.
PiĂš probabile è, invece, la spiegazione che lo lega allâosservazione del cielo notturno di marzo e i segni zodiacali.
Infatti il cielo di marzo è dominato dalla figura del Leone (costellazione zodiacale del cielo settentrionale) e del Grande Carro, per poi passare verso la fine del mese al segno zodiacale dellâAriete (ossia un montone) nellâorizzonte occidentale.
đTraduzione / Translation:
The saying âif March enters like a lion, it goes out like a lambâ has its roots in the very essence of the month, which begins with âferociousâ winter weather and then moves on to the milder climate of spring.
Meteorologically, however, itâs not true that if March starts out stormy, it will inevitably end with mild weather.
More likely, rather, is the explanation that links it to the observation of the night sky in March and the zodiac signs.
In fact, the March sky is dominated by the figure of Leo (zodiac constellation of the northern sky) and by the Big Dipper, then moving towards the end of the month into the zodiac sign of Aries (whose symbol is a ram or male sheep) on the western horizon.
Conoscevi giĂ questi proverbi? (Did you already know these proverbs?) | Câè qulache provrbio italiano che ti piace? (Are there any Italian proverbs that you like?) | Condividi il tuo commento (Share your comment!)
Conosci lâorigine della leggenda di San Valentino?
[âŚEnglish Translation BelowâŚ]
Sono molte le leggende riguardanti la vita di San Valentino â eccone una:
La Festa di San Valentino ha le origini nellâantico rito romano di Lupercalia. La Chiesa cattolica voleva mettere fine a questo rito pagano per la fertilitĂ .Â
I romani pagani celebravano il dio Lupercus (il dio della fertilitĂ ) con un rito annuale. Prima si mettevano in unâurna tutti i nomi delle donne e degli uomini che adoravano questo dio. Dopo un bambino sceglieva a caso alcune coppie dagli nomi. Poi queste coppie vivevano in intimitĂ per un intero anno. Lâanno successivo ripetevano il rito con altre coppie.
La Chiesa ha cercato un santo âdegli innamoratiâ per sostituire Lupercus. Hanno scelto San Valentino (Terni, 176 circa â Roma, 14 febbraio 273), un vescovo romano che celebrava lâunione di matrimonio.  Questa pratica faceva arrabbiare i romani.  Valentino ha rifiutato di riconvertirsi al paganesimo e di seguire il rito di Lupercus. Poi Valentino ha tentato di convertire al cristianesimo Claudio II. Claudio II lo ha messo in prigione. Il 24 febbraio, 270, San Valentino è stato lapidato e poi decapitato.
La leggenda dice che mentre Valentino era in prigione in attesa dellâesecuzione, si era affezionato alla figlia cieca di suo carceriere, Asterius. Si dice che con la sua fede ha ridato miracolosamente la vista alla fanciulla. Dopo, in un messaggio dâaddio ha firmato: âdal tuo Valentino,â una frase che è ancora viva oggi â molto tempo dopo la morte del suo autore.
đEnglish Translationđ
Do you know the origin of the Valentineâs Day legend?
There are many legends surrounding the life of St. Valentine â here is one:
The celebration of Valentineâs Day has its origins in the ancient Roman rite of Lupercalia. The Catholic Church wanted to put an end to this pagan fertility rite.
The pagan Romans celebrated the god Lupercus (the god of fertility) with an annual ritual. First, all the names of the women and men who worshiped this god were put in an urn. Then a child would randomly choose some couples from the names. Then these couples lived in intimacy for an entire year. The following year they repeated the ritual with other couples.
The Church sought a saint âof loversâ to replace Lupercus. They chose Saint Valentine (Terni, c. 176 â Rome, February 14, 273), a Roman bishop who celebrated the union of marriagen. This practice angered the Romans. Valentino refused to convert back to paganism and follow the rite of Lupercus. Then Valentine tried to convert Claudius II to Christianity. Claudius II put him in prison. On February 24, 270, Valentine was stoned and then beheaded.
