Italian Culture and Travel

ev eryday conversation

Can anyone recommend some Italian songs to listen to and sing to help me learn. It was a suggestion in my lesson today, and I would love to have some ideas.  I'm thinking modern popular songs.

Hi All Slang is never a good idea, unless you are very sure about what you are saying. In Portuguese there are words and phrases that are okay for men to use, but not woman. When I was dating a Portuguese boy as a teen, in conversation I heard the “ragg...

For ordering food or drink, which is politer or are they interchangable?   Io vorrei ("I would like") or prendo ("I take")    Could you also use them in a bar for ordering coffee etc.?   Grazie.

Greetings, Italian language enthusiasts!   Let's share our favorite Italian expressions and idioms!   We all know that idioms add color and flavor to a language, so tell us which Italian expressions you love the most. Is there an idiom that you fin...

Ciao fellow language enthusiasts!   Let's take a moment to celebrate the vibrant culture that accompanies our Italian language journey. From Renaissance art to enchanting music and mouthwatering cuisine, Italy offers a treasure trove of experiences. No...

Had an exciting and thrilling evening. Was watching a documentary of Firenze. Saw the Duomo, the rive Arno and the palazzio vecchio. Hope my spelling is correct. Brought that section about Firenze to life. Gia mi piace!

A new meal to try. Went to our local butcher on Vancouver Island in the Comox Valley and they had braciole. Never even heard of it, so purchased some and am going to cook it. Looks delicious and interesting. My husband has also become quite the Panett...

Ciao a tutti   A brand new year. I have given up on new year resolutions, just never last! One thing I am going to try and keep up with is to use different resources for my language learning. Amazing resources out there and many of them at no charge....

Found what I think is quite interesting. A blog called “ Stella Lucente”. Conversational Italian.  Lots of stuff to wade through, but some of the Italian learners may find it interesting as well as helpful.  Also signed up for Coffee Break TV, a subs...

Salve,    I'm going to the Europass school in Firenze for Italian in November. I'm taking their Language Holiday for two weeks. If you've taken a class with Europass, how was it?

Ciao a tutti I have come to the conclusion that learning anything new can be exciting, but that one goes through stages where it doesn't feel so great. Bought an e bike a few months ago. Could barely manage 3 kilometrers, and now have imroved tremendous...

I am emozionato, I have a penpal. She is Italian, but lives in Germany. I also have a German penpal now, but i think she wants to use her English. German is my next language to brush up on, so not a bad idea. Was scrabbling to write something, but manage...

Ciao a tutti Was watching YouTube videos yesterday. Found some great ones for cookery all in Italian. Some did have English subtitles, majority not. Was great to practice listening and increasing vocabulary. Some was a bit fast, it yu do get the general...

Ciao a tutti Wishing everyone a happy learning year. Also hopefully it will be safe to travel soon, as am desperate to see Italy and practise my new Italian language skills. Am going to look for a local Italian teacher this year for speaking practice, a...

Gli uomini sono angeli con un’ala sola. Possono volare solo abbracciati. Humans are angels with a single wing. (They) can only fly embracing each other.  Found this on level 2 survival phrases. Describing feelings What a lyrical and lovely expression....

Ciao a tutti Am intrigued by the Italian Christmas breads. Intend making at least one of them this Christmas. Anyone have a good recipe or a suggestions for which one A wonderful time to all Sebongela

Hi All Am interested to know how many people speak multiple languages. Generally speakig have found that people from Europe speak far more languages generally than North Amerca and the rest of the world. Just quizzy Sebongela

Last made made salsa besciamella, never thought to add pesto. Thanks “making lasagna” A great alternative to a classic sauce

Not sure if it is allowed to send a book recommendation. Not a text book, but more a musing about Italy and the language. Will post it, if allowed, as delightful reading and funny too

Hello everyone, my name is Gary, aged 60, and from Liverpool in England. I have just started the Italian course and really enjoying the experience. I decided to learn Italian because I used to visit Italian (Modena primarily) on business. I love Northern...

Was watching a movie with a bit of Italian in it and was thrilled that I could follow some of the dialogue. Can anyone recommend any movies with Italian, as find it really exciting that I could follow even a little bit. A great motivator!

Have read again today about a scam in Rome.  A plain clothes person claimes to be poice, investigating a robbery or something.  They demand to see your passport and other papers.  How can I demand to see a uniformed pliceman.  I could just yell for help a...

