Word of the Day

Basta (bah.stah) is one of those words that change their meaning depending on the voice intonation you choose. A peremptory “Basta!” is a strong order one cannot refuse to follow, while a softer, questioning  “Basta?” is as gentle as a …

Pazzo (pah-tsoh) means crazy, and you’d be crazy to think it’s not a popular word.  It comes from the word pazzia, a noun as poetic as  it is unsettling — in all languages — associated as it is to mental …

Cavolo! (cah-voh-loh) is one of those words you often don’t know whether you can or cannot say in public. When you were a child, your mom likely disapproved of you  using it, while, as an adult, you understand it comes …

If they tell you sei un fannullone (pronounced fahn-nool-loh-neh) you should either reconsider the people you hang  with or your work ethics.  While fannullone may sound pretty funny, with  all those double  consonants and the –one ending — doesn’t it …

Vittoria (Vit-toh-ree-ah) is one of those words you recognize in all languages. Victory in English, victoire in French, victoria in Spanish, never mind where you come from in the world, its sound and meaning is understood.  The first to use …

Subito (soo-bee-toh) means “soon, “now,” or “immediately.” It is used in a variety of very common expressions so learning how to use it can be very handy! As always, it comes from the Latin subitus, an adjective similar to the …

I believe that when someone says you are a buona forchetta you should take it as a compliment. In the end, why wouldn’t you? To be  a buona forchetta (boo-oh-nah for-kai-tah) doesn’t simply mean to be a good  eater, it …

Speranza (spe-rahn-zah), what a beautiful word. It means  “hope” and  it comes from  the Latin  spes, a noun of the fifth declension, one that kids in school never managed to remember.  Before being “speranza,” it was speme in Italian and, …

Cioè (tcho-eh) is one of Italy’s most common intercalari, those words we like to throw here and there while we talk, but hey! It has a real meaning,  too.  Cioè is the  contraction of two  words, ciò, this/that, and è, …

The Fall is, without a doubt, the favorite season for a pantofolaio (pahn-toh-foh-lah-ee-oh), because they can do what they prefer, without being judged by society: staying in, coffee in hand, eating cookies and watching tv.  The word comes from pantofola, …