Italian present tense and songs

If you are in Rome and you need one to one lessons with an experienced Italian language teacher email me! Only during one on one lessons you have the special opportunity for intensive practice. If you can speak for most of the lesson, you will make progress faster 🙂

As you know, Italian songs are very useful to improve your Italian listening and pronunciation skills. In the page “Italian classes” you can find some links. I selected a few songs and so while you learn Italian, you could have a good time listening to Italian songs.

Yesterday I posted two more links on prensent tense: it’s the same old song (“E penso a te“), sung by two different singers. Listen to them!  🙂

To see it you have to click on guarda su YouTube:

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Animals and Italian language expressions

I’m an experienced Italian language teacher and I’m available for Italian tuition in Rome.  Email me!

Today you can find out 5 new Italian language expressions to improve your Italian in an easy and fun way.  These expressions are really common:

Volpe

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Talpa

Mulo

Ghiro

Pavone

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Complete these sentences with the words of the pics above:

1. Luca è veramente ostinato: fa sempre le stesse cose anche se sbaglia. Non ho mai visto nessuno così testardo come un ___________________
2. Paolo è veramente furbo come una  __________________.
3. Marco è un _________________: non ho mai visto un narcisista come lui.
4. Lisa dorme come un  _________________ non si riesce a svegliarla!
5. Luca sbatte sempre dappertutto: è veramente cieco come una  ________________

Do you need some help? Here is it:

Furbo come una volpe = as sly as a fox
Cieco come una talpa = as blind as a bat  (but we say as a mole)
Testardo come un mulo = stubborn as a mule
Dormire come un ghiro = to slip as a log (but we say as a dormouse)
Vanitoso come un pavone = as vain as a peacock

Read more about

1. moods
2. people and food part A
3. people and food part B
4. people and food part C

Some functions of communication in Italian

Hi everyone,

it’s time you learn some more Italian online!

I was very busy last three weeks, so I couldn’t write new posts or piece of grammar information on my blog “learn Italian language”: I’m sorry for that!  But now I’m here with a new nice exercise on Italian interpersonal functions of communication ( expressing regrets; give directions and instructions;  etc.)

This exercise (+ solution), is for students of a language level B1, so it’s totally in Italian. I hope you’ll preaches it 🙂

Have a good day!

Exercise: Griglia funzioni comunicative-elementi grammaticali

Remember: the friendliest way to improve your language skills is practice it with a mothertongue teacher in a friendly conversation about current affairs, life in Italy and Rome, and many other topics you like. I can give you Italian instruction: this is an opportunity to ask a native speaker (and experienced teacher = me) about the language problems you can have.

What does the Italian “NE” mean?

Italian language teacher with many years of experience here for your Italian lessons.

Some students have a lot of troubles  with the Italian “CI”  and “NE”. Today I’ll tell you about “NE”. To understand the “CI” look at here!

What does the Italian “NE” mean? Can I omit it?

In Italian it has several different meanings. The “NE” is absolutely necessary  and I cannot omit it!

First of all, as you probably know, “NE”  is a pronoun and we used it with quantities (“some”, “any”, “a little” or a number and can also mean “of that or of them”). Careful:  we use it to avoid repeating the name that we have already mentioned therefore you cannot leave it.

E.g.

• Avete degli amici italiani? = Have you got any Italian friends?

No, non ne abbiamo =  No, we haven’t (of them).   Ne replaces “of friends”

• Vorrei un bottiglia d’acqua … ne ha una più piccola? =  I’d like a bottle of water, do you have a smaller one (of it)?   Ne replaces “one/a bottle”
• Luca ha un cane = Luca has a dog

Io ne ho due = I have two of them.   Ne replaces “two dogs”

• Le forchette non bastano, dammene delle altre = There aren’t enough forks, give me some more (of them).  Ne replaces “more forks”
• Vorrei del prosciutto crudo = I’d like some prosciutto

   Mi dispiace, non ce n’è più = I’m sorry, there isn’t any left (of it)

• Ho una nuova macchina = I’ve a new car

 Ne vorrei una anch’io! = I’d like a new one too (a/one car)  [read more]

Italian pronunciation and karaoke

Ciao!  How do you pronunce Italian language?

I inserted a new page (“Italian songs“) to help you to pronounce Italian language. Enjoy it!

Ciao!

Ho aggiunto una nuova pagina (“Italian songs“) per aiutarvi a pronunciare l’italiano cantando.  Buon divertimento!

Italian song and Italian pronouns

Ciao, come state?
State imparando l’italiano?
Nei giorni scorsi ho inserito, nella pagina “Italian classes” due nuove pagine per voi. La prima è un piccolo dialogo con alcuni pronomi oggetto diretto, la seconda è per farvi ascoltare un po’ di musica italiana (by Jovanotti), e per farvi sentire un po’ di pronomi (riflessivi, diretti e indiretti).

Buono studio e buon ascolto

Italian language school in Rome

Are you planning to go to Italy? Do you like to learn Italian in Rome?

Ciao Italia language school offers 20% discount for new students on Italian language courses starting on 5th May and 19th May in Standard Group Courses include 4-hour per day (more than 3 students) or 3-hour per day (less than 4 students).

Ciao Italia language school is open year round and offers courses for all levels from beginners to advanced.

Standard Group Courses include 4-hour per day (more than 3 students) or 3-hour per day (less than 4 students) intensive course, from Monday to Friday, for 2 weeks minimum (each lesson lasts 55 minutes).

Click here to compare to the usual prices.

If you are interested, please contact the secretary’s office, but mention me or this blog as your referrer (don’t miss out on this opportunity!).

The secretary office will find you a convenient suitable apartment near the school in the characteristic district of Monti, within walking distance of the Colosseum, the Fori, and the Central Railway Station.

Accommodation can be booked only for the duration of the course mail: info@ciao-italia.it

Ciao, a presto!

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Learn Italian with visual dictionary

Ciao a tutti, come state?

Vi scrivo solo due righe per informarvi che mi hanno invitato ad un gruppo molto carino su Flickr. In questo gruppo si impara l’italiano cercando di usare le foto (per creare vocabolari visuali) e traducendo le frasi o le espressioni importanti.

Vi consiglio di “dare un’occhiata” e, se vi piace, di iscrivervi al gruppo. Questo è il link (vi ricordo che i link su questo blog sono di colore verde e non sono sottolineati, quindi fate attenzione, soprattutto per ascoltare la musica).

Buona giornata a tutti.

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P.S. Vi ho detto che la scorsa settimana sono andata a Orvieto?

.Vi ho inserito una foto (le altre le potete vedere su Flickr: basta seguire il link che è sulla foto), così potete farvi un’idea della bellezza di questa cittadina dell’Umbria.

Quando ne avrete la possibilità, andateci!

Ancora buona giornata a tutti.

YouTube video and Italian song

Ciao,

I like the singer Jovanotti and I think that his Italian is easy to understand. I suggest you to see the beautiful video of “Fango” and to read the lyric here
Buon ascolto, enjoy Italian music

Perché si dice “marinare la scuola”

Ciao a tutti,

leggendo una mailing list per insegnanti ho trovato una nota curiosa sul significato di “marinare la scuola”.

Una delle motivazioni più credibili sembrerebbe essere legata alla tecnica della marinatura degli alimenti che venivano trattati con sale e aceto per essere conservati. L’idea sarebbe, quindi, quella di “conservare” la scuola per un altro giorno, senza essere obbligati a “mangiarla” o a “consumarla” subito.

Che ne dite? Non “marinate” troppo le mie classi on line se volete migliorare il vostro italiano! 😉

Buona giornata.