Italian Language and Culture

Venezia 😍

This is an excellent resource for learning Italian.

As an example, they have extensive material relating to level A1:

Free A1 Beginner/Elementary Italian Exercises Learn Italian online with these free A1 Beginner/Elementary Italian exercises. Choose grammar, vocabulary or listening practice. No registration or login!

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A short story in Italian!

"A year among the Italians had converted me to such an admiration for their humanity and culture that I realise that were I given the chance to be born again and to choose the place of my birth, Italy would be the country of my choice."

Norman Lewis, Naples '44

If moods are still unclear, this is a nice explanation:

Italian Verbs Moods and Tenses Today we speak about the Italian Verbs MOODS and TENSES. You know what a TENSE is, it indicates WHEN the the action happens. The MOOD instead tells you HOW the speakers understands the action. It s…

We've looked at six tenses, so far: three in the past, two in the present, and one in the future. All of these are in the indicative mood, which is used for factual statements about reality. Let's remind ourselves of the six tenses, with an example taken from the verb "imparare" (to learn):

PAST

Il Passato Prossimo
(e.g. ho imparato = I (have) learned)

Il Trapassato Prossimo
(e.g. avevo imparato = I had learned)

L'Imperfetto
(e.g. imparavo = I used to learn)

PRESENT

Il Presente Imperativo
(e.g. imparo = I learn)

Il Presente Progressivo
(e.g. sto imparando = I am learning)

FUTURE

Il Futuro Semplice
(e.g. imparerò = I will learn)

One thing we really love about visiting Italy is the cultural differences and norms. In Italy, saying “good morning” is not simply a throwaway line. You should always greet people wherever you go – when entering a shop or restaurant, to hotel staff, on the bus or at a cultural sight. It’s the expected thing to do.

A friendly “buon giorno!” with a smile will go a long way. So here are the most common greetings and their context so you get it right! Generally you use the formal with people you don’t know, especially older people. The informal is used between friends.

101 Italian phrases to learn for your trip to Italy Want to learn some basic Italian phrases for travel? Here are 101+ of the most common Italian phrases and words to use on your trip

Forza Azzurri!

Now let’s look at ‘Lei’. You would use the formal ‘Lei’ with people you don’t know well, such as acquaintances or strangers (unless they’re younger than you). You use it in formal situations, like at the bank, doctors, in a work interview or formal meeting. You also use it as a mark of respect for people older than you or in positions of authority. You would use ‘Lei’ with professors, doctors, police, politicians and lawyers for example.

So, if you’re lost in Italy and the person you ask for directions is older than you, you need to use ‘Lei’. Here’s an example conversation where the young boy uses ‘Lei’ and the older person uses ‘tu’:

Ragazzo giovane: Mi scusi, mi può dire dove si trova la galleria d’arte?
Signore: Certo. Vai sempre diritto, attraversa la piazza e poi gira a destra.
Ragazzo giovane: Grazie. Lei è stato molto gentile.
Signore: Figurati!
Ragazzo giovane: Arrivederci!

Tu or Lei? How to Use Formal and Informal in Italian We only have one way to say ‘you’ in English. Italian has both a formal you ‘Lei’ and an informal you: ‘tu’. Which one should you use when? This is a question many students ask and quite rightly too!

FACT: Italian is very diverse. There is Standard Italian, as well as a slight variant known as Neo-Standard Italian. There is also italiani regionali, dialetti, and idioletti.

8 Facts about the Italian Language that YOU may NOT know! – LearnAmo 8 Facts about the Italian Language that YOU may NOT know! January 9, 2020January 27, 2021 Graziana Filomeno intermediate-eng In this article I will reveal some facts about the Italian language! First of all, it is good to know that there are not many Italian speakers in the world : “only” 63 mil...