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How do we conjugate an Italian verb into the polite or familiar form? Let’s begin our discussion of polite and familiar expressions in Italian by talking a look at the conjugation table for chiamarsi, the reflexive verb that means “to be named,” or “to call oneself.” This verb is one of the first verbs an Italian student learns to conjugate and contains all the elements to understand polite and familiar verb tenses. First, let’s conjugate chiamarsi the way we would any other –are  verb. Chiamarsi (to call oneself/to be named) will have the same stem and endings as chiamare (to …

Buying a house with a partner sounds amazing, but it’s a huge commitment. Communication is key if you want things to go smoothly. Asking these questions can better prepare the both of you for the next step. How much debt do you have? First, ask how much debt they have. Knowing how much money is at your disposal is a huge aspect of buying a house. Getting approved for a mortgage should be the first step in the process. Mortgage lenders look at your debt-to-income ratio. Your DTI ratio is calculated by your combined monthly debt payments divided by your …

As we’ve seen in a previous blog about the verb sapere,it is important to understand how to conjugate sapere in the present tense if one wants to describe what he or she knows. Sapere in the present tense is a verb of certainty; when one uses the Italian verb sapere, they do so to describe a fact or something they believe to be true. But there are times when you may not be certain if what you’re talking about is factual. To express doubt, possibility, uncertainty, personal feelings, desire or suggestions, Italian uses the subjunctive mood. And to convey uncertainty …

Good day and I have missed writing for you all! Once public libraries and family history centers closed, most of our access to records was cut off along with most of what I write about in these columns. Let me explain. Most Italian civil records 1809-1929 and Cook County vital records can be browsed on familysearch.org, but the web site only allows you to browse them if you are in a Family History Center or an affiliate library. (Not all public libraries are affiliate libraries.) Familysearch has to have a certain router address in order to permit computers on that …

April showers bring May flowers, right? We hear that every year. In fact, I’m sure I’ve written about May flowers a couple of times in the dozen years I’ve been writing this column. Well, I’ve had enough of writing about flowers and I’m switching things up. Spring also marks the start of vegetable gardening season, which brings to mind the many such gardens in Roseland, Pullman and Kensington. Personally, I’ve never had a green thumb, but the array of colorful and abundant vegetable gardens has stayed with me since childhood. Growing up in Roseland, I ran across gardens big and …

Walking my dog, Antonio Michelangelo Martello, has proven to be an enlightening experience. As we casually stroll through beautifully preserved Pullman. I not only have the opportunity to visit with any Pullmanites we see. I also get to take note of the changes made to Pullman’s original architecture. Since 1907, all of the residences in Pullman have been privately owned. In 1897, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that the company could not own homes as that was outside of its corporate charter. As the residents purchased their homes, they were able to make changes to their properties as they liked. …

Coming up with a competitive offer for a property can be challenging. Today’s market is constantly changing and with a limited number of homes available, you need to seek professional advice and be realistic about your expectations. First and foremost, you need to choose the right real estate broker and take his or her advice. You may have previous knowledge from your own research, but in the end, you need to trust the expert. Buying a house can be an extremely emotional process. Your realtor is there to help you through the ups and downs and take some of the …

When visiting another country (and I am sure travelers will one day be able to visit Italy again), it is important to understand the ins and outs of making a purchase. Whether you are dining at a restaurant, visiting an important historical site, or purchasing a souvenir of your trip, knowing a few  words in Italian is always helpful to understand the cost. And if you like to barter, you can pepper your English with a few friendly Italian phrases to help the deal go through! How do I use the verb costare? In order to ask how much something …

Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, will be remembered as one of the most historic dates in Italian-American history. It’s the day that representatives of 354 Italian-American organizations from across our country joined together to participate in the first-ever National Italian American Summit Meeting. From New York to California to Hawaii, from Michigan to Louisiana, and from nearly every state in between, Italian-American leaders did something they had never done before: They joined hands in a show of national unity. The idea for the summit meeting stemmed from a discussion I had with Frank Maselli, president of the American Italian Museum in …

Jan. 14, 2021, was a landmark day for the Chicago-area Italian-American community. That’s when we took a quantum leap forward in our efforts to undo the false narrative that threatens to permanently sweep Christopher Columbus from the local landscape. We’ve had great turnouts at press conferences, strategy sessions and rallies, but this was the first time we “entered the lion’s den,” and we comported ourselves admirably. The occasion was a Zoom meeting sponsored by the city of Chicago to field input regarding the future of the city’s many statues, Columbus’ among them. With key decision makers from the city slated …