Аlexander Chekhanovski

Italian for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide


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novanta

      100: cento

      Important Note: When combining numbers like 21, 31, 41, etc., the uno changes to un before a noun. For example, trentuno can also be written as trent’un. Also, pay attention to «tre», because it loses the accent when it is attached to another number (ventitré)

      Days of the Week: I Giorni della Settimana

      Monday: lunedì

      Tuesday: martedì

      Wednesday: mercoledì

      Thursday: giovedì

      Friday: venerdì

      Saturday: sabato

      Sunday: domenica

      Months of the Year: I Mesi dell’Anno

      January: gennaio

      February: febbraio

      March: marzo

      April: aprile

      May: maggio

      June: giugno

      July: luglio

      August: agosto

      September: settembre

      October: ottobre

      November: novembre

      December: dicembre

      Asking for the Date and Time

      Che giorno è oggi? – What day is today?

      Oggi è lunedì. – Today is Monday.

      Che data è oggi? – What is today’s date?

      Oggi è il primo di marzo. – Today is the first of March.

      Che ore sono? – What time is it?

      Sono le due. – It’s two o’clock.

      È l’una. – It’s one o’clock.

      Cultural Note: Italian Festivals and Holidays

      Italy is famous for its vibrant festivals and holidays! From religious celebrations like Natale (Christmas) and Pasqua (Easter) to local town festivals called sagre celebrating food and wine, there’s always something to celebrate in Italy. One of the most important holidays is Ferragosto (August 15th), which marks the Assumption of Mary and is traditionally a time for Italians to take vacations and enjoy the summer weather.

      Exercises

      Number Practice: Write out the following numbers in Italian:

      15

      22

      31

      50

      100

      Calendar Activity: What day of the week is:

      January 1st?

      July 4th?

      December 25th?

      (Choose a year that is relevant to the reader)

      Date and Time: Answer the following questions in Italian:

      Che giorno è oggi? (Answer with the current day)

      Che data è oggi? (Answer with the current date)

      Che ore sono? (Give an approximate time)

      True or false:

      Luglio means August. (true/false)

      Mercoledì means Wednesday. (true/false)

      Translate:

      Today is the 5th of May.

      It’s 3 o’clock.

      Answer Key:

      quindici, ventidue, trentuno, cinquanta, cento

      Varies depending on the year.

      Varies depending on the current day, date and time.

      False, True

      Oggi è il cinque di maggio, Sono le tre.

      Next Steps:

      Bravo! You’ve learned to count, talk about days and months, and ask for the date and time! In the next chapter, we’ll explore the delicious world of Italian food and drink. Buon appetito!

      Chapter

      In this chapter, we’ll learn how to ask for directions, talk about transportation, and use prepositions of place. These skills are essential for navigating a new city and exploring all that Italy has to offer!

      Vocabulary for Transportation: Vocabolario per il Trasporto

      L’autobus (bus)

      Il treno (train)

      Il taxi (taxi)

      La metropolitana (subway/metro)

      La macchina/l’auto (car)

      La bicicletta (bicycle)

      L’aereo (airplane)

      La nave (ship)

      Asking for Directions: Chiedere Indicazioni

      Scusi, sa dirmi dov’è…? – Excuse me, can you tell me where…?

      Dov’è…? – Where is…?

      Come posso arrivare a…? – How can I get to…?

      È lontano da qui? – Is it far from here?

      È vicino da qui? – Is it near from here?

      Può indicarmi sulla mappa? – Can you show me on the map?

      Va sempre dritto. – Go straight ahead.

      Giri a destra. – Turn right.

      Giri a sinistra. – Turn left.

      Prepositions of Place: Preposizioni di Luogo

      In – in, at (used with cities, regions, countries)

      Sono a Roma. – I’m in Rome. (a is used instead of in before city names)

      Il libro è nello zaino. – The book is in the backpack. (nello is a combination of in + lo, used before masculine nouns starting with s + consonant, z, or gn)

      Su – on

      Il libro è sul tavolo. – The book is on the table. (sul is a combination of su + il)

      Sotto – under

      Il gatto è sotto il tavolo. – The cat is under the table.

      Davanti a – in front of

      La macchina è davanti alla casa. – The car is in front of the house.

      Dietro a – behind

      Il giardino è dietro alla casa. – The garden is behind the house.

      Accanto a – next to

      La banca è accanto al supermercato. – The bank is next to the supermarket.

      Tra/fra – between

      La farmacia è tra la banca e il negozio. – The pharmacy is between the bank and the store.

      Vicino a – near

      La stazione è vicino al centro. – The station is near the center.

      Lontano da – far from

      L’hotel è lontano dal mare. – The hotel is far from the sea.

      Cultural Note: Different Modes of Transportation in Italy

      Italy has a well-developed transportation system. High-speed trains connect major cities, making it easy to travel quickly and comfortably. Within cities, you can use buses, trams, and subways to get around. In some cities, like Venice, boats are the primary mode of transportation! Renting a car is also a good option for exploring the countryside, but be prepared for narrow roads and challenging parking situations.

      Grammar Focus: Prepositions of Place

      Prepositions are essential for describing the location of things. In Italian, prepositions often combine with definite articles to form contractions. Here are some common examples:

      in