Legend has it that while Valentino was in prison awaiting execution, he had grown fond of his jailerâs blind daughter, Asterius. It is said that with his faith he miraculously restored sight to the girl. Later, in a farewell message he signed off: âdal tuo Valentinoâ (from your Valentine), a phrase that is still alive today â long after the death of its author â and thatâs the origin of the legend of Valentine.Â
đChe pensi del Giorno di San Valentino? La festeggi? Come? đ What do you think of Valentineâs Day? Do you celebrate it? How?đ Share your thoughts in the comments!đ
đ P.S. Other Winter Session Classes are already rolling or kicking off soon Click here for deets! đ
Scroll down for translations
1) La Barzelletta / The Joke:
â âSai che mio fratello va in bicicletta da quando aveva quattro anni?â
â âMmm, devâessere giĂ lontano.â đ¤Ł
2) il Detto / The Saying: far venire lâacquolino in bocca
3) La mia parola preferita della settimana/ My favorite word of the week: Acquolina, n.f. Esempio: Il profumo dalla cucina mi fa venire lâacquolina in bocca. đ
Translations
1) The Joke:
â âYou know my brotherâs been riding a bicycle since he was four years old?â
â âHmm, he must be very far by now.â
2) The Saying:
To make your mouth water / whet your appetite
3) My favorite word of the week: Acquolina = drool, craving, noun, fem. Example: The aroma/fragrance/smell from the kitchen is making my mouth water.
Did you like these âcaramelle per il cervelloâ? Do you have any favorite Italian barzellette, detti or parole? Let me know in the comments!
đ If learning Italian is something that brings you joy, please donât let the current craziness of the world distract you from doing the things you love.
    Now more than ever, itâs important to unplug / take some âme timeâ & focus on something that makes you happy (and that you can controlđĽ°).
đ§âđ¤âđ§Â Getting together (even if itâs virtual) with a supportive community of language lovers is good for your mental health⌠if it makes you happy, itâs good for your immune system!
đBe sure to scroll down for this weekâs language goodies!đ
Ti auguro pace e tranquilitĂ (I wish you peace & tranquility),đď¸
Jodina
Scroll down for translations
Una mosca
1) La Battuta / The Joke:
Q. Qual è la città preferita di un ragno?
A. Mosca!
2) il Detto / The Saying:
Ridere per non piangere. Esempio: Questi giorni sono difficili e a volte rido per non piangere.
3) La mia parola preferita della settimana / My favorite word of the week: Mozzafiato, agg. Esempio: La vista delle Alpi ricoperte di neve era mozzafiato.
Translations
Le Alpi ricoperte di neve
1) The Joke:
Q. Whatâs the favorite city of a spider?
A. Mosca! [This is un gioco di parole (a play on words), since in Italian the word mosca means both âflyâ and Moscow.]
2) The Saying:
Laugh to not cry. Example: These are difficult days, and sometimes I laugh (so as) not to cry.
3) My favorite word of the week: Breathtaking, adj. Example: The view of the Alps covered in snow was breathtaking.
Did you enjoy these? Let me know in the comments! Do you have any favorite Italian battute, detti or parole?
All around Italy, i ragazzi, the kiddos, have hung their calze, stockings, by il camino, the chimney, with care, in hopes that la Befana soon will be there.
i bravi, the good ones, will get caramelle, candies, and little regali, gifts, while i cattivi, the bad ones will get carbone, coal.
While Babbo Natale, Santa Claus, comes during the night of December 24/25, la Befana arrives during the night of January 6/7, coinciding with lâEpifania, Epiphany.
There are other notable similarities and differences between Santa and la Befana.
Just like Babbo Natale, la Befana travels through the air. In place of a sleigh with flying reindeer, la Befana flies on a scopa, a broomstick, from house to house where there are bambini, children, entering by way of il camino.
Where Babbo Natale is rotund, merry, white-bearded and dressed in red and white, la Befana is depicted as a smiling, grandmotherly witch, wearing tattered clothing and covered in soot astride a broomstick.
Just like Santa Claus, la Befanaâs origins are nebulous, mainly the stuff of folklore, with many variations. The most common story I encounter is that la Befana lived along the route the Magi took to Bettlemme, Bethlehem. In this version, they stopped at her house seeking food and shelter, but she wasnât feeling sociable and sent them away.
Later, la Befana had a change of heart and set out to find the Magi to accompany them to find the Christ Child. But by then, she was too late to catch up, and she never found the three kings or il GesĂš Bambino, the baby Jesus.