Is this lesson in the correct location in the progression of Level 1? The lesson talks about different verb tenses that have not been learned yet in any previous lesson. This makes the lesson a bit more difficult to learn. 

Hello, Lesson 6.5 is missing from the lessons. Not sure if the lessons were mislabeled or if a lesson is actually missing. I hope that you and your families are all doing okay.   Regards, Sno  

I want to knw a but Italian culture and language

What exactly are the differences one would expect in 1st or 2nd class train travel?  Which is in more common usage - binario or piattaforma when inquiring about a particular train platform? Do Italians more commonly use bagno or W.C. for bathroom?

I know regional dialects are important in Italy. Does the Italian we are learning with Rocket Italian have any dialect content? If I go to Venice, is the Venetian dialect commonly spoken?

Recently made a trip to Sicily and was pleasantly surprised at how well Rocket had prepared me to handle basic interactions - directions, restaurants and sightseeing, etc. I should mention, however, that Italian spoken rapidly with a Sicilian accent can b...

"Sulla tua bocca lo dirò quando la luce splenderà!" This would translate literally as "on your mouth I will say it when the light shines" I'm curious what people think he's saying here.  Does he mean to say that his name will (figuratively?) be ...

Hi! I am about to visit Italy for the first time and my friends over there have set up a music set for me at a gig.  What do I play? Will Springsteen go down well? Neil Young? 

Friends warned us about a 2 step process for train tickets?  They said something about having to "validate" the ticket before getting on the train.  Purchasing a ticket is not enough????

I have heard the Italian post office can be less than efficient.  We were told to mail from the Vatican Post office.  How would you ask for a postage stamp that would get the card to America?

Going to be in Italy for over two weeks next year.  Ubderstand many hotels have landry service.  How do you ask for it and find how long till it is returned to your room?  Also do you know if it is required to have a note from your Doctor showing what med...

Have read again today about a scam in Rome.  A plain clothes person claimes to be poice, investigating a robbery or something.  They demand to see your passport and other papers.  How can I demand to see a uniformed pliceman.  I could just yell for help a...

I will be visiting Italy in a few weeks. I am allergic to wheat and may need the wait staff to help me choose what to order when eating out. Is there a simple sentence or two that I could say that would be polite?

My wife and I are to travel to Cortona for 5 weeks in October, 2016.  Any suggestions for what we really must do while there, in terms of connecting locally, sites, food, wine, travel in Tuscany, Umbria, Rome, etc? Thanks.  We also hope by then to be a...

Lo sapevate che... ? In Italia, cosi' come anche in altre parti del mondo, quando nasce un bambino c'e' l'usanza di apporre un fiocco sulla porta di casa. Fiocco rosa se e' una bambina e fiocco blu per il maschietto. A seconda delle credenze popolari e d...

At the last page of item 3.7 Coparing things It Is readen: I più bei fiori. Is that not a fault in the word "bei", should It not be written "bel" from "bollo? The "bei" I can't look op In my dictionary. Otherwise explain It for me, please.

I will be going to Milan and Cologne for business in July. I have 3 days for myself. Any suggestions on places to stay and /or see. :D

Hello everybody, did you know that... After a meal Italians will never drink a cappuccino or a latte for example The perfect end of a meal is a good espresso ! We drink espresso in different times of the day and you don't need to sit down to have one. M...

Lo sapevate che... ? In Italia, cosi' come anche in altre parti del mondo, quando nasce un bambino c'e' l'usanza di apporre un fiocco sulla porta di casa. Fiocco rosa se e' una bambina e fiocco blu per il maschietto. A seconda delle credenze popolari e d...

can i learn with italian people

I want to knw a but Italian culture and language

has anyone lived there? stationed there? I hear good and bad

Does the word "caruccio" mean the same as carino? It wasn't in my dictionary, so thought I should check.

Ciao a tutti Sono departe a sydney a roma pio palermo per ventisei giorno. Sono molti eccitata (excited). Spero imparare abbastanza italiana. non c'è italiano parole per woohoo!!!! Fran

After dinner, I tend to ask the staff if they would call a taxi - in English, as I am just starting to learn. But this limits me where I eat. I wonder if either of the below 2 questions would sound polite enough (as I am asking for a favor) - but I am n...

Ciao; I will be traveling to Italy in October 2013. Are there different dialects throught the different regions that I should be aware of? Grazie.