Ciao mia cara, Come stai? È veramente un sacco che non ci sentiamo. Senti, mi sei venuta in mente perché ho sentito che hanno aperto un nuovo locale che sembra molto carino vicino Piazza della Repubblica e che stanno facendo degli aperitivi pro

Sexy Phrases to Seduce Your Italian Lover

Jan 28th, 2019 11m 8s

While I firmly believe that we should infuse romance and lots of pepper -- as the Italians say -- into our love lives every day, it’s not so bad that we have one day a year to do something a bit more special. (Plus, I like getting chocolate, so

False Friends in Italian

Jan 28th, 2019 10m 48s

Ripetere does indeed mean to repeat. Avocado means avocado. There have been many a time where I’ve guessed a word relying solely on English and have added an Italian ending… and I’ve been right. And there have been many other times where I’ve g

Italian Insults That Will Make You Laugh Out Loud

Jan 27th, 2019 13m 35s

There is something so satisfying about learning swear words in another language. That’s why so many new language learners rush to ask native speakers how to say things like, “f*** you” and “you’re an idiot.” After Rachel wrote this article with

How to Order Pizza and Gelato in Italian

Jan 17th, 2019 20m 12s

Ordering Pizza I really like pasta (cacio e pepe is my favorite), gelato (fragola, every day all day), and cheese (pecorino forever and ever), but pizza? I love pizza. For the first few weeks that I lived in Rome, the only people I knew were th

2 Must Know Connector Words - Poi and Cosi - in Italian

Jan 13th, 2019 8m 42s

I’m back to talk to you all about how to use the Italian words “poi” and “così.” I would describe both of these as “connector words,” or words that you use to easily and fluidly connect two sentence pieces together. Let’s start with “poi.” ROUN

Compliments to Give in Italian

Jan 10th, 2019 16m 47s

How do you “fare complimenti” to a person in Italian -- whether it’s for how good they look, what they’re wearing, their language skills, or just to be polite and show your appreciation? APPEARANCE -- Sei in gran forma! - You're in great shape!

How to Shop at a Market in Italy

Jan 3rd, 2019 13m 22s

Rachel and I walked behind Giacomo, Mary, and Hannah as we snaked our way through the Sant'Ambrogio market in Florence. Giacomo, our cooking teacher and chef, was leading us to a vegetable stall to buy ingredients for the meal we were going to

Italian Word Speed Date: Tanto

Dec 27th, 2018 14m 29s

ITALIAN Rachel: Hai bisogno di qualcosa dal supermercato? Carlotta: No, no, dai, non ti preoccupare. Rachel: Macché! Tanto, oggi vado al supermercato comunque. Have you ever heard an expression like the one above that starts with “tanto?” You m

Did You Know You Could Use 'Sentire' and 'Trovare' In These Ways?

Dec 20th, 2018 20m 19s

// SENTIRE WordReference lists it as meaning: — To taste — To feel — To hear — To smell And you might be confused because you know that “ascoltare” can mean “to hear / to listen,” too. Verbs in Italian can have so many different meanings, so th

Figuring Out Verbs Like Andarsene, Volerci, Avercela, and Entrarci

Dec 16th, 2018 22m 17s

In Italian, a pronominal verb is basically a verb mixed with pronouns. Pronominal verbs look similar to verbs you already know, making it a little bit easier to take a guess at their meaning. We’re all familiar with the Italian verb ‘andare,’ m

How to Buy Cheese in Italy

Dec 9th, 2018 14m 46s

Much like in the US, you can buy cheese at the deli counter. Near the deli there is usually some already pre-packaged and pre-weighed cheeses for you to browse as well. Personally, I like my cheese fresh cut, so I recommend going to the deli ve

Italian Word Speed Date: Altrimenti

Dec 6th, 2018 8m 54s

I don’t know why, but I love the word “altrimenti”. It might be the way it rolls off the tongue or the elegant way it connects phrases together, but I’m off on a language-nerd tangent now. The point is that today we are learning how to use the

What’s It Like to Be Pregnant in Italy?

Nov 18th, 2018 18m 56s

Rachel and I talk about what others have been talking about from the news a lot in Italy, what holiday just passed in Florence, and what it's like to be pregnant in Italy. We answer questions like 'What's the difference in Italy and America bet

Phrases to Talk About Your Italian Lessons (interview with a student)

Nov 15th, 2018 18m 21s

We snaked our way through the streets of Florence as we made our way to il mercato di Sant'Ambrogio. I turned toward Mary, “Com’è andata la tua lezione? - How’d your lesson go?” She responded, raising her voice slightly so I could hear her abov

14 Ways to Say Thank You in Italian

Nov 15th, 2018 14m 45s

14 Ways to Say Thank You 1) Grazie. - Thank you. 2) Ti ringrazio (informal) /La ringrazio (formal). - Thank you. I miei ringraziamenti - All my gratitude Porgo i miei più sinceri ringraziamenti.- I offer you my sincerest thanks. 3) Grazie m

11 Ways to Say Goodbye in Italian

Jan 26th, 2016 13m 7s

Learn 11 phrases to say goodbye in Italian. PSSSST. This is also the LAST episode of the podcast, so you'll want to listen in to hear about what's next and why I've decided to end it.

How to Start Learning Italian, PT III

Jan 19th, 2016 18m 46s

You'll learn what a beginner language learner's schedule looks like, the type of activities you can do as a beginner, and where you might hold yourself back from making progress.

How to Start Learning Italian (or How to Go From Only Knowing “Ciao” to Being Conversational) PART II

Jan 12th, 2016 27m 8s

Part II of the 'How to Start Learning Italian' guide.

How to Start Learning Italian (or How to Go From Only Knowing "Ciao" to Being Conversational) PART I

Jan 5th, 2016 22m 32s

Where to start when you decide to learn Italian.

Italian Word Speed Dates: Allora

Dec 29th, 2015 10m 40s

The many ways 'allora' is used in the Italian language.

Christmas: A Thing of Beauty

Dec 15th, 2015 6m 1s

Sei cose da fare per imparare l'italiano durante i tempi morti

Dec 1st, 2015 7m 9s

How I've Been Preparing for the CILS Exam

Nov 24th, 2015 16m 40s

The steps I've been taken to be sure I'm prepared for the Italian CILS exam.

Six Guidelines You Can Use to Choose the “Tu” or the “Lei” Form in Italian

Nov 10th, 2015 10m 19s

How do you know when to use "tu" and when to use "Lei" in when addressing someone in Italian? This podcast episode gives you 6 guidelines you can use to choose the correct form.