So, as the story goes, to this day, at this time of year, she still travels the world, leaving gifts for every child, lest they be il GesĂš Bambino.
Poster for a Befana event
January 6, the Epiphany, marks the official end of the Italian Christmas holiday season. It is also said that la Befana takes away the old year, andi dolci, sweets, and regali she brings symbolize seeds to grow in the new year.
Many cities and towns hold special events and parties dedicated to celebratingla festa dellâEpifania/la Befana, Epiphany holiday. People play bingo and cards, and gather outdoors in le piazze, the squares, for festivities, including music, processions, live presepi, nativity scenes, mercatini, open-air markets, and live appearances by la Befana.
And while itâs mainly a celebration for the kiddos, youâll find adults getting in on the action, too, dressing up and parading around as la Befana.
Feeling festive? Perhaps you want to get into the act, too⌠You could wish people âBuona Befana!,â a popular greeting on January 6 in Italy.
This could be a great time to adopt a fun new tradition, with kids, family or friends. All you need is una calza, a stocking!
If you want to watch a fun movie on the theme, check out âThe Legend of the Christmas Witch,â on Prime Video. You can choose to watch it in English or original Italian, with or without English subtitles.
Buona Befana, and hope she brings you caramelle!
Have you heard of la Befana before? Do you have any special observances for Epiphany? Leave a comment!
Have fun practicing the Italian words in this story on Quizlet!! Click here to access the Quizlet Christmas Round-up list, and use the password NATALE.
Prefer to read this post in English? Skip to the text in green.
    Secondo lâusanza italiana, se ti vuoi assicurare di un nuovo anno fortunato, a Capodanno devi mangiare le lenticchie. Piatte e tonde, assomigliano le monete, e per il fatto che aumentano in misura durante la cottura, simboleggiano soldi e crescita finanziaria. Di solito in Italia le lenticchie si preparano in forma di una gustosa zuppa che viene mangiata nel periodo di Capodanno.
    According to Italian custom, if you want to ensure good luck in the new year, you should eat lentils at the New Year. Flat and round, they resemble coins, and due to the fact that they expand in size during cooking, they symbolize money and financial growth. In Italy, lentils are usually prepared in the form of a tasty soup eaten during the New Year period.
If you enjoy Italian cooking, be sure to check out my new virtual, bilingual Italian Cook-Along Classes!
Ecco la mia ricetta â à deliziosa e abbastanza facile.
Hereâs my recipe â Itâs delicious and pretty easy.
Persone: 4 | Preparazione: 30 minuti | Cottura: circa 2 ore  | Difficoltà : media
Serves: 4 | Preparation: 30 minutes | Cooking time: about 2 hours | Difficulty: medium
Ingredienti |Ingredients [Italian | English]
300 gr lenticchie verdi secche| 10-11 oz dry green lentils
1-2 cucchiai olio dâoliva | 1-2 tblsp olive oil
1-2 cucchiai di burro |1-2 tbsp butter
peperoncino q.b. /quanto basta| red chili pepper, to taste
1 cipolla tritata| 1 chopped onion
1 costola di sedano tritata | 1 stalk of celery, chopped
2 gambi di porro tritati | 2 bulbs/stems chopped leeks
1 carota tritata| 1 chopped carrot
1 bicchiere di vino bianco secco | 1 c./8oz. dry white wine
1 pomodoro piccolo tritato| 1 small chopped tomato
1 foglia di alloro | 1 bay  leaf
8-10 bicchieri (2-2 ½ litri) dâacqua| 8-10 c. (2-2 ½ qt.) water
Dadi di brodo vegetale q.b./quanto basta (circa un dado per litro dâacqua) | Broth cubes, as needed (approx. 1 cube per quart of water)
Sale e pepe, q.b. | Salt and pepper, to taste
Qualche rametto di timo fresco|Â A few sprigs of fresh thyme
Facoltativo: 300 gr cotechino o altra salsiccia| Optional:Â 10-11 oz. âcotechinoâ, a traditional Italian pork sausage, or other sausage
Preparazione |Directions
Sciacquate le lenticchie e mettetele in ammolo in acqua fredda per circa 2-3 ore.
Rinse and soak lentils in cold water for approx. 2-3 hours.
Riscaldate lâacqua con i dadi di brodo e tenetela coperta a fuoco lento finche occorre.
