💟Leggenda di San Valentino💟

Posted on February 13, 2021 by Jodina

Conosci l’origine della leggenda di San Valentino?

[
English Translation Below
]

Sono molte le leggende riguardanti la vita di San Valentino – eccone una:

La Festa di San Valentino ha le origini nell’antico rito romano di Lupercalia. La Chiesa cattolica voleva mettere fine a questo rito pagano per la fertilità. 

I romani pagani celebravano il dio Lupercus (il dio della fertilità) con un rito annuale. Prima si mettevano in un’urna 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 intimità per un intero anno.  L’anno successivo ripetevano il rito con altre coppie.

La Chiesa ha cercato un santo “degli innamorati” per sostituire Lupercus. Hanno scelto San Valentino (Terni, 176 circa – Roma, 14 febbraio 273), un vescovo romano che celebrava l’unione 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 ù stato lapidato e poi decapitato.

La leggenda dice che mentre Valentino era in prigione in attesa dell’esecuzione, 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 d’addio ha firmato: “dal tuo Valentino,” una frase che ù ancora viva oggi – molto tempo dopo la morte del suo autore.

💖English Translation💖

Do you know the origin of the Valentine’s Day legend?

There are many legends surrounding the life of St. Valentine – here is one:

The celebration of Valentine’s 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 “of lovers” to replace Lupercus. They chose Saint Valentine (Terni, c. 176 – 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 jailer’s 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: “dal tuo Valentino” (from your Valentine), a phrase that is still alive today – long after the death of its author – and that’s the origin of the legend of Valentine. 

💌Che pensi del Giorno di San Valentino? La festeggi? Come? 💌 What do you think of Valentine’s Day? Do you celebrate it? How?💌 Share your thoughts in the comments!💌

 

Posted in Italian Customs, Italian Holidays, italian lessons, Italian Vocabulary, italian words, learn italian, Uncategorized, Vocaboli Italiai | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

😍2021 bollettino NÂș4 🍭Caramelle per il Cervello!🧠Brain Candy!

Posted on January 22, 2021 by Jodina

Mamma mia che settimana! (Holy cow, what a week!) Thought you might like to relax into the fine settimana (weekend) with a lil’ bit o’ italiano


Read on for an Italian joke đŸ€Ł (una barzelletta), a saying (un detto), and my favorite word (parola preferita) of the week.

📌Italian Cook-Alongs Start This Sunday!📌
Only a Few Spots Left for “Classic Pasta Sauces“
Join Us! đŸ„˜ Make an Amazing Sunday Meal! 😋

💌 P.S. Other Winter Session Classes are already rolling or kicking off soon
Click here for deets! 💌

Scroll down for translations

1) La Barzelletta / The Joke:
– “Sai che mio fratello va in bicicletta da quando aveva quattro anni?”
– “Mmm, dev’essere giĂ  lontano.” đŸ€Ł

2) il Detto / The Saying: far venire l’acquolino 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 l’acquolina in bocca. 😋

Translations

1) The Joke:
– “You know my brother’s been riding a bicycle since he was four years old?”
– “Hmm, he must be very far by now.”

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 “caramelle per il cervello“? Do you have any favorite Italian barzellette, detti or parole? Let me know in the comments!

 

Posted in Expressions, Italian idioms, italian lessons, Italian Vocabulary, italian words, learn italian, Sayings, Uncategorized, Vocaboli Italiai | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

😍2021 bollettino italiano NÂș3đŸ€žGoodies Galore!🎈

Posted on January 13, 2021 by Jodina

Today, just for un minuto, I invite you to unplug from the madness đŸ€Ș, and take a happy little Italian break with me!

Read on for an Italian joke đŸ€Ł (una battuta), a saying (un detto), and my favorite word (parola) of the week.

 

📌REMINDER: Winter Italian Classes Start Online Next Week!📌

💌  If learning Italian is something that brings you joy, please don’t let the current craziness of the world distract you from doing the things you love.

     Now more than ever, it’s important to unplug / take some “me time” & focus on something that makes you happy (and that you can controlđŸ„°).

