Let's talk about Italian (2 Viewers)

[Christina]

Sto meglio quando io leggo la lingua Italiana di parlare la stessa lingua.

I don't even know if that makes any sense.

I am best when I read Italian of speaking this language.

 

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[Klin]

I am best when I read Italian of speaking this language.

Isn't 'di' the italian word for 'than'?

 

[Christina]

It also means 'of', there isn't really a literal translation I guess.

 

[Kate]

Would you not use "più...che" in this instance rather than "più...di"?

Più...di would be for "Klin è più bravo di Christina" - Klin is better at it than Christina.

But più...che would be "Klin è più bravo a leggere che a scrivere" - Klin is better at reading than he is at writing.

 

[Klin]

Grazie mille, ragazze.

 

[GordoDeCentral]

ciao stronzi e troie!

 

[AngelaL]

I like it.
I don't speak it.
I would like to speak it.
I don't have a history with it.

I am the same. I know a few odd words, picked up from here plus one phrase that I saw in an advertisment for cds in learning Italian. It was such a silly sentence that it stuck in my mind: -

La rana è piena = the frog is full

(It must have eaten a lot of flies!)

So, where's the classroom thread, Marty?

ciao stronzi e troie!

Non siamo milanese sporco o interisti merde!

I hope I got that right!

 

[Martin]

I am the same. I know a few odd words, picked up from here plus one phrase that I saw in an advertisment for cds in learning Italian. It was such a silly sentence that it stuck in my mind: -

La rana è piena = the frog is full

(It must have eaten a lot of flies!)

So, where's the classroom thread, Marty?

None yet. But we can get something going if you guys are interested.

 

[gray]

I learnt some conversational Italian using the Pimsleur audiobook series. It's pretty decent for learning, much better than my experience with Rosetta Stone. It got me through my 2 week vacation in Italy, and the locals are very happy that you're giving it a go instead of going the arrogant tourist route and expecting everyone to speak English.

It doesn't really matter if you can't speak Italian properly, though:

 

[Ali]

It's quite different. The sentence structure is not the same and you have to get used to how pronouns are used differently, for instance:

- I drive the car.
- (Io) guido la macchina.

Io is usually left out because it is inferred from the form of the verb (different for every person). When you use a pronoun instead it moves to stand in front of the verb:

- I drive it.
- (Io) la guido. (I-it-drive.)

Negation comes before both pronoun and verb:

- Jeg gïør det ikke.
- (Io) non lo faccio. (Jeg-ikke-det-gjør.)

And vocabulary wise there are many roots in common with English, so many words you can guess. But there are also many roots that don't appear in English. Typically words that come "later" in human history, like "organization" = "organizzazione" are borrowed, while words that came early are not "foot" = "piede".

Sounds rather confusing but I guess it's a matter of adjusting. I remember when I was learning Swedish I had a hard time adjusting from thinking in English & applying in Swedish.

 

[Ali]

None yet. But we can get something going if you guys are interested.

Count me in.

 

[Dostoevsky]

Thanks for that PM, Martin. I barely had time to answer and I always try to postpone it for some reason.

To make people feel a little more comfortable in here, let's have a thread where we can talk freely about Italian, but in English.

Do you like it? Do you speak it? Would you like to know it? Do you already have a history with it?

Tell us

Yes, I do like it. For some reason it's my favorite language just after English. I don't speak it really, I have some understand of basic stuff mostly related to football articles but that's about it. Oh and I can understand Italian commentators from time to time. When I went to Italy though I was like "ok, which language is this?" since it sounds different somehow and they are kinda fast with it I didn't understand a single thing I think.

I'm very busy with studies and everything but once I get time (hopefully before I finish uni) I'd like to learn it.

--

Hoori, your PM did hurt and I didn't like it.

 

[AngelaL]

Count me in.

And me!