Heat the water with broth cubes and keep covered at a simmer until needed.
Trascorso il tempo di ammollo, potete iniziare a preparare la zuppa di lenticchie. In una pentola grande rosolate  cipolla, porro, sedano e carote tritati nel burro e lâolio dâoliva.
Upon completion of soaking time, in a large pan sautĂŠ the chopped onion, leeks, carrot and celery in the butter and olive oil, until onion is transparent.
Aggiungete le lenticchie, ben scolate dallâacqua di ammollo,e la foglia di alloro, girandole 1-2 minuti mentre assorbono il burro, lâolio ed i gusti della verdura.
Add lentils, having drained the soaking water, and the bay leaf, stirring 1-2 minutes as they absorb the butter, oil and flavors of the vegetables.
Aggiungete e fate sfumare il vino bianco, girando il tutto a fuoco basso.
Add white wine and stir the mix while sautĂŠing so wine absorbs into lentils as it evaporates.
Aggiungete il pomodoro e girate a fuoco lento.
Add tomato and stir while sautĂŠing.
Aggiungete sale e pepe quanto basta.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Aggiungete circa la meta` del brodo e coprire la pentola. Controllate, girate ed assaggiate di tanto in tanto, aggiundendo del brodo in piu` quando occorre ed evitando che le lenticchie si attaccano. Attenzione che le lenticchie ultimate siano al dente e non stracotte.
Add about half the broth and cover the pan. Check, stir and taste every so often, adding more broth as needed to avoid lentils cooking to the bottom of pan. Take care that the finished lentils are âal denteâ and not overcooked (when ready, lentils should be soft but not mushy).
Aggiungete del sale quanto basta.
Add salt as needed/to taste.
In una padella a parte, fate rosolare le salsicce. Abbiate cura a non stracuocerle. Alla fine della cottura la pelle sara` diventata biancastra. Dovrebbero essere tenere e non dure.
In a separate pan, steam the sausage(s). Be careful not to overcook. When finished, the casings will have turned white. They should be tender, not tough.
Quando le salsicce saranno ultimate, toglietele dalla fiamma e togliere la pelle.
When sausages are cooked, remove from heat and remove casings.
Buon Anno | Happy New Year!
Quando la zuppa di lenticchie sara` ultimate, toglietela dalla fiamma, togliete la foglia di alloro, aggiungete del timo fresco e mescolate. Affettate le salsicce, mettete le fette in cima alle porzioni di zuppa ed aggiungete un rametto di timo fresco. Buon appetito e prospero anno !
When lentils have finished cooking, remove from heat, remove bay leaf, add the leaves of several fresh sprigs of thyme and mix.  Slice the sausages, put slices over the top of the portions of lentil stew, add a sprig of thyme and serve. Good eating and Prosperous New Year!
Have you ever eaten or made lentil soup? What special foods do you eat at the New Year? Leave a comment below!
If you enjoy Italian cooking, be sure to check out my new virtual, bilingual Italian Cook-Along Classes!
This weekâs Italian Language Nugget is brought to you by yet another vowel sound pronunciation landmine. The letter in question is U. Just like the vowels A [âDonât Call Me Alâ] and I [âRhymes with Treeâ], itâs a very straightforward sound.
Anatomy of U
In Italian, unless itâs paired with Q, the letter U is pronounced like a short, decisive /ooh/. Itâs the same sound heard in the English words boot, shoe, blue, and crew.
Some common Italian Vowel Sound U words are uno, due, tu, su, lui, and cucina. See the Word Glossary at the end of this post for word definitions and more U words.
Q + U =If U shows up after Q, the combo of the two letters is /kw/, the same as in English. Some frequent QU combo words in Italian are qui, qua, quando, and quale.
[Side note: the QU combo in Italian is different than in Spanish, where itâs pronounced /k/, as in queso /kay-so/, the Spanish word for cheese]
Itâs never about YOU
Uâs not a tricky letter, but occasionally Italian language learners get snagged on cognates[words that look, sound, and have similar meanings between languages] such as museo, continuare, and universitĂ .
Because their English equivalents contain a consonant Y sound, it takes some effort to pronounce the U in those words as only /ooh/ and not as YOU, because⌠when it comes to U in Italian Itâs never about YOU đ đ đ
There you have it, the Italian Vowel Sound U. Â I Hope this has been helpful. Be sure to check out the Word Glossary below for more U practice words.
