Tag Archives: Kathryn Occhipinti

The Italian verb  entrare  is often used to describe physically entering a place and can be translated as “to enter,” “to go in” or “to come in.” In fact, the Italian and English verbs entrare and enter are cognates; both verbs share a common origin in the Latin language. Also, along with carrying the same primary definition,  entrare and enter have a similar sound when pronounced in each language, and are used in a similar way. Besides the basic meaning of “to enter a place,” entrare  and enter are also the verbs used to give direction to performers. For instance, the …

Worry and Anxiety in Italian — La preoccupazione, L’ansia and L’ansietà.  Many scenarios, either real or imagined, can prompt a feeling of concern. In short, in life there are many reasons to worry, and we often try to get advice or find solace for our worries by speaking with another. In Italian, there are many ways to convey the emotions we feel when we get worried and upset. Therefore, we must learn to think in Italian if we are to communicate our emotions in Italian! The Italian noun that means   “the worry” or “the concern” is  la preoccupazione. If one …

  Say “I’ll take care of it” in Italian with Subject – Verb Inversion Certain situations may require clarification of an individual’s responsibility to family members, friends, or co-workers. This leads to common phrases used on a daily basis. For instance, “I’ll take care of it,” can be rendered in Italian by a unique sentence structure using a verb of action and also with the reflexive verb occuparsi. When in Italy, a simple way to emphasize that you will take responsibility for an action is to make a short statement and place the subject pronoun after the verb; in effect, …

Say “Some” in Italian with the Partitive To speak fluently in another language, it is important to know how to describe a group of things in a general way. In some cases, the number of things in a group can be counted, but we may want to describe only a part of the entire group. In other cases, the number of things in a group cannot be counted — either due to difficulty in dividing the group into individual parts or due to a seemingly infinite number of things within the group. In short, all languages bypass the problem of …

  Longtime Fra Noi correspondent Dr. Kathryn Occhipinti has released an audiobook titled “Conversational Italian for Travelers: Just the Important Phrases,” with the same phrases found in her popular pocket phrase book of the same title. Recorded with native Italian and American speakers, the audiobook makes it possible to read and then listen to “all the Italian you need in order to enjoy your trip to Italy,” according to Occhipinti. The audiobook is available on Spotify and most streaming platforms, and the print version is available on Amazon.com and LearnTravelItalian.com. A radiologist of Italian descent, Occhipinti has been leading Italian-language …

The Italian verb  dovere fills an essential role in everyday life, whether one is a traveler to Italy or is speaking to an acquaintance, friend, or family.  Dovere is used as a helping verb to emphasize the obligation or the need to complete an action with its meanings of “to have to,” or “to must.”  Think of how many times a day we say we “have to” or “must” do something — leave for work or school, run an errand, meet a friend we haven’t seen in a while — the permutations are endless!  Also, it is important to note …

Meeting someone at a gathering — Piacere di conoscerla… Where do two people who form a lasting relationship have their first encounter? Many times soon-to-be couples are introduced by a friend, often at a festa (party). The Italian verb conoscere is used when two people first meet. In a previous blog, The Holidays in Italy,  we discussed the many variations of friendly Italian introductions, and the most common reply, “Piacere di conoscerla,” for, “It is a pleasure to meet you.” This phrase uses the formal “la” to mean “you.” More commonly, though, and especially at informal gatherings of young people, the familiar …

The Italian verb dare is most often used with the meaning “to give,”  or literally, “to hand over” something to someone else. When the object “handed over” is a gift, dare may be used to describe this action or the more specific verbs of gift-giving may come into play, such as regalare (to give a gift) and  donare (to donate). To truly sound like a native Italian, learn the quintessential Italian interjection, “Dai!” from the second person conjugation of dare. The Italian verb dare is also an integral part of an important Italian expression, “dare del tu,” which allows  one to …

Expressing one’s emotions is complex, both in one’s native language and certainly in an adopted language. In Italian, many phrases used to convey emotion are idiomatic, and the choice of verbs can differ with even minor differences in a situation. This is especially true for the winter holiday season, which brings with it happiness and anticipation, and many ways to express these feelings in Italian! In short, we must learn to think in Italian if we are to communicate our emotions in Italian! Expressing Happiness in Italian — Contento, Felice, Piacere Sono contento(a) di… If an Italian is happy, he …

The Italian Family of Yesterday and Today Traditionally, married couples in Italy had large families and raised their children as part of an extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins.  In modern Italy, nuclear families tend to be smaller, but the language for how to describe children as they grow from a baby to an adult has not changed very much. Young boys and girls are called “the baby” — with  “il bambino” for young boys or “la bambina” for young girls — until 5 or 6 years, long after we Americans would consider the “baby stage” has been completed. …