đŸ§‘â€đŸ€â€đŸ§‘Â  Getting together (even if it’s virtual) with a supportive community of language lovers is good for your mental health
 if it makes you happy, it’s good for your immune system!

🎁Be sure to scroll down for this week’s language goodies!💝

Ti auguro pace e tranquilitĂ  (I wish you peace & tranquility),đŸ•Šïž

Jodina

Scroll down for translations

Una mosca

1) La Battuta / The Joke:
Q. Qual Ăš la cittĂ  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. What’s 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 “fly” 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?

 
 
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Leggenda della Befana/Italian Christmas Witch Legend

Posted on January 6, 2021 by Jodina

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 l’Epifania, 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 Befana’s 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 wasn’t 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 GesĂč 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 GesĂč 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, and i 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 celebrating la festa dell’Epifania/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 it’s mainly a celebration for the kiddos, you’ll 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 “Buona Befana!,” 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 “The Legend of the Christmas Witch,” 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.

Posted in Italian Customs, Italian Holidays, Italian Vocabulary, italian words, learn italian, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Italian Lentil Soup💰Recipe for a Lucky Year

Posted on January 1, 2021 by Jodina

Prefer to read this post in English? Skip to the text in  green.

gold coins     Secondo l’usanza 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 – È deliziosa e abbastanza facile.

Here’s my recipe – It’s delicious and pretty easy.

[Printer-friendly version of recipe]

Zuppa di lenticchie | Lentil Soup

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]lenticchie-2

  1. 300 gr lenticchie verdi secche | 10-11 oz dry green lentils
  2. 1-2 cucchiai olio d’oliva | 1-2 tblsp olive oil
  3. 1-2 cucchiai di burro | 1-2 tbsp butter
  4. peperoncino q.b. /quanto basta | red chili pepper, to taste
  5. 1 cipolla tritata | 1 chopped onion
  6. 1 costola di sedano tritata | 1 stalk of celery, chopped
  7. 2 gambi di porro tritati | 2 bulbs/stems chopped leeks
  8. 1 carota tritata | 1 chopped carrot
  9. 1 bicchiere di vino bianco secco | 1 c./8oz. dry white wine
  10. 1 pomodoro piccolo tritato | 1 small chopped tomato
  11. 1 foglia di alloro | 1 bay  leaf
  12. 8-10 bicchieri (2-2 Âœ litri) d’acqua | 8-10 c. (2-2 Âœ qt.) water
  13. Dadi di brodo vegetale q.b./quanto basta (circa un dado per litro d’acqua) | Broth cubes, as needed (approx. 1 cube per quart of water)
  14. Sale e pepe, q.b. | Salt and pepper, to taste
  15. Qualche rametto di timo fresco | A few sprigs of fresh thyme
  16. Facoltativo: 300 gr cotechino o altra salsiccia | Optional:  10-11 oz. “cotechino”, a traditional Italian pork sausage, or other sausage

Preparazione | Directions

  1. Sciacquate le lenticchie e mettetele in ammolo in acqua fredda per circa 2-3 ore.
    1. Rinse and soak lentils in cold water for approx. 2-3 hours.
  2. Riscaldate l’acqua con i dadi di brodo e tenetela coperta a fuoco lento finche occorre.
    1. Heat the water with broth cubes and keep covered at a simmer until needed.
  3. 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 l’olio d’oliva.italian food italian cooking
    1. Upon completion of soaking time, in a large pan sauté the chopped onion, leeks, carrot and celery in the butter and olive oil, until onion is transparent.
  4. Aggiungete le lenticchie, ben scolate dall’acqua di ammollo,e la foglia di alloro, girandole 1-2 minuti mentre assorbono il burro, l’olio ed i gusti della verdura.
    1. 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.
  5. Aggiungete e fate sfumare il vino bianco, girando il tutto a fuoco basso.
    1. Add white wine and stir the mix while sautéing so wine absorbs into lentils as it evaporates.
  6. Aggiungete il pomodoro e girate a fuoco lento.
    1. Add tomato and stir while sautéing.
  7. Aggiungete sale e pepe quanto basta.
    1. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  8. 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.
    1. 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 “al dente” and not overcooked (when ready, lentils should be soft but not mushy).
  9. Aggiungete del sale quanto basta.
    1. Add salt as needed/to taste.
  10. 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.
    1. 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.
  11. Quando le salsicce saranno ultimate, toglietele dalla fiamma e togliere la pelle.
    1. When sausages are cooked, remove from heat and remove casings.
  12. capodanno-buon anno 2014

    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 !