â Are you saying it correctly?? Listen to the mini podcast of this Language Nugget to hear and practice saying these words right!
Leave a comment! Is the Italian Vowel Sound U /ooh/ easy or tricky for you? Are there any words that really trip you up? Let me know what other Italian pronunciation landmines youâd like me to cover. I look forward to reading your thoughts and questions in the comments section below! [And if you havenât yet, do sign up for updates, and youâll never miss a Language Nugget!]
Word Glossary
Hereâs a roundup of common words in Italian with the /ooh/ sound:
Uno | one
due | two
tu | you (familiar, singular)
Su | up, on, above
lui | he
cucina | kitchen, cuisine
minuto | minute
buono | good
ufficio | office
piĂš | more
guardare |Â to watch
tutto | all, everything
vuole | he, she, it wants (from the verb volere)
uomo | man
comune | common, community, municipality
giusto | right, correct, just
turista | tourist
suo | his, her, its
subito | immediately, right away
aiuto | help
ultimo | last, final, most recent
studiare | to study
scuola | school
menĂš | menu
And here are some frequent QU combo words:
qui, qua | here (used interchangeably)
quando | when
quale | which
questo | this
quello | that
quasi | almost
qualche | some
qualcosa | something
qualcuno | someone
Finally, be on the lookout for these sneaky cognates (and remember, itâs never about YOU):
Buongiornoooo! This weekâs Language Nugget is brought to you by yet another pronunciation landmine Vowel Sound â today weâre looking at the Italian Vowel Sound i â which in Italian rhymes with tree and we (so really, itâs the Italian Vowel Sound /ee/) ⌠Think of âThis Little Piggy cried wee-wee-wee.â
For English speakers, this is one of the biggest pronunciation landmines⌠for a number of reasons⌠and mispronouncing it seems to be a hard habit to break.  Training/re-training the brain to pronounce it correctly â as simple of a sound as it is â proves very challenging for most students â even for those whoâve studied Spanish.
[Side note: The Italian Vowel Sound i is a non-issue for native and fluent Spanish speakers, since this letter has the same sound in both languages.]
Anatomy of the Italian Vowel Sound i/ee/
So for starters, the good news: In Italian this vowel only ever sounds like /Ä/, the long E English vowel sound that you hear in words like tree, bee, me, we, free, leave, teen, feel, sleep⌠I could go on, but I think you get the idea.
The wrong way to say it is like the short i, /Ä/, English vowel, as in the words knit, sip, big, win, think, click, and ring.
Well alright, if itâs so darn simple, why is it so tricky? I think itâs because there are so many Italian-English cognates with the letter i.
[Cognate is a nerdy language term that refers to words that look and sound similar between two languages.]
Cognates are your friends in that theyâre like instant vocabulary boosters because you can easily guess what they mean, and that also makes them easy to remember.
But cognates are sometimes a double-edged sword.Since they do look so similar, your brain and mouth are used to pronouncing them in one way, and (at least linguistically) once you know something well, you kind of go into autopilot mode. So, while understanding/remembering the meaning of a cognate is super easy, pronouncing it takes extra effort.
Commonly Mispronounced Italian Vowel Sound i/ee/ Words
The two biggest offenders, because of how common they are in Italian, are probably the words il (the) and in (has a plethora of meanings: in, to, into, by, made of).
Then thereâs the trifecta of signore/signora/signorina (which also contain the gnsound).
Words beginning with the combination inare also frequently mispronounced, such as insieme, infatti, invece, inoltre.
Rarely Mispronounced Cognates with the Vowel Sound i/ee/
Proof that our brain often operates on autopilot (unless we intervene) is shown by cognates that in English are pronounced with same /ee/ sound as in Italian: ripetere (repeat), ritornare (return), rispondere (respond), ricevere (receive), and pizza.
Since the English equivalent contains the same /ree/ sound, English speakers rarely get these wrong. Thatâs because brain-muscle memory from the equivalent English words help them to automatically get it right, without needing to think about it.
Suggestions for Getting the Italian Vowel Sound i/ee/ Right (Avoiding icky pronunciation)
As with other language nuggets and pronunciation landmines Iâve highlighted in this series, practice makes perfect, and as I like to say, repetition is the mother of improvement. The Italian Vowel Sound i/ee/ is not hard to pronounce. It is as always, a question of looking before you leap and thinking before you speak.
I recommend making a list of target Italian words containing the Vowel Sound i/ee/, like the examples mentioned earlier.
Become Your Own Vowel Police
Get really clear on what the right and wrong pronunciation of the Italian Vowel Sound i/ee/ should feel like in your mouth and sound like in your ears. Train your brain to
Canât see the forest for the trees? See trees in the iâs!
associate the letter i with a tree⌠so that when you come across an Italian word containing i you say aloud (or think of the actual word) âtree.â
Then with that memory fresh in your mind and mouth, proceed to pronounce the Italian word.Â
Also build the habit of monitoring how the sound comes out of your mouth⌠if you pronounce the i as it would be in the English word ick, then it is in fact icky⌠say it again, aiming for the vowel sound in tree.
Read your Vowel Sound i/ee/ word list over and over, focusing meticulously on your pronunciation. Periodically record and listen to yourself to see how youâre doing. In time it will become habit and second nature.
Most importantly, be patient and kind with yourself, enjoy this journey, and remember: Language acquisition is an over time process, not an overnight phenomenon đ
â Are you saying it correctly?? Listen to the mini podcast of this Language Nugget to hear and practice saying these words right!
Leave a comment! Is the Italian Vowel Sound i/ee/ easy or tricky for you? Are there any words that really trip you up? Let me know what other Italian pronunciation landmines youâd like me to cover. Love to hear your comments!
Todayâs language nugget/pronunciation landmine is brought to you by the Italian Vowel Sound A. Â Such an innocent looking letter. Youâd think itâd be easy. And yet, it fools many a student (especially, those whose first language is English).
A good nickname for this sound would be âDonât call me Alâ⌠inspired by Paul Simonâs song, âYou can call me Alâ, because you absolutely cannot pronounce the Italian word âalâ (a combination of the words a and il) the way you would in English, and most people do, at least at first.
Anatomy of the Italian Vowel Sound A
Hereâs how to avoid this pitfall â In Italian, the vowel letter A has one sound, and one sound only: it always sounds like the âaâ in father, /ah/. In English âaâ has different sounds, the most common of which are the short sound (as in cat, nap, and snack) and the long sound (think of bake, name, and place).
The correct pronunciation of the Italian A is like the short English âoâ in the words rock, box, and top (or if the flavor of your English is British, the letter âaâ in the word after). Since the Italian Vowel Sound A is never pronounced like it is in (American) English, when you come across a word that contains A, itâs all too easy to say it with an Englishy-sounding spin⌠even more so if itâs a cognate, like âalâ, which far too many people call Al đ
[Side note: For Spanish speakers, the Italian vowel A is a walk in the park, because the sound is identical in the two languages â A sounds like /ah/ both in Spanish and Italian.]
Meet the A-Team â Examples of commonly mispronounced Italian A words
Be on the lookout for these guys ⌠al (a + il), Alberto, albergo, caffè, a, altro, alto, italiano, pantaloni, animale, caldo, bambino, camera, stanza, fotografia, piatto, passare, da, dâaccordo, piazza, antico, grande, tavolo, grazie, passeggiata, vacanza (Word Glossary below)
Suggestions for getting the Italian Vowel Sound A right
As with other language nuggets and pronunciation landmines Iâve highlighted in this series, practice makes perfect, and as I like to say, repetition is the mother of improvement. The Italian Vowel A is not hard to pronounce. It is, as always, a question of looking before you leap and thinking before you speak. Practicing reading Italian and pronouncing it correctly is a great way to practice and to train or retrain your brain and your mouth muscles to pronounce correctly.
Consider making a list of target Italian words containing the Vowel Sound A, such as the ones above. Another great idea is to record and then listen to yourself reading the words to get a clearer idea of which landmines are tripping you up and where you need more practice. The best way to do this is to record yourself progressively, so that you can hear your improvement over time, which is always the best encouragement!
Most importantly, be patient and kind with yourself. Rome wasnât built in a day, and language skills arenât acquired overnight. Time and perseverance will get you where you want to go â as the Italian idiom states, Chi va piano va sano e va lontano â (slow and steady wins the race). And, remember to have fun with it along the way!