    1. 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!

Posted in italian cooking, Italian Customs, Italian Food, Italian Holidays, italian recipes, Italian Vocabulary, italian words, learn italian, Uncategorized, Vocaboli Italiai | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Vowel Sound U/ooh/ – “It’s Never About YOU” | ITALIAN LANGUAGE NUGGET o’ the week | Navigating Pronunciation Landmines

Posted on December 7, 2018 by Jodina

Rather listen than read? ⇓ Podcast below ⇓

 

This week’s 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 [“Don’t Call Me Al“] and I [“Rhymes with Tree“], it’s a very straightforward sound.

Anatomy of U

In Italian, unless it’s paired with Q, the letter U is pronounced like a short, decisive /ooh/. It’s 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 it’s pronounced /k/, as in queso /kay-so/, the Spanish word for cheese]

It’s never about YOU

U’s 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 università.

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 It’s never about YOU 😀 😀 😀

There you have it, the Italian Vowel Sound U.  I Hope this has been helpful. Be sure to check out the Word Glossary below for more U practice words.

– 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 you’d like me to cover. I look forward to reading your thoughts and questions in the comments section below! [And if you haven’t yet, do sign up for updates, and you’ll never miss a Language Nugget!]

Word Glossary

  • Here’s 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
    • piĂč | more
    • guardare |  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
    • menĂč | 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, it’s never about YOU):
    • museo | museum
    • cellulare | cell phone
    • continuare | to continue
    • universitĂ  | university
    • sicuro | sure, certain, safe, secure, trustworthy
    • sicuramente | surely, certainly, safely, securely
Posted in italian lessons, italian podcast, italian pronunciation, Italian Vocabulary, italian words, learn italian, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Vowel Sound i/ee/ – “Rhymes with Tree” | ITALIAN LANGUAGE NUGGET o’ the week | Navigating Pronunciation Landmines

Posted on November 21, 2018 by Jodina

Rather listen than read? ⇓ Podcast below ⇓

Buongiornoooo! This week’s Language Nugget is brought to you by yet another pronunciation landmine Vowel Sound – today we’re looking at the Italian Vowel Sound i – which in Italian rhymes with tree and we (so really, it’s the Italian Vowel Sound /ee/) 
 Think of “This Little Piggy cried wee-wee-wee.”

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 – as simple of a sound as it is – proves very challenging for most students – even for those who’ve 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 /ē/, 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 it’s so darn simple, why is it so tricky? I think it’s 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 they’re 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 there’s the trifecta of signore/signora/signorina (which also contain the gn sound).

Some commonly mispronounced cognates: diverso, minuto, cominciare, continuare, finire, visitare, camminare (also contains the frequently butchered Vowel Sound A), dimenticare, iniziare, sicuro, lista, informazione, ventilatore, condizionale, vicino, Vittorio.

Words beginning with the combination in are 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. That’s 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 I’ve 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

Can’t see the forest for the trees? See trees in the i’s!

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) “tree.”

Then with that memory fresh in your mind and mouth, proceed to pronounce the Italian word. 

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 you’re 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 😀

– 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 you’d like me to cover. Love to hear your comments!

Word Glossary

  • il | the
  • in |  in, to, into, by, made of
  • signore | Mr., mister, sir, gentleman
  • signora | Ms., Mrs., ma’m, madam, lady, woman
  • signorina
  • diverso | miss, unmarried woman
  • minuto | minute
  • cominciare | to start, begin, commence
  • continuare | to continue
  • finire | to finish
  • visitare | to visit
  • camminare | to walk
  • dimenticare | to forget
  • iniziare | to begin, start, launch
  • sicuro | secure, certain, safe, sure
  • lista | list
  • informazione | information
  • ventilatore | fan, ventilator
  • condizionale | conditional
  • vicino | near, close (in the vicinity), neighbor
  • Vittorio | Victor
  • insieme | together
  • infatti | in fact
  • invece | instead
  • inoltre | besides, moreover, also, in addition
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The Vowel Sound A – “Don’t Call Me Al” | ITALIAN LANGUAGE NUGGET o’ the week | Avoiding Pronunciation Landmines

Posted on November 6, 2018 by Jodina

Rather listen than read? ⇓ Podcast below ⇓

Today’s language nugget/pronunciation landmine is brought to you by the Italian Vowel Sound A.  Such an innocent looking letter. You’d think it’d be easy. And yet, it fools many a student (especially, those whose first language is English).

A good nickname for this sound would be “Don’t call me Al”
 inspired by Paul Simon’s song, “You can call me Al”, because you absolutely cannot pronounce the Italian word “al” (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

Here’s how to avoid this pitfall – In Italian, the vowel letter A has one sound, and one sound only: it always sounds like the “a” in father, /ah/.  In English “a” 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 “o” in the words rock, box, and top (or if the flavor of your English is British, the letter “a” 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, it’s all too easy to say it with an Englishy-sounding spin
 even more so if it’s a cognate, like “al”, which far too many people call Al 😉

[Side note: For Spanish speakers, the Italian vowel A is a walk in the park, because the sound is identical in the two languages – A sounds like /ah/ both in Spanish and Italian.]

Meet the A-Team – Examples of commonly mispronounced Italian A words

Be on the lookout for these guys 
 al (a + il), Alberto, albergo, caffù, a, altro, alto, italiano, pantaloni, animale, caldo, bambino, camera, stanza, fotografia, piatto, passare, da, d’accordo, 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 I’ve 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 wasn’t built in a day, and language skills aren’t acquired overnight. Time and perseverance will get you where you want to go – as the Italian idiom states, Chi va piano va sano e va lontano – (slow and steady wins the race). And, remember to have fun with it along the way!

– 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 you’d like me to cover. Love to hear your comments! 

Word Glossary

  • a |  at, to
  • al (a + il) | at the, to the
  • Alberto | Albert
  • albergo | hotel
  • caffĂš | coffee
  • altro | other
  • alto | tall
  • italiano | Italian
  • pantaloni | pants
  • animale | anial
  • caldo | hot
  • bambino | child, kid, baby
  • camera | room, bedroom
  • stanza | room
  • fotografia | photograph, photography
  • piatto | plate, dish
  • passare | to pass
  • da | from
  • d’accordo | agreed, OK
  • piazza | plaza, square
  • antico | ancient, antique
  • grande | big, great
  • tavolo | table
  • grazie | thank you, thanks
  • passeggiata | a walk
  • vacanza | vacation
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The Three Stooges Sound | ITALIAN LANGUAGE NUGGET o’ the week | Avoiding Pronunciation Landmines

Posted on October 23, 2018 by Jodina

Rather listen than read? ⇓ Podcast below ⇓

This week’s Language Nugget features another common Italian pronunciation landmine
 one that has the dubious distinction of being voted by my students as “Most Obnoxious Sound in Italian.” Can you guess which sound I’m talking about?

I jokingly call it the Three Stooges Sound
 in reference to “nyuk, nyuk, nyuk”, 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 ‘gn’. 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 they’re 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. Let’s start with possibly the biggest offender of all: significa. I teach this word on day one of class with the phrase, “Che significa?” (“What does it mean, or signify?”), pronounced /Kay seen-YEE-fee-kah/.  It’s a useful phrase for someone about to dive into a new language.

Anatomy of ‘gn’

Nearly everyone tends to mispronounce significa. It’s tricky because as a letter combo, gn does 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 ‘ny’ combo in the English word canyon – you completely ignore the ‘g’, pronounce the ‘n’, 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) – If you don’t 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 it’s easier to recognize and deal with because it shows up as ñ rather than gn. While ñ 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 
the Italian gn is not a common sound in English. What always comes to mind for me, as mentioned earlier, is the Three Stooges saying, “nyuk, nyuk, nyuk,” in imitation of the sound of laughter. It’s hard to describe it in words, so if you’re too young to know the Three Stooges, check out this video.