â Are you saying it correctly?? Listen to the mini podcast of this Language Nugget to hear and practice saying these words right!
Leave a comment!Is the Italian Vowel Sound A easy or tricky for you? Any words that really trip you up? Let me know what other Italian pronunciation landmines youâd like me to cover. Love to hear your comments!Â
This weekâs Language Nugget features another common Italian pronunciation landmine⌠one that has the dubious distinction of being voted by my students as âMost Obnoxious Sound in Italian.â Can you guess which sound Iâm talking about?
I jokingly call it the Three Stooges Sound⌠in reference to ânyuk, nyuk, nyukâ, the written/spoken onomatopoeic representation of laughter made famous by the Three Stooges.
The Italian sound in question is represented by the letter combination of âgnâ. The best known examples of this sound are most certainly gnocchi /NYOH-key/ and lasagna /lah-ZAHN-yah/. People usually get these two right simply because theyâre Italian foods that have found fame and fortune outside of Italy.
The challenge, however, arises with lesser-known words containing this sound. These tend to trip folks up. Letâs start with possibly the biggest offender of all: significa. I teach this word on day one of class with the phrase, âChe significa?â (âWhat does it mean, or signify?â), pronounced /Kay seen-YEE-fee-kah/. Itâs a useful phrase for someone about to dive into a new language.
Anatomy of âgnâ
Nearly everyone tends to mispronounce significa. Itâs trickybecause as a letter combo, gndoes exist in English but with a different sound value. In English this combo calls for a hard g (like a gut punch) sound followed by the /n/ sound. In Italian however, the gn is instead like the ânyâ combo in the English word canyon â you completely ignore the âgâ, pronounce the ânâ, and follow it with the consonant /y/ sound (as in the word yes).
Matters are further confused by the fact that significa is a cognate (a word that looks and sounds similar between two languages) â If you donât stop to think before you speak, your default language brain will cause you to say the word with a very Englishy sound to it.
[Sidenote: Spanish has this sound, too, but itâs easier to recognize and deal with because it shows up as Ăą rather than gn. While Ăą is common in Spanish words, the Italian gn throws Spanish speakers, too, because in Spanish gn is pronounced with a hard-g + n, /gn/, just like in English.]
Aside from canyon and a few obscure words like lanyard, bunion, and banyan âŚthe Italian gn is not a common sound in English. What always comes to mind for me, as mentioned earlier, is the Three Stooges saying, ânyuk, nyuk, nyuk,â in imitation of the sound of laughter. Itâs hard to describe it in words, so if youâre too young to know the Three Stooges, check out this video.
Not only isgn a counter-intuitive letter combo, itâs nearly impossible to properly pronounce this very nasal sound (at least when youâre first learning it) without screwing up yourface into an obnoxious expression worthy of the Three Stooges, hence itâs prize as the Most Obnoxious Sound in Italian ;D
Try it for yourself in these common Italian gn words: bagno â bisogno â sogno â sognare â agnello â pugno â guadagnare â spegnere â lasagna â prugna â lavagna â bagnoschiuma â giugno â castagna â frignare â disegnare â disegno â ingegnere â bagnino â magnifico
Suggestions for pronouncing the Three Stooges/gn Sound
Just like with the Hot Z and the Sneaky S sounds, the best way to get a handle on this sound is to make yourself a list of gn practice words, like the ones above. To be sure you get it right, start off by saying canyon, lanyard, banyan, (or ânyuk, nyuk, nyukâ) and notice what your mouth and tongue are doing. With that muscle memory fresh in mind, immediately practice saying the Italian gn words on your list. Â
Keep at it, and before you know it, pronouncing words with the Three Stooges/gn Sound correctly will become second nature. And when that happens, youâll be the one laughing⌠nyuk, nyuk, nyuk! đ
â Are you saying it correctly?? Listen to the mini podcastof this Language Nugget to hear and practice saying these words right!
Leave a comment! Whatâs your take on the Three Stooges/gn Sound? Does it ever trip you up? Have any favorite or least favorite gn words to add to the list? Let me know what other Italian pronunciation landmines youâd like me to cover. Love to hear your comments!Â