Not only is gn a counter-intuitive letter combo, it’s nearly impossible to properly pronounce this very nasal sound (at least when you’re first learning it) without screwing up your face into an obnoxious expression worthy of the Three Stooges, hence it’s prize as the Most Obnoxious Sound in Italian ;D

Try it for yourself in these common Italian gn words: bagno – bisogno – sogno – sognare – agnello – pugno – guadagnare – spegnere – lasagna – prugna – lavagna – bagnoschiuma – giugno – castagna – frignare – disegnare – disegno – ingegnere – bagnino – 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 “nyuk, nyuk, nyuk”) 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.  

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, you’ll be the one laughing
 nyuk, nyuk, nyuk! 😉

– 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! What’s 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 you’d like me to cover. Love to hear your comments! 

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Italian Z’s, Part I: The Hot Z | ITALIAN LANGUAGE NUGGET o’ the week | Avoiding Pronunciation Landmines

Posted on October 4, 2018 by Jodina

Rather listen than read? ⇓ Podcast below ⇓

Just to set the record straight, this week’s Language Nugget isn’t about sleeping, Italian style 😉  Rather, we’ll be talking about the pronunciation of what I call the Hot Z. Just as the letter S can be tricky in Italian [read about the Sneaky S], Z is another one that tends to catch people off guard.

In Italian, Z can have a hard, buzzy sound similar to the English Z (which I’ll cover in another post, but generally it’s when Z is the first letter of a word). The ‘Hot Z’, as I have nicknamed it, is pronounced /ts/, like the sound of a drop of water hitting a hot surface. You hear it in English words like pots, lots, and shots. It’s not hard to pronounce – it’s just a matter of remembering to do it right when you come across it.

The challenge is that, left unchecked, your default language brain will try to convince/cause you to say it like the buzzy-sounding Z you’re used to in English. Like with all pronunciation landmines, each one by itself is just one small sound, but altogether, how you say all those little sounds can make you sound more or less natural and decrease or increase your understandability. So, for these reasons, they do deserve your time and effort.

Alright, let’s have a look at how the Hot Z shows up in Italian-

99% of the time (possibly more), the letter Z inside of a word is pronounced /ts/. If you’re an English speaker, you already say it correctly whenever you say pizza. (Of course, because it’s a double Z, you need to hold the sound twice as long, /peets-sah/). Think of double Z words as having extra sizzle – pazzo, pozzo, pizzo, cozza, razza, mazzo – sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!

Other common Hot Z words in Italian are stanza, silenzio, attenzione, informazione, stazione, and piazza. If you struggle to pronounce the Z in these words as /ts/, you’re not alone. It’s one of the more common pronunciation landmines. So how do you overcome it? Easy – practice, practice, practice – to retrain your brain – it takes time and focus, but it’s by no means rocket science
 You got this 😉

I recommend ‘collecting’ Hot Z words in a list you create and practice regularly – call it your ‘Hot Z practice list,’ revisit it often, say the words aloud, and before you know it, you’ll begin to automatically see/say a Z inside of an Italian word as the sizzly /ts/ sound that it is!

Final mystery: You may have noticed I said that 99% of words follow this pronunciation rule
 So what about the 1%, and how will you figure it out? Add a section to your list called “Rebels that don’t follow the Hot Z rule,” so that as you’re learning this, you’ll take these into account, too. And don’t worry about it too much – there are so few of them that the only ones that I can think of right now are pranzo, mezzo, and grezzo.

– 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! What’s your take on the Hot Z sound? Have you seen it before, and does it ever trip you up? Do you know any other Hot Z words? Any other Hot Z rebels? Let me what other Italian pronunciation landmines you’d like me to cover. Love to hear your comments!

Posted in italian podcast, italian pronunciation, Italian Vocabulary, learn italian, Uncategorized | 2